Introduction

Welcome, beloved family, to this blessed gathering. We are here once again, united in spirit and truth, standing at the foot of the cross and the edge of eternity. We gather in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, to seek His wisdom, His guidance, and His love as we navigate through this world, which, as we all know, can often feel like a storm-tossed sea.

We are here to engage with God's Word, to let it wash over us like a refreshing spring rain, to let it nourish our hearts and minds, and to let it guide our steps as we walk this path of faith. We are here to learn, to grow, to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. We are here to be drawn closer to our Lord, to deepen our understanding of His ways, and to strengthen our resolve to follow Him, come what may.

Today, we will be turning our attention to Matthew 11:20-24. The words of our Lord Jesus Christ, as recorded by His faithful disciple Matthew, read as follows: "Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. 'Woe to you, Chorazin! 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 in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For 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."

These are challenging words, aren't they? They cause us to pause and reflect, to consider the weight of our own responses to the miracles of God in our lives. They remind us of the great privilege we have been given to perceive the works of God, the power of His presence in our lives, and the promise of His providence.

As we ponder these truths, let us remember the words of the great preacher Charles Spurgeon, who once said, "It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness." How true this is in the spiritual realm as well. It is not the quantity of God's miracles in our lives that matters, but the quality of our response.

Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we come before You with open hearts and open minds, ready to receive Your Word. We ask that You would guide our thoughts and our discussions today, that You would illuminate our understanding, and that You would deepen our love for You and for Your Word. We pray that Your Holy Spirit would be our teacher, leading us into all truth, and helping us to apply Your Word to our lives. We ask this in the precious and powerful name of our Lord Jesus Christ, amen.

Privilege of Perception

In the passage we read from Matthew, Jesus is speaking to towns where He had performed miracles, yet they did not repent. This brings us to a significant aspect of our faith journey. The ability to perceive, to recognize the works of God in our lives, is a gift, a privilege. It's like being given a pair of spiritual glasses that allow us to see the divine fingerprints in our lives.

But what does it mean to perceive? It's more than just seeing or hearing. It's understanding, it's recognizing, it's acknowledging. It's like the difference between hearing a song and truly listening to it, feeling the rhythm, understanding the lyrics, being moved by the melody. That's what it means to perceive the works of God. It's not just about witnessing miracles, it's about recognizing them as such, understanding their significance, and allowing them to move us, to change us.

Now, let's think about the towns Jesus was speaking to. They had witnessed miracles, extraordinary acts of God. Yet, they did not repent. They saw, but they did not perceive. They heard, but they did not understand. They experienced the power of God, yet they did not allow it to transform them. This is a stark reminder for us. We can be surrounded by the works of God, we can witness miracles every day, but if we do not perceive them, if we do not understand and acknowledge them, if we do not allow them to change us, then we are no different from those towns.

This brings us to another aspect of perception. Perception is not a passive act. It's not something that just happens to us. It requires effort and engagement. We need to actively seek to perceive the works of God. We need to open our eyes, open our ears, open our hearts. We need to tune in to the divine frequency, so to speak. And when we do, when we actively seek to perceive God's works, we will find that He is not silent, He is not absent. He is speaking, He is acting, He is present.

But perception is not just about recognizing God's works, it's also about responding to them. And the appropriate response to the works of God is repentance. Repentance is not just about feeling sorry for our sins. It's about turning away from them, it's about changing our ways. It's about aligning our lives with the will of God. And this is where the towns Jesus was speaking to failed. They saw the miracles, but they did not repent. They saw the power of God, but they did not change their ways.

Power of His Presence

We are now drawn to the power of His presence ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO