Seeking a Sign… vs. 38-42

• 1^st – Challenging Jesus… vs. 38
  • Scribes…
    • Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered saying:
    • In response to the STRONG rebuke from Jesus – UNFORGIVABLE sin…
    • Some of the SCRIBES joined in with the PHARISEES to challenge Jesus…
    • SCRIBES [γραμματεύς] – were the intellectuals of their day [PHD professors]
    • They would NOT have had much in common with PHARISEES [religious]
    • BUT they had ONE thing that UNTIED them – they did NOT like Jesus!
  • A sign…
    • Teacher – we want to see a sign from You!
    • Not willing to acknowledge WHO Jesus really was – the CHRIST…
    • They gave him the neutral title of TEACHER [Διδάσκαλε] – to not give Him too much credit…
    • What they DESIRED [θέλω] was for Jesus to give them a SIGN [σημεῖον]
    • IRONIC because Jesus had just HEALED a man who was both BLIND and MUTE…
    • 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 their HEARTS…
    • If they had a relationship with God – they would have KNOWN who Jesus was…
    • But because they did NOT know God – they were looking for a SIGN!
    • If someone does NOT know us – we use an ID to prove who we are…
    • But if we go to a friends house for dinner – they do NOT demand an ID – they KNOW us!
    • If we spend time with Jesus – know Him personally…
    • Then we have NO need to ask Him to PROVE Himself to us…
    • But if we get caught up in life – take our eyes OFF of Jesus – we will begin to DOUBT…
    • If we find we are questioning our Lord – the solution is to spend more time with Him…
    • Get to KNOW Him better – and then we will NOT need to ask for a SIGN!
• 2^nd – Evil Generation… vs. 39
  • Seeking…
    • [Jesus] answered and said to them: An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign!
    • Jesus response was to call them an EVIL and ADULTEROUS generation…
    • EVIL [πονηρός] – speaking of a heart that is FAR from the LORD…
    • ADULTEROUS [μοιχαλίς] – 7x in NT – used to describe SPIRITUAL adultery!
    • 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!
    • When we are NOT faithful to the Lord – we are guilty of SPIRITUAL adultery…
    • And ADULTERY makes us QUESTION the security of our relationship with God…
    • It causes us to continually [present] SEEK proof [sign] that God still LOVES us!
  • Divided heart…
    • 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!
    • Beware 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 makes himself an enemy of God.”
• 3^rd – Sign of Jonah… vs. 39-40
  • Three Days… vs. 39-40
    • No sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
    • For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish.
    • Jesus told the SCRIBES and PHARISEES they would only get the sign of Jonah!
    • God called the Prophet Jonah to go and preach to the nation of Assyria [Nineveh]
    • They were a wicked people who had conquered and persecuted Northern Israel…
    • Jonah KNEW God was GRACIOUS – and would FORGIVE – Jonah 4:2
    • Therefore he ran away [Tarshish] – because he wanted God to JUDGE the Assyrians…
    • But God sent a STORM – and Jonah KNEW it was from God…
    • He told the men in the ship to THROW him into the sea to stop the STORM – Jonah 1:15
    • Jonah did NOT know God would send a WHALE – he would rather DIE than obey God…
    • But the LORD had a WHALE swallow him – and for THREE days Jonah said NOTHING…
    • Only after THREE days did Jonah cry out to the Lord – and the WHALE vomited him out!
  • Son of Man… vs. 40
    • So will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth!
    • Jesus would also be THREE days and THREE nights in the GRAVE – Ephesians 4:9
    • When Jesus died on the CROSS – dismissed His spirit – Matthew 27:50
    • He went down into SHEOL [שְׁאוֹל] – or Abrahams Bosom [paradise] – Luke 16:22
    • There He shared the GOOD news to all who had died in FAITH – Isaiah 61:1
    • Then He set the CAPTIVES free – because the price for SIN had been paid!
  • Only Sign…
    • This was the ONLY sign Jesus would give to those who did NOT want to believe…
    • The CROSS – and after THREE days – the RESURRECTION…
    • Why the SIGN of Jonah – it is the ONLY one that brings salvation!
    • We might think that if only we [or someone we know] could see a miracle – see Jesus…
    • That would be ALL that was needed in order for them to BELIEVE…
    • But these men saw JESUS – saw a deaf and blind man HEALED – it was NOT enough…
    • What is necessary is the message of the GOSPEL – the Cross of Jesus…
    • People do NOT need to see miracles – they need to hear the WORD of God!
