Are We Any Better? | Matthew 11:20-24

Matthew 11 starting at verse 20. Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in

which most of his miracles had been performed because they did not repent.

Woe to you, Charizm, 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 Sackloff and Ashes. But I tell you it would be more bearable for Tyre

and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 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. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of

judgment than for you. Good morning everyone. Oh come on. Good morning everyone.

Oh there you go. That's much better. Thanks a lot. I feel welcome now. No, it's good to be

with you this morning as we get into God's Word actually continuing on

through the study that you guys are doing in Matthew. Recently my younger sister

Melissa recounted a childhood event and by the way I do not remember this event

but I believe her that she is remembering properly. One day while

out riding our bikes I was rubbing the front of my wheel into the back of her

wheel of her bike. In other words I was banging into her and and when I did that

it would make a little buzzing sound which she absolutely hated which being

the older brother I absolutely loved it all the more because it was a great time

just to tease her. That was my fun in life was to tease her. In case you haven't

guessed it I regularly liked to tease my sister. My sister got me back though.

This one day she did the same to me. In other words she was behind me and she

bumped into my tire trying to make the buzzing sound only I panicked. I fell off

I hit my head and my bike tire got mangled in the process. Well there's more

to the story but the thing that struck me as my sister was reminding me or

telling me what had happened was how often I was mean to my younger sister.

I forgot a lot of the mean things that I did to her but this story brought back

memories of the times that I was really cruel to my sister. You see I can easily

tell you all the good things that I've done and I can tell you all the bad

things that other people have done to me but I easily forget the cruel ways that

I treat others and the cruel ways then become normal and then I forget that I

need to change at all because things are just normal anymore even in my cruelty.

In his day Jesus denounced the key towns where he performed miracles and he

compared them to the notorious cities from Old Testament history and in all

those places in the Old Testament and in Jesus' day so everything every town

that he mentions in this passage sin had become a normal way of life. The key

towns they saw Jesus they heard his teaching. His teaching was repent for

the kingdom of heaven is near that was his message. They needed to change their

ways they needed to repent but they did not listen. They knew that Sodom and

Tyre and Sidon they knew that those cities were notorious that they were

cruel sinners but like me they had forgotten their own sinfulness their

own cruelty their own rebellion against God. Jesus' message and his miracles

prove that he's God he is God and he's calling us to repent of our ways and to

follow him in his ways. You see God gave one message Jesus did many miracles and

there's only one response to all that he has taught and done. Let's look at that

first point where God gave one message. It's good for us to understand that

Jesus and John had the same message so we're gonna go back and look through a

little bit of Matthew kind of leading up to this passage so that we get a full

picture of what's going on here. Matthew establishes Jesus identity early in the

gospel so in Matthew chapter 1 verse 21 and verse 23 it tells us who Jesus is.

Matthew 1:21

Jesus he is his name itself means the Lord saves and then you have the name

Emmanuel given to us in chapter 1 verse 23. Emmanuel which means God with us. So

Jesus names these two names of Jesus they fulfill scripture they indicate

Jesus importance and they tell us the purpose of his life and of his work.

Matthew tells us that Jesus is God and he has come to save. In addition earlier

before Jesus comes on the scene John was sent by God to prepare the way for

Jesus arrival and for Jesus work and so people saw John like the prophet Elijah

because John dressed like the prophet Elijah he wore a garment of camel's hair

not the softest of clothing he wore a leather belt around his waist he ate

locusts and wild honey yum but he looked like Elijah that reminded them of all

that the Old Testament prophets had said and John came and his sermon was clear.

So from Matthew chapter 3 verse 2 you can follow me through if you're quick on

Matthew 3:2

your Bibles or quick on your apps or whatever.

