Do you want signs or do you want Jesus
Matthew 12: 38 Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you.” 39 He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 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. 41 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here. 42 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here. 43 “When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45 Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.” NIV
· A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign!
o A wicked
o And adulterous generation
§ What is adultery? Breaking covenant, having sexual relations with someone other than your wife or husband.
§ Sure, but why did Jesus use this word to describe a generation that looks for signs?
· Being unfaithful to Jesus
o Ask for a miraculous sign
§ Sign seekers
§ Miracle seekers – why?
· But none will be given except Jesus
o One greater than signs is here. Greater than Solomon, Greater than Jonah
Why is Jesus so against a generation that is looking for signs?
Because that generation is focused on the outside, the external appearances more that the internal. The spectacular instead of the supernatural. A show instead of a savior.
That generation will easily be deceived to follow the devil, will easily be influence to turn from the one true God to a false teaching.
Matthew 24:23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time. NIV
· An evil spirit goes out of a man…
· It always wants to return
· It finds the house
o Empty, unoccupied
§ Houses are made to live in. Many people think Christianity is simply emptying the house of everything evil.
· Houses are not storage places for things, but houses are places for people to live in.
· Room for just me, in the house.
o Swept clean
§ Brooms can only get the major dirt, never the fine stuff.
§ Then we set out to clean the house. We begin to focus on the wrong things, our self.
o Put in order, garnished, decorated
§ This is where we bring religion into our house. We think that it should look a certain way and we begin to decorate it, make it look good on the outside.
· Decoration becomes more important than living there.
· Be careful of religious decorations. Vocabulary, actions, appearances that are not real.
DANGER – DANGER – DANGER
· Then it gets 7 other spirits more wicked than itself and moves back in, the final condition of that man is worse than the first.
o The final condition of that man is worse than the first.
§ I am ashamed sometimes about some Christians. Where are the normal people? There are so many crazy Christians.
§ Strange, dangerous people wandering around in the name of Christ. Calling themselves ministers of the Gospel and in reality they are being led by demons.
o If you are not going to follow Jesus, then don’t get saved!
· That is how it will be with this wicked generation.(that wants signs more than Jesus.)
§ It’s a good and faithful generation that is looking for Jesus instead of signs.
o Jesus has to move in when the house is made clean.
o Behold I stand at the door and knock…
Revelation 3:15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.