Seeking a Sign… vs. 1-4

• 1^st – The Test… vs. 1
  • Frenemies…
    • Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came!
    • PHARISEES [Φαρισαῖος] 100x in NT – were the CONVERSATIVE sect of Judaism…
    • Israel was sent into CAPTIVITY because they rejected God – II Chronicles 36:16
    • The PHARISEES were formed after the CAPTIVITY to keep Israel HOLY…
    • Their name comes from the Hebrew word [פָּרַשׁ] to be SEPARATE!
    • SADDUCEES [Σαδδουκαῖος] 14x in NT – were the LIBERAL sect of Judaism…
    • Their name means those who are RIGHT [צָדוֹק] – but they were WRONG…
    • They did NOT believe in the resurrection – hell – or angels – Matthew 22:23
    • It should come as NO surprise these two groups did NOT get along…
    • When Paul was being JUDGED before the COUNSEL [Sanhedrin] – Acts 23:7
    • He realized BOTH groups were present – and he used their DIFFERENCES to divide them!
    • The world does NOT agree on much – they will ARGUE about almost anything…
    • What is the BEST sport team – what is the BEST food – what is the BEST country…
    • But the ONE thing that seems to UNITE everyone – is Jesus Christ…
    • Either people are FOR Him – or they are AGAINST Him…
    • And when we stand up for Jesus – people will likewise either LOVE us or HATE us!
    • II Corinthians 2:15:16 – “We are the fragrance of Christ… to those who are perishing we are the aroma of death… and to those who are being saved the aroma of life leading to life.”
  • From heaven…
    • Testing [Jesus] they asked that He would show them a sign from heaven!
    • The PHARISEES [and scribes] had already challenged Jesus FOUR times…
    • FIRST – they ASKED why Jesus ate with SINNERS – Matthew 9:11
    • SECOND- they ACCUSED His DISCIPLES breaking the Sabbath – Matthew 12:2
    • THIRD – they DEMANDED Jesus show them a SIGN – Matthew 12:38
    • FOURTH – they CHALLENGED Him about their TRADITIONS [washing hands] – Matthew 15:2
    • NOW – they demanded [ἐπερωτάω] Jesus show them a SIGN [σημεῖον] from HEAVEN!
      
    • One might ask – why did Jesus NOT just mention one of His recent MIRACLES…
    • He fed FIVE thousand men with FIVE loaves and TWO fish – He walked on water…
    • He cast out the demon from the daughter of the Syro-Phoenician woman…
    • Healed countless lame – the blind – the deaf – and the mute…
    • Then fed another FOUR thousand more people with SEVEN loaves and few SMALL fish!
  • Rejection…
    • There was NO sign that Jesus could give that would convince them…
    • He could have done a THOUSAND miracles and they still would NOT have believed…
    • The problem was NOT with Jesus – the problem was they did NOT want Jesus!
    • I was filling out a form the other day to register a SIM card for Hallel…
    • I had ALREADY filled out the form for myself – but it asked for ALL the info AGAIN…
    • So I gave it my LICENSE – but it wanted my PASSPORT – and IMMIGRATION card…
    • Having given all the information and IDs – it asked to take my picture – DONE…
    • But then it said it could NOT process my application – they could not verify who is was!
    • People do NOT deny Jesus because of a LACK of evidence…
    • They REJECT Jesus because they do NOT want Him…
    • They do NOT want to REPENT – they do NOT want to give up their SIN!
    • John 3:19 – “This is the condemnation… men love darkness rather than light.”
• 2^nd – No Discernment… vs. 2-3
  • The Weather… vs. 2-3
    • [Jesus] answered and said to them: 
    • When it is evening you say It will be fair weather for the sky is red.
    • And in the morning. It will be foul weather today for the sky is red and threatening!
    • If a SKY is red at SUNSET – it is because there is a lot of DUST in the air…
    • The DUST is a sign of HIGH pressure – because there is NO rain to clear the air…
    • The light of the SUN then gets scattered by the DUST – which we see as RED light…
    • BUT – if the SKY is red at SUNRISE – is because there is a LOT of MOISTURE in the air…
    • This is a sign of LOW pressure – and often means RAIN is coming!
    • It turns out this Jewish TRADITION in based in science…
    • But the PHARISEES did NOT know the SCIENCE – they just OBSERVED the facts…
    • Years of experience taught them what a RED sky meant!
  • Hypocrites… vs. 3
    • Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky.
    • But you cannot discern the signs of the times!