Chapter 3 verse 2 John's message is this repent for the kingdom of heaven has

come near. All those who came out to see John in the wilderness heard John they

confess their sin they were baptized by him in the Jordan and so verse 5 tells

us those facts then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region around the

Jordan were going out to him they were baptized by him in the River Jordan

confessing their sins. John's message was simple his work to baptize

repentant people was simple and Matthew mentions no miracles done by John his

ministry was simple in fact John says himself about his own ministry and

verse 11 of chapter 3 I baptize with water for repentance a very simple thing

but after me comes one who is more powerful than I he will baptize you

with the Holy Spirit. John's message and work did not upstage Jesus it spotlighted

Jesus that he is Emmanuel and he is coming so when Jesus comes to the stage

the message that he preached accompanying by the miracles that he did out

shone John. What message did Jesus Emmanuel preach what did he proclaim

well it tells us in chapter 4 verse 17 from that time on Jesus began to preach

saying repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. John and Jesus had the same

message that's important. Jesus message was accompanied by miracles and people

who saw and heard Jesus they should have repented but miracles are never

separate from the message in other words just because there's miracles doesn't

mean there isn't a message the message and the miracles go together the miracles

only add weight to the message to prove that Jesus was Emmanuel that he was God

with us that he had the authority and the power to save that's what the

miracles proved about the message that Jesus gave. So I realize we're going over

old ground maybe it's been a while since you've been in Matthew I don't know how

long you've been back in Matthew but anyway it might have been a while but

knowing these things about Jesus identity will help us to understand chapter

11 I promise okay so there's a reason there's a method to the madness here

there's two more facts to recall from chapter 4 that are gonna help us. The

first 11 verses of chapter 4 tell us about the occasion of Jesus being

tempted by Satan and after Jesus baptism he was brought into the wilderness

by the Spirit and Satan tempted him but Jesus responded differently than Adam

and Eve did in the garden instead of doubting God Jesus trusted God he

trusted his father he trusted God's will and he followed God in God's ways he

didn't turn against God he followed God he trusted him and then from chapter 4

verse 12 to 17 after John's arrest Jesus withdrew to Galilee. Now you're going

oh I don't know my geography that well there'll be a map up in just a second but

he left Nazareth to live in Capernaum. Now Capernaum is one of the cities which

Jesus pronounces a woe on in chapter 11 so pay attention hold that in your head

Capernaum. Capernaum is in the land of Naftali and Zebulun those are tribes of

Israel those are places in Old Testament Israel and that fulfilled Isaiah's

prophecy so listen to this prophecy the land of Zebulun and land of Naftali the

way of the sea beyond the Jordan Galilee of the Gentiles the people living in

darkness have seen a great light on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a great light has dawned. It's important to know Jesus did not fall to

Satan's temptation he instead went God's way he followed God's way and trusted

God in fact his move to Capernaum lit the dark places it fulfilled scripture

his message and his miracles were a great light on those that lived in darkness

in the shadow of death. God sent John with a message of repentance to prepare

the stage but Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us had the same message plus miracles

to tell and show people that he had the authority and the power to save for you

and I we know Jesus has come the question is will we listen to him

you see not only did there come a message but the second point that we

have is Jesus did many miracles to back up that message and the miracles

spotlight his identity it spotlights the message that he's giving the areas where

Jesus did most of his miracles and his teaching is in and around the cities of

Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum. Those are if you will the evangelical

triangle there's there's an attempt to draw the evangelical triangle there you

go the evangelical triangle those are the places where Jesus did most of his

ministry they had a front row seat to almost everything that Jesus said and

did just in that area therefore they had no excuse to not respond properly to

Jesus message and to Jesus miracles repent for the kingdom of heaven is at

hand and they should have repented now there were no videos and no TVs in Jesus

day I'm sure you know that duh and so entertainment you know it was a bit thin

a bit lacking so when Jesus came to town and he started to do miracles in this

evangelical triangle lots of crowds turned out to watch do you know not once

in Matthew you can check it I was surprised not once in Matthew does he

record repentance as a response from the crowd to any of those miracles not

once now some individuals did come humbly to Jesus they were forgiven or they

were cleansed they saw some miracle done in their life but as the crowds gathered

