ARE YOU WAITING FOR A SIGN?

“None will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.”

(Matthew 12:39)

Some people are waiting for a miraculous sign from God before they’ll put their faith in Him. I think it would have to be a religious sign of some kind, like an angel appearing before them, or God pulling back the sky to expose all of outer space.

It may sound silly, but that’s exactly what the religious leaders of Jesus’ time were wanting. I guess that it wasn’t enough that He healed many people in front of them including the blind, deaf, the lame, and even people with leprosy. They probably thought that he was just a magician, or a sorcerer as they called them in those days. And Scripture tells us that there were some. (Acts 13:6-12) So one day they confronted Jesus about his claims to be from God.

“Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.” He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Matthew 12:38-40)

The Pharisees wouldn’t understand this until after Jesus had risen from the dead. But even then, because they refused to believe, they made up stories that Jesus’ body had been stolen. Even before He rose from the dead the Pharisees had made up a plan and went to the Roman Governor Pontus Pilate…

“Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” 

“Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.” (Matthew 27:63-66)

But the guards who had been watching the tomb, reported everything that happened, to the religious leaders. What happened? What did the guards see?

“There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.

The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.”

(Matthew 28:2-4)

Even after hearing this incredible report, they still wanted the truth to be covered up. But why?

“When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.”

“So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.” (Matthew 28:12-15)

Again, why would they want to cover up this wonderful news? Well, I think the Bible tells us exactly why. Before Jesus was crucified, he did perform miracles, many times out of compassion for those who had lost family members, those who were sick, blind, lame, and much more.

“Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them.” (Matthew 4:23-24)

You would think that the religious leaders would be celebrating, because Jesus surely looked like the Messiah that they had been waiting for. But look what many of them were thinking, and saying, concerning Jesus…

“The chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”

“Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation.” (John 11:47-51)

Then, after Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead, the news spread quickly…

“Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!” (John 12:18-19)

“The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.” (Mark 11:18)

Jesus did not show the Pharisees the sign that they wanted because God had a better plan…salvation thru the death and resurrection of Jesus. When He died on the cross it was to pay the price for the sins of the whole world…for all those who would believe in Him. His resurrection from the dead was to defeat death and grant eternal life…to all those who would believe in Him.

If you’re someone that is waiting for God to prove Himself to you, He may do it…after it’s too late. The disappearance of millions of people around the world will be that miracle. The Bible says that they will be caught up to meet Jesus in the air. These are all the people who put their faith in what Jesus did. He will do this to save them from the wrath that God is finally going to pour out on the world. There will be no “last second” prayers that will save you, if you are one of those who are left behind. As hard as you might call out for God to come back and get you, it will be too late. The Bible says that this catching up will happen in the twinkling of an eye.

God wants us to read and know what the Bible says about Jesus’ death and resurrection…and believe in our hearts that it’s true. Until the rapture, the catching away happens there is still time…but not much. The “sign” that the Pharisees, and much of the world is waiting for…has already happened. It happened on the cross, and at the tomb. Since then, God has been very patient.

For two thousand years there have been churches all over the world. Some are still being built today. Why is that? It’s because God is very much alive and still wanting to save people. There are still men and women risking their lives, going around the world to tell people the Good News of Jesus Christ…because God still wants to save people. There are still people like me who, like God, want people to be saved. We write to tell people our stories, hoping that even one person can relate to why we want them to know Jesus.

But you must understand, it’s not about attending a church regularly. What God wants is a one-on-one relationship with you. By praying and reading God’s Word regularly you can establish that relationship with Him. Read the New Testament first. It tells the story of Jesus beginning from his birth. But this relationship has to start with a simple prayer. Say something like this…

God, I’m not sure how to pray to you, but I want to be saved. I don’t want to go to Hell. I want to live forever with people that I love. Jesus, I believe that you did die on the cross for me, and were raised to life again. Please save me God. Amen

God is a God of love. The Bible says that He actually IS love. And He wants to show you that love. But, a lot of people seem like they couldn’t care less about God. That’s sad. What a horrible way to treat the Person who died to save you. It is God that is waiting for a sign…from you…from your heart…reaching out to Him.

The words below are the ones in the Bible that describe what and why God did what He did for you. His Son, Jesus, gave His life to save us.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

(John 3:16-18)

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