    • Since they KNEW how to JUDGE [διακρίνω] the WEATHER…
    • How did they lack the POWER [δύναμαι] to read the SIGNS [σημεῖον] right in front of them…
    • Jesus was NOT fooled – He called out their HYPOCRISY [two faced]
    • Just as they SAW the weather – they SAW the signs Jesus had already given!
    • I had a co-worker years ago who believed in EVOLUTION – because of the FACTS…
    • He challenged me that if I could show him he was WRONG – he would change his mind…
    • I took up the challenge and did some homework:
    • SECOND law of thermodynamics says – things go from order to chaos [opposite of Evolution]
    • Darwinian EVOLUTION was disproved – discovery of DNA code [code speaks of design]
    • Modern EVOLUTION is based on MUTATIONS of the DNA code…
    • But almost all MUTATION are harmful or deadly [cancer] – only ONE in a million are good…
    • When I presented these flaws of EVOLUTION – he admitted he could NOT defend it…
    • But he still believed in EVOLUTION – because he WANTED to!

• People are NOT dumb – but they do have ULTERIOR motives…
• The reason the world believes LIES – is because they do NOT want the truth…
• But we are NOT called to PROVE that God is REAL – the evidence is all around us…
• Instead it is the world that needs to DEFEND why they REJECT what they can SEE!
• Romans 1:20 – “Through everything God made – [people] can clearly see… His eternal power and divine nature. So they have NO excuse for NOT knowing God!” [NLT]
• 3^rd – Only Sign… vs. 4
  • Evil generation…
    • A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign!
    • An EVIL and ADULTEROUS generation SEEKS [present] a sign…
    • EVIL [πονηρός] – speaking of a heart that is FAR from the LORD…
    • ADULTEROUS [μοιχαλίς] – 7x in NT – used to describe SPIRITUAL adultery…
    • Because in the Old and New Testament – both Israel and Church are likened to a BRIDE…
    • And when a BRIDE is NOT faithful to her husband – she is an ADULTERESSES!
    • People have an AFFAIR – because they think another person will make them HAPPIER…
    • No one throws away their marriage because they think they will be MISERABLE…
    • In the same way – the only reason someone CHEATS on Jesus…
    • Is because there is something else that they think will make them HAPPIER than God!
    • Be careful of a divided heart – desiring to FOLLOW Jesus – but FLIRTING with the world…
    • Trying to LOVE this world and the Lord – is CHEATING on Jesus!
    • James 4:4 – “To be a friend of the world [is to be] an enemy of God.”
  • Sign of Jonah…
    • No sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah!
    • Just as JONAH was THREE days and nights in the whale – Jonah 1:17
    • Jesus would also be THREE days and nights in the earth – Matthew 12:40
    • This is the SECOND time Jesus told them THIS was the ONLY sign He would give…
    • Because the ANSWER does NOT change!
    • There is only ONE solution to the problem of SIN – and it is the CROSS…
    • And it does not matter how many times people ask – the TRUTH is still the TRUTH!
    • John 14:6 – “No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
  • Abandoned…
    • [Jesus] left them and departed!
    • This is an EMPHATIC statement – repeated TWICE – left and departed…
    • Jesus LEFT [καταλείπω] – to abandon – or to forsake…
    • This is the LAST time the RELIGIOUS leaders would ask for a SIGN…
    • Because Jesus had EXPOSED them for the HYPOCRITES they were…
    • And NEXT time they met – they would be looking for a reason to CRUCIFY Him!

• 2^nd – Beware the Leaven… vs. 5-12
  • 1^st – Missing the point… vs. 5-7
    • Leaven… vs. 6
      • Jesus said to them: Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees!
      • Jesus and the DISCIPLES crossed back over to the Decapolis [away from the Religious leaders]
      • And the Lord commanded [imperative] the DISCIPLES to SEE and BEWARE the LEAVEN!
      • LEAVEN [ζύμη] – yeast is a micro-organism [plant] that causes DECAY…
      • The process causes CO² to be released causing the BREAD to rise…
      • A little YEAST is ALL that is needed to INFECT the whole batch of dough!
      • A commonly used picture in the Bible – always to describe SIN…
      • SIN has the ability to DECAY – and it only takes a LITTLE for it to SPREAD!
      • I Corinthians 5:7 – “Get rid of the [leaven] by removing wicked… from among you.” [NLT]
    • Not understanding… vs. 5/7
      • Now when His disciples had come to the other side they had forgotten to take bread.
      • And they reasoned among themselves saying: It is because we have taken no bread!
