Our world is full of signs. We have signs for nearly everything that the public uses or experiences. We have directional signs, almost too many, until we are lost and then we yell, “why isn’t there a sign here to tell me which road!”
We have signs that assume we need signs not to touch signs. “Caution, this sign has sharp edges” followed by “Do not touch the edges of this sign.” Okay, I think I get it.
There are signs seem clear to the sign maker but make the sign reader say, “Huh?” How about some of these signs;
“Touching these wires will cause instant death. $200 fine.” (Um, my first thought is, who will pay the fine?)
“DANGER – Crocodile Habitat” (You had me at crocodile!) But the sign explained for those of us who need it:
-Do not go into the water.
-Keep away from the water’s edge.
-Do not clean fish near the water’s edge. (Who’s doing this?!)
-Remove all fish and food waste.
Seen at a yard sale, “Dead People’s Things for Sale” Yeah, that draws me right into that yard, right?
Seen on a park road…”Keep your eyes open”….Who is shutting their eyes when they drive through the park?!
How about this one, “Garbage only, no Trash”. Is there a difference?
At a restaurant we have to warn people about the outdoor fire pit, “Caution, Fire is hot.”Found on a display of bathroom toilets: “The nearest toilets are located at the IKEA restaurant and cafe” heavily taped on the inside between lid and seat.
Why signs like this? Signs are invented for those of us who have done exactly what the sign is telling you not to do.
Jesus knows and teaches leaders about signs when they ask. But it makes me wonder, are the religious elite asking Jesus for more signs they can post so they can wield more power and oppression over the people. No, actually they are merely testing Jesus. Jesus aces the “test”.
WHO in their right mind would test the Son of God? It might be those who do not recognize or know Him. Give us a sign.
Matthew 16
The Demand for a Sign
16 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 time. 4 A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Jesus then left them and went away.
SERIOUSLY, THOUGH….We seem to drive through life with our eyes closed like the sign we mentioned earlier. We don’t see or recognize God at work consistently in our lives and in our world. We are too busy with our thinking and surviving day to day that we miss the signs…just as these leaders did.
The religious leaders’ desire to silence Jesus had caused the two opposing religious parties to unite in one common effort. (Imagine democrats and republicans coming together to battle a common enemy to their supposed power.) They were waiting for Him when He returned to Galilee. The Pharisees, of course, were the traditionalists of their day, while the Sadducees were quite liberal (see Acts 23:6–10). They united to issue a challenge to Jesus: “Show us a sign from heaven and we will believe You are the Christ.”
The word translated “sign” means much more than simply a miracle or a demonstration of power. It means “a wonder by which one may recognize a person or confirm who he is.” This was the fourth time the religious leaders had asked for a sign (Matt. 12:38.; John 2:12; 6:30). Later, they did it again (Luke 11:14.). But miracles do not convince people of sin or give a desire for salvation (Luke 16:27–31; John 12:10–11; Acts 14:8–20). Miracles will give confirmation where there is faith, but not where there is willful unbelief. The leaders refused to believe. God was not part of their agenda.
WHY DID JESUS TALK ABOUT THE WEATHER? To reveal to His enemies their own dishonesty and stubborn blindness. They could examine the evidence in God’s world and draw valid conclusions, but they would not examine the evidence He had presented. His enemies would not believe, and therefore they could not believe (John 12:37.). The Pharisees and Sadducees did not lack evidence; they lacked honesty and humility.
Their demand for a sign revealed the sad condition of their hearts: they were evil and adulterous. He did not accuse them of being guilty of physical adultery, but of spiritual adultery (Isa. 57; James 4:4). These men were worshiping a false god of their own manufacture, and this was spiritual adultery. Had they been worshiping the true God, they would have recognized His Son when He came.
HOLY PAUSEWill we be ready? What do we lack in our faith?
Will we recognize Him when He comes back again?
Will our faith, built on Jesus blood, give us 20/20 vision to readily see the sign of His return because we KNOW Him?
Jesus had mentioned the sign of Jonah before (see Matt. 12:38–45). This was the sign of death, burial, and resurrection. Our Lord’s crucifixion, burial, and resurrection were actually a sign to Israel that He was their Messiah. It was this sign that Peter preached about at Pentecost (Acts 2:22).
HERE’S ANOTHER SIGN...Because of their unbelief, Jesus then left them and went away.
I am halted in the tracks of my thoughts this morning. Their unbelief cause Jesus to leave them. Jesus does not hang around where there is no faith. Wow. Camp on that for a bit.
Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name. Your Kingdom come and reign in us and all around us. Your Will be done on earth, in every delightful detail of our lives, as it is in heaven. Give us this day eyes to see and ears to hear You. Give us cleansed hearts to embrace You fully. Help our minds to know you more and more. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who hurt us. Lead us away from tempting signs that lead us to evil. Deliver us from evil and signs of evil. For you have all power. To you be all glory.
I don’t need a sign…only You.
In Jesus Name, Amen
33 His disciples answered, “Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?”
This question seems simple and maybe redundant, but is profound when you go deeper into the meaning of faith. Faith is built, brick by brick, step by step, day by day into our being, but the question remains, do we really believe who God is, what Jesus did for us and that His Holy Spirit lives in us? Does fear drive us to deeper faith or keep us from a growing faith? What distracts us from pure, unrelenting faith from the One who created us, died for our sin and abides in us?
24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”
Jesus was not playing games with the woman, nor was He trying to make the situation more difficult. He was drawing out of her a growing response of faith.
The Gentiles glorified Israel’s God, but the Jewish leaders said that Jesus was in league with Satan (Matt. 12:22–24). Our Lord’s miracles did not cause the Jewish cities to repent (Matt. 