    • Romans 10:17 – “Faith comes by hearing – and hearing by the Word of God.”
      
• 4^th – Men of Nineveh… vs. 41
  • Condemned…
    • The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it.
    • Because they repented at the preaching of Jonah – and indeed a greater than Jonah is here!
    • Like with Chorazin – Bethsaida – and Capernaum – Matthew 11:20
    • Jesus gave TWO more examples of those who would CONDEMN this generation…
    • FIRST – the men of Nineveh will RISE [ἀνίστημι] and CONDEMN them [Day of Judgement]
    • Because they REPENTED [μετανοέω] at the preaching of Jonah…
    • Yet when Jesus – who is greater than Jonah came – this GENERATION did NOT repent!
  • Power of the Gospel…
    • Jonah was a UNIQUE prophet because he is the ONLY one NOT called to Israel…
    • At a time when Israel was WICKED – and in desperate need of REPENTANCE…
    • God instead sent the PROPHET to the WICKED people of NINEVEH…
    • Because ISRAEL had refused to listen to many PASSIONATE prophets…
    • Yet Nineveh would REPENT at the half-hearted warning of a REACTANT one!
    • Someone CHOOSING to REPENT has little to do with the one giving the message…
    • Jesus [the WORD] came doing great MIRACLES – and people refused to LISTEN…
    • Jonah [reluctant] came hoping people would NOT listen – and a CITY was saved…
    • It does NOT matter if we think we are a good speaker – all we need to do is share…
    • Because the POWER of the salvation comes from the GOSPEL itself!
    • Romans 1:16 – “I am not ashamed of the gospel… for it is the power of God to salvation!”
• 5^th – Queen of Sheba… vs. 42
  • The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it.
  • For she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon.
  • And indeed a greater than Solomon is here!
  • SECOND the QUEEN of Sheba [south] heard about the WISDOM of Solomon – I King 10:1
  • She was willing to TRAVEL from the ENDS of the earth to SEE if the stories were true…
  • Therefore On the Day of Judgement – the Great White Throne – Revelation 20:11
  • She will RISE [ἐγείρω] and CONDEMN this generation…
  • Because someone far GREATER than SOLOMON was here – and yet they did NOT seek Him!
  • There is an old Keith Green song called: Asleep in the LIGHT…
  • One of the lyrics says – Jesus rose from the GRAVE – but we cannot even get out of BED!
  • Sunday mornings are EARLY – and it is EASY to think NEXT time…
  • The ALARM rings – and we want to get up and READ our Bible – but sleep is so GOOD…
  • How far are we willing to GO – how important to us is it to HEAR from Jesus!
  • Psalm 63:1 – “O God – You are my God. Early will I seek You!”

• 2^nd – Seven times… vs. 43-45
  • 1^st – Pharisees… vs. 43
    • When an unclean spirit goes out of a man.
    • He goes through dry places seeking rest – and finds none!
    • As Jesus was CHALLENGED about his HEALING of the demon possessed man…
    • He goes back to the SUBJECT as an ILLUSTRATION of the STATE of the nation of Israel…
    • UNCLEAN spirit [ἀκάθαρτος] – common term used by Jesus to describe DEMONS…
    • When he is CAST out of a man – he seeks [present] a new HOME!
    • FIVE hundred years before Jesus – the nation of Israel had become very WICKED…
    • As a result God allowed Nebuchadnezzar [Babylon] to conquer them – 586 B.C.
    • God even allowed the FIRST Temple to be DESTROYED [תִּשְׁעָה בְּאָב]
    • Because they people would come to the TEMPLE – to worship other gods – Ezekiel 8
    • Therefore they spent SEVENTY years in captivity – before God let them return – Jeremiah 25:11
    • Zerubbabel [king] and Jeshua [priest] brought FIFTY thousand back to Jerusalem – Ezra 2:2
    • And the PHARISEES were formed AFTER the return from CAPTIVITY!
  • 2^nd – External… vs. 44
    • Empty house…
      • Then [the unclean spirit] says – I will return to my house from which I came.
      • And when he comes – he finds it empty – swept – and put in order!
      • Since the UNCLEAN spirit could not find another house – he goes back to the HOUSE he left…
      • He finds it CLEAN – and DECORATED [κοσμέω] – but most importantly EMPTY!
    • White Washed…
      • The purpose of the PHARISEES was to CLEAN up the HOUSE of Israel…
      • The problem was they were ONLY worried about EXTERNAL…
      • But they did not address the HEART – so in the end the JEWS were worse off than before!
