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8 October 2007
Theme for this week: The Sign of Jonah
Matthew 12:38-41
Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law answered Jesus, saying, "Teacher, we want to see you work a miracle as a sign." Jesus answered, "Evil and sinful people are the ones who want to see a miracle for a sign. But no sign will be given to them, except the sign of the prophet Jonah. Jonah was in the stomach of the big fish for three days and three nights. In the same way, the Son of Man will be in the grave three days and three nights. On the Judgment Day the people from Nineveh will stand up with you people who live now, and they will show that you are guilty. When Jonah preached to them, they were sorry and changed their lives. And I tell you that someone greater than Jonah is here.
Have you ever looked and looked for something and then kicked yourself when you found it right in front of you? So often we can be so fixed on the complexity of our own ideas and thinking that we refuse to believe the simplicity when it finally dawns upon us.
The Pharisees have been searching for so many years in the tradition of Moses, but don't recognize Jesus as the One Moses had looked forward to (John 5:46). Jesus is very hard on the Pharisees, but before we get cosy and think Jesus is speaking these harsh words to somebody else, we need to stop, look and listen again - he just may be speaking to me.
Sometimes it's hard for us to recognise the voice or presence of God. Like the Pharisees, we demand the miraculous, the signs from heaven and yet can be closed to the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit gently pointing us to Jesus and his way.
Sometimes we can be trying to listen to God, but feel like we're not getting the whole story. The Pharisees must have felt the same when Jesus started talking about three-night stays in a big fish or the depths of the earth. Jesus doesn't ask us to be able to explain the whole thing but to recognise and trust in him.
Loving Jesus, help us to recognise your voice, to listen and to hear you.
Having heard, help us to turn to you and walk in your way.
Amen
Written by Pete Sandford of FaithMatters
Theme for this week: The Sign of Jonah
Matthew 12:38-41
Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law answered Jesus, saying, "Teacher, we want to see you work a miracle as a sign." Jesus answered, "Evil and sinful people are the ones who want to see a miracle for a sign. But no sign will be given to them, except the sign of the prophet Jonah. Jonah was in the stomach of the big fish for three days and three nights. In the same way, the Son of Man will be in the grave three days and three nights. On the Judgment Day the people from Nineveh will stand up with you people who live now, and they will show that you are guilty. When Jonah preached to them, they were sorry and changed their lives. And I tell you that someone greater than Jonah is here.
Have you ever looked and looked for something and then kicked yourself when you found it right in front of you? So often we can be so fixed on the complexity of our own ideas and thinking that we refuse to believe the simplicity when it finally dawns upon us.
The Pharisees have been searching for so many years in the tradition of Moses, but don't recognize Jesus as the One Moses had looked forward to (John 5:46). Jesus is very hard on the Pharisees, but before we get cosy and think Jesus is speaking these harsh words to somebody else, we need to stop, look and listen again - he just may be speaking to me.
Sometimes it's hard for us to recognise the voice or presence of God. Like the Pharisees, we demand the miraculous, the signs from heaven and yet can be closed to the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit gently pointing us to Jesus and his way.
Sometimes we can be trying to listen to God, but feel like we're not getting the whole story. The Pharisees must have felt the same when Jesus started talking about three-night stays in a big fish or the depths of the earth. Jesus doesn't ask us to be able to explain the whole thing but to recognise and trust in him.
Loving Jesus, help us to recognise your voice, to listen and to hear you.
Having heard, help us to turn to you and walk in your way.
Amen
Written by Pete Sandford of FaithMatters