I know what I am looking for as it relates to the weather, I am looking for signs that this cold winter has finished her work and conceded to springs advance. It seems that human nature has an insatiable appetite for signs, for information, that will disclose clues, if not about the meaning of life, at least about what might be expected in the very near future. My desire to see any “signs” of spring would encourage my hope that the cold weather has moved on and that warmer, sunnier, days are in store. Just recently, I received a sign that my favorite basketball team from Manhattan might be back on track to make a run in the NCAA tournament after defeating two ranked teams in the past two weeks, one of those teams being ranked number one. This is exciting for all the fans excited for a season whose early signs suggested a great year was in store. However, those “signs” faded quickly as K-State suffered through several losses. I regret to admit that I had little hope remaining that “my” team might turn things around. But, yet again, the signs are indicating that this season might turn out to be special after all. (EMAW!)
Still, what is our fascination with signs? Signs give us clues about TRUTH! There is an interesting account in Matthew’s Gospel found at the beginning of chapter 16, where it is written that the, “Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.”
Now, the problem with signs is that they cannot be manipulated; they are simply indicators of what is true. Take the signs related to K-State’s mid-season woes, for example. Those signs indicated that K-State was not as good as their fans had hoped. The response of the fans was to accept those signs or not, but to change the signs was not an option. Alternatively, a KU fan might want to reject the current signs suggesting that their in-State rival is worthy of respect. Reject the signs they are free to do, but they are not free to change the signs.
So, the Pharisees and Sadducees were asking to see a sign from Jesus. I can only guess at their motive but the passage indicates that they were testing Jesus. My conviction is that they were refusing to believe the innumerable signs surrounding the person and ministry of Jesus. These signs were establishing the fact that this Rabbi from Nazareth, was a man, but much more than a man, in fact, the signs were indicating that He was the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, God in the flesh. The signs were then pointing to the reality that Christ loved people, that He desired to heal people, that he wanted to save people, and not only people from His cultural background, but all kinds of people, from every walk of life. These signs could not be altered or manipulated by anyone because they were simply reflecting the TRUTH! This is one reason why I feel the Pharisees and the Sadducees asked Jesus for a sign, they wanted the TRUTH to be something else. I believe that they refused to accept that God was so merciful to all people, because that would mean that their own attitude and conduct would need to change and that they would need to love people who were at present their enemies.
I believe one of the sad, but actual truths about people is that they will look for “other” signs from God, perhaps to distract them from what the current signs are indicating. However, God has already given the greatest of all SIGNS, indeed the realty to whom all signs point, His beloved SON! In His Son, Jesus, God has shown the world the truth about Himself, namely that He is a God who is Holy, Just, Merciful and full of Grace. He is a God who desires for all people to receive forgiveness, to know Him and to be in relationship with Him. All the signs point to this truth. How people respond to the signs will determine whether or not they are a follower of Christ, or a follower of self!
Now, the problem with signs is that they cannot be manipulated; they are simply indicators of what is true. Take the signs related to K-State’s mid-season woes, for example. Those signs indicated that K-State was not as good as their fans had hoped. The response of the fans was to accept those signs or not, but to change the signs was not an option. Alternatively, a KU fan might want to reject the current signs suggesting that their in-State rival is worthy of respect. Reject the signs they are free to do, but they are not free to change the signs.
So, the Pharisees and Sadducees were asking to see a sign from Jesus. I can only guess at their motive but the passage indicates that they were testing Jesus. My conviction is that they were refusing to believe the innumerable signs surrounding the person and ministry of Jesus. These signs were establishing the fact that this Rabbi from Nazareth, was a man, but much more than a man, in fact, the signs were indicating that He was the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, God in the flesh. The signs were then pointing to the reality that Christ loved people, that He desired to heal people, that he wanted to save people, and not only people from His cultural background, but all kinds of people, from every walk of life. These signs could not be altered or manipulated by anyone because they were simply reflecting the TRUTH! This is one reason why I feel the Pharisees and the Sadducees asked Jesus for a sign, they wanted the TRUTH to be something else. I believe that they refused to accept that God was so merciful to all people, because that would mean that their own attitude and conduct would need to change and that they would need to love people who were at present their enemies.
I believe one of the sad, but actual truths about people is that they will look for “other” signs from God, perhaps to distract them from what the current signs are indicating. However, God has already given the greatest of all SIGNS, indeed the realty to whom all signs point, His beloved SON! In His Son, Jesus, God has shown the world the truth about Himself, namely that He is a God who is Holy, Just, Merciful and full of Grace. He is a God who desires for all people to receive forgiveness, to know Him and to be in relationship with Him. All the signs point to this truth. How people respond to the signs will determine whether or not they are a follower of Christ, or a follower of self!
Trusting the signs,
Pastor Gibbs
