The sign of Jonah. What was it?
The Scribes and Pharisees did not believe that Jesus was who he claimed to be. Even though they had just witnessed him healing a demon-possessed man who was not only blind but mute. And so they said to him, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from you."
I wonder what kind of sign they wanted to see. After all, they should have been amazed that the demon possed man had been healed. Did they just want to create doubt, in people? Or throw him off track? Maybe they were trying to make him look like a fool in front of other people?
Whatever it might have been, Jesus was not falling for their tricks. He said, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given except the sign of Jonah. For as Jonah was in the belly of a huge fish for three days and three nights so shall the Son of Man be for three days and nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Ninevah will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah and now something greater than Jonah is here."Mathew 12:38-41 And that was the parallel between the sign of Jonah and the sign of his own Ressurection.
Isn't it something? The people of Nineveh had repented at the preaching of Jonah. They had to have faith to believe. Whereas the Scribes and Pharisees who were the "elite" if you will, witnessed the miracles of Jesus and refused to believe he was the Messiah. And he was right there with them.
Even today there are Christians who want to be a part of a church that is all about signs. The signs are more important to some of them then even preaching the gospel. There will be signs and wonders in the latter days before Jesus returns and that will be wonderful. But when we put them ahead of salvation and Christ's death on the cross to the point of following them instead, him, that is sad. Jesus did miracles. He healed people. He turned water into wine. But in the end, when a group of people wanted to see more in order to 'believe' that was where he refused and called them wicked. We do not need proof of God. We need only to believe. That is what God calls us to do. Believe.
January 22, 2019 Promise: I cling to you, your strong right-hand holds me securely. Psalm 638
Isn't it something? The people of Nineveh had repented at the preaching of Jonah. They had to have faith to believe. Whereas the Scribes and Pharisees who were the "elite" if you will, witnessed the miracles of Jesus and refused to believe he was the Messiah. And he was right there with them.
Even today there are Christians who want to be a part of a church that is all about signs. The signs are more important to some of them then even preaching the gospel. There will be signs and wonders in the latter days before Jesus returns and that will be wonderful. But when we put them ahead of salvation and Christ's death on the cross to the point of following them instead, him, that is sad. Jesus did miracles. He healed people. He turned water into wine. But in the end, when a group of people wanted to see more in order to 'believe' that was where he refused and called them wicked. We do not need proof of God. We need only to believe. That is what God calls us to do. Believe.
January 22, 2019 Promise: I cling to you, your strong right-hand holds me securely. Psalm 638
Thanks for coming by today Friends. I apologize for posting this later than usual. I pray you are having a blessed day. Take care.
No comments:
Post a Comment