Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart: http://sothrichfield.podbean.com/
Matthew 11:20-24 (NIV)
Woe on Unrepentant Towns
20 Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.23 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”
I remember as a child watching the 4th of July fireworks in awe and wonder. Now I find myself complaining that the show did not go long enough or that the finale was “weak”. Why do we do that? What happens to our sense of wonder as we become “adults”? Sometimes our faith is centered on asking for God’s miraculous “fireworks display”. But sooner or later we need even bigger and better miracles to impress us and keep our (supposed) faith alive. But is Jesus good enough for us? Jesus dying on a cross doesn’t seem very big and impressive! Is the promise that Jesus is present with us in the hard places, the difficult relationships, and unforeseen problems of life good enough for us? Or is our relationship with Him based on the big and impressive things that Jesus can do for us? God’s greatest miracle is producing faith in us to trust that simply being with Jesus is what we need most of all.