WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.839 in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son 00:00:02.839 --> 00:00:04.620 of Man be three days and three nights in the 00:00:04.620 --> 00:00:09.240 heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will rise 00:00:09.240 --> 00:00:11.900 up in the judgment with this generation and condemn 00:00:11.900 --> 00:00:15.199 it because they repented at the preaching of 00:00:15.199 --> 00:00:19.019 Jonah and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. 00:00:20.019 --> 00:00:22.239 The queen of the south, that's the queen of Sheba, 00:00:22.320 --> 00:00:25.460 will rise up in the judgment with this generation 00:00:25.460 --> 00:00:29.100 and condemn it. For she came from the ends of 00:00:29.100 --> 00:00:32.259 the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And 00:00:32.259 --> 00:00:35.740 indeed, a greater than Solomon is here. When 00:00:35.740 --> 00:00:38.500 an unclean spirit goes out of a man, that's a 00:00:38.500 --> 00:00:41.679 demonic spirit, he goes through dry places seeking 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:45.240 rest and he finds none. And then he says, I will 00:00:45.240 --> 00:00:48.579 return to my house from which I came. And when 00:00:48.579 --> 00:00:52.039 he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in 00:00:52.039 --> 00:00:54.840 order. Then he goes and takes with him seven 00:00:54.840 --> 00:00:58.140 other spirits more wicked than himself, and they 00:00:58.140 --> 00:01:00.820 enter and dwell there. And the last state of 00:01:00.820 --> 00:01:04.519 that man is worse than the first. So shall it 00:01:04.519 --> 00:01:07.719 also be with this wicked generation. Let's pray. 00:01:09.260 --> 00:01:11.620 Father, Lord, we were asked, Lord, for the help 00:01:11.620 --> 00:01:15.260 and aid of your Holy Spirit this morning. As 00:01:15.260 --> 00:01:17.200 we have just sung, Lord, speak to us, Lord, out 00:01:17.200 --> 00:01:19.219 of your word. Show us glorious things out of 00:01:19.219 --> 00:01:21.769 your law. God, open our eyes to see the glory 00:01:21.769 --> 00:01:23.689 and the beauty and the majesty of Christ Jesus, 00:01:23.829 --> 00:01:26.650 our Lord. And it's in his name we pray. Amen. 00:01:28.129 --> 00:01:30.209 Some of you probably are going to be familiar 00:01:30.209 --> 00:01:33.989 with the name of the infamous atheist, Madeline 00:01:33.989 --> 00:01:36.049 Murray O 'Hare. Now, if you're young, you probably 00:01:36.049 --> 00:01:38.370 don't know that name at all. But she was the 00:01:38.370 --> 00:01:42.390 one who got mandatory prayer and Bible reading 00:01:42.390 --> 00:01:45.650 banned from public schools in the 60s, actually. 00:01:46.359 --> 00:01:49.260 According to one biographer, O 'Hare went outside 00:01:49.260 --> 00:01:52.299 in a severe thunderstorm and she began to curse 00:01:52.299 --> 00:01:55.439 God and mock him. And she said, if God is real, 00:01:55.620 --> 00:01:59.340 then let him strike me dead right now. And since 00:01:59.340 --> 00:02:02.500 God did not do that, she was more reinforced 00:02:02.500 --> 00:02:06.840 in her atheism than ever. Today you might often 00:02:06.840 --> 00:02:08.860 hear people say, if God would just show me a 00:02:08.860 --> 00:02:13.060 sign, then I would believe. I mean, if God would 00:02:13.060 --> 00:02:16.580 write the gospel in the sky, or if I personally 00:02:16.580 --> 00:02:20.620 saw a miracle, then I would know God is real. 00:02:21.560 --> 00:02:26.020 God, if he would prove himself to me, well, I 00:02:26.020 --> 00:02:28.819 would have no problem following him. However, 00:02:29.080 --> 00:02:33.860 the truth is, signs do not create faith. And 00:02:33.860 --> 00:02:36.639 we will see that in our text this morning. There 00:02:36.639 --> 00:02:38.740 have been many people throughout history who 00:02:38.740 --> 00:02:40.960 have witnessed some incredible events. Some have 00:02:40.960 --> 00:02:43.740 even witnessed miraculous events. And they still 00:02:43.740 --> 00:02:48.060 walked away unchanged and unbelieving. And today 00:02:48.060 --> 00:02:50.379 we're going to see Jesus is confronted with some 00:02:50.379 --> 00:02:52.439 scribes and Pharisees. They're the religious 00:02:52.439 --> 00:02:55.159 leaders. And what are they demanding? They're 00:02:55.159 --> 00:02:59.759 seeking a sign from him. Now how stubborn or 00:02:59.759 --> 00:03:03.460 obtuse could these men possibly be? Up to this 00:03:03.460 --> 00:03:05.819 point in Matthew 12, Jesus has already healed 00:03:05.819 --> 00:03:09.879 the sick, cast out many demons, restored sight 00:03:09.879 --> 00:03:13.120 to blind men, hearing to the deaf men, and he's 00:03:13.120 --> 00:03:15.819 performed miracle after miracle right before 00:03:15.819 --> 00:03:20.340 their eyes. Yet they're still unconvinced. They 00:03:20.340 --> 00:03:22.719 want another sign. They want more convincing 00:03:22.719 --> 00:03:26.719 proof. But their problem was not a lack of evidence. 00:03:27.699 --> 00:03:30.939 Rather, it was the condition of their hard hearts. 00:03:31.789 --> 00:03:33.909 Now, we have to understand the context this morning. 