First Baptist Church Litchfield
June 29, 2025

      • 1 John 1:5ESV

  • Glory To His Name
  • All I Have Is Christ
  • At Calvary

      • Psalm 51:1–5ESV

  • Give Us Clean Hands

      • Psalm 51:10–12ESV

  • Have Mercy On Me

  • Unresponsive

    His name is Javarius Higgins. You don’t know this man. I don’t know this man, yet I was there to witness him take his last breath. He was standing at the edge of an already flooded Cumberland River in downtown Nashville, TN. Two of his friends had already successfully jumped into the river, doing backflips and finding their way back to the ledge. At first, he was hesitant. Then he gathered his courage and leapt into the river. He did not resurface. They found him several days later, unresponsive, miles downriver.
    I often replay that moment in my mind. What if I could go back in time, to that moment, knowing what I know now? Could I have warned him about the danger of jumping into a flooded river? Could I have run down the embankment screaming, “Don’t jump! Don’t Jump! Death awaits you. The river will consume you! For the love of God, man, listen to me.” And then I wonder, “Would he have listened to me? Would he have responded to my warning? Would he have heeded the warning, or would he think I was a lunatic, or a joy-killer, trying to keep him from living his best 24-year-old Carpe Diem life now? Would he have responded to God’s work of grace that would come in the form of a warning? I don’t know. I didn’t say anything to him, and I am not a time traveler. He’s in the Lord’s hands now, and his eternity is forever sealed.
    It is not lost on me that this tragedy happened on the last day of our mission trip. A week and a half ago, we were in Nashville helping the homeless, feeding the hungry, serving our neighbors, loving widows, and sharing the gospel. We were doing the works of Christ. We canvassed Saunders Street with bags and gospel tracks. The Gospel spoken. The Gospel applied. We knocked on doors and sought conversations, praying that we could share the message of Jesus’ offer of salvation with people.
    This is East Nashville. It is as spiritually cold toward the gospel in East Nashville as it is cold in Antarctica. The few conversations we had were mostly met with disinterest. Erskin and Kelli have been diligently working day after day for sixteen years with very little visible fruit. Their House Church grew from 4 to 3 last year. By all appearances, the people seem unresponsive. Even though they are standing on the edge of eternity with no concern about the river of wrath awaiting them, they appreciate acts of service but see no need to repent of their sin and embrace Jesus as Lord.
    Nashville is not unique in its lack of responsiveness to Jesus. Matthew records Jesus’ anger toward three cities for not responding to the works and message of the gospel. He calls out Chorizan, Bethsaida, and Capernaum for being unimpressed with the kingdom of God at work in their community, so much so that the lack of repentance in these communities is met with a stern warning of judgment, illustrating how God's grace, when repeatedly ignored, becomes a matter of accountability. When you defy the grace of God in his gospel works, that defiance against divine truth has serious consequences. In other words,

    Rejecting the gospel of Christ leads to God’s judgement.

    This morning, Jesus reveals God's judgment and emphasizes the importance of repentance, warning us that God’s patience has limits and that ignoring His call can lead to severe consequences. Despite the grace and mercy through Jesus, there is a clear need for a sincere response to His works and words, highlighting the seriousness of sin and judgment. In our passage, you see that His judgment is a reality for the unrepentant. For those who do not respond correctly to the gospel message, you are in danger of being incinerated forever. Furthermore, God’s judgment is also based on the light you’ve been given. For those who hear the word of God and turn away, your judgment increases. Finally, and perhaps most directly, God’s judgment is absolutely dreadful on religious people who claim to know better.

    God’s judgement is a reality for you who do not respond with repentance to the gospel. (Matthew 11:20-21)

