Up or Down

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE

UP OR DOWN

Luke 10:13-15

13 "Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths.  

NIV

Four cities are mentioned here of which one of them is well known to us, Bethsaida. In fact from John's account he tells us that three of the twelve disciples came from this city, Phillip, Andrew and Peter. Yet Jesus seems to be condemning these two cities for their refusal to accept the gospel message. He makes reference to these two other cities which have a large chunk of Ezekiel prophesying their destruction, which in fact occurred. Yet Jesus tells us that although Sidon and Tyre were cities God decided to destroy because of their great wickedness, had Jesus been there and performed all the miracles and healing he had in Bethsaida and Korazin those cities would have repented. But these two have not. What can we learn here on a personal level? Can we personalize these cities? When Jesus does so many miracles in our lives, isn’t it just a natural thing to repent sitting on sackcloth and ashes? Of course, to put on sackcloth and ashes is not something we do today, as it was simply a symbolic way of showing the rest of the people, a repented heart. Yet there is something about making a major change in our lives when we repent of our sin, due to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and the working of miracles by Jesus on our behalf. How can we ignore all that? It seems Korazin and Bethsaida did. That could only mean it is possible we could. It is certain those towns knew of Jesus, were witness to his miracles and yet refused to accept him as the Christ. People today have done that as well. But we have to make sure we do not become insulated from his miracles, his working in our lives. We cannot afford to be distracted by the world, conforming to our natural way of living rather than our supernatural way as empowered by the Spirit. Jesus makes a comment about one more city, Capernaum. Here is where Jesus really began his ministry doing great miracles and healing, casting out demons, teaching in the synagogue, yet he informs them they will become desolate. The word used for depths is hades, which is the place of departed souls. Again, two places to go, repent and be lifted up to heaven or refuse and be cast down to hades, which in the end will be cast into the lake of burning sulfur being competed burned up. This is true desolation. It may be that Capernaum was amazed, in fact it does say the people were at all that Jesus did, but they also must have gone back to the former way of life, once he had left the area. We need to make sure that even though he may not be doing any miracles at present in our lives we do not return to our former lives, but stay repentant, knowing we cannot even be perfect and that sin will continue to confront us. So let us hear when we step in to the elevator at the end of this life. Going up!