00:03:34.669 --> 00:03:36.949 Beginning in this chapter, beginning in verse 00:03:36.949 --> 00:03:39.889 1, Jesus had a confrontation. There's a run -in 00:03:39.889 --> 00:03:42.830 between him and the Pharisees, but it was concerning 00:03:42.830 --> 00:03:46.569 Sabbath rules, Sabbath regulations. But in verse 00:03:46.569 --> 00:03:49.729 8 of Matthew 12, Jesus made this astounding statement. 00:03:50.389 --> 00:03:54.129 He said, basically, he said, I'm the Lord of 00:03:54.129 --> 00:03:57.770 the Sabbath. That's a great claim. I mean, God 00:03:57.770 --> 00:04:00.009 gave the Sabbath. It's the fourth commandment. 00:04:00.680 --> 00:04:03.259 He then, though, proved that claim by healing 00:04:03.259 --> 00:04:05.539 a man who had a withered hand. You see that in 00:04:05.539 --> 00:04:09.199 verse 13. Then he, Jesus, said to the man, stretch 00:04:09.199 --> 00:04:13.800 out your hand. And he stretched it out, and it 00:04:13.800 --> 00:04:16.300 was restored as whole as the other. That's an 00:04:16.300 --> 00:04:19.100 incredible miracle. A man with a withered hand, 00:04:19.240 --> 00:04:22.720 a hand that has no use, is now restored to complete 00:04:22.720 --> 00:04:25.939 functionality. But later on, Jesus healed another 00:04:25.939 --> 00:04:29.220 man. Go down to verse 22. Then one was brought 00:04:29.220 --> 00:04:31.759 to him who was demon -possessed, blind and mute. 00:04:32.939 --> 00:04:36.579 And he healed him. So that the blind and mute 00:04:36.579 --> 00:04:40.579 man both spoke and saw. Here there's another 00:04:40.579 --> 00:04:45.800 powerful demonstration of the power of God. The 00:04:45.800 --> 00:04:47.660 crowds are amazed. And there's a lot of crowds 00:04:47.660 --> 00:04:50.160 there. They're always following Jesus. They're 00:04:50.160 --> 00:04:53.310 amazed. But the Pharisees were angry. And they 00:04:53.310 --> 00:04:56.949 accused him. They said that Jesus did these miracles 00:04:56.949 --> 00:05:00.370 by the power of Satan. Now we come to our text 00:05:00.370 --> 00:05:02.689 this morning, verse 38. It's a little while later. 00:05:02.709 --> 00:05:04.870 We don't know how much time has passed. But now 00:05:04.870 --> 00:05:07.149 the religious leaders, not just the Pharisees, 00:05:07.149 --> 00:05:08.610 but there are some scribes gathered there as 00:05:08.610 --> 00:05:11.269 well, and they're confronting Jesus once again, 00:05:11.310 --> 00:05:14.870 and they want a sign from him. Verse 38. Then 00:05:14.870 --> 00:05:17.009 some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, 00:05:17.230 --> 00:05:21.029 Teacher, that is Rabbi. We want to see a sign 00:05:21.029 --> 00:05:25.860 from you. This request is beyond ludicrous. I 00:05:25.860 --> 00:05:29.399 mean, they had just witnessed two miracles, not 00:05:29.399 --> 00:05:32.300 counting all the other miracles Jesus had already 00:05:32.300 --> 00:05:35.319 performed up to this point. Now, I do want to 00:05:35.319 --> 00:05:38.420 give some fairness to the Pharisees here a little 00:05:38.420 --> 00:05:42.160 bit. This group did not represent all the Pharisees. 00:05:42.740 --> 00:05:46.360 We do know that at least some of them had come 00:05:46.360 --> 00:05:49.120 to the realization that Jesus... must have been 00:05:49.120 --> 00:05:51.339 sent from God because no one could do these signs 00:05:51.339 --> 00:05:53.240 unless God were the one giving him power to do 00:05:53.240 --> 00:05:56.180 it. And we read that in John 3. You know about 00:05:56.180 --> 00:05:59.720 the story of Nicodemus. Verses 1 and 2. There 00:05:59.720 --> 00:06:03.519 was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a 00:06:03.519 --> 00:06:05.779 ruler of the Jews. He holds a very important 00:06:05.779 --> 00:06:08.660 position. This man came to Jesus by night and 00:06:08.660 --> 00:06:11.600 said to him, Rabbi, same thing these guys are 00:06:11.600 --> 00:06:14.399 saying, we do know that your teacher come from 00:06:14.399 --> 00:06:18.790 God. Why do we know that? For no one can do these 00:06:18.790 --> 00:06:22.949 signs that you do unless God is with him. It 00:06:22.949 --> 00:06:27.389 was obvious, all right? Nevertheless, most of 00:06:27.389 --> 00:06:30.370 the scribes and the Pharisees already had their 00:06:30.370 --> 00:06:33.089 minds made up concerning Jesus, and they rejected 00:06:33.089 --> 00:06:36.870 him. Not for lack of evidence, but for hard hearts. 00:06:37.600 --> 00:06:40.600 They had concluded already by this time, there 00:06:40.600 --> 00:06:43.300 was no way that this man could be the Messiah. 00:06:43.540 --> 00:06:46.480 Instead, they said he was a blasphemer who needed 00:06:46.480 --> 00:06:50.199 or was worthy of death. Now we come to Matthew 00:06:50.199 --> 00:06:53.259 12, 38. They're seeking a sign. But the parallel 00:06:53.259 --> 00:06:57.160 passages in both Mark and in Luke tell us that 00:06:57.160 --> 00:06:59.800 the Pharisees had asked for the sign in order 00:06:59.800 --> 00:07:03.759 to test him. They want to trap him. Luke 11, 00:07:03.879 --> 00:07:09.199 16. Others testing him. sought from him a sign 00:07:09.199 --> 00:07:13.040 from heaven. Now, so the request is not sincere. 