    Jesus takes an opportunity to contrast the faithfulness of John and Jesus and the unfaithfulness of the cities he did great works. As Craig Keener notes, Just as those who rejected both Jesus and John proved their folly (11:11–19), those cities that witnessed many miracles yet did not respond with wholesale repentance demonstrate their folly (11:20–24).
    “20 Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent.” Matthew 11:20
    The cities he criticizes are mentioned in verses 21-22: Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum. Chorazin is a Galilean community about 2-3 miles from Capernaum. The Babylonian Talmud describes Chorazin as a source of wheat suitable for temple offerings, showing it was a farming community.
    Bethsaida is the hometown of the disciples Philip, Andrew, and Peter. It was initially a village on the Sea of Galilee before being promoted to city status by Herod Philip, who renamed it Julias in honor of Augustus Caesar's daughter. Josephus described Bethsaida-Julias as being in lower Galantis, near the Jordan River, about one-eighth of a mile away. The city had a port, as indicated by Jesus and his disciples sailing from there after the feeding of the 5000. Capernaum, located on the northwest bank of Lake Tiberias, is significant in biblical history as the site where Jesus began his ministry, performed healings, and taught in the synagogue.
    Aside from Capernaum, the other cities are not mentioned very often in the New Testament. In fact, they are mostly known for Jesus’ rebuke in this passage. Why did Jesus rebuke these cities? verse 20 says Jesus rebuked them because they did not repent after seeing the great works he had performed in them.
    Interestingly, reading our text, you will notice the New Testament Gospels are not exhaustive. Meaning, they do not record all of Jesus’ ministry works. John alludes to this in his gospel when he says,
    “30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;” John 20:30
    The cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum were privy to signs, wonders, or great works that were not recorded in the Gospels. What were these works? I think it was more of the same.
    Wherever Jesus preached the kingdom, repent and believe, he validated his message with works. When Jesus first arrived on the other side of the Jordan, he said,
    Mark 1:15 “15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.””
    Then a few verses later, Mark records,
    “21 And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. 22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. 23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”” Mark 1:21–27
    Jesus did this everywhere he went. He preached the gospel and simultaneously ushered in the kingdom of God. The lame walked. The deaf heard. The blind received sight. The hungry were fed. Those in demonic captivity were set free. The dead were raised to life. These are all mighty works that only God can do.
    What was the purpose of the Jesus’ works? John answers that question. He says,
    “30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” John 20:30–31
    Jesus’ message and works were the ways God used to prove to the world that Jesus is the Messiah and to compel people to repent of their sins and believe in the gospel.
    When you hear the word of God and see His work of salvation, you are called to respond. There is no neutrality in the kingdom of God. You either accept it or reject it, but you never respond with neutrality. Jesus preached the gospel in these cities. They acknowledged Him as a rabbi. They were even amazed by the power of His miracles. But they did not believe He was God’s Messiah sent to call them to repent. Jesus preached the gospel. They did not listen. He performed mighty works, and they remained indifferent. Jesus condemned their lack of repentance by declaring “woe” to you.
    Woe is a form of lament combined with anger and pity. Woes in the OT range from expressions of sorrow to prophetic judgments, often warning of coming disaster. In the Gospels, Jesus' woes act as both laments and curses, addressing the results of sin and the fate of those who lead others astray. In our text, Jesus’s “woe” is a declaration of judgment. It is a statement of “how greatly one will suffer” at God’s coming judgment.
    Tyre was known for persecuting God’s people. Sidon was famous for its pagan practices. These cities were entirely hostile to the gospel. Yet, if they had seen the mighty works Jesus performed in Chorizan, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, they would have responded like the wicked city of Nineveh did at Jonah’s preaching, with sackcloth and ashes.
    We’ve talked about repentance in previous sermons. Repentance means a change of mind or a complete change in your personality from a sinful lifestyle to a life that honors God. D.L. Moody explains it like this. He says,
    Man is born with his back toward God. When he truly repents, he turns right around and faces God. Repentance is a change of mind…. Repentance is the tear in the eye of faith.
    Dwight Lyman Moody (Evangelist)
    Repentance involves accepting the message and works of the gospel, leading to confession and a turnaround in life direction. These cities, however, lacked the humility necessary to turn away from their wicked ways. They chose to remain in their sin.
    The great Puritan Thomas Brooks wisely warns us,
    300 Quotations for Preachers from the Puritans It Is Not Falling into Water that Drowns

    It is not falling into the water, but remaining in the water, that drowns. It is not falling into sin, but remaining in sin, that damns

    The gospel functions as a life preserver, offered to you when you fall into the river of sin. If you refuse to hold onto it with the hands of repentance, you will perish. Judgment is an unavoidable reality for those who do not repent.

    God’s judgment is in accordance to the light you’ve received (Matthew 11:21-22)

    In verse 21, Jesus pronounces judgement. In verse 22, he says,

    But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you.” Matthew 11:22

    Judgment is an unavoidable reality for those who refuse to repent. Tyre will face judgment for oppressing God’s people, Sidon for its pagan practices, and Chorizan and Bethsaida for their failure to repent. The central theme of this verse is judgment, emphasizing that every city mentioned is subject to it. No one can avoid judgment unless they choose to repent.
    Jesus, however, mentions varying levels of judgment. He suggests it will be easier to endure for Tyre and Sidon than for the two cities mentioned in verse 21. This implies that judgment is proportional to the extent of gospel work done for each.Jesus gives an example of the principle of proportional judgement in the gospel of Luke. Jesus says,

    “47 And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. 48 But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.” Luke 12:47–48

    To the degree you’ve been given the gospel, is the degree you will be held accountable. R.C. Sproul puts it this way.
    Matthew The Reality of Judgment

    “We will be judged according to the light we have received. Every time a sinner hears the Word of God and resists it, his judgment is greater.” R.C. Sproul

