Journey Through Matthew: Here's Your Sign!
Journey Through Matthew • Sermon • Submitted
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· 12 viewsEven though Jesus had shown many signs and wonders of the reality of who he is, the Pharisees demanded more. What is more troubling is that the disciples were falling into the Pharisees traps of deception. We must always be on guard against the yeast of the Pharisees in our our lives.
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Introduction
Introduction
Good morning and welcome back!
If you would start turning in your Bibles to .
This morning we are going to push forward in Matthew and be looking at the subject of Here’s Your Sign.
And the reason for the title is because the first part of the passage is consumed by the Pharisees and Sadducees asking Jesus to show them a sign.
To prove to them that he was who he was claiming to be.
Nevermind the fact that right before they came and demanded this sign from Jesus that he fed 4000 men plus their wives and children with 7 loaves of bread and some small fish.
Nevermind the fact that before that Jesus had delivered a demon-possessed child with just his command for it to be so.
Nevermind that before that he had walked on the water, calmed the storm, and saved his disciples from drowning.
And nevermind that before that he had fed 5000 men, plus their wives and children with just 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread.
And these were the miracles that had just happened, to many which the these accusing Jews were witnesses to.
So, after all of this, what’s their problem?
What is it that they don’t get?
This is what we are going to get into this morning and then we are going to be looking at another lesson to the disciples and to us by extension.
So, if you have found in your Bible, I’d invite you to stand with me.
I will be reading the first 12 verses.
Matthew writes . . .
Scripture Focus
Scripture Focus
1 The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven. 2 He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ 3 and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. 4 A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Jesus then left them and went away. 5 When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread. 6 “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 7 They discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread.” 8 Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? 9 Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? 11 How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Show Us A Sign (Vs 1-4)
Show Us A Sign (Vs 1-4)
Alright, so right on cue the Pharisees and Sadducees show up to confront Jesus and his disciples for their indiscretions.
And the main fuel for this attack happens to be because Jesus is doing all of these things for the Gentiles.
The Cananite woman and her daughter were Gentiles.
The 4000 plus were mainly Gentiles.
And it has seemed that Jesus has shifted his attention more toward the Gentiles, which created a big problem for the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Because not only was Jesus gathering a following of their own people, he was now gathering a following that included other people.
People who the Jews thought that they were above and that they could actually control.
And here Jesus is mixing them all up together making it seem as if they were equals.
That all people, regardless of race were deserving of God’s love, mercy, and grace.
Oh, the horror of it!
Because the more equal people are, the more power is removed from those who have assumed they are superior.
When people realize that they are just as good as everybody else, it makes it harder for others to take advantage of them and this is one of the main problems the Jews are facing now.
They were powerless against the Romans, so they had set up a system where they at least had power and domination over someone.
And now Jesus has come along and ruined it.
So, they have to do something to try to discredit Jesus.
To regain that power.
So, they decide the best way is to put him on the spot and tempt him into performing some sort of sign or miracle.
Again, Matthew writes . . .
1 The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven.
They wanted a sign from heaven, testing him or tempting him.
And really, with everything Jesus had already done, what more could he do to prove he is the Messiah?
Should he have called down 10 legions of angels and wiped them all out?
Should God the Father have reached down and smacked them?
It is really vague and unclear what more they wanted.
Because they had already witnessed Jesus do many, many things, that they had never witnessed before and deep down in their soul, they knew what the truth was.
But they had to hang on to that power.
They couldn’t give it up and allow God the room to touch their soul.
To confirm what they already knew was true.
So, they keep on and now they want a magic trick.
And Jesus really wasn’t having anything of it.
2 He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ 3 and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.
Matthew 16:
And all Jesus is telling them here is “you can look at the sky and interpret what the weather is going be, but you cannot recognize the signs of the times going on all around you.”
And again, they couldn’t recognize it because they refused to open their eyes and see it.
And we have many people today who fall into the same trap.
They are always looking around for signs and wonders, always demanding that God move in some earth shattering and miraculous way.
