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146. A Sign?


Ecclesiastes 11:5, Matthew 16:1-4, Mark 8:11-13, Luke 12:54-56
Key Verse: He sighed deeply and said, “Why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to it.”
Mark 8:12

What a downer! Have you ever done something, a task, a test, a performance, and you really feel like you’ve nailed it and you feel great about it? Then, have you ever been deflated in the next moment by having someone point out the flaws or tell you, “That still wasn’t good enough?” Some people are just impossible to please. That’s what Jesus was dealing with in this situation. Not that He had done anything wrong, but His accusers needed to find fault anyway.

Think about it, Jesus had just experienced a mountain top experience with His disciples and the people. People had been healed, the Heavenly Father had been praised, everybody had left full and happy and, the Bible says, “satisfied.” (Matthew 15:37a & Mark 8:8a) Now, here comes these self-important critics with their nose in the air and their question, “O teacher, could you possibly give us some sort of sign to prove that you are from heaven?” Haven’t we already covered this issue earlier? In the famous words of Charlie Brown, “Good grief.” It would have been enough to make me pack up my things and go home, or in Jesus’ case, back to heaven.

Fortunately for all of us, Jesus is not like me. He remembered His mission, which wasn’t to convince the religious people that He was Messiah. The devil had tempted Him earlier along these same lines while He was in the wilderness. No, His mission was to make a way to redeem even them, if they were willing. So, Jesus didn’t stay, at this point and have an argument. He merely points out, “Hey, how come you can understand the weather patterns, which God also is in charge of, but you can't understand me, or the signs of the times concerning Messiah, which is way more important?”

Finally, in Matthew 16:4, Jesus does tell His disciples that they will be given an irrefutable sign, “the sign of Jonah.” Jesus had already referred to this sign in Matthew 12:38-42 Once again, this is a reference by Jesus, to His death, burial and resurrection. But it will be up to the naysayers to decide if they will be like Nineveh and repent, when they see a similar sign, or will they remain stubborn and die in their sin because Messiah hasn’t come in the way that they expected.

How often are we guilty of asking God for a sign, “Lord, if You really want me to….? Just give me a sign!” When in truth, we know. We’re just looking for an excuse to get out of what He is calling us to. God has blessed us with so much. So much of Himself and His will has already been so clearly revealed. Do we really have any excuse not to live for Him in the way He has revealed? The cross is really the only sign we need. After that, the will to follow is our choice to make.

Hymn: Have You Seen Jesus My Lord

Same song extra cute!   “Have You Seen Jesus My Lord” 

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