Matthew 16.1-4

This section over Matthew is defined in this way, the Son of David works Miracles, Encounters Conflicts and Further Trains Disciples. During this section, Matthew 14-16.12, it mostly consists of Jesus doing some kind of Miraculous sign, the Jewish leaders getting upset and a conflict occurs, then Jesus uses the opportunity to teach his disciples. And this is what happens here.

We are just leaving Jesus feeding the four thousand, and the Pharisees and Sadducees don't like it, they may not even believe it. That is why they come asking for a miraculous sign to prove who he is. Jesus responds by rebuking them. Check out the text:

¹ The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven.
 ² He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ ³ and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. ⁴ A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Jesus then left them and went away.


This text is really quite simple but has huge implications for our lives. The Pharisees and Sadducees wanted a sign to prove Jesus was who he has been saying he was. This isn't that big of a deal is it? I mean, if there was someone that I grew up with claiming to be God, I would want him to prove it. Yet, isn't that what has been happening this entire time? 


Jesus has been healing lepers, women with bleeding disorders, the lame, the blind, the demon possessed. He has multiplied not much food for thousands of people...twice!!!!! He does miracle after miracle after miracle, even in raising a few people from the dead!!!! And they still want a sign!!!!


Jesus is flabbergasted!!!


He can't believe that after all this stuff, they still want a sign from heaven to prove who Jesus is. That is why he talks about interpreting the sky and the weather yet they can't even interpret the signs of the time. 


Jesus is God on earth, and everywhere he goes he is giving us little glimpses of what heaven is going to be like. And the Pharisees and Sadducees are just missing it!!!


That is why Jesus says that the only sign he is going to give them is that of the sign of Jonah!


What in the world is the sign of Jonah????


Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 12.39-40:


³⁹ He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. ⁴⁰ For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.


The Sign of Jonah is exactly what is going to happen at the end of Matthew's Gospel...the Resurrection. That is the final sign, the seal, the label that says, "I am who I have claimed to be all along". 


Yet, even then the Jewish leaders miss it. How blind are they!!!! How can you miss the fact that Jesus rose from the dead!!!!


It's easy, we do it all the time. 


We don't tithe because we don't know how we will make it through this next month. Did we forget the the same God that rose Jesus from the dead is our Father who promised that he would take care of us, trust him.


We don't volunteer and commit ourselves to long term service in the church because it isn't a priority. Did we not catch the fact that the Church is the continuation of Jesus' ministry, the guy that rose from the dead!!!! And we are left to bring new life to this dying world around us. How can we NOT, after knowing about the resurrection, sacrifice our lives for the kingdom of God????


We don't help the poor because they will just buy bear with the money we give them anyway. Are we not taking Jesus seriously when he says that those who do not take care of the lease of these will be thrown out of my kingdom!!! This is the Jesus that rose from the dead, defeated all sin and death, and he is counting on you to bring new life to the homeless, the crack whores, and the pimps. 


And this power that God used to raise Jesus from the dead is the same power that he uses to bring new life to all of the death and disease and hurting and harmful around us. We have that power!!!!!


Yet, we act like the Pharisees and Sadducees, we don't deny the power of the resurrection, we just ignore it. 


Remember, Jesus is alive, and he wants to use you to rose the dead to life today!!!