But they refuse to see the signs all around them.
The signs that things are coming ever so closer to the end.
The signs that God is trying to get their attention.
The signs that they need salvation before it is too late.
Refusing to listen, refusing to recognize things around them.
And Jesus has a response to that attitude.
And the response is found right here . . .
4 A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Jesus then left them and went away.
And what is the sign of Jonah?
40 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.
Meaning that they will continue in their ways to the point that they will crucify the very one who came to save them.
However, just like Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and then emerged, so will Jesus.
And when Jesus is resurrected, recognize that sign.
Recognize that you had the chance before all of this took place and you blew it.
Recognize that without the salvation offered by Jesus you are doomed and destined for a devils hell.
Recognize that it was serious business then and it’s just as serious now.
And with that, Jesus didn’t have anything else to say to them, so he left.
And I’ll tell you God will only speak to us for so long.
When we get to the place when we will no longer listen to the Holy Spirit, he will leave.
And a life without God is a lonely and hopeless life.
And an eternity without God is even worse.
So, if God’s been speaking to you I’d encourage you to listen before its too late.
Yeast of the Pharisees (5-12)
Yeast of the Pharisees (5-12)
And with that Jesus said what he needed to say and he and his disciples move on.
Matthew writes that . . .
5 When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread.
Matthew 16:
One of those “awe man, we forgot the snack bag,” moments!
But Jesus says something they find a bit strange and don’t really understand.
6 “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
Matthew
And I can see the disciples sort of looking at each other saying, “huh? What’s he talking about?”
In fact . . .
7 They discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread.”
And they thought Jesus was upset with them because they forgot the snack bag and Jesus was calling them Pharisees and Sadducees.
But Jesus could have cared less about the actual bread, but like everything else he wanted to use this as an object for a lesson he was trying to teach them.
So . . .
8 Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? 9 Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?
Matthew 16:8
But they still didn’t get it, so . . .
11 How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
Matthew 16:11
And finally it clicked with them . . .
12 Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
And the exact same message is true for us.
We are so caught up in the temporal and the things of the world that we are distracted from what is really important.
We hear all of the politics and rhetoric coming from the left and the right.
We hear all of the thoughts and ideas of secular humanism all around us all day and night.
And we sometimes forget that all of these things will eventually pass away and the only thing that will be left is the truth found in the Word of God.
The only person who’s opinion matters is God’s and the only way to realize the truth of God is through Jesus Christ.
But the things and the ideas of the world will try to drown that out and try to override that with their own ideas.
It is nothing more than false belief and more dangerously, false hope.
Placing our hope in ideas of humanity instead of the truth of God.
And Jesus is telling his disciples, be careful and make sure you are always focused on what is really important.
And the same message applies to us as well.
We must always be careful and must always be on guard, because remember, the enemy is like a roaring lion, wandering around looking for someone to devour.
Don’t be the one that gets chewed up and spit out.
Altar Call
Altar Call
Altar Call
Altar Call
And I will tell you one of the main ways we fall victim to this is when we isolate ourselves from other believers.
Things happen and we sort of retreat into our own selves and lack the support and help of others.
And those ideas begin to bounce around in our head and when that is the only voice you hear, you start to fall victim to those things.
If you are here today and you feel isolated and lonely, you don’t have to be.
Come and let God fill you with His presence.
Let others gather around showing you that you are loved and supported.
Maybe you are here and you have fallen victim to the things of the world and are searching for peace this morning.
The only peace you will ever find is found in God.
Why don’t you come and allow God to restore that peace.
Maybe you are here and you don’t have a relationship with Jesus Christ at all.
You have been searching for deeper meaning to life or to fill some sort of void in your life.
That void is the place where the Holy Spirit is intended to dwell.
Why don’t you come, receive Christ, and allow that void to be filled.
Maybe you are here and God has laid something else on your heart and you know you need to come and pray.
Why don’t you come and be obedient to the Lord this morning.
Whatever the need, why don’t you come now.
The altar is open. Will you come?