00:07:13.740 --> 00:07:17.920 Looks sincere, sounds sincere. It is not. They're 00:07:17.920 --> 00:07:20.899 trying to trap Jesus. They want to have something 00:07:20.899 --> 00:07:24.720 they can hold over him. Now, let's just get this 00:07:24.720 --> 00:07:26.879 straight. Jesus is not going to indulge them 00:07:26.879 --> 00:07:30.720 for one minute. He's not some sideshow circus 00:07:30.720 --> 00:07:34.300 act who bows to foolish requests. This is not 00:07:34.300 --> 00:07:36.360 what he wants. If you read through the pages 00:07:36.360 --> 00:07:38.959 of the Gospels, Jesus never did his miracles 00:07:38.959 --> 00:07:42.740 to wow the people or impress them or ostentatiously 00:07:42.740 --> 00:07:46.540 flaunt his power. He's never doing that. In fact, 00:07:46.540 --> 00:07:49.079 just the opposite. Many times when Jesus had 00:07:49.079 --> 00:07:51.379 performed a miracle of healing, something dramatic, 00:07:51.740 --> 00:07:54.420 he would tell that person, don't tell anyone. 00:07:55.500 --> 00:07:58.139 He's not trying to gather crowds around him. 00:07:59.100 --> 00:08:01.560 But Jesus, being the Son of God, he knew their 00:08:01.560 --> 00:08:04.529 hearts. He knew they were trying to trap him 00:08:04.529 --> 00:08:07.829 by requesting the sign from heaven. Now apparently 00:08:07.829 --> 00:08:09.990 there is a difference between a miracle and a 00:08:09.990 --> 00:08:13.350 sign from heaven. A miracle came through the 00:08:13.350 --> 00:08:16.589 hands of a mediator and was done on earth. For 00:08:16.589 --> 00:08:19.069 example, that man back in verse 13 with the withered 00:08:19.069 --> 00:08:22.730 hand. Jesus spoke and the man with the withered 00:08:22.730 --> 00:08:26.230 hand was made whole. That's a miracle, but not 00:08:26.230 --> 00:08:30.990 necessarily a sign from heaven. A sign from heaven... 00:08:31.449 --> 00:08:34.409 comes directly from God in heaven without a mediator. 00:08:35.029 --> 00:08:38.590 For example, if you remember when Elijah was 00:08:38.590 --> 00:08:41.669 on Mount Carmel and he's really doing battle 00:08:41.669 --> 00:08:45.309 with the false prophets of Baal. And fire falls 00:08:45.309 --> 00:08:48.470 from heaven and destroys those false prophets. 00:08:49.129 --> 00:08:52.929 The fire falling from the heavens is a sign from 00:08:52.929 --> 00:08:57.110 heaven. So here we go back to the text. They 00:08:57.110 --> 00:09:00.110 are asking for a sign, and by doing that, really, 00:09:00.230 --> 00:09:02.149 these scribes and Pharisees, they're denigrating 00:09:02.149 --> 00:09:05.029 all that the Lord had done as if all his previous 00:09:05.029 --> 00:09:07.850 miracles counted for nothing. He just healed 00:09:07.850 --> 00:09:11.190 a blind man and gave him sight. Now, it's important 00:09:11.190 --> 00:09:13.389 to note, they can't deny the miracles. They're 00:09:13.389 --> 00:09:15.470 done publicly. It's obvious they're miracles. 00:09:16.610 --> 00:09:18.529 But they're saying, well, yeah, there's other 00:09:18.529 --> 00:09:22.169 false prophets, agents of Satan, and they can 00:09:22.169 --> 00:09:24.950 do some pretty impressive works as well. how 00:09:24.950 --> 00:09:27.210 do we know that you're not one of them? In fact, 00:09:27.210 --> 00:09:29.950 they've already called him Beelzebub. They had 00:09:29.950 --> 00:09:32.389 already publicly stated that Jesus performed 00:09:32.389 --> 00:09:34.929 his miracles by the power of Satan. Now they're 00:09:34.929 --> 00:09:38.350 saying, if that's not true, then prove it. Give 00:09:38.350 --> 00:09:41.090 us a sign from heaven. But it's not a sincere 00:09:41.090 --> 00:09:45.210 request. They went to trapping. Basically, if 00:09:45.210 --> 00:09:47.950 they don't get the sign, well, they're going 00:09:47.950 --> 00:09:50.480 to embarrass him before the people. And if they 00:09:50.480 --> 00:09:52.980 do, then, well, certainly he can convince everyone 00:09:52.980 --> 00:09:55.519 once and for all, definitively, that he's the 00:09:55.519 --> 00:10:00.620 Messiah. Unwittingly, though, the religious leaders 00:10:00.620 --> 00:10:02.919 were following in the footsteps of the devil 00:10:02.919 --> 00:10:05.679 himself. Because do you remember what Satan did 00:10:05.679 --> 00:10:08.440 to Jesus in the wilderness, in the desert, testing 00:10:08.440 --> 00:10:14.200 in Matthew 4? Satan demanded a sign. If you are 00:10:14.200 --> 00:10:18.470 the son of God, well, throw yourself down. He's 00:10:18.470 --> 00:10:20.970 on top of the temple, by the way. For it is written, 00:10:21.070 --> 00:10:23.509 he shall give his angels charge over you, and 00:10:23.509 --> 00:10:25.429 in their hands they shall bear you up, lest you 00:10:25.429 --> 00:10:27.730 dash your foot against a stone. Jesus, all you 00:10:27.730 --> 00:10:29.190 have to do, just prove. If you're really the 00:10:29.190 --> 00:10:31.289 son of God, cast yourself down from the temple. 00:10:31.370 --> 00:10:33.149 Or if you're really the son of God, make these 00:10:33.149 --> 00:10:37.629 stones instantly turn into bread. Satan is demanding 00:10:37.629 --> 00:10:41.509 the same thing. Prove it. Prove that you are 00:10:41.509 --> 00:10:45.649 God's son. And these religious leaders wanted 00:10:45.649 --> 00:10:49.559 the same thing. They wanted a sign that would 00:10:49.559 --> 00:10:53.980 prove unmistakably that Jesus' power and authority 00:10:53.980 --> 00:10:57.879 really came from God. They wanted absolute proof. 00:10:58.100 --> 00:11:01.539 How do we know it's God and not some demon who's 00:11:01.539 --> 00:11:05.820 empowering you? But Jesus sternly answered them. 00:11:05.840 --> 00:11:11.740 Verse 39. He says an evil and adulterous generation 00:11:11.740 --> 00:11:15.519 seeks after a sign. He sternly rebukes the request. 