Matthew 11:20-24 Home Town Problems

Synagogue ruins at Capernaum

Observation: Our lectionary for Sunday conveniently skips over this fiery, angry passage in which Jesus calls down woe on Galilean towns which refuse to allow their hearts and lives to be transformed by his message and his works of healing.

Especially noteworthy would be

Capernaum, Peter's hometown and home to the synagogue where Jesus preached his first sermon and began his ministry of healing and casting out unclean spirits. It would have been hard for Jesus's disciples to hear and admit that Capernaum wasn't "getting it." Even harsher is Jesus' comparison to the ancient city of Sodom, famously destroyed by God in the Old Testament for its inhospitable and unjust ways. This would be a tough pill to swallow.

Application: Sometimes it's hardest to admit a need for change when it hits closest to home. It is often easy to look past the dysfunction and systemic illness in our own communities, our own families, and our selves. It is much easier to look at "that country over there," "that town over there," "that family over there," "that person over there," than take a clear-eyed look at our own communities, our own families, and our selves. Ultimately change begins at home. There is only one person over whose thoughts, behaviors and attitudes you have control, and that person is you. The first job of any Christian is to repent: to be changed in our inward heart by Jesus's healing message. That is what will change our families, our communities, and our world. But too often we try to skip that step and take responsibility for someone else. It won't work. Only God can change anyone. You'd be surprised how much we can accomplish when we allow God first to change us.

Prayer: God, you know me better than I do. Change me in my inward heart. Guard me against judging others. Help me to turn to you and be transformetd. Amen.