      • Matthew 23:27 – “You are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly – but inside are full of dead mens bones and all uncleanness [ἀκάθαρτος].”
      • Religion is ONLY concerned about appearances – the EXTERNAL…
      • But God does NOT care about the outside – He is after the HEART – I Samuel 16:7
      • He takes us as we are – and by His GRACE – transforms us from the inside out!
    • Jesus inside…
      • Jesus is talking about the NATION of Israel – but there is a PERSONAL application!
      • If someone is FREED from an UNCLEAN spirit…
      • It is ESSENTIAL that they do NOT leave their HEART empty…
      • They NEED to put JESUS in there – so that the spirit CANNOT come back!
      • II Corinthians 6:17 – “Come out from among them and be separate says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean [ἀκάθαρτος] and I will receive you.”
  • 3^rd – Worse off… vs. 45
    • [The unclean spirit] goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself.
    • They enter and dwell there – and the last state of that man is worse than the first. 
    • So shall it also be with this wicked generation!
    • Because the Pharisees did NOT put God in the hearts of the people…
    • They left them VULNERABLE to all kinds of other EVIL and WICKED ideas…
    • The RESULT is that in the END – ISRAEL was more WICKED [κακός] then before the captivity…
    • The spiritual state [indicative] of this GENERATION – they were SEVEN times worse!
    • Leviticus 26:18 – “I will punish you SEVEN times more for your sins.”
    • RELIGION is not the ANSWER – looking good on the OUTSIDE does not help…
    • The only solution to a WICKED heart – is to put Jesus inside of it…
    • And until we are willing to REPENT and come to the LORD – things will only get WORSE!

• 3^rd – Family of God… vs. 46-50
  • 1^st – Doubting God… vs. 46
    • Unbelief…
      • While He was still talking to the multitudes…
      • Behold – His mother and brothers stood outside seeking to speak with Him.
      • While Jesus was intensely REBUKING the SCRIBES and PHARISEES…
      • Accusing them of the UNFORGIVABLE sin – and making Israel SEVEN times more WICKED…
      • He was UPSETTING very powerful people – and His life was in DANGER…
      • So His mother and brothers were OUTSIDE [pluperfect] – they came to try and HELP Him…
      • They made the EXCUSE He had gone MAD – and they were there to take Him home!
      • Mark 3:21 – “They went out to lay hold of Him for they said: He is out of His mind.”
    • Hope…
      • You would think being raised with Jesus as an older brother – they would all BELIEVE…
      • But NONE of His brothers believed in Jesus BEFORE the resurrection – John 7:5
      • Although eventually – both JUDE and JAMES became LEADERS in the church!
      • If we have FAMILY that refused to BELIEVE in Jesus…
      • Do NOT lose heart – Jesus had the SAME problem…
      • Do NOT give up on them – there is always HOPE – they might even become PASTORS!
  • 2^nd – True Family… vs. 47-49
    • Question… vs. 47-48
      • One said to Him: Your mother and brothers are standing outside seeking to speak with You!
      • He answered and said to the one who told Him: Who is My mother and who are My brothers?
      • Someone from the CROWD called out to Jesus to tell Him about His mother and brothers…
      • We do NOT know WHO it was that TOLD Jesus – but my guess it was a PHARISEE or SCRIBE…
      • They were DONE with His insults – and WANTED Him to go home…
      • But Jesus instead answered this PERSON with a QUESTION…
      • WHO was His MOTHER – and WHO are His BROTHERS!
    • Disciples… vs. 49
      • [Jesus] stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said:
      • Here are My mother and My brothers!
      • Jesus pointed to His DISCIPLES [μαθητής] – they were His FAMILY [mother and brothers]
      • This was NOT said to DISCREDIT Mary – or His brothers Jude and James…
      • For they would ALL one day come to FAITH in Jesus and become FAMILY…
      • But TRUE family is found in those who are connected by MORE than just BLOOD!
      • The relationships we have in Church – can often be closer than blood relatives…
      • Because the bond we have in Jesus – is NOT just for this life – it is ETERNAL!
    • Will of God… vs. 50
      • For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother!
      • The WAY to become a part of the FAMILY of God…
      • Has NOTHING to do with RELIGION – or BAPTISM – or church MEMBERSHIP…
      • It comes from doing the WILL of God the Father…
      • And the WILL of the FATHER – is to put our FAITH in His SON!
      • John 6:40 – “The will of the Father is all who see His Son… believe in Him.” [NLT]