Greater Than / Matthew 12:38-41

There is an old legend that tells of how Emperor Constantine became Constantine the great. As Constantine was preparing for one of his battles, he was pondering the ill fortunes of those who sought signs and wonders from the pagan gods. To try his luck at another option, Constantine sought help from the Christian God. When the sun was at it’s highest point the image of a cross imposed over the sun. During that moment he recieved a message that he must use this symbol to conquer. The Chi-Rho symbol was painted and etched onto their tools of war and many victories followed.

The Bible is clear, God the Father is invisible. Colossians 1:15 teaches us that Christ is the image of the invisible God. As a result, humans are deeply intrigued by signs. When the invisible God seems to cause visible wonders, we pay attention.

Think of all of the signs and wonders that we have been given just in the past few years:

wars and rumors of wars

nation will rise against nation

famines and earthquakes in various places

fall away and betray one another and hate one another

false prophets will arise and lead many astray

lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold

Where did I get this list? I simply read Jesus’ prophetic words from Matthew 24:6-13 in the present tense.

How are Christians called to relate to wonders? Here is the foundation of understanding signs.

Jesus is greater than signs.

Matthew 12:38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.”

The Scribes and Pharisees have a PR problem. These Jewish religious leaders are often depicted as sad old men hobbling around in black cloaks like the grinch who stole Christmas. We may assume that because Jesus confronted them often, that the people hated these guys. However, it is more likely that these were the most well respected and admired individuals in their society. Through their public work, much of what they did was impressive. Their lifestyle makes us seem spiritually lazy. They devoted their whole lives to understanding and teaching the law. Scribes made copies their spiritual books letter by letter. The Old Testament called for a fast once a year. The Pharisees fasted twice a week. Religious action was so important to them, they made it their profession. They were educated. They were leaders. They were outwardly upstanding citizens of Israel. If they went to Ironbridge, I wouldn’t be surprised if they’d be some of the top people on your mind to recommend for positions of leadership.

Christ himself loved them. That is why he confronted them. In one of his pleas to this group he said, “39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.”

Implication, if they came to Christ by faith, he would have given them life. Christ new that these men did good things like search the scriptures. But he also knew that they still needed spiritual life. He knew they were dead on the inside, though they seemed alive on the outside. That is why earlier in our chapter he calls them a brood of vipers.

In 2017 a movie came out about the Barnum Circus, The Greatest Showman. Though singing and dancing Hollywood actors make this story seem bright. The history of the Barnum Circus is dark. To entertain people, the Barnum Circus abused and shamed people made in the image of God.

P.T. Barnum didn’t care about the God of the Bible. But he did care about the god of a good profit. He knew that there was a London pastor who’s preaching drew in thousands of listeners. Seeking to leverage this generational talent, Barnum invited Spurgeon to preach at a circus. He offered a side show, music, and Spurgeon could preach as long as he wanted. Barnum Circus would keep all profits, but give Spurgeon a thousand dollar honorarium. A generous financial offer at the time. Here was Spurgeon’ s response:

“Dear Mr. Barnum:

Thank you for your kind invitation to lecture in your circus tents in America. You will find my answer in Acts 13:10.

Very sincerely yours,

Charles H. Spurgeon”

If Barnum ever opened a Bible to read Acts 13:10 this is what he would find.

“You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?”

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Spurgeon understood that God cannot be manipulated and he was willing to defend that truth. His bold tone mirrors the tone of Jesus’ response to the religious experts requests for a sign.

39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it...

What’s wrong with wanting to see a sign? If Jesus is God, and people are doubting, you think he’d be happy to provide a sign. Instead he calls them evil and adulterous. Zooming out will be helpful.

In this same chapter, Jesus heals a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath. The Pharisees interpreted the miracle as working on the day of rest, so they began to conspire against him.

Jesus healed a demon possessed man who was blind and mute. The Pharisees said that he cast out a demon through the power of Satan.

The problem wasn’t the lack of miracles accomplished by Jesus. The problem was the lack of faith in the heart of the pharisees.

If you ignore the savior standing right in front of you, signs will never be enough to produce faith.

Better than seeking signs, show your faith by seeking Jesus. Wanting more evidence of God, while ignoring the evidences he has already provided, is a sign of spiritual adultery. Not spiritual maturity.

