Good Evening, Greetings… Series of “Lessons From Matthew.” Last week we examine the powerful lesson given by Christ on “The Unpardonable Sin” and how it can fracture (SLIDE) our relationship with God. Today we are going to be looking at the Pharisees response to Jesus’ condemnation of their actions…(SLIDE)

Good Evening, Greetings… Series of “Lessons From Matthew.” Last week we examine the powerful lesson given by Christ on “The Unpardonable Sin” and how it can fracture (SLIDE) our relationship with God. Today we are going to be looking at the Pharisees response to Jesus’ condemnation of their actions…(SLIDE)

There are times, in the gospel accounts, where we find Jesus “fed up” with those He is trying to teach. In our text today we find one such time as that. With the Pharisees and scribes begging for a “sign” Jesus tells them…(SLIDE)

A G A I N No Sign Shall Be Given 2 Timothy 4:3 Luke 16:27-31 James 1:5 Why would Jesus, who had performed so many “signs and wonders” be unwilling to once again produce one? The answer lies within the context of our lesson. Context: Remember Jesus had just performed a miracle where he removed a demon from a man. (vs 22) This led to the discussion of what it means to “blasphemy the Holy Spirit.” (vs 24-32) After all that the Pharisees and scribes “ask for a sign” from Christ. (vs 38) Now Jesus isn’t saying He will not perform anymore miracles, no He is saying “at that moment” He was not going to give a sign…(SLIDE) AGAIN!!! The Pharisees weren’t satisfied with the sign just given they wanted another one. People today are a lot like this aren’t they. They’re not interested in truth they just want to cause problems and get their “ears tickled.” (SLIDE) I even hear God’s children say things like “God give me some sort of sign to know which job to take.” If we are not sure what to do we are to seek “wisdom” not “signs.” (SLIDE) The reality of the situation is that it wouldn’t have mattered if Jesus performed hundreds of more signs right then and there the scribes and Pharisees wouldn’t have believed He was the Son of David and their Messiah. (SLIDE) Jesus states that even though He wasn’t going to perform another miracle right then there would be a “sign” they could look for which would prove He was God and casting out demons by such. That sign would be…(SLIDE) 2 Timothy 4:3 Luke 16:27-31 James 1:5

THE SIGN OF JONAH This, of course, is talking about the gospel, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. (SLIDE)

“…An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” THE SIGN OF (SLIDE) Matthew 12:39

“For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” THE SIGN OF This isn’t the first time or the last time Jesus would prophecy concerning what was going to happen to Him. For example we see just four chapters over…(SLIDE) Matthew 12:40

“From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” THE SIGN OF Jesus preached so much on it that even the Jewish leadership was aware of Jesus’ claim. This is why they ordered the tomb of Jesus to be sealed. (SLIDE) Matthew 16:21

“Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” THE SIGN OF These leaders were so against Christ that they even paid the guards to lie about what they saw at the tomb. (SLIDE) Matthew 27:64

“While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. 12 And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers 13 and said, “Tell people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ ” THE SIGN OF If we are not careful we can “ignore” how great our God is and should be to us like the Pharisees. (SLIDE) Matthew 28:11-13

Brothers and sister the sign of Jonah was not meant to “wow” anyone. If you think about it only a handful, in comparison to the population of the world even saw Jesus after His resurrection. The point of the “sign of Jonah” was to confirm Jesus was who He said He was…the only begotten Son of God. (Mark 16:20)

God’s Plan of Salvation Study God’s Word Have Faith In Jesus Repent/Turn To God Confess Jesus As Lord Obey The Gospel Live A Faithful Life Romans 10:17 Hebrews 11:6 Acts 17:30 Matthew 10:32 Romans 6:3-5 1 John 1:7

God’s Plan of Salvation Study God’s Word Romans 10:17

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

God’s Plan of Salvation Study God’s Word Have Faith In Jesus Romans 10:17 Hebrews 11:6

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

God’s Plan of Salvation Study God’s Word Have Faith In Jesus Repent/Turn To God Romans 10:17 Hebrews 11:6 Acts 17:30

“The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent”

God’s Plan of Salvation Study God’s Word Have Faith In Jesus Repent/Turn To God Confess Jesus As Lord Romans 10:17 Hebrews 11:6 Acts 17:30 Matthew 10:32

“Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.”

God’s Plan of Salvation Study God’s Word Have Faith In Jesus Repent/Turn To God Confess Jesus As Lord Obey The Gospel Romans 10:17 Hebrews 11:6 Acts 17:30 Matthew 10:32 Romans 6:3-5

“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.”

God’s Plan of Salvation Study God’s Word Have Faith In Jesus Repent/Turn To God Confess Jesus As Lord Obey The Gospel Live A Faithful Life Romans 10:17 Hebrews 11:6 Acts 17:30 Matthew 10:32 Romans 6:3-5 1 John 1:7

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”