Matthew 16:1–4 (ESV) —
1 And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ 3 And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. 4 An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed.
NOTE: This is the second time the leaders (really the skeptics) ask for a sign. And Jesus' answer is the same one today for the atheists and the skeptics alike. No sign would be given. The reality is that many signs were given. Jesus fulfilled many prophecies. Jesus performed many outstanding miracles that were witnessed by multitudes. The leaders should have been able to figure it out. But he does promise one more sign for that group, the sign of Jonah. As Jonah was in the belly of a fish for three days, so Jesus would be buried in the belly of the earth for three days. Unlike Jonah, who others only thought was dead. Jesus died. And like Jonah, Jesus not only emerges, he emerges three days later, but in a resurrected body. This is the single most significant event of human history. The disciples chose martyrdom over denial because they and 500 others witnessed the fact and realized the implications. The leaders, the elites, the skeptics, and the atheists have no excuse -- a sign has been given.
PONDER:
- Do I realize how important the resurrection was?
- Do I realize the implications of this historical fact?
PRAYER: Father, help me to share the story of the resurrection. Help me to stand up and identify with my savior.
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