      • The DISCIPLES did NOT know what YEAST Jesus was talking about…
      • But since they had carelessly FORGOTTEN to bring bread [which has yeast in it]
      • They THOUGHT [imperfect] He was upset for NOT bringing the FOOD…
      • Their PROBLEM – they did NOT ask Jesus what He meant…
      • They were FOCUSED on their mistake – and FORGET to ask the one with the ANSWERS!
      • When people do NOT understand WHAT is happening in their lives…
      • They attempt to try and figure out WHY it is happening…
      • They go so far as to ask others what they THINK – but do NOT ask God…
      • But He has the right ANSWERS – if we would just ask Him!
      • Isaiah 1:18 – “Come now and let us reason together – says the LORD!”
  • 2^nd – Remember… vs. 8-11
    • Little Faith… vs. 8
      • Jesus being aware of it said to them: O you of little faith.
      • Why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread!
      • You can almost paint the scene – the DISCIPLES huddled in a corner whispering…
      • Trying their best to come up with the SOLUTION to the riddle of the LEAVEN…
      • But Jesus KNEW [γινώσκω] – and REBUKED them for their LITTLE faith…
      • WHY [Τί] – would they THINK the answer was forgetting bread…
      • FOURTH and FINAL rebuke of the disciples for having LITTLE faith [ὀλιγόπιστος]!
      • LITTLE faith – is when we forget the EXAMPLE [flowers] God provides – Matthew 6:30
      • LITTLE faith – is when we forget the WORD of God [calm storm] – Matthew 8:26
      • LITTLE faith – is when we forget to LOOK to Jesus [Peter on the water] – Matthew 14:31
      • Little faith – is when we THINK we have the ANSWERS!
      • FAITH is not about QUANTITY or QUALITY – it is about WHO we put our TRUST in…
      • If we put our FAITH in something that does NOT have power – what we THINK…
      • Then we are going to end up with LITTLE faith!
    • Feeding thousands… vs. 9-10
      • Do you not yet understand.
      • Remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up.
      • Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up!
      • All the DISCIPLES had to do was REMEMBER…
      • When Jesus fed FIVE thousand with FIVE loaves of BREAD…
      • They were given TWELVE baskets full of food left over – Matthew 14:20
      • And a SECOND time when He fed FOUR thousand with SEVEN loaves of BREAD…
      • They were given SEVEN large baskets full of food left over – Matthew 15:37
      • The Lord is NOT concerned about being able to provide for our NEEDS…
      • He can feed THOUSANDS with just a FEW loaves of bread…
      • But He is CONCERNED about us growing stronger in our RELATIONSHIP with Him!
      • I know many people who WORK on Sunday because they NEED more money…
      • But when you ask them if they are any RICHER for their efforts – the answer is NO…
      • Then ask them if they are CLOSER in their relationship with Jesus – the answer is NO!
    • Calloused… vs. 11
      • How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread.
      • But to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees!
      • In light of what they had SEEN – Jesus FEEDING thousands…
      • HOW then did the DISCIPLES NOT understand [νοέω] it was NOT about BREAD…
      • He adds in the account from Mark – is your heart still HARDENED – Mark 8:17
      • HARDENED [πωρόω] – to be [perfect] CALLUSED [passive]!
      • If we do NOT understand what the God is saying to us [calloused]
      • It is usually because we are MISSING the lessons Jesus is trying to teach us [multiple times]
      • Often because we are focused on our MISTAKES – rather than the LESSON…
      • Or we only see the PHYSICAL [food] – rather than look to the SPIRITUAL [word]
      • Bottom line because our FAITH is misplaces [little] – and we need to focus on the Lord!
  • 3^rd – Bad Doctrine… vs. 12
    • Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread.
    • But of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees!
    • With that the DISCIPLES were able to PUT together [συνίημι] what Jesus meant…
    • He was WARNING them about the TEACHING [διδαχή] of the RELIGIOUS leaders!
    • I avoid oysters – I am sure they are tasty – but they also have a reputation…
    • Anyone who has every had a BAD oyster – knows how much damage they can do…
    • Food poisoning is no joke – it can put us in a person in the hospital!
    • We need to be ALERT to what people are teaching – cautious…
    • Because bad DOCTRINE is like BAD food – it does a LOT of damage…
    • Therefore we must TEST what is TAUGHT – to be sure it is from the LORD!
    • I John 4:1 – “Beloved do not believe every spirit – but test the spirits whether they are of God. Because many false [teachers] have gone out into the world.”