none of them as a crowd repented crowds only ever respond as Matthew records it

crowds only ever respond with astonishment or accusation let me just

give you a bit of a review just so you know I'm not lying to you here okay I

didn't make this up chapter 8 verse 27 I'm just gonna run through them quickly

it's where Jesus is with his disciples and the storm is they're on the water in

the boat and the storm breaks out and when when Jesus calms the storm it just

says the disciples were amazed and actually we're scared of Jesus as well

who is this guy in chapter 8 verse 34 when he meets the demoniac or the two

demoniacs in Matthew and they he drives them out into the pigs the people in the

community they come out they want Jesus to leave not repentance but rejection

they want him out chapter 9 verse 8 when he heals the paralyzed man and

forgives his sin the crowd are in awe they they're praising God but they're

not repenting chapter 9 verse 24 and 25 the girl who was who was the officer's

daughter and she died the crowd laughed when she said when he said she is not

dead but just asleep the crowd laughed at Jesus and then later on when Jesus in

chapter 9 verse 33 he heals the mute demoniac possessed guy he drives out the

demon and the guy starts speaking the crowd are amazed but again no repentance

and the Pharisees they say of Jesus that he's got a demon he's just driving out

demons by the Prince of demons again rejection accusation to be clear

miracles are not entertainment right they're not entertainment they are proof

of Jesus identity and authority to call people into his kingdom as he preaches

repent for the kingdom of heaven is near so what does repentance look like we

hear that word thrown around in churchy circles you know repentance what does it

look like what do I mean is it just saying I'm sorry for my sin or I'm sad

and I feel bad because I've done something wrong let's look at what

repentance and living a repentant life means after Jesus took over from John

so chapter 4 verse 17 and onward Jesus gives that famous three chapter sermon

on the Mount Matthew 5 6 and 7 his sermon teaches the ways of the kingdom

of heaven and it's the reverse of the kingdom of this world it's the opposite

he says things like this blessed are those who mourn blessed are the poor in

spirit blessed are the meek when's the last time you heard an advertisement on

the telly for any of those characteristics right that's not it

doesn't happen in this world blessed are those who hunger and thirst for

righteousness righteousness hunger and thirst for more money hunger and thirst

for better property and nicer retirement never hunger and thirst for

righteousness not from this world blessed are the merciful blessed are the

peacemakers blessed are the persecuted we don't like persecution do we that's

not our way at least not the way we normally think about it Jesus said turn

the other cheek Jesus said love your enemies Jesus said give sacrificially

Jesus said forgive others Jesus said store up for yourselves treasures in

heaven

Jesus says seek first the kingdom of God Jesus said do not judge others Jesus

said do to others what you would have them do to you

wow that's a repentant lifestyle that's living the kingdom way turning away

from our sinful ways and living the reverse of this world is the repentant

lifestyle that Jesus taught we live in repentance as we turn away from the

world's way and come in line with the ways of Jesus kingdom do we live like

that do you and I live like that I've already told you what I live like and

I'm ashamed I already know that I can be cruel and mean and heartless and

selfish I don't always live this way do you after these these three chapters of

a sermon Jesus cleanses lepers he heals the Gentiles and he heals Peter's

mother-in-law there you go he heals the mother-in-law that's pretty good right

he drove out the evil spirits he heals with a word you know we have to go to

the doctor and get pills and medications and shots and operations Jesus just

Jesus just speaks and he can heal people he calm the storm with a word he

heals the paralytic he raises the dead daughter he healed the blind in the

mute and you remember from last week's sermon when Michael preached 11 chapter

11 talking about giving evidence to John he says basically the same things the

blind they're seeing the deaf or hearing the people are healed that's evidence to