00:11:16.279 --> 00:11:19.200 He says only evil and adulterous people are asking 00:11:19.200 --> 00:11:24.139 for a sign. Friends, it is evil to demand that 00:11:24.139 --> 00:11:28.799 God prove anything to us. We don't demand anything 00:11:28.799 --> 00:11:33.200 of God. He's not our servant. We're his. And 00:11:33.200 --> 00:11:35.659 they're evil. That's what he said. They're morally 00:11:35.659 --> 00:11:39.220 corrupt. They resist the truth. He's not going 00:11:39.220 --> 00:11:41.360 to bow to their request. And furthermore, he 00:11:41.360 --> 00:11:43.399 says, and you're an adulterous generation, meaning 00:11:43.399 --> 00:11:46.620 you are unfaithful to God. You are idolaters 00:11:46.620 --> 00:11:51.059 in your hearts. The desire for more proof after 00:11:51.059 --> 00:11:53.720 all the miracles they had already witnessed was 00:11:53.720 --> 00:11:56.000 evidence that they are an evil and adulterous 00:11:56.000 --> 00:11:59.759 generation. One more sign. It's just one more 00:11:59.759 --> 00:12:02.639 sign. One more sign would not have caused them 00:12:02.639 --> 00:12:07.309 to repent and turn to Jesus. These men did not 00:12:07.309 --> 00:12:10.070 believe because they already had their minds 00:12:10.070 --> 00:12:14.070 made up. They're willfully blind. They choose 00:12:14.070 --> 00:12:16.950 not to see what was right in front of them and 00:12:16.950 --> 00:12:21.389 was obvious to all. They're unworthy of receiving 00:12:21.389 --> 00:12:24.669 a sign from heaven. And I find this whole scene 00:12:24.669 --> 00:12:26.950 very ironic because earlier in that day, do you 00:12:26.950 --> 00:12:29.590 remember, they accused Jesus of being in league 00:12:29.590 --> 00:12:32.669 with Satan. They called him Beelzebub. They said, 00:12:32.909 --> 00:12:36.250 you are of the prince of the demons. But ironically, 00:12:36.450 --> 00:12:38.330 it is these religious leaders who are acting 00:12:38.330 --> 00:12:42.490 satanically. Satan had demanded a sign from Jesus, 00:12:42.629 --> 00:12:46.330 so also did the religious leaders. Like father, 00:12:46.470 --> 00:12:50.710 like son. Which is why in John 8, Jesus told 00:12:50.710 --> 00:12:54.529 them, you are of your father, the devil, and 00:12:54.529 --> 00:12:59.340 the desires of your father, you want to do. He 00:12:59.340 --> 00:13:01.039 said, the very things that you're asking for 00:13:01.039 --> 00:13:03.399 is proving who really is aligned with Satan. 00:13:05.059 --> 00:13:08.440 Now, suffice it to say, Jesus is more than capable 00:13:08.440 --> 00:13:12.220 of producing a dramatic sign from heaven. But 00:13:12.220 --> 00:13:13.879 that's not what he's doing. He's not trying to 00:13:13.879 --> 00:13:16.679 impress. In fact, remember in John 6, when he's 00:13:16.679 --> 00:13:18.759 multiplying the bread and the fish, he proceeds 00:13:18.759 --> 00:13:20.720 that they want to come and make him king by force. 00:13:20.820 --> 00:13:23.419 He gets out of there. He does not want to be 00:13:23.419 --> 00:13:26.210 known only as a miracle worker. In fact, if you 00:13:26.210 --> 00:13:29.210 look and see, when Jesus did miracles, they weren't 00:13:29.210 --> 00:13:32.889 done flippantly. They were done to prove that 00:13:32.889 --> 00:13:35.990 the kingdom of God had come. That's why when 00:13:35.990 --> 00:13:38.450 you look at his miracles, you see diseases are 00:13:38.450 --> 00:13:43.169 healed, blind men see, lame men walk, deaf men 00:13:43.169 --> 00:13:46.330 hear, because in the kingdom of God in its fullness, 00:13:46.529 --> 00:13:49.710 that's what's going to be. No disease, no lameness, 00:13:49.730 --> 00:13:53.389 no blindness, no defect whatsoever. His miracles 00:13:53.389 --> 00:13:57.500 were signs. And Jesus is refusing to perform 00:13:57.500 --> 00:14:01.440 a sign at their request. But he does say something 00:14:01.440 --> 00:14:04.500 interesting. He said there will be one sign given. 00:14:05.080 --> 00:14:08.639 Look at verse 39, the latter part. He says no 00:14:08.639 --> 00:14:11.320 sign will be given to this generation except, 00:14:11.820 --> 00:14:14.860 that means there is a sign coming, except the 00:14:14.860 --> 00:14:18.679 sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three 00:14:18.679 --> 00:14:20.820 days and three nights in the belly of the great 00:14:20.820 --> 00:14:24.500 fish, So Jesus is saying Jonah is a literal historical 00:14:24.500 --> 00:14:27.759 figure, by the way. So will the Son of Man be 00:14:27.759 --> 00:14:29.639 three days and three nights in the heart of the 00:14:29.639 --> 00:14:34.059 earth. He said, I will give you a sign. One sign 00:14:34.059 --> 00:14:37.980 that will forever and unequivocally prove that 00:14:37.980 --> 00:14:40.960 I am the Messiah. I will be raised from the dead. 00:14:42.419 --> 00:14:44.580 He said, I will give you the sign of the prophet 00:14:44.580 --> 00:14:48.980 Jonah. Now that means Jonah was the sign. Or 00:14:48.980 --> 00:14:51.289 better yet, Jonah served as a... type of the 00:14:51.289 --> 00:14:54.289 sign. Now keep in mind who Jonah was. He's an 00:14:54.289 --> 00:14:57.730 Old Testament Hebrew prophet. He's on the run 00:14:57.730 --> 00:15:00.509 from God's call because God had demanded that 00:15:00.509 --> 00:15:03.230 he go to Nineveh, which is the capital of the 00:15:03.230 --> 00:15:06.129 Assyrian Empire, and preach to those wicked people. 