    Also, notice that Jesus is speaking to entire cities, not just individuals. He expresses both a sense of personal responsibility and group responsibility. As Daniel Doriani notes, the Lord judges both societies and individuals.
    We live in a country that has received many blessings. For 248 years, God has shared His word and message in America, so much so that nearly every American household has owned a Bible at some point. We have experienced two Great Awakenings and numerous revivals. God has raised up preachers and missionaries who have discipled others, making the U.S. the world's leading missionary-sending nation. Additionally, He has blessed us with health, wealth, security, and prosperity. Since we have been so blessed, much will be expected of us.
    I’m afraid, brothers and sisters, we are living in the era of Romans One, where God has handed us over as a nation to the foolishness of our ways, the lusts of our flesh, and the debauchery of sexual immorality. Even though we have churches that preach the full gospel message, they are becoming fewer and farther between. The nation is growing unresponsive to the works of Christ. Oh, the terror that comes to a nation that has been blessed with so much gospel and does not respond with repentance. Anything less than a revival will not suffice. Revival for the nation begins with the individual.
    This message should alarm most of you here. You've been richly blessed with extensive gospel teaching and preaching. You've witnessed Jesus perform miracles—answering prayers and saving sinners. Jason Stagner and Randy Stayley serve as constant examples of the miraculous salvation work Jesus is doing in our church. Yet, some of you remain without conviction, confession, or godly sorrow that leads to repentance. No change in your mindset or affections. You will hear this gospel and leave without responding, continuing to walk in your sin.
    Jesus is not surprised by you. He speaks of you in verses 23-24.

    God’s judgement is most dreadful to religious people who are resistant God’s word (Matthew 11:23-24)

    Capernaum was populated by devout Jews, God’s chosen people. They possessed the Torah and had a rich history. Among all nations, Israel had the deepest knowledge of God. It was also the center of Jesus’ ministry, so the people of Capernaum likely knew Jesus better than most. Like Chorizan and Bethsaida, they had witnessed powerful deeds, but their pride prevented them from recognizing the truth.
    Although they had a front-row view of Jesus’ ministry, Jesus explains they will be taken down to Hades (v23). Hades, the realm of the dead, is also called the place of condemnation. Verse 23 echoes Isaiah’s prophecy about God’s judgment on Babylon (Isaiah 14:13-15). Jesus’ point is that Israel was a proud, self-reliant, and arrogant nation, similar to Babylon. To make this comparison even harsher, Jesus also mentions Sodom.
    Sodom was an extremely wicked city that was entirely destroyed by God’s fiery judgment from the sky. Their sins were so great that God’s judgment wiped it from existence. Jesus tells Capernaum, “If the Sodomites had seen the miracles you’ve witnessed, they would still be here. They would’ve repented and avoided God’s eternal judgment. In fact, the wicked people of Sodom will face lighter punishment than the people of Capernaum.
    Can you sense the tension in Jesus’ words? Their blatant pride and hardened hearts are so offensive to God that He considers the wickedness of Babylon and Sodom to be less reprehensible than Israel’s. Why is this? Because Israel was entrusted with so much truth: God’s name, His laws, His worship, His plan of redemption, all the supernatural works, and even the land they inhabited. Yet, Israel failed to respond appropriately to God.
    Knowing your Bible without knowing Jesus is dangerous. Being religious without a relationship with Jesus is also dangerous. Attending church every Sunday to hear the gospel and witness God's works, yet never responding with repentance, is a peril. How many of you will stand on the Day of Judgment absolutely shocked by the terror of God’s holiness?
    In Revelation 6, John describes the breaking of the sixth seal. When this seal is opened, God’s judgment is unleashed upon all humanity. It is genuinely frightening to read.
    Revelation 6:12–17 “12 When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. 14 The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.
    15 Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?””
    Do you realize who is calling out to the mountains and rocks to fall on them? It is the cities of Chorizan, Bethsaida, and Capernaum. It is all the people of the world—Jew, Gentile, Westerner, Easterner, Red Blooded American, progressive, conservative, atheists, religious, rich, poor, red, yellow, black, or white—and everyone is precious in His sight who did not respond to Jesus’s gospel with repentance.
    Seeing his face in your unrepentant, sinful state will make you cry out and desperately wish for mountains and boulders to crush you, as you cannot bear the thought of being eternally incinerated by the brilliance of his holy wrath shining from his face.
    I’m not sure what Javarius Higgins experienced when he stood before Jesus. His obituary mentioned he played instruments in his church. He probably heard the gospel, but hearing it and responding to it are two separate eternal truths.

    Respond Now to Jesus

    Acknowledge you are a sinner who has fallen short of the glory of God.

    “23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23

    Acknowledge your sin deserves death, both physical death and the second death, God’s eternal judgement.

    “23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23

    Know in your heart that God has proven his love for you at the cross, and he invites you there to experience it.

    “8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

    Confess your sin and turn from it. Believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord, and that God raised him from the dead satisfied with His atoning sacrifice. It is your faith in Christ that justifies you before God. You will be saved from God’s judgement.

    “9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” Romans 10:9–10

    The urgency of repentance is now. Today is the day of your salvation.
    I want you to imagine it is you standing on that ledge.  You are seconds away from jumping into the river.  This is your last breath. You will not resurface. In three minutes, you will depart this world and stand before King Jesus. How Jesus responds to you will depend on how you have responded to his gospel.
    Repent and believe.

      • Mark 1:21–27ESV

      • John 20:30–31ESV

      • Matthew 11:21–22ESV

      • Luke 12:47–48ESV

      • Romans 10:9–10ESV

  • Lord I Need You
First Baptist Church Litchfield
pastorjason.fbcl@gmail.com
217-324-4232
http://www.firstbaptistlitchfield.org/
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