Matthew 11:20: "Then He began to reprimand the cities in which most of His miracles were done because they did not repent."
The judgment of Jesus towards the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum reminds us once again how easily people to this day experience miracles and the powerful work of the Lord in their midst. Yet, they do not repent and turn towards Him in faith. Proximity to Jesus does not equal a faithful relationship with Him because the people in those cities were near Jesus daily. They heard Him daily, they saw His work and miracles, and they even marveled at it daily; yet, they never repented towards Him.
Now, I'm sure you know by now that the Greek word metanoeo means to change your way of thinking, to think differently afterwards, thus to repent and turn away from former thinking. Sadly, many people to this very day, just like those in Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum back in the day, see glorious wonders and miracles, even have many experiences of the Lord's presence and His work amongst them, yet they never repent. Those cities were the ones in which Jesus cast out demons, healed many sick, did many miracles, and taught them. And although there was a clear turn in the lives and the events from His works and miracles, there was never a turn of hearts and minds toward Him.
Daily, folks sought Him for more teaching and the power of His touch, yearning for a turn of events; yet there was never an eager for a turn in their heart and mind towards who He was. Miracles and wonders can most definitely witness and testify and even turn people's lives away from before to a new beginning forward; I don't disagree. And most assuredly, it can point and draw people to the Lord, but people still need to turn their hearts and minds towards the Lord by His grace.
I'm afraid to say, but today there are more cities like Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum who witness the greatest turn of events amongst them because of the Lord's mercy and grace; yet the greatest turn in their personal hearts and minds never happens. The turn towards Christ away from the old, to turn from death to life, sadly, always doesn't take place.
Why am I sharing the same point over and over and over and over again, you might ask? Well, you see, just like those three cities, people to this day have witnessed some of the greatest works and miracles Christ did in their midst or towards close relatives. But what do people do with the biggest work and biggest miracle of all towards all of us when Christ died on the cross for us and was raised on the third day? Do you believe in your heart?
Let us not be fooled like those cities to only hang around Jesus because He is a miracle worker and a wonderful teacher, but let us be those who unashamedly have repented, turned fully towards Him in faith and live and move and have our being in Him. Let us not be a people who witness the hand of the Lord and experience His works and miracles daily, but have never really changed from death to life. Because the true turn of events was not the miracle or experience, but the grace of God because of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ to turn our heart and mind to Christ as Lord. Amen.