00:15:07.210 --> 00:15:11.029 Jonah doesn't want to do that. So he flees. As 00:15:11.029 --> 00:15:14.830 a result of his disobedience, he spends three 00:15:14.830 --> 00:15:17.590 days and three nights in the belly of a great 00:15:17.590 --> 00:15:20.899 fish. Now there are some, and I'm sympathetic 00:15:20.899 --> 00:15:23.000 to this view. I don't know where I land on it. 00:15:23.059 --> 00:15:25.340 There are some who believe that Jonah actually 00:15:25.340 --> 00:15:28.759 died in the belly of that great fish and was 00:15:28.759 --> 00:15:30.879 resurrected three days later when the fish vomited 00:15:30.879 --> 00:15:33.200 him out. That's not the dominant view. It does 00:15:33.200 --> 00:15:36.179 not matter or change the view at all. But here's 00:15:36.179 --> 00:15:39.059 what we do know for sure. That there is an analogy. 00:15:39.919 --> 00:15:43.059 As Jonah was in the belly of that great fish 00:15:43.059 --> 00:15:47.240 for three days, so the body of Jesus will lie 00:15:47.240 --> 00:15:51.019 in the grave. For three days. What happened to 00:15:51.019 --> 00:15:54.580 Jonah serves as a sign for what would happen 00:15:54.580 --> 00:16:00.659 to Jesus. Jesus' body, his lifeless body, will 00:16:00.659 --> 00:16:04.279 lay dead in the grave for three days after which 00:16:04.279 --> 00:16:08.379 that body will be gloriously raised from the 00:16:08.379 --> 00:16:14.480 dead. Jesus the Christ emerging alive after spending 00:16:14.480 --> 00:16:19.210 three days in the grave is a conclusive, unequivocal 00:16:19.210 --> 00:16:23.129 sign that yes, he is indeed the Son of God who 00:16:23.129 --> 00:16:27.830 has been sent into the world. But the Pharisees 00:16:27.830 --> 00:16:30.450 didn't want to wait. No, they want proof right 00:16:30.450 --> 00:16:33.509 now. And not just proof, we want indisputable, 00:16:33.529 --> 00:16:37.990 irrefutable, conclusive proof. And Jesus said, 00:16:38.049 --> 00:16:41.389 I'm not giving that to you. But indisputable, 00:16:41.409 --> 00:16:46.929 or conclusive, irrefutable proof came when Jesus 00:16:46.929 --> 00:16:50.710 of Nazareth, was resurrected from the dead on 00:16:50.710 --> 00:16:54.830 that famed Sunday morning. R .C. Sproul says 00:16:54.830 --> 00:16:58.350 this, he said, just as Jonah was thrown into 00:16:58.350 --> 00:17:00.570 the sea, said that the sailors and the ship might 00:17:00.570 --> 00:17:04.430 be saved, Jesus was thrown to the depth of the 00:17:04.430 --> 00:17:07.670 earth for our redemption. He was silent for three 00:17:07.670 --> 00:17:10.970 days. Then on the morning of the third day, God 00:17:10.970 --> 00:17:13.029 the Father took the earth in his hand and shook 00:17:13.029 --> 00:17:17.480 it and brought a son to life again. That was 00:17:17.480 --> 00:17:21.299 the sign of all signs. Amen. The resurrection 00:17:21.299 --> 00:17:25.160 of Christ. That's where our hope lies, friends. 00:17:25.299 --> 00:17:27.119 And we'll celebrate that in about four short 00:17:27.119 --> 00:17:31.460 weeks. Every Lord's Day. Every time we meet on 00:17:31.460 --> 00:17:33.599 Sunday, it's a celebration of Christ's resurrection. 00:17:34.819 --> 00:17:38.359 Verse 41. Sobering words of impending judgment. 00:17:39.519 --> 00:17:43.200 The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment 00:17:43.200 --> 00:17:47.400 with this generation and condemn it. Well, damn 00:17:47.400 --> 00:17:50.259 it. Because they repented at the preaching of 00:17:50.259 --> 00:17:53.779 Jonah. And indeed, a greater than Jonah is here. 00:17:54.619 --> 00:17:58.680 If the wicked city repented at the preaching 00:17:58.680 --> 00:18:03.140 of a reluctant prophet, how do you think these 00:18:03.140 --> 00:18:07.420 men, and even all Israel, are going to fare in 00:18:07.420 --> 00:18:10.869 the day of judgment? Jesus said they won't. He 00:18:10.869 --> 00:18:12.450 said the men of Nineveh, they're going to be 00:18:12.450 --> 00:18:14.930 raised too. At the last judgment, the final judgment, 00:18:15.029 --> 00:18:17.190 these men of Nineveh will be raised and they 00:18:17.190 --> 00:18:19.910 will bear witness. They will be raised to testify 00:18:19.910 --> 00:18:23.230 against the religious leader, these scribes and 00:18:23.230 --> 00:18:26.509 Pharisees, as they are justly condemned by God. 00:18:27.589 --> 00:18:31.069 Why? Because the Ninevites, they repented at 00:18:31.069 --> 00:18:34.089 the preaching of Jonah. Yet those who witnessed 00:18:34.089 --> 00:18:36.710 the mighty works and heard the preaching of the 00:18:36.710 --> 00:18:40.190 Son of God remained defiant. In their unbelief. 00:18:41.150 --> 00:18:44.890 So the Ninevites' repentance will condemn the 00:18:44.890 --> 00:18:49.569 scribes and Pharisees' impenitence. This is amazing 00:18:49.569 --> 00:18:53.049 and this is so sobering. When confronted with 00:18:53.049 --> 00:18:55.490 the word of God, the Gentiles, that's who the 00:18:55.490 --> 00:18:58.589 Ninevites were, the Gentile Ninevites repented 00:18:58.589 --> 00:19:02.849 through the preaching of a Hebrew prophet. Yet 00:19:02.849 --> 00:19:07.589 one infinitely more glorious than Jonah was present 00:19:07.589 --> 00:19:13.039 in Israel. doing miraculous works, and they refused 00:19:13.039 --> 00:19:16.579 to repent. And Jesus said their guilt will be 00:19:16.579 --> 00:19:20.940 far greater on that day of judgment. See, Israel 00:19:20.940 --> 00:19:24.319 didn't just reject a prophet, they rejected God's 00:19:24.319 --> 00:19:29.380 Son. Greater exposure to the truth leads to a 00:19:29.380 --> 00:19:34.740 greater responsibility and accountability on 00:19:34.740 --> 00:19:37.980 the day of final judgment. Imagine the people 00:19:37.980 --> 00:19:39.819 who've lived in this country and had access to 00:19:39.819 --> 00:19:42.380 the gospel and access to the light of truth all 00:19:42.380 --> 00:19:44.339 these years and have hardened their hearts and 00:19:44.339 --> 00:19:48.200 spurned it. But Jesus didn't stop. He went further. 