JESUS IS GREATER THAN ANY MIRACULOUS SIGN (Outline)
March 30, 2008 –
EASTER 2 -
Matthew 12:38-42
INTRO: “Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!” These words of scripture are our proof positive that Christ rose again from the tomb on that first Easter Sunday. Often people demand concrete proof. They want something tangible. They need to see, feel, and touch the proof to make it true. This was the case with Thomas (cf. Gospel: JOHN 20:19-31). Jesus’ power is seen in his resurrection. The awesome power of God’s word created the heavens and the earth. Everything that you and I do see, feel, and touch was created out of nothing. This is more proof that God, yes – even Jesus, is greater than any miraculous sign. "Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything"(HEBREWS 3:3,4).
JESUS IS GREATER THAN ANY MIRACULOUS SIGN.
I. Many wicked want miraculous signs,
II. God’s word is our miraculous “sign”.
I. MANY WICKED WANT MIRACULOUS SIGNS
A. Matthew chapter 12 is very interesting. The leaders of the church reveal their hatred towards Jesus.
1. In the opening verses the Pharisees accuse Jesus and his disciples of working on the Sabbath.
2. A few verses later Jesus heals a man; again, on the Sabbath. Next, Jesus drives out a demon.
3. The Pharisees and scribes are upset. They accuse Jesus of getting his power from Satan.
B. Verse 38. These leaders who hated Jesus now ask for a miraculous sign. How ironic.
1. They now seek a sign from one whom they think is empowered by the devil.
2. The leaders seek an earthly sign. Healing and forgiving are not miraculous enough for them.
C. Verse 39. Jesus answers harshly. They are wicked and adulterous along with those who follow them.
1. Once united to the Lord God Jehovah their unfaithfulness have divorced them from the Lord.
2. The miraculous sign they seek can be found in their own history, verse 39b, 40.
3. Jonah was brought safe from the belly of the sea creature. Jesus would rise from the grave.
D. Today the wicked still want miraculous signs. There are some religions that teach without miraculous signs there is no faith. In wanting miraculous signs they demand of God healings, tongue speaking, and other outward show as proof of faith. There are some churches that have been established which consider themselves as God’s kingdom. They are often man-centered and have been passed down from father to son. What once started out focused on Christ is now focused on self-serving interests. The Lord reminds us: "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you"(LUKE 17:20b, 21). God’s miraculous sign is that God’s kingdom is alive and well in the hearts of believers who confess Christ as their Savior.
E. The distractions to see miraculous signs do not only come from religious false prophets. There has been an enormous growth in new age and self-help materials and leaders. Many misguided, self-appointed gurus offer fulfillment here on earth with no regard at all for eternity. They declare that sin is out dated and not fulfilling. “Who needs God, when we are gods ourselves?” Such is the devastating, false hope that our society has come to know and like. "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear"(2 TIMOTHY 4:3). Prosperity in this life and earthly success is the miraculous sign that the wicked of our day desire and pursue.
F. The true miraculous sign that the Lord God gives us is the resurrection of his Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Jesus had to die in order to be raised. The reason Jesus died was to pay for our sins and the sins of the world. The resurrection of Jesus is the proof positive, miraculous sign that death is not our master. "Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him"(ROMANS 6:8,9).
JESUS IS GREATER THAN ANY MIRACULOUS SIGN.
Many wicked want miraculous signs.
II. GOD’S WORD IS OUR MIRACULOUS “SIGN”
A. Jesus talked of the sign of Jonah. Remember why Jonah was in the belly of a sea creature?
1. God called his prophet Jonah to preach repentance to Nineveh. Jonah fled away on a ship.
2. Jonah was cast overboard and swallowed. He was spit up on the shore and went to Nineveh.
3. Jonah preached and the people repented. Later, this same Nineveh would conquer Israel.
4. Jonah did not want to Nineveh to repent. He did not want to see them carry our God’s justice.
B. Yes, God would use Nineveh to reveal his just judgment against rebellious, unfaithful Israel.
1. Jesus now refers to Nineveh as an example against adulterous Israel, verse 41a.
2. Jesus refers to the Queen of Sheba as an example to shame this wicked generation, verse 42a.
3. Nineveh and the Queen once outside God’s kingdom are now counted inside God’s kingdom.
4. This is the miraculous sign only done by the gracious power of God’s word working in hearts.
C. Jesus even now testifies about himself, verses 41b, 42b. He is greater than both Jonah and Solomon.
D. Jonah finally listened to God’s word. The queen of Sheba listened to God’s word through the wisdom of Solomon (= God’s wisdom). By grace we have been given ears willing to hear and hearts anxious to listen to what God has to say to us. God’s word is our miraculous sign. God’s powerful and creating word has changed our stony hearts into hearts of flesh. God’s word works faith in us. "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline" (PROVERBS 1:7).
E. The Lord with the power of his word has provided us with faith. Each time we hear God’s word our faith grows. Each time we read God’s word our faith grows. Whenever we study God’s word our faith grows. All of this is God’s miraculous sign that Christ is alive and well and living in us – only, by and through the power of God’s word. "And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts"(1 PETER 1:19). May we all always find excitement to hear God’s word.
F. When one looks around he soon notices the frailty of all things. But there is one that outlasts everything else. The living and active word of God shall never be extinguished. It shall never be destroyed. "The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever"(ISAIAH 40:8).The word of God is our miraculous sign that stand the test of time – now, forever and always.
CONC.: Praise God for the faith that he has worked in our hearts by the gift of the Holy Spirit through the power of his word! We dare not ever undervalue nor underestimate the miraculous power of the word of God, the Scriptures, our Bible. In the holy, blessed pages of Scripture all things are made known for our eternal salvation. One of the most important teachings we come to know, believe, and confess is the fact that Jesus is greater than any miraculous sign. Only the wicked want further miraculous signs for proof. Believers understand that the word of God is our miraculous “sign”. "For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it"(JOHN 5:20, 21). God has already shown us great things. As we continue to grow in our faith the Lord will show us even greater things. Our Savior is pleased to give us eternal life. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection have earned for us the forgiveness and eternal life that we do not deserve. We receive this from JESUS WHO IS GREATER THAN ANY MIRACULOUS SIGN. Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
SERVICES:
SAT – 1:00pm @ NCF Min.,
+ SUN – 12:00pm @ NCF Medium / 9:30am @ Redeemer
Sunday radio broadcast @ 9:05am on KQNK 106.7FM or 1530AM + www.kqnk.com
EASTER 2 readings:
ACTS 2:14a, 22-32;
1 PETER 1:3-9;
JOHN 20:19-31;
(PSALM 16)
