This is Capernaum. It was Jesus' hometown after moving from Nazareth to begin his ministry. There's nothing much left of the city today except for the ruins from about the 4th Century. It's history was cut short for reasons we don't exactly know, even though it's location along the northern edge of the Sea of Galilee was nearly ideal for fishing and trade in the centuries to follow.
But it was cursed.
It wasn't Jesus who cursed it directly. It wasn't like the fig tree that shriveled up and died because of Jesus' word, but it did shrivel over a very short amount of time, but why? Matthew said it best, "because they didn't change their hearts and lives."
Capernaum, Chorazin and Bethsaida had every benefit. Jesus lived there, taught there and/or healed there. His disciples were from these cities. Their families lived there. The influence among them was greater here than anywhere else (with the possible exception of Jerusalem). Yet it says that they didn't change.
Now most of us have read this and thought, "that wouldn't have happened in our town. We would have listened to Jesus, heeded his words, changed our hearts and lives." But have we? Are we? Will we?
My concern is that we have something that these first communities didn't have, a greater witness of people and the power of the Holy Spirit. We may not have Jesus in the flesh, but we have many little Christ's (i.e. Christians) in the flesh who bring His word to life every day. And what have we done with it?
I don't think Jesus is cursing churches or communities today. We do that our selves. When we don't listen to the wisdom and truth of Christ; when we don't heed the message and change our lives and positively affect the lives of those around us. I take Jesus' call seriously because I don't want to be an example like Capernaum, empty ruins with little lasting legacy except that Jesus once lived there.
Stay with me, Lord Jesus, and continue to change my heart and life to reflect yours.
Amen.
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