00:19:48.920 --> 00:19:53.359 Verse 42. He says, the queen of the south will 00:19:53.359 --> 00:19:55.200 rise up in the judgment of this generation and 00:19:55.200 --> 00:19:57.980 condemn it. For she came from the ends of the 00:19:57.980 --> 00:20:01.559 earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon and indeed 00:20:01.559 --> 00:20:05.259 a greater than Solomon is here. Another Gentile. 00:20:05.960 --> 00:20:10.079 A Gentile woman. She also is going to be raised 00:20:10.079 --> 00:20:12.960 at the final judgment, and she will bear witness 00:20:12.960 --> 00:20:15.799 against the scribes and Pharisees. This time, 00:20:15.839 --> 00:20:17.900 it's the queen of the south, the queen of Sheba. 00:20:18.140 --> 00:20:21.519 Sheba is about where modern -day Yemen is. And 00:20:21.519 --> 00:20:24.259 so she's going to bear testimony in the day of 00:20:24.259 --> 00:20:27.099 your condemnation. Why? Because she traveled 00:20:27.099 --> 00:20:30.460 a long, arduous, dangerous journey of about a 00:20:30.460 --> 00:20:33.359 thousand miles just to hear the wisdom of Solomon. 00:20:33.880 --> 00:20:37.009 She made that trip. She traveled this great distance 00:20:37.009 --> 00:20:40.789 because she was impressed by the words of Solomon. 00:20:42.170 --> 00:20:45.849 Yet these men, who heard the wisdom of God's 00:20:45.849 --> 00:20:49.869 Son, not only did they fail to be impressed, 00:20:50.190 --> 00:20:54.230 they blasphemed that worthy man, calling him 00:20:54.230 --> 00:20:59.250 Satan. How awful the day of final judgment will 00:20:59.250 --> 00:21:02.579 be for them. Can you imagine standing before 00:21:02.579 --> 00:21:07.359 him in his unveiled majesty? But why did they 00:21:07.359 --> 00:21:11.220 do it? These are smart, educated, elite men. 00:21:11.400 --> 00:21:15.839 Why did they reject Jesus? Because he was messing 00:21:15.839 --> 00:21:19.779 with their idol. You know what they really worshipped, 00:21:19.779 --> 00:21:22.799 what they really valued? It was the esteem and 00:21:22.799 --> 00:21:26.680 praise of the people. Oh, they loved it. They 00:21:26.680 --> 00:21:30.269 craved it. They wanted public recognition. But 00:21:30.269 --> 00:21:32.829 the Lord Jesus was becoming more popular day 00:21:32.829 --> 00:21:36.970 by day. And they're jealous. The crowds used 00:21:36.970 --> 00:21:39.309 to sit and listen to them. Now they're going 00:21:39.309 --> 00:21:43.029 to him. They were envious of the Lord. And they 00:21:43.029 --> 00:21:45.589 wanted him dead. Now you say, well, how do you 00:21:45.589 --> 00:21:47.210 know that? Because the text tells us that in 00:21:47.210 --> 00:21:49.829 Matthew 27, it says they, that is the religious 00:21:49.829 --> 00:21:52.410 leaders, all Israel, they handed him, that is 00:21:52.410 --> 00:21:57.740 Jesus, over to Pilate because of envy. It's still 00:21:57.740 --> 00:22:00.660 the truth today. People will go to great lengths, 00:22:00.799 --> 00:22:05.880 including murder, to protect their idol, to protect 00:22:05.880 --> 00:22:12.559 what they truly value. What we really value controls 00:22:12.559 --> 00:22:18.140 us. What we worship controls us. These men looked 00:22:18.140 --> 00:22:21.539 the part, but they weren't worshiping Yahweh. 00:22:21.579 --> 00:22:24.559 They weren't worshiping the God of Israel. They 00:22:24.559 --> 00:22:27.279 were worshiping the God of acclaim. And recognition. 00:22:28.539 --> 00:22:31.000 Which is why this last illustration really makes 00:22:31.000 --> 00:22:34.000 sense. There's a warning. Jesus is giving a parable. 00:22:34.059 --> 00:22:36.299 And it's a warning about looking good on the 00:22:36.299 --> 00:22:38.480 outside and possessing nothing on the inside. 00:22:39.519 --> 00:22:43.039 Verses 43 through 45. It's about a demon who 00:22:43.039 --> 00:22:45.940 leaves a man apparently voluntarily. And it's 00:22:45.940 --> 00:22:48.140 a parable. Keep that in mind. He goes through 00:22:48.140 --> 00:22:50.640 dry places. He's seeking a home. He doesn't find 00:22:50.640 --> 00:22:52.779 a home. And he says, you know what? I'm going 00:22:52.779 --> 00:22:54.660 to go back to my prior home. At least there was 00:22:54.660 --> 00:22:56.990 a home there. And when he comes, he finds the 00:22:56.990 --> 00:22:59.809 home. It's empty. That's an important part. But 00:22:59.809 --> 00:23:02.130 it's swept. It's put in order. It's cleaned up 00:23:02.130 --> 00:23:04.549 a little bit. He says, I know what I'm doing. 00:23:04.609 --> 00:23:06.430 I'm going to invite some of my buddies. It's 00:23:06.430 --> 00:23:08.529 swept. It's cleaned up. And he takes seven other 00:23:08.529 --> 00:23:12.130 demons more wicked than himself, and they enter 00:23:12.130 --> 00:23:15.269 or possess that man. And Jesus said the last 00:23:15.269 --> 00:23:18.170 state of that man is far worse than the beginning. 