In Capernaum, at the site some believe was the home of Peter’s mother-in-law, our friend, Harm, shared an interesting passage. While he was reading, our little girl, Karlyn, who was six at the time, spied a lizard and stuck her head between the metal posts of the iron fence to get a better look. Unfortunately, the head that went in would not come out! Karlyn started yelling as we tugged and pulled, but try as we might, we could not get her out of the predicament. Harm’s Bible lesson was cut short as we all tried to figure out what to do. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity to Karlyn (and her parents), someone suggested she step all the way through the fence. Thankfully, the idea worked and Karlyn was rescued. According to the Scripture Harm read, Capernaum would be a terrible place to be stuck when Jesus returns.
“And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. 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.” (Matt 11:23-24)
Sodom, a city known for wickedness and perversion, would have repented and escaped God’s wrath had they seen the miracles Jesus did in Capernaum. I’ll bet some argued, “You’re saying we’re worse than Sodom? You’re crazy!” We might ask God why He didn’t perform miracles in Sodom if they would have repented, but such questions do no good. God is sovereign. He alone designates seasons of mercy and times of judgment. The better question is: Why did Capernaum not repent? The tougher question is: What would Jesus say to my town or my country? Or even closer to home: What would Jesus say to my family or me?
Capernaum had every reason to believe in the Son of God. They saw His power; they heard His teaching; they were given so much, but what good did it do? People needed to repent, but they never did.
What have we been given? How many stories of faith from Scripture have we heard? Yet do we have faith? How many gifts of God’s love have we been given? Yet do we love Him? How much mercy have we been shown? Yet do we show others mercy? In recent years, we’ve seen cities bombed and evil regimes ousted, but I wonder if Jesus would say, “Do you think those cities were any worse than yours? If those cities had the Light you do, they would have repented and turned to Me long ago!”
Now there were some present at the time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower of Siloam fell on them – do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” Luke 13:1-5