Matthew 16:1-4
The Demand for a Sign
1The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven.
2He replied, "When evening comes, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,' 3and in the morning, 'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. 4A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah." Jesus then left them and went away.
The Pharisees and Sadducees tested Jesus...They wanted their own sign and there own personal miracle...This was not the first time these groups wanted to see a miracle...The Pharisees wanted to see a sign in Mark 8:11-12...I do not think this is specific to the Sadducees and Pharisees...Many would like to see their own personal miracle...Some actual get them, and then after the fact of a specific prayer for a healing, or a job, or something they have been praying for is answered...Then we forget that fact, that we have prayed for this or that and have received our answer to that prayer...I wonder how many times we as men have failed to give the glory to God and His Son for answering our prayers...We at times can be forgetful followers...
The Sadducees and Pharisees were too blind to see the miracles Jesus had done...He had done many miracles and they would have been aware of them...He had just fed four thousand men (besides women and children), with seven loaves of bread and a few small fish...These groups were not wanting to believe..They were persistence, but it was not with their faith...They were persistent in finding fault with Jesus...They refused to believe as they watched Him teach...They wanted more than healing the sick, feeding large groups, and resurrecting a young girl...They wanted and demanded something else...They wanted some visible miracle they could see and judge for themselves...
Jesus teaches us we see different signs in our lives and we believe and follow those signs...For instance, we see a red sky at night and we know the weather will be good tomorrow...When we see a red sky in the morning, we know to take warning to bad weather today...These are no more than signs...We believe these signs...We look at the sky and conclude what the weather will be...But when many look around the earth and see this weather, the trees, the grass, th plants, the oceans, the sky, the sun, the moon, nature and wildlife all floating in space, they feel it just happened..All of the earth and its residents just came into being from nothing...They can draw no conclusion from all that is around them...All of existence came from a chemical soup and a loud noise, know as a Big Bang...No matter if you are a believer or a non believer, our existence and how everything came to earth is a miracle, and is a sign... What you interpret is up to you...
Jesus tells us (and the doubting Thomas) in John 20:29, because you have seen me, you have believed, blessed are those who have not seen me and yet have believed...We may get a personal miracle and we may not...We see signs every day and interpret them according to our earthly knowledge...Spiritual signs from God can to be recognized too...Jesus tells us to be ready to recognize these spiritual miracles with the same faith you have in recognizing the signs and miracles of our weather...Be prepared to recognize your miracle, when you have received it...