23 OCT 23 Monday: A Closer Walk Devotional

 23 OCT 23 Monday: A Closer Walk Devotional

“And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead.  For if the miracles I did for you had been done in wicked Sodom, it would still be here today.  I tell you, even Sodom will be better off on judgment day than you.” Matthew 11:23-24

Many times in the Scriptures, we see God give a harsh reality to his people.  All the bad news comes from disobedience, sin, and idolatry to name a few.  He doesn’t want us to be self-deceived either and think we are in good standing when we don’t even have a relationship with God.  The Lord is unafraid to tell the truth and pass final judgment on people.

In Matthew 7, he says, on judgment day many will say to me, Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.  But I will reply, I never knew you.  Jesus gives sober words that should stop us in our tracks and evaluate where we are with God.  Are we truly his disciples? Have we surrendered our lives to him and are we obedient?

Most people in the world think they are good enough or are working at putting more good on the scale to outweigh the evil they have done.  They believe in their mind that the bad or evil they have done should not be that offensive to God.  Try and say that to anyone today who is offended by what you have done to them.  You will get an earful! We always play down our part and expect others to extend us grace.  We do that to God too! That’s a dangerous presumption.

Jesus in this passage lays down some hard truths.  Some people were destroyed and are rotting in hell who would have quickly repented and trusted Jesus if presented the gospel.  We are on this side of the grave and have an opportunity to respond rightly now.  What is your excuse? It is better to hear it now and be a bit butt-hurt than to hear it from Jesus and be eternally in pain knowing you rejected Him.

Will you be honored in heaven?

Reading Plan: Psalm 25; Jer. 44:1-14; 1 Cor. 15:30-41; Matt. 11:16-24