Better Off? : Matthew 11:22-24 : What Jesus Did! : HEARTLIGHT®

Home > Devotionals > What Jesus Did! > May 25

Better Off? - Matthew 11:22-24

"But I tell you, on the day of judgment it will be worse for you than for Tyre and Sidon. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No! You will be thrown down to the place of death. I did many miracles in you. If those same miracles had happened in Sodom, {the people of} Sodom {would have stopped sinning and it} would still be a city today. But I tell you it will be worse for you in the day of judgment than for Sodom." (ERV) Full Text

Key Thought

In today's society, we don't like to talk about judgment, especially religious judgment. Most churches tone it down. Many who profess faith in Christ are ashamed about those passages. Most people today are not even aware that the Gospel that talks about not being judgmental of others also is the Gospel that most strongly emphasizes that Jesus will judge based upon our response and obedience to him. Matthew's Gospel clearly demonstrates again and again that our decisions about Jesus, his identity and his lordship, and our obedience to his word all have eternal consequences. To reject Immanuel, God with us, brings judgment. To reject God's clearest example of his grace is to bring judgment. Jesus leaves us no neutral ground. We either decide for him or face judgment without him.

Today's Prayer

Get WJD by EMAIL!

Enter your email address above to subscribe to the email edition of What Jesus Did! Follow along FREE every day as we go through Matthew in a year.

More Info on Mailing Lists

Holy God, please help me to be firm in my commitments to you and faithful in my service to your children so that I will not fall under your judgment. Give me a greater sense of urgency and a greater effectiveness in communicating your love, grace and salvation in Jesus. Be with me and speak through me as I try to share the story of Jesus with my friends and family. In Jesus' saving and precious name I pray. Amen.

Now you can get Phil's What Jesus Did devotional as a paperback book!

Today's Verses in Context

Then Jesus criticized the cities where he did most of his miracles. Jesus criticized those cities because the people there did not change their lives and stop sinning. Jesus said, "It will be bad for you Chorazin. It will be bad for you Bethsaida. I did many miracles in you. If those same miracles had happened in Tyre and Sidon, then those people in Tyre and Sidon would have changed their lives a long time ago. Those people would have worn sackcloth and put ashes on themselves to show that they were sorry for their sins. But I tell you, on the day of judgment it will be worse for you than for Tyre and Sidon. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No! You will be thrown down to the place of death. I did many miracles in you. If those same miracles had happened in Sodom, {the people of} Sodom {would have stopped sinning and it} would still be a city today. But I tell you it will be worse for you in the day of judgment than for Sodom." Then Jesus said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. I praise you because you have hidden these things from the wise and smart people. But you have shown these things to people that are like little children. Yes, Father, you did this because this is what you really wanted to do. "My Father has given me all things. No person knows the Son--only the Father knows the Son. And no person knows the Father--only the Son knows the Father. And the only people that will know about the Father are those people the Son chooses to tell. "Come to me all you people that are tired and have heavy burdens. I will give you rest. Accept my work and learn from me. I am gentle and humble in spirit. And you will find rest for your souls.

— Matthew 11:20-29 (ERV)

123132: God With Us: 365 Devotionals from the Gospel of Matthew

God With Us:
365 Devotionals from the Gospel of Matthew
By Phil Ware

Join the author of the Gospel of Matthew in God With Us, a devotional that will immerse you in exploring the glories of Immanuel. The book uses one short passage each day and follows the Gospel text from beginning to end. Each day's passage is followed by a brief Reflection to open up the day's Scripture and a Prayer to show how the verses challenge you to live for Jesus.

Comments on "Better Off?":

Get Phil's book God With Us featuring 365 Devotionals from the Gospel of Matthew.

"Not every person that says that I am his Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven. The only people that will enter the kingdom of heaven are those people that do the things that my Father in heaven wants. On the last day many people will say to me, 'You are our Lord! We spoke for you. And for you we forced out demons and did many miracles. ' Then I will tell those people clearly, 'Go away from me, you people that do wrong. I never knew you.' —Matthew 7:21-23 (ERV)

"The weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire. It will be the same at the end of the world. The Son of Man will send his angels, and his angels will find the people that cause sin and all people that do evil. The angels will take those people out of his kingdom. The angels will throw those people into the place of fire. In that place the people will be crying and grinding their teeth {with pain}. Then the good people will shine like the sun. They will be in the kingdom of their Father. You people that hear me, listen! —Matthew 13:40-43 (ERV)

"It will be bad for you teachers of the law and Pharisees. You are hypocrites. You build tombs for the prophets. And you show honor to the graves of people that lived good lives. And you say, 'If we had lived during the time of our fathers, we would not have helped them kill these prophets.' You give proof that you are children (descendants) of those people that killed the prophets. And you will finish the sin that your fathers started! "You are snakes! You are from a family of poisonous snakes! You will not escape God. You will all be judged guilty and go to hell! —Matthew 23:29-33 (ERV)