00:23:19.230 --> 00:23:22.269 And then he makes this equivocation. So shall 00:23:22.269 --> 00:23:25.910 it also be with this wicked generation. So the 00:23:25.910 --> 00:23:28.170 point Jesus is making is not about the finer 00:23:28.170 --> 00:23:30.150 points of demon possession. Don't look for that. 00:23:30.190 --> 00:23:32.869 That's not the point. Rather, it's a parable 00:23:32.869 --> 00:23:36.369 about the religious leaders rejecting him. Now 00:23:36.369 --> 00:23:38.210 you say, how do you know it is spoken against 00:23:38.210 --> 00:23:40.369 the scribes and Pharisees? Because look at how 00:23:40.369 --> 00:23:43.670 it ties in. Verse 45, so shall it be with this 00:23:43.670 --> 00:23:47.329 wicked generation, ties into verse 39, an evil 00:23:47.329 --> 00:23:49.950 and adulterous generation seeks after a sign. 00:23:50.930 --> 00:23:53.740 They're tied together. They're linked. Now I 00:23:53.740 --> 00:23:55.640 find it very interesting. I think the Lord is 00:23:55.640 --> 00:23:58.680 just so subtle and masterful here. He uses an 00:23:58.680 --> 00:24:01.079 example about a man who was demon possessed. 00:24:02.200 --> 00:24:06.240 What had they recently accused him of? Casting 00:24:06.240 --> 00:24:09.940 out demons by the power of Satan himself. So 00:24:09.940 --> 00:24:13.700 it's a subtle slight to them. So this parable, 00:24:13.700 --> 00:24:16.500 it's serving as a warning against outward reform 00:24:16.500 --> 00:24:21.710 without any inward substance. These were the 00:24:21.710 --> 00:24:26.609 scribes and Pharisees. They looked so good on 00:24:26.609 --> 00:24:30.309 the outside. But that's it. That's all there 00:24:30.309 --> 00:24:34.730 was. They looked holy. They loved to talk about 00:24:34.730 --> 00:24:38.069 holiness. They had broad phylacteries and long 00:24:38.069 --> 00:24:41.529 robes. They had long tassels. They were always 00:24:41.529 --> 00:24:45.210 at temple. So they looked pious. They looked 00:24:45.210 --> 00:24:48.619 God -fearing. And Jesus looked at their hearts 00:24:48.619 --> 00:24:50.559 and saw the hypocrisy and there was nothing there. 00:24:51.200 --> 00:24:55.960 There was no inner reality there. So this demon 00:24:55.960 --> 00:24:58.059 leaves the man wanting to have it somewhere else. 00:24:58.079 --> 00:25:00.539 He doesn't find it. Let's go back to my prior 00:25:00.539 --> 00:25:05.380 home. It's unoccupied. That's the key. I love 00:25:05.380 --> 00:25:07.000 what Spurgeon, talking about this particular 00:25:07.000 --> 00:25:10.160 verse, he says, the devil has no objection to 00:25:10.160 --> 00:25:13.940 his house being swept and garnished. For a moralist, 00:25:13.960 --> 00:25:17.789 a very moral person, may be as truly his slave 00:25:17.789 --> 00:25:21.490 as the man of debauched habits. It doesn't matter 00:25:21.490 --> 00:25:24.289 if he's a drunkard, a profligate, a great, notorious 00:25:24.289 --> 00:25:28.210 sinner, or a moral man. So long as the heart 00:25:28.210 --> 00:25:31.190 is not occupied by his great foe, that is God, 00:25:31.349 --> 00:25:34.490 and he can use the man for his own purposes, 00:25:34.769 --> 00:25:39.089 the adversary of souls will let him reform as 00:25:39.089 --> 00:25:44.109 much as he pleases. It's these men. They were 00:25:44.109 --> 00:25:48.430 dedicated. to the pursuit of righteousness, moral 00:25:48.430 --> 00:25:52.549 reform. But friends, it was a righteousness of 00:25:52.549 --> 00:25:56.650 their own doing. They made the fatal assumption 00:25:56.650 --> 00:26:00.609 that they could please God by their own efforts. 00:26:01.890 --> 00:26:06.190 That is a works -based righteousness which will 00:26:06.190 --> 00:26:10.970 damn you for eternity. These religious leaders, 00:26:11.150 --> 00:26:14.160 they thought... They could rely on their own 00:26:14.160 --> 00:26:17.539 performance, their own dedication, rather than 00:26:17.539 --> 00:26:21.799 the righteousness that is offered as a gift by 00:26:21.799 --> 00:26:25.880 faith in Christ. Satan doesn't care if the house 00:26:25.880 --> 00:26:28.799 is tidy. He doesn't care if the house is in order 00:26:28.799 --> 00:26:32.660 as long as it is empty, meaning as long as the 00:26:32.660 --> 00:26:36.519 spirit of Christ does not dwell there. It says 00:26:36.519 --> 00:26:38.200 the demon gathered seven others, more wicked. 00:26:39.690 --> 00:26:41.809 This man is now worse off than he was before. 00:26:43.009 --> 00:26:45.450 The scribes and Pharisees, their opposition, 00:26:45.910 --> 00:26:50.970 their outright rejection of Jesus left them worse 00:26:50.970 --> 00:26:54.130 off than it would have had Jesus never come. 00:26:55.650 --> 00:26:57.630 Jesus came and exposed them. They would have 00:26:57.630 --> 00:27:00.230 been better off in the day of judgment had Jesus 00:27:00.230 --> 00:27:04.069 never come. But he had come and they saw the 00:27:04.069 --> 00:27:06.309 light and they understood the light and they 00:27:06.309 --> 00:27:09.170 rejected the light. They rejected God's clear 00:27:09.170 --> 00:27:12.730 witness in Jesus, and now there is no other future 00:27:12.730 --> 00:27:17.650 for these men than their condemnation on the 00:27:17.650 --> 00:27:21.650 day of judgment. They will be damned by God, 00:27:21.690 --> 00:27:26.490 by Christ, for all eternity. So what does this 00:27:26.490 --> 00:27:29.789 passage have to do with us today? Everything. 