Great Commission Strategy

As I was reading through Matthew I came across a verse that I have been pondering for the last couple weeks:

²⁰ Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent.

²¹ Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! 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.

²² But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.

²³ And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.

Jesus is rebuking the cities where he did the most miracles because they had not changed their mind (repent) about the Kingdom and what Jesus was doing.

But the thing that I have been pondering is Jesus said that if the miracles that were done in Capernaum had been performed in Sodom they would have repented?!

Sodom is a famous city for their grotesque sin and they would have repented if they would have seen a level of miracles?

No Fire? No Brimstone? No wifey into a pillar of salt?

Why is it that miracles will cause a sinful city to repent?

I don’t know!  If you have an answer please leave it as a comment below!

If I had to guess….

Miracles are a demonstration of a higher power.  And I would say the miracles Jesus was doing in their city were of a truly high caliber; Probably deaf, blind, paralytics, maybe even dead people being raised.  So when Jesus performs these types of miracles it causes an automatic gut check.

God is here…and I don’t know if I want him in my life or not.

And their decision at that moment is what Jesus was rebuking them for.  They chose their own selfish ways instead of submitting to the Kingdom that he was demonstrating.

Why would it have cause Sodom to repent?

I don’t know if there was a demonstration of the greatness of God in that city?  There probably wasn’t.  If there were miracles in that city It would have been a declaration to that city that the One true God is here and he wants you to submit to him.  And according to Jesus they would have repented!

Now…if you’re attempting to reach your city without a demonstration of miracles.  I would ask why?

Jesus himself says that the way to reach a city, even a horribly sinful city, is to do public miracles.

So lets get out there and reach out city!

Many Blessings,

RK Castillo

In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matt 5:16

The light we shine is the good works that we do.  Good deeds can actually cause people to praise/worship God in heaven.  Good deeds, deeds done in the natural can point people to a supernatural God.  Good deeds are also salt that preserves the culture here.

Good deeds cause you to shine like a city on a hill.  No matter how hard you try.  People can’t miss you.  Why?  Cause you’re doing good!

The word works, especially in John’s writings, refers to the miracle working power of Jesus.  One of the other ways you shine your light is to do the works of Jesus which are miracles, signs & wonders.

So how do you go about obeying this command?  Leave a comment below letting me know.  I’d love to hear what you have to say about letting your light shine.

Action Point:

For me obeying this command and teaching others to obey this command is pretty simple.  Do good things!  And teach others to do good things!

I remember hearing Dr.Laura on the radio say “Now go do the right thing.”

She summed it up.  Do the right thing.  Do good things to people and it will be a sign of the goodness of God and it will drive them to praise God in heaven!