John and it's evidence to us of what Jesus does the power that he has the

fact that he is the Son of God Jesus message and his miracles they prove his

authority to call people to repentance do we listen to him I have 15 to 20

Bibles on my shelf at home I think I have at least four versions of the

scriptures among them four version not versions of the scriptures but versions

of translations among them the NIV the NAS ESV I think I've got a Holman Bible

in there I know I've got a King James Bible in there I've got Greek New

Testaments and I've got Hebrew Old Testament scriptures it's quite something

you know you think as English speakers we have access to so many good resources

and the scriptures in our own language and even if you only have one Bible

maybe just on your phone or on your app it wherever you still have the full

record of Jesus teaching don't you you had the full record not just of Jesus

teaching but the Apostles teaching not just the Apostles teaching but of Moses

not just of Moses but of all that God had done historically with his saints in

the Old Testament not just that but all the prophets as well not just that but

all the Psalms as well

isn't that amazing you have Jesus miracles and Jesus message right at your

fingertips anytime of the day or night pull the book off the shelf or pull up

your app on the phone is his word impacting you is it making a difference in

your life is it taking root in your life are you are you growing in your faith

are you living a repentant lifestyle based on what God says not on what the

world says

the crowds in Jesus day they saw and they heard Jesus you and I have the full

library of God's work and word to save his people we know Jesus and we know

that he did amazing miracles to prove his identity to prove his authority his

power to save are we repenting and living life his way you see there's only

one response because unrepentance is gonna face condemnation there's only

one response now we're finally in chapter 11 you're probably glad to hear

that right we're gonna make progress we've made progress chapter 11 beginning

in verse 20 we read in verse 20 that Jesus denounced the towns why did he

denounce the towns because they did not repent

crowds they heard and they saw Jesus can you imagine hearing and seeing Jesus

live but they did not obey Jesus or follow his ways as a crowd individuals

did but as a crowd they just did what they did so Jesus he pronounces woes

against caresan against beseda a bent against cavernium that evangelical

triangle now a woe is not the final condemnation from God because there's

no fire coming down from heaven they're not just disappearing off the face of

the earth like Sodom right but a woe is the final warning it's the big warning

it's like if you hear a woe pronounced against you you you better stop and you

better listen a woe if it's not heeded becomes God's condemnation and here's

how we know that we know that from right here where Jesus teaches because Jesus

indicates that woes are not the final condemnation in several ways look at

verse 21 and 23 he says because the towns here are being warned he's saying woe

to these towns to these areas and he's warning them Jesus gives the woes before

any destruction so nothing comes on them no big judgment of raining down fire

or anything like that comes on them nothing like that takes place so it's

giving them yet another opportunity to respond it's a serious time it's a

sobering time they need to listen but he's not judging condemning them yet but

they need to pay attention so the towns are warned then look at verse 21 and 23

he says that history might have been different for these other towns that he

mentioned the notorious ones Jesus says that tire inside and verse 21 tire

inside and would have rightly responded to his miracles in sackcloth and ashes

they would have they would have just just fallen to the ground if they had

seen and heard Jesus Jesus said history might have been different that indicates

to us that God would relent if people would repent God would relent history

would have been different he said Sodom would still remain there would not have

been fire and brimstone coming down on Sodom if they had repented if they had

seen Jesus his miracles and heard his teaching history would have been

different that gives us hope because God as long as he is relenting we can

repent but he does paint the opposite of that verse 22 and verse 24 he said

there's a bleak future ahead Jesus says the judgment will be worse for those

who ignore him now the words Corazon Bethsaida and Capernaum they have seen

Jesus judgments going to be worse for them if they don't repent if they ignore

him tire and Sidon will come off better in judgment day than these areas if they

ignore him Sodom it'll be lighter on Sodom on judgment day than for the

evangelical triangle because those who saw and heard Jesus will be in greater

trouble if they do not repent this includes this indicates that people are

responsible for the information that they have for the light that they've been