I wonder how many times we have asked our children, “Did you wash your hands?” When they are young, there is also a follow up question, “Really?” “Let me smell.” Actually, I never really asked for the “smell test”, but I did feel their hands to see if they had at least passed through water. Now add grandchildren to this scenario. If I had a dollar for every time I asked…as my father would say…I’d be rich!
It was the topic for Jesus disciples, too. Washing hands was a ceremonial production for the Jewish leaders. It wasn’t about ridding yourself of germs with soap and water, it was all about showing how pure you were for all the world to notice. It was a heart issue more than a hands cleansing as Jesus will pointe out.
Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”
8 “‘These people honor me with their lips,
13 He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. 14 Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”
Jesus told the leaders the Truth. Mike dropped.
Wash your heart, then your hands. All will be well.
How many of us had all the faith we needed when we accepted Christ and chose to follow Him at the time of that decision? What I’m getting at is this; Did we suddenly possess all the faith within ourselves to never fail or fall back to our own devices? The answer for me is a resounding no. My faith had to be built, as the old hymn, Solid Rock says. “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness.”
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
Growing up in a family of hard workers, I assumed that if you worked hard and trusted God, that would be enough. For me, as a child, it was enough. There was always something to eat three times a day. In our time of living, you didn’t question what was put before you, you just dug in after the prayer of thanks. There would be cake and homemade ice cream reserved for birthdays and other special occasions. Life was pretty simple. There wasn’t a ton of finances to manage but there was always enough, more than enough.
Then I went to Haiti, one of the poorest nations in the world. This would be one of numerous trips I would make to this land of giving, beautiful people who I would work alongside in growing churches and schools. On this first trip, I would learn about the culture which included faith, love, work, humility, honor and hospitality. 
When the meal was served, I noticed I was given the biggest portion in a huge bowl with an enormous metal spoon as a visiting speaker. It was more than enough for me to eat! Lettuce adored the top of my bowl to reveal a whole small fish placed on top of my rice and beans. I was bit taken aback to notice the fish looking at me for fish was whole, roasted, but whole. This was another gesture of honor to me.
13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
18 “Bring them here to me,” he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Jesus is grieving the loss of John, gets away to a quiet place to pray and crowds begin to gather as soon as they spot him. They come from the town and surrounding villages to hear him speak and to see him heal the sick. Jesus is more than enough.
Our hearts skip beats and our lungs deplete of precious air when we hear of a precious loved one who has died. For a brief moment we are in shock at the news. We can’t seem to move the limbs of our bodies. Our minds forget how to think and turn to mush. “This can’t be” is our first line of defense in what will begin a cycle of grief. We go into a “twilight zone” until the news penetrates our being and we begin to do life on earth without this person until we meet them again in heaven.
God created us to cope with death of loved ones. God gave us Jesus. Jesus was and is our example of how to live abundantly here always preparing for our forever home with God. Jesus left us with help when He left earth after experiencing AND defeating death, rising again, to go back home to prepare a place for us! In the meantime, Jesus gave us with His Holy Spirit to comfort us and remind us of our blessed hope. Jesus, Savior and Lord, is our hope now and after the death of our temporary bodies. 
What happens when we feel people are taken from earth all too soon? The shock goes deeper still as we try to come up with reasons why they died. But that is not a place to dwell.
At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, 2 and he said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”
13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place.
Jesus will help us in grief to move forward in our thinking and behaviors as we look forward to our own heavenly home. He will love us in and through the pain. Grief is a condition of coping here on earth without the persons you love dearly. It is reassuring that Jesus knows exactly how we feel and will help us navigate the cycles of grief. We will never forget the people who have gone on before us but we can live productive lives while knowing who we loved is now waiting for us in heaven. 
Dear Heavenly Father,
There is an old saying that probably originated from this passage, “You can’t go back home”. Not all people stay in their home towns. After high school or college, the job market may take them to another city in another state or merely across town.
53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. 54 Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. 55 “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? 56 Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they took offense at him.
Jesus grew up in the streets of Nazareth. Two things amazed the people of Nazareth: the Lord’s words and His works. However, they did not trust in Him, and this limited His ministry. What caused the people to doubt Him? They were too familiar with Him in a human way, for He had grown up in 
HOLY PAUSE
Dear Heavenly Father,
Matthew 13
Unlike most other gems, the pearl is a unity—it cannot be carved like a diamond or emerald. The church is a unity of God’s created who believe what Jesus did to save us. (Eph. 4:4–6). The church is the product of suffering. Christ died for the church (Eph. 5:25) and His suffering on the cross
47 “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. 48 When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. 
The preaching of the gospel in the world does not convert the world. It is like a huge dragnet that gathers all kinds of fish, some good and some bad. The professing church today has in it both true and false believers (the parable of the weeds)
As believers, we do not search after truth, because we have truth in God’s Son (John 14:6) and God’s Word (John 17:17). We are taught by the Spirit of Truth (John 16:13) who is truth (1 John 5:6). We search into truth that we might discover more truth. We are scribes—students—who sit at the feet of Jesus 
Are hearers AND doers of God’s Word? 
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
Jesus turns to His disciples who have been called from their old life to a new relationship with Him to explain the meaning of the story. They have given up everything to walk and talk with Him. They lean in on every word, seeking what they know has been missing from their lives. They want to hear to understand. They want to see to perceive clearly. They love Jesus. Jesus knows their hearts and knows of their longing. He knows they are ready to hear and understand.
16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
When we come together to live life on this earth as God’s church, it is not our work to judge who will be fit for heaven and who will not. We must realize we will also live among the weeds of worldview thinking and behaving. But God will take care of the evil’s weeds growing among the believers in His time and in His way. 
31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”
36 Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
The angels of God will do the weeding when the Time comes.
