The Sign of Jonah - Pt 2

Yesterday we began a series in the Gospel of Matthew dealing with The Sign of Jonah. Today we continue. Notice the Scripture again: 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). Jesus tells them the greatest of signs will be given to them. It will be his resurrection. We’ll see that specifically taught in Matthew 12 later in this series. For now, I want us to concentrate on the scathing reprimand and judgment Jesus pronounces. He says, An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign.” The Greek word for “evil” is ponērós . It is an adjective which is also used substantively, derived from pónos, "pain or laborious trouble." It can be translated pain-ridden, emphasizing the inevitable agonies or misery that always go with evil. The other word, here translated as “adulterous” is moichalis. It is used in many places in the Septuagint and the New Testament. The heart of its meaning is found in the marriage covenant God has entered into with his people. To chase after these signs and wonders is the same as a spouse who seeks love and acceptance from someone other than their spouse. It is simply adultery. John Calvin said that the human heart is an “idol factory.” As we examine our lives and detect the idols that we love more than God, we will see that Calvin was correct. We ask God to bless us with certain things in our lives. If we receive those things from God many times we turn around and elevate them above Him. We begin to find our happiness and security in them. This is spiritual adultery. God must not become our spiritual vending machine. He does not arrange the provision of things and people for us to satisfy our desires. Even when those things seem to be so good, we can fall into the subtle sin of spiritual adultery. When we do, we soon find that our idols leave us empty. The satisfaction that we find in them wears off. Augustine said, “You have made us for Yourself, Lord. Our hearts are restless, until they rest in You.” No one and nothing will ever satisfy our hearts besides the One who created us – God. Jesus speaks clearly to us today. When we find ourselves ignoring the extraordinary daily gift of the presence and provision of God in our daily routine and seek that which has been pronounced “greater” or “higher,” we commit spiritual adultery and become evil. We become a people who are tiresome to our God who loved us enough to sacrifice His only begotten Son on our behalf and call us into an eternal covenant with Him that will deliver us from sin and death into an eternal home prepared by Him for us. Don’t miss the greatness of His grace looking for any other sign than that which has already been graciously given. He is risen!

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.

The Natural Pool

All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:27-30 ESV). Recently I was going through some of the pictures Mary and I have taken on previous vacations. On one of those vacations we participated in a horseback ride over the mountains and down to the seashore. The trail we rode wound its way up about 2,000 feet in elevation and gave us a spectacular view of “the Natural Pool.” When I saw a picture of it lwith its rock encircled formation, it reminded me of how powerful the waves were that hit it. They built up under the surface of the water, becoming larger and larger as the moments ticked away. Then they crested, roll over, crashed against the rocks, making a very loud noise, bubble and foam. Then the wave was gone. This pattern repeated over and over again. Waves at the beach are never ending. One is gone, and the next rolls in, one after another. Some are larger and louder than the others are, but they keep rolling into shore. It was very beautiful. I believe life's problems are like that. They build up, peak, and dissipate. They may be large, small, or in-between, but they keep on coming. They may crash your life with a resounding bang or make a more soft and subtle noise, but they keep on coming. They may deal with emotions, health, finances, family relationships, or a variety of other difficulties one must face in a lifetime, but they keep on coming. As long as we live in this world, we will face one dilemma after another, be it large or small. The unending load gets heavy after a while, and the waves of life can beat away at a person the same as ocean waves pound at the shoreline. Jesus has told us to come to Him with our burdens and He will give us rest. He said to cast our cares upon Him, for He cares for us. He said He would send the Holy Spirit to be our comforter and guide; to give us wisdom and the strength to survive the battering waves of life. He promised this in the Bible to all who will reach out to Him and believe in Him. If the constant waves of life are beating you down, depleting life's energy out of you, like the grains of sand that are pulled back into the ocean with each wave, call upon Jesus. He will answer the call - you can count on Him. Douglas Malloch has a nice poem that inspires: The hills ahead look steep and high, And often we behold them with a sigh; But as we near them level grows the road, We find on every slope, with every load, The climb is not so steep, the top so far. The hills ahead look harder than they are. Trusting Jesus will make the hills much easier to climb! Trust Him!

Two Certainties

For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:24-28 ESV). A headline caught my eye recently. It read, Men Die Earlier, Have Worse Health Than Women. Jeanie Lerche Davis wrote it. As you can imagine, it piqued my attention! The gist of the article concerned how men had a higher risk factor and therefore statistically died sooner than women. Ms. Davis quotes Dr. David R. Williams as saying, "Men in all socioeconomic levels are doing poorly in terms of health." She cites other statistics from the American Journal of Public Health: first, men have higher death rates than women for 15 leading causes of death except Alzheimer's disease. Men's death rates are at least twice as high for accidents, murder, suicide, and liver disorders, and second, men's life expectancy remains almost five years shorter than for women, and black men die almost 12 years sooner than white women. I came to two conclusions. First, I’m going to die! No surprise there! The Scripture is clear in its declaration that everyone will die. It is an appointment we all must keep. The only possible exception will be in the rapture. Even then, life as we know it ends. Second, if it is indeed true that I am going to die sooner than my wife who is my age, then certain preparations should be made. I have done that. It is only wise to secure my family’s future in the event that I am no longer present to do so. However, there are other preparations that are even more important. The Scripture also says that I will face a judgment. It is as certain as death. The outcome of that event must be secured also. There is only one way to do that. That is through faith in Jesus Christ! Denying either of these certainties will leave us unprepared. According to Life magazine, William Randolph Hearst, when 75 years old, forbid the mention of death in his presence. However, when yielding voting control of his publications to an attorney, “the man who has arrogantly and brilliantly ruled a $200,000,000 empire acknowledged death although he did not mention it.” The statement merely read that Mr. Hearst had become “conscious of the uncertainties of life.” Our end need not be an “uncertainty.” We can be certain of eternal life as we place our faith in Christ. I am not ready to use my “ticket”, but I am ready for the “ride.” How about you? Trust Christ today!