given if you've been given a little light if you just have a little

understanding of the scriptures but you act on it that's good if you have the

great light of Jesus and you know who he is and you know what he's done and you

have the full record of scripture and you act on it that's great but if you

don't it's terrible let's put all the people on a timeline okay all the groups

we've been talking about Sodom over here okay Sodom starts the timeline because

they were way back in in the Old Testament they're in Genesis chapter 18

Genesis 18 · chapter mention

or 19 19 and then you have tire and Sidon they're in Ezekiel 38 and we read

about them tire and Sidon I just wanted you to read that passage that passage

we read out earlier just so that you could see what they were on about what

what they were gonna face the judgment they were facing because of their pride

pride and arrogance even hints that the tire was like Satan the highest of

beings the highest creation and then falling to the earth crashing into

destruction then third Corus and Biseda and Capernaum that third group and then

we're gonna put ourselves on the timeline we're the group number four okay

the first group Sodom they didn't really have a full scripture right they lived

in a time where there weren't the written scriptures in front of them they

had no Bible but they knew that what they were on about was wrong and God

judged them for their wickedness the second group tire and Sidon they lived

in the Old Testament times they knew who God was they knew the God of Israel not

knowing them in for salvation but they knew who he was they had given God's

people grief they had caused Israel all kinds of problems they opposed God's

people and they were judged for their wickedness the third group Corazin

Biseda Capernaum they saw and they heard Jesus and Jesus says their final

judgment will be worse than Sodom and tire and Sidon why because they heard

Jesus message they saw Jesus miracles but they did not repent remember they

had the dawning of the great light upon them but they didn't act on it what

about our place we're number four in that timeline what about our place are we

any better are we better off we have the full record the Old Testament and the

New Testament in our hands we have the witness of Scripture we have the

witness of God's work in this world I know this because I have a church history

wife she loves church history you think 2,000 years of history of God's work in

this world nations changed people's lives changed there's all kinds of things

that the Holy Spirit has brought to change people we know that from history

brothers and sisters friends we will not fare any better if we continue our own

way in fact it appears will be worse off on judgment day if we continue our own

way because we have heaps of information about what God has done and what he is

doing in this world in the dark shadow of death judgment and condemnation ahead

is there any hope it's pretty bleak isn't it this picture that we see from the

scriptures is very bleak for the unrepentant is there any escape yes yes

there is a great light has dawned Jesus has come Emmanuel Jesus God with us God

who saves he has come we have seen the kind and merciful character of our God

God sent his son Jesus whose name means the Lord saves he is Emmanuel God with

us Jesus calls us to listen to him to repent and to follow him into his kingdom

he baptizes with the Holy Spirit he gives us the Holy Spirit so that this can

take place does our repentance somehow cancel faith or better yet how does

repentance and faith go together well no our faith is in the promise of God in

the mercy of God the character of God who makes a promise that all who take

refuge in Jesus repent and turn to Christ all will be saved who do that our

repentance is not our work instead as we live God's way as we repent and live

this repentant lifestyle it's evidence that God has brought us into the kingdom

we are sons of God children of God following the way of God it's a great

thing to live that repentant lifestyle it brings assurance of God's salvation to

us see our only response to escape the condemnation and the final judgment of

God is to listen to Jesus each of us needs to repent but not just the ones to

say we're sorry God feel sorry for our sins but to live that repentant lifestyle

to turn from our ways our sinful ways of operating and to live the repentant

lifestyle that Jesus taught and the way that the Holy Spirit empowers us to live

and to help us brothers and sisters friends listen to Jesus let's pray Lord

Jesus we do want to thank you we know that yet again you give us the

opportunity to hear your word to understand who you are help us Lord to

listen not just to listen but to take up these things and to be different because

your work of work of Christ and work of God in us heavenly Father thank you for

your mercy and kindness in sending Christ Holy Spirit be at work in each and

every one of us from this day forward and thank you for the work that you've

done already in Jesus name we pray Amen