The Sign of Jonah - Pt 1

Before I begin, let me ask that you not write me with any remarks about where I am and what I am doing as I write this devotional. I know I am not being very “healthy.” Having said that, let me say I am sitting in Dunkin Donuts and looking out the window as I eat my apple fritter and drink my white milk (that’s sort of healthy). The weather has been a typical late spring for Middle Tennessee. We had strong rain storms last night and it is still very cloudy. Looking out, I can easily imagine it might begin to rain again any moment. As I reflect on the storms last night, I remember the meteorologists predicting the amount of rain and the time it would begin to fall. They didn’t miss it by much at all. In fact, with my online capability to see the radar of the storm as it approached from the west, I could accurately track it myself. Use that image as you read Jesus’ words in the Gospel of Matthew dealing with The Sign of Jonah: And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed. (Matthew 16:1-4 ESV). The people of His day had their own methods of forecasting the weather. Jesus references those principles and admits they work; however, he then says they can’t interpret some “signs” that are even more apparent. For nearly three years the religious leadership of Israel had seen and heard the reports of Jesus’ ministry. Yet, they come again asking for more proof that he is indeed the Messiah. Perhaps they had not actually been present to see him heal the sick, raise the dead, or teach as no one had ever taught before. Perhaps they simply didn’t want to believe that he could be the one they had anticipated for so long. Perhaps they perceived him to be a threat to their power and position. Regardless of the reasons, they come asking for another sign. Jesus refuses to give them any more than they have already received, or would soon receive. We have an advantage today as we look back to the resurrection. Of all the great religions of the world, only Jesus claimed resurrection. If we visit any of the tombs of any of these leaders we will find their remains still interred. Look as you may, neither of the two most historically accepted sights of Jesus’ burial contain any remnant of his body. Some might counter that we don’t know the actual location of Jesus’ tomb; however, they rest that hypothesis on near impossible facts. Jesus simply isn’t dead. We can know that and that knowledge propels us to an unshakeable hope of our own eternal life. We needn’t run here and there looking for more. Tragically, many Christians today don’t rest in that hope. They look far and wide for more evidence of the truth of Jesus’ promises. In the next few days we will see the foolishness of that search. For now, just as surely as you know the sun will rise in the east and set in the west, KNOW that Jesus is risen and has become the atonement for our sin, conquering death.