1. Grace Bible Church Glorifying God by Making Disciples of Jesus Christ

2. A reminder - Please: Turn off your cell phone or set to vibrate only
Turn off sound to all electronic devices
Use the nursery or cry room if your child is fussy
Get up during the preaching only if absolutely necessary (please sit in back if you must leave early)

3. Evil Request for a Sign Matthew 12:38-45

4. Background Matthew 12:22-37
Tension between Jesus & the religious leaders was increasing because Jesus did not follow their traditions
Jesus’ casting out a demon and healing a blind & dumb man was the cause of the current conflict

5. Background Matthew 12:22-37
The scribes and Pharisees blaspheme the Holy Spirit - leaving no means by which they could be saved

6. The Demand Matthew 12:38
Though rebuked and warned, they use their position in society to try to put Jesus on the defensive
They insinuated that the Messiah would provide a sign which they would judge to be valid or not

7. The Demand Matthew 12:38
Though polite, they were making a demand of Jesus - they should have been asking for His mercy
Ignoring Jesus’ many miracles, they want a sign (shmei:on / sēmeion), a miracle of cosmic proportions

8. The Sign of Jonah Matthew 12:39-40
Jesus rebukes them as a wicked and adulterous people that would not be satisfied
Jesus condemned that generation because they also rejected Jesus despite the miracles (Matthew 12:20-24)

9. The Sign of Jonah Matthew 12:39-40
God sent Jonah to Nineveh, but he sailed for Tarshish instead and God had him swallowed by a great fish

10. The Sign of Jonah Matthew 12:39-40
The sign of Jonah is a prophetic “type” - as Jonah was in the fish, so the Son of Man would be in the earth
Jesus affirms the story of Jonah - if you don’t believe it, then you don’t believe Jesus is truthful
Jesus died on the day prior to Sabbath (Friday) & rose on first day of week (Sunday)

11. The Sign of Jonah Matthew 12:39-40
Hebrew idiom, “day & night,” refers to entire diurnal period or portion of it
Friday afternoon = night & day 1.
Saturday = night & day 2.
Sunday evening / morning = night & day 3

12. The Sign of Jonah Matthew 12:39-40
Jesus’ own resurrection would be the sign given to them, but they would reject that too

13. The Judgment from Nineveh Matthew 12:41
Nineveh received its message from God from a reluctant & sinful prophet –
They received it from God’s son
Jonah only pronounced coming doom –
They received a message of mercy and hope from Jesus

14. The Judgment from Nineveh Matthew 12:41
Jonah performed no miracles –
They saw Jesus performed multiple miracles
Jonah preached to a people unfamiliar with God’s word –
They knew God’s word well

15. The Judgment from Nineveh Matthew 12:41
Nineveh repented and turned to God seeking mercy –
They rejected God, His message and His son

16. The Judgment from the Queen of the South Matthew 12:42
She is the Queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10:1-13 & 2 Chronicles 9:1-9) about 1,200 miles southeast of Israel

17. The Judgment from the Queen of the South Matthew 12:42
She traveled far to hear the wisdom of Solomon - They only had short distances to hear to wisdom of God
She had only heard stories about Solomon - They had Jesus in their midst to see and hear for themselves

18. The Judgment from the Queen of the South Matthew 12:42
She brought gifts for Solomon - They gave nothing to Jesus and plotted to murder Him
She came without invitation and rejoiced - They were invited and urged, yet would not follow Jesus

19. The Judgment from Neglect Matthew 12:43-45
This story is not about the demon, it is an illustration of the judgment that would come on that generation
The man had an outward reformation after the demon was gone (“swept, and put in order”)

20. The Judgment from Neglect Matthew 12:43-45
However, the man is still “unoccupied” at the demon’s return, so 7 more join him & make the man worse
Israel had outward reformation due to the captivity, but their idolatry was replaced by false Judaism

21. The Judgment from Neglect Matthew 12:43-45
That generation had outward reformation due to John’s preaching, but they returned to self-righteousness
Without internal transformation, they returned to their traditions - and were destroyed in 70 A.D.

22. The Warning to Us
God reveals Himself sufficiently to each person that they will justly be held accountable
Non-Christian: What prevents you from repenting, believing and following Jesus? Confusion? Pride?
You have the Bible available to you and teachers to explain it - do not neglect what God provides

23. The Warning to Us
Christian: What keeps you from following Christ whole-heartedly?
Jesus has already done all that is needed

24. Conclusions
God has already given each person what is necessary to seek, believe and serve Him
Outward reformation is not enough - there must be internal transformation by the Holy Spirit

25. Conclusions
Entrance into God’s kingdom requires humility to believe and follow what God has revealed - He transforms

26. Grace Bible Church Glorifying God by Making Disciples of Jesus Christ