00:27:30.609 --> 00:27:35.470 It summons all people, all of us, to repent. 00:27:36.269 --> 00:27:40.269 of our sins, and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:27:41.970 --> 00:27:45.130 The truth is God has given us more than enough 00:27:45.130 --> 00:27:48.450 information and reasons to embrace his son, so 00:27:48.450 --> 00:27:52.450 you are now culpable. You are guilty if you ignore 00:27:52.450 --> 00:27:56.490 him. You can't ignore him. Jesus never leaves 00:27:56.490 --> 00:27:59.369 you that option. To remain neutral is not an 00:27:59.369 --> 00:28:02.569 option. If you do not repent and you do not believe, 00:28:02.869 --> 00:28:06.730 this will cause you to be found guilty at the 00:28:06.730 --> 00:28:11.390 bar of God's judgment throne. See, the people 00:28:11.390 --> 00:28:13.390 of Nineveh, they repented when Jonah preached 00:28:13.390 --> 00:28:15.470 to them. The queen of Sheba traveled a thousand 00:28:15.470 --> 00:28:18.190 miles to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And a greater 00:28:18.190 --> 00:28:20.950 than Jonah and a greater than Solomon has been 00:28:20.950 --> 00:28:26.579 put before you today. It's Jesus Christ. Yet 00:28:26.579 --> 00:28:28.680 what God did for the people of Nineveh, he will 00:28:28.680 --> 00:28:33.240 also do for you if you call upon his son. God 00:28:33.240 --> 00:28:36.420 delights in mercy. Those wicked Assyrians, those 00:28:36.420 --> 00:28:38.680 wicked Ninevites, they deserve judgment and God 00:28:38.680 --> 00:28:41.359 granted them mercy. And so he will to you if 00:28:41.359 --> 00:28:44.980 you cast yourself upon his mercy. The religious 00:28:44.980 --> 00:28:47.759 leaders wanted a sign. Jesus said, I'll only 00:28:47.759 --> 00:28:51.059 give you the sign of Jonah. Pointing forward 00:28:51.059 --> 00:28:54.759 to Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. 00:28:55.950 --> 00:28:58.650 That is the greatest sign God has ever given. 00:28:59.210 --> 00:29:03.549 We need nothing else. The empty tomb is God's 00:29:03.549 --> 00:29:07.490 declaration of his son that Jesus is God's son 00:29:07.490 --> 00:29:11.170 and Jesus is the savior of the world. That empty 00:29:11.170 --> 00:29:14.150 tomb proved it. And so that leaves you with a 00:29:14.150 --> 00:29:17.349 choice. Are you going to keep looking for more 00:29:17.349 --> 00:29:21.309 signs? Or will you call upon the one God has 00:29:21.309 --> 00:29:25.240 sent to save people from their sin? Friends, 00:29:25.240 --> 00:29:28.839 the choice is yours. God calls and commands you 00:29:28.839 --> 00:29:31.740 to repent today and bow your knee before his 00:29:31.740 --> 00:29:35.680 son. Let's pray. Father, I thank you for your 00:29:35.680 --> 00:29:39.599 word. Lord, it is gloriously rich and instructive 00:29:39.599 --> 00:29:43.400 and helpful. Lord, your word is manna. It's food 00:29:43.400 --> 00:29:47.509 from heaven, Lord. God, we don't look to ourselves. 00:29:47.690 --> 00:29:49.369 Lord, here's the thing, Lord God. If we think 00:29:49.369 --> 00:29:52.109 that coming to church or doing righteous things 00:29:52.109 --> 00:29:54.789 or reading Bibles and offering prayers and doing 00:29:54.789 --> 00:29:57.750 works of charity, Lord, is going to benefit us 00:29:57.750 --> 00:29:59.569 in the day of judgment, we're sorely mistaken. 00:29:59.930 --> 00:30:02.329 Father, we need your mercy. We need your grace. 00:30:02.710 --> 00:30:06.809 We need your righteousness. But it's been given 00:30:06.809 --> 00:30:11.069 as a gift, received in faith, to all who come 00:30:11.069 --> 00:30:14.329 to Jesus, your Son. Praise be, Lord, to your 00:30:14.329 --> 00:30:17.359 holy name. For the unspeakable gift of Christ. 00:30:18.579 --> 00:30:21.900 Lord, you have raised him from the grave. His 00:30:21.900 --> 00:30:23.880 body saw no corruption and he will never see 00:30:23.880 --> 00:30:26.859 corruption. He has been raised as Lord of glory 00:30:26.859 --> 00:30:29.579 and ascended to the highest throne in heaven. 00:30:30.599 --> 00:30:32.460 That in his name, every knee is going to bow 00:30:32.460 --> 00:30:34.079 one day and every tongue is going to confess 00:30:34.079 --> 00:30:37.339 that Jesus Christ is Lord. And that will bring 00:30:37.339 --> 00:30:41.440 you great glory. Father, would you work by your 00:30:41.440 --> 00:30:43.099 spirit in the hearts of those who are here this 00:30:43.099 --> 00:30:48.200 morning. Cause them now voluntarily to confess 00:30:48.200 --> 00:30:51.720 Jesus as Lord before one day they are forced 00:30:51.720 --> 00:30:55.700 involuntarily to bow the knee before him. God, 00:30:55.740 --> 00:30:58.880 I pray that you would save. God, help us, Lord, 00:30:58.920 --> 00:31:01.440 to see that we're not counting on our own righteousness, 00:31:01.680 --> 00:31:05.660 but only on what Christ has done for us. And 00:31:05.660 --> 00:31:09.160 we thank you, Lord, for grace and mercy that 00:31:09.160 --> 00:31:12.799 ever flows from your throne to your people by 00:31:12.799 --> 00:31:15.700 your Son. And it's in his name we pray. Amen. 00:31:16.940 --> 00:31:19.000 And while the deacons come and prepare the...