Where Did You Come From?

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you. (Psalm 139:13-18 ESV). A little boy had to write a report for school, so he went to his mother and asked, "Mom, where did I come from?" Surprised at hearing such a question from her child, the mother discreetly answered, "Um, the stork brought you." "And where did YOU come from?" the boy continued. "Well, the stork brought me, just like he brought you. Now go to your room. No more questions, please." But the boy persisted. "What about grandma? Where did grandma come from?" "Look, the stork brought grandma, the stork brought me, the stork brought you! Now go to your room. I do not want to talk about this any more!" So the little boy went to his room and began writing his report. "Our family hasn't had a normal birth in three generations..." Do you ever wonder how you got here? The world sometimes gives you answers that are about as unbelievable as "the stork brought you." However, the truth is that none of us got here by accident. You're not just a highly developed monkey. This morning’s reading is abundantly clear that we came here from the heart of God. He knew us before we were ever formed in our mother’s womb and we are "fearfully and wonderfully made.” Reducing the mysteries of the universe to something that we can measure is like parents telling small children tall tales so they'll stop asking questions. Don't let tall tales invented in the name of science rob you of your faith. No one knows exactly how God did it, but we know that God created everything, including you and I, and he knows each of us by name. Not only that, he loves and desires a personal relationship with each person he has created. He wants to have a personal relationship with you. The more I meditate on the wonder of creation, the more I am brought face-to-face with the reality of God’s grace and love. Even when I have rejected Him, He still loves me. When I have turned aside to follow my own way, He still loves me. There is nothing I can do to wipe out that love that motivated Him to make me! He made me wonderful in His eyes. Now I am being called to live up to that wonder in His power and grace. You are too! Are you willing to trust Him for the completion of His creation in you? It is the only way to fully realize the wonder of life!

Resumes

For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 25:29-30 ESV). Imagine you're on your church's search committee, investigating applicants desiring to pastor your congregation. Among the letters from candidates is the following letter: Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ; Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. understanding that your pulpit is vacant, I'd like to be considered for the job. You see, I love to preach, even though my preaching tends to stir up quite a bit of controversy. In fact, one of my sermons caused a riot. Actually, I've never been able to stay in one place more than three years. My health isn't too good. I have what I call a "thorn in the flesh--and to be perfectly honest, I'm not much to look at. I can assure you, however, that this doesn't interfere with my ministry. I'm a bachelor by choice, never been married and never had any kids, but I'm surprisingly good at conducting family life seminars. If you do a background check on me--and I'm sure you will--you'll probably discover that I changed my name a while back, and I have been arrested a few times. But even in jail I was able to have a successful ministry. People tell me I'm quite a theologian, although I've never attended seminary. I hope you aren't looking for an administrator. I'm not too good at keeping records. And my memory's not too good. Sometimes I forget who I've baptized, for instance. But I'm a hard worker, although the things I want to do, I rarely do. And the things I don't want to do, I always end up doing. Go figure. But you know what? I've found that everything works out fine in the end for those who love God and are called according to his purpose. Praise be to God. Well, let me know if you are interested. I can start next week. By the way, I wrote this with my own hand. Grace to you all, Paul Would you call the Apostle Paul to pastor a church? God did. If God could use Paul, chances are he can use you. Remarkable talent and physical perfection are not prerequisites to being used by God. Most of the heroes of the Bible, in fact, were imperfect, inexperienced, unqualified, certainly not the kind of people we would have chosen to do the job. Their inadequacy, however, motivated them to depend upon God and to follow him in obedience. When you think you "have it all together," you tend do things your way instead of God's way. God isn't waiting for you to get good enough to serve him. He's waiting instead for you to say yes.

Sleeping through the Storm

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-39 ESV). Someone sent me a wonderful story about a farmer who owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops. As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals. Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. "Are you a good farmhand?" the farmer asked him. "Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the little man. Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him. The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man's work. Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand's sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, "Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!" The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, "No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows." Enraged by the old man's response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm. To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down. Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, and he returned to bed to also sleep while the wind blew. When you're prepared, you have nothing to fear. Can you sleep when the wind blows through your life? The hired hand in the story was able to sleep because he had secured the farm against the storm. We secure ourselves against the storms of life by grounding ourselves firmly in the Word of God. It is His irrevocable promise that nothing is capable of separating us from His love and grace. I wonder how many times you have forgotten to rest in that promise? Life really is easier when we learn to “sleep” through the storms!