Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”
He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 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 men of Nineveh 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. The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.
“When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”
These Pharisees make me nervous…mostly because they sometimes sound like me.
What’s the matter with a sign?
Of course, it’s not the “sign”, but the motivation for asking. Jesus could see into their souls and recognize what was behind it. “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign”! Jesus could see it wasn’t an honest request, but justification for their unbelief. Furthermore, he’d done plenty of miracles. One more wouldn’t change their stubbornness. if they could shake off that wickedness of their unbelief it would only be for a moment. If they didn’t fill the vacancy with the powerful Spirit of Christ the wickedness would simply return.
What are the chances the Pharisees were prepared to do that?
The only sign we get is the life of Christ…his death and resurrection. If that’s not enough, there’s no point in asking for more.
I understand the temptation. When our lives are out of order…through no fault of our own…it’s natural to wonder if Jesus is truly up to the task of making a difference. We want to see him fix something. In fact we’re told to ask. Then again, are we genuinely seeking Christ…or are we merely looking to improve our circumstances?
Even Jesus didn’t get a sign. When he asked to be delivered from his suffering (“let this cup pass from me”) the cup never passed. Wonder why? Because, He added “nevertheless, not my will, but thine”.
And that’s the key. God gets his way. It may not be easy on us. It may be painful. But, as with the death and resurrection of Christ, it is always for our benefit.
Live boldly out there today…
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