A few weeks ago, my wife and I went to downtown Richmond to spend the morning in a museum. Before it opened, I slipped into a bakery to get some pastries. To my surprise, in the corner of the bakery there was a man leading another in fortune telling by using cards for divination. Can’t a man just get a muffin without interrupting a fortune telling session?

Unbelievers seek for signs. False teachers seek for signs. Satan himself asked Jesus to do signs.

God will not be mocked. If he performs a miracle, he will do so out of an act of grace or in response to the prayers of believers. But he will not perform a sign request that originates from a hardened unbelieving heart. If you ignore the savior, you have no right to ask for a sign.

Better than requesting for signs, if you truly want God, start with the evidence that is staring you right in the eyes. Seek Jesus.

True signs from God are helpful, but they are not sufficient to bring a person from death to life, excluding the sign when Jesus went from death to life.

Jesus is greater than death.

To an evil generation, no sign would be given

...except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

As experts in the law, these religious leaders likely knew the story of Jonah by heart. What did Jesus mean by the sign of the prophet Jonah? He gives us a clue.

40 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Jonah was thrown into the sea during a raging storm. People don’t survive that scenario. But God appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah, not as a tasty snack, but as a rescue. Because after three days, the fish vomited up Jonah onto dry land. Maybe the fish didn’t like the taste of Jonah. Jonah miraculously re-appeared after he was as good as dead.

Jesus willingly submitted to be thrown under the sea of God’s wrath against sin. He died. But God appointed a tomb for his son’s body. And after three days, Jesus’ chest filled with air, his heart started to beat, and his feet stepped onto the dry land of that Jerusalem garden. Maybe death didn’t like the taste of the sinless son.

Because of Jonah’s rebellion, he was swallowed up by the great fish. Because of Jesus’ redemption, “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

The ultimate sign each generation is given, is the sign of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.

If there was a way to historically prove that Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, would your lifestyle look different? Would you still be a Christian? Would you still come to church? The Apostle Paul wouldn’t.

The Apostle Paul knew that everything hinges upon the resurrection.

In 1 Corinthians 15:, he wrote, “if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.”

A few years ago, Jordyn and I were having a conversation with a man near Charlottesville about the gospel. He said that he could not believe in the claim of resurrection, but that it was good for us. I responded, it’s not good for us. If your belief that the historical man, Jesus Christ, is dead, then we are to be pitied.

If Jesus is dead, what I am doing right now is evil. I am preaching a message of hope for a future that is false.

If Jesus is dead, your faith has no substance.

If Jesus is dead, there is no future for your loved ones who have already passed away.

(I want us to pause and think about what we’re all doing here this morning. We woke up on a Sunday morning. Dressed up. And spent gas money to come to a building with people who have different backgrounds and interests. To sing to a Jewish carpenter, from Nazareth, who died about 2000 years ago.)

But I have good news for you. We have the sign of Jonah. Jesus is alive and well.

How did we know that the resurrection happened? There are over 18 evidences that support the historical reality of the resurrection of Jesus. Here are four:

1. His tomb was empty: Jesus was killed by Roman soldiers through the coalition of Jewish leaders and Pontius Pilate. Romans were experts at crucifixion and they proved their skill by successfully killing the famous carpenter. To protect their proof at the tomb, they placed a seal over the stone and appointed a guard. Then, after the resurrection, the guard came back with an unwelcome report “some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. 12 And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers 13 and said, “Tell people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14 And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.” Rather, than demanding that the body be found, the enemies of Jesus admitted that the body of Jesus was gone. Who took it? The disciples? The men who ran away in the garden of Gethsemane and denied they knew Christ? No, the body wasn’t stolen. The body was living and breathing. It was of high interest to both the Jewish high priest and the Romans to find the body. They did not.

2. He appeared to hundreds of people in various locations for 40 days: Some object by claiming that the community experienced hallucinations of Jesus. Perhaps the trauma made their mental health unbalanced. But the ingredients needed for hallucination were missing. According to John Stott, hallucinations happen “as the climax to a period of exaggerated wishful thinking.” and “the conditions of time, place, and mood are favorable.” Instead of wishful thinking, Thomas refused to believe unless he saw Jesus. When the women saw that the tomb was empty they were confused and physically trembled. Even at Jesus’ ascension “they worshiped him, but some doubted.” A hallucination at a meaningful location like the upper with all of the witnesses gathered together might have been plausible. But Jesus appeared to individuals, small groups, crowds of over 100 all in various locations. This was no mass hallucination. People saw Jesus after he died.

