Sermon Tone Analysis

Last week we closed with Jesus’ little parable, or story, about the children playing in the marketplace.

Jesus was comparing the generation to which he was ministering to obstinate children who would not go along with what was happening.

What was happening, of course, was the breaking in of the Kingdom of God, in the person of Jesus Christ, and the New Covenant.

John was the forerunner and prophet, and Jesus is the Messiah and Main Event - but many refused to believe, to follow, to accept it.

That story then, really, was a question.

Will you get on board with what God is doing?

Will you be a tender child of wisdom, or will you be a stubborn and obstinate child, a self-sufficient child?

You see, to this point in Jesus ministry, the opportunities for faith had been rich and abundant - at no other time in history was this much of God’s wonder, power, and grace displayed.

The mighty works being done were clear signs of Jesus’ as Messiah, and clear indicators that he was more than just a man - you may look back and think “how could they not believe?”

But, the unbelief remained.

For many, Jesus didn’t fit the bill as a political Messiah who would deliver from Roman rule.

For some, Jesus didn’t fit the bill as a strict lawyer and judge.

For many, as John said, though Jesus is the light, they loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

With that little story, we said last week that Jesus pronounced a condemnation in saying “wisdom is justified by her deeds.”

That is to say, those with Godly wisdom are shown in that they follow God.

But this generation, including the religious leaders, showed that they did not.

Well, Jesus goes on to say more than just that - and he gives a really telling statement about just how much light the people in his day recieved from his presence - just how much of God’s power and majesty and knowledge was on display.

In this passage are some of Jesus’ most comforting and peaceful words, yet also in this passage are Jesus’ most exclusive and sharp words as well.

Within the same passage are words of blessing and invitation, but they contrast words of woe and curse, words of concealing and condemnation.

Do you know that each day matters?

Each moment matters?

Each opportunity, each turn of season and change of state?

Each conversation and thought and attitude, do you realize they all matter, they all have implications beyond the moment, hour, beyond the day?

That is the picture Jesus draws in this teaching.

Great light leads to great culpability - great responsibility.

Which makes his invitation to “come to me” all the more critical.

Many were enamored by the miracles, but walked away never having heeded that call to “come to me.”

Many were impressed by the feedings and the works, but their awe faded with the passing seasons, it seems.

Do you know that right now counts forever?

That’s a big statement - you might say - but the intensity and depth of Jesus’ words here paint that picture, and its a picture I want us to grasp.

The light of the revelation of Jesus Christ is the greatest opportunity that any person ever receives.

Many walk away unaffected, unchanged.

But what about you?

To the proud and arrogant, Jesus says “woe,” but to the weary and weak, Jesus says “come.” May you heed the call of the gentle and lowly Master.

1. Response - Vs. 20-24

The word “then” is a word Matthew loves to use, and he uses it to show not just what happened next, but wrapped up in the term is purpose - like saying, what Jesus did next was because of what he just did.

So we could say, because of the little parable about the children Jesus told, what he says next is important - and it is.

He goes on to broaden out what he just said and bring the significance of it into real life.

Three Towns in Galilee

Jesus names three cities - really three villages - near the Sea of Galilee and makes them an example.

Chorazin, Bethsaida, Capernaum.

Going out of order, Capernaum was really Jesus’ “home base.”

Jesus called it his own city in Matthew 9.

It is the most well-known ministry place of Jesus up to this point in Matthew.

It is most likely here that Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law, a nobleman’s son in John 4, the centurion’s servent in Matthew 8, a paralyzed man in Matthew 9, cast out an unclean spirit in Mark 1, and raised Jairus’ Daughter and healed the woman with the discharge of blood.

These are selected examples, and nowhere near all the works Jesus did there.

This is not to mention his teaching and daily living that took place there as his home base.

Bethsaida we know a little about.

On the sea of Galilee.

Philip, Andrew, and Peter were from Bethsaida according to John 1.

Chorazin is the least-known place.

It was two miles from Capernaum, so right near by.

The fact that we hear so little about these other two cities, yet Jesus himself recognizes them as places where most of his mighty works were done tells us just how much more Jesus did than we have written down.

If just the miracles in Capernaum that we have read and studied about in Matthew 8-9 were done, there would be sufficient evidence to show who Jesus was - but now take that and multiply it out, in different cities, at different times - the works were immense and powerful and potent and evident.

There was no what Jesus was doing - everyone knew about it.

Everyone heard about it.

And, beyond that, Jesus’ disciples had just gone out on a teaching and miracle working endeavor to spread the message of the Kingdom.

These three towns recieved a intense laser-beam of light from God shining directly into their eyes, as it were.

The God-Man himself came down, dwelled there, healed, taught, raised the dead, cast out demons - all the signs promised focused in on these little towns.

And what is the lesson Jesus is teaching?

What is the example He is making?

They did not repent.

Jesus wasn’t looking for fame or approval in his ministry - he was looking for repentance.

Repentance is that key disposition of guilt, ought, and need before God - a change of mind and disposition toward God that leads to a change in ones entire life.

The works of Jesus were to be signs for the people, just like they were to be for John.

Signs for the people who saw them, received them, witnessed them.

But they didn’t repent - they didn’t follow the signs - the message was “repent, for the kingdom is here!”

And the signs said “The Messiah is here!”

But the response was nothing - indifference at best, rejection at least.

Now, this sweeping condemnation doesn’t rule out individual repentance - individual response.

Consider that Andrew, Peter, and Philip came from bethsaida, Matthew came from Capernaum - so some did repent and follow.

But, just as sweeping condemnation doesn’t rule out individual repentance, it also doesn’t make individual unbelief any less condemning.

Jesus was after people - individuals - and by and large, they refused to listen.

Three Cities of History

The main illustration of Jesus’ lesson is one of comparison.

A comparison of these three towns in Galilee to three foreign cities in Israel’s history.

The pronouncement is “woe!”

Which is a statement of horror, disaster, grief.

There is a sense of compassion and empathy - warning and compassion.

Jesus looks back on the history of his people - the Jewish people - and points out three cities of history that they would have known and recognized.

Three cities that would be burned into their minds from listening to the scriptures and the accounts of their forefathers.

What Jesus says about these places is remarkable - if they would have been given the opportunity that this generation had, they would have repented.

And, Jesus knows this because He is their Maker.

Tyre and Sidon were important ancient cities, Port cities on the mediterranean, some of the most significant cities of the Phonecian territory - to Israel, though, they were images of Pagan unbelief and arrogance, the pride of warfare and destruction.

Isaiah 23 gives us an Oracle about Tyre and Sidon - it is an oracle of shame and dishonor.

In Ezekiel 26, there is a prophecy against the city of Tyre in which the Lord says - “I am against you...”

In Amos 1, there is a prophecy of a judgment of fire against the city of Tyre.

And What of Sodom?

We read about Sodom in Genesis 18-19 - it was and is regarded as one of the most wicked cities in history.

It is still used as a descriptor and a byword for particularly heinous immorality.

Abraham’s Nephew Lot had moved to that region because it was well-watered, well-suited for raising Cattle.

But God had purposed to destroy it.

And do you remember the conversation that Abraham had with the Lord?

Abraham bargained a little bit - he said, if there are 50 righteous men, will you destroy the city?

And God said, if there are 50 righteous men, I will not destroy it.

Then Abraham backed off his number a bit - what about 45, Lord?

God said, If I find 45, I will not destroy it.

What about 20? Yes, for 20 I will save it.

What about 10?

For the sake of 10, I will not destroy it.