3. The disciples were changed and Paul was converted: Pre-resurrection, Peter denied even knowing Christ. Post resurrection, Peter publically preached a Pentecost 3000 got saved a formed a church that he would lead. Pre-resurrection, Thomas was melancholy and full of despair. Post-resurrection, Thomas called Jesus his Lord and God. Pre-resurrection, James misunderstood the identity of his brother Jesus. Post-resurrection, James became a leader in the church and wrote a New Testament book. Paul persecuted and imprisoned Christians. After encountering the risen Christ, he became a missionary for the gospel and authored the majority of New Testament books. The men who fled at Jesus’ arrest would all die or be exiled defending his message. Martyrs die for truth. Fools die for a lie. What made the difference? The resurrection.

4. The birth and history of the Christian Church (the sabbath day): Ancient Rome is gone. Ancient Babylon is gone. The Christian Church remains. How did it begin? How did it survive when it was up against the persecution of Rome? Christianity exists because the early church was fully convinced of the historical reality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (So convinced that Jewish Christians began practicing the day of rest on Sunday instead of Saturday (their Sabbath), because Sunday was the day of Jesus’ resurrection.)

Are you convinced? Better than your mind giving an answer, let your life give an answer.

Listen to Peter’s words from the day of Pentecost, “Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.”

By delivering Jesus to lawless Roman soldiers, the Scribes and Pharisees helped to fulfill Jesus’ plan for the sign of Jonah - resurrection.

It was impossible for death to hold him down, because his life was stronger than death.

Jesus is greater than signs. Jesus is greater than death. And...

Jesus is greater than Jonah.

41 The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it,

Imagine that we’re all at the day of Judgement. We’ve already gone through our session so we take a seat on some on the grand stands. Next up are a few ancient generations. The first crowd we see is the men of Nineveh. They have a horrible reputation. From history books we know that they were terribly violent. They treated people made in God’s image like they were animals. Surely God won’t be happy with them. The next crowd who comes in are some scribes and Pharisees. These are Jewish men, the same people group Jesus belonged to on earth. They interacted with Jesus, led some of the synagogues he preached in. Surely, they’ll pass the judgement just fine. To our shock, God commends the men of Nineveh and condemns the Scribes and Pharisees.

This drama we just imagined, Jesus predicted as a coming reality. How will the men of Nineveh condemn the spiritual experts? Jesus taught,

for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

Spurgeon sound check story. “In 1857, a day or two before preaching at the Crystal Palace, I went to decide where the platform should be fixed; and, in order to test the acoustic properties of the building, cried in a loud voice, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” In one of the galleries, a workman, who knew nothing of what was being done, heard the words, and they came like a message from heaven to his soul. He was smitten with conviction on account of sin, put down his tools, went home, and there, after a season of spiritual struggling, found peace and life by beholding the Lamb of God.”

This workman just heard a handful of words and his life was forever changed.

Jonah’s message to Nineveh wasn’t the most encouraging, “In forty days Nineveh will be demolished!” In Hebrew, this message is just a few words. And yet, even though their message from the grumpy profit was brief here was their response. 5 Then the people of Nineveh believed God. In Hebrew the first word is BELIEVED.

One sentence and a whole nation changed. How many sentences of hope were given from the mouth of Jesus himself and the scribes remained callous.

Jonah was rebellious. Jesus was obedient.

Jonah was selfish. Jesus was selfless.

Jonah was full of hatred. Jesus was full of grace.

The Ninevites got Jonah and repented. The Pharisees got Jesus and rejected him.

When we hear God’s word we can either be changed or stay callous. If you grew up in America it’s likely that you’ve heard about Jesus countless times. Have all of those encounters actually changed you? Are you more like the Pharisees or the people of Nineveh?

To those who come to Ironbridge often, are you experiencing Christlike change in your life? If you’ve been coming here for years and you’re still just as addicted, just as stuck in that sin, just as destructive in relationships then let today be the day that you change.

Maybe more than you need a sign or even another sermon, you need to look at your savior face to face and repent. Turn from unbelief. Turn from a stubborn heart.

The world looks for a sign. The world says that seeing is believing. But God says, “faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

Believe! And then you will see. You will see the savior who is standing right in front of you.