Embracing the Sign: The Power of Resurrection

Devotional

Day 1: The Illusion of Seeking Truth

The Pharisees' demand for a sign from Jesus was not a genuine quest for truth but a veiled attempt to maintain their own authority and power. Despite witnessing numerous miracles, their hearts were hardened, and they were unwilling to accept the truth of Jesus' identity. This challenges us to examine our own hearts and question whether we are truly open to the truth of Jesus' mission or if we are merely seeking to justify our own beliefs and positions. Are we demanding signs while ignoring the evidence already before us? Jesus' resurrection is the ultimate sign, proving His divinity and His power over sin and death. [04:15]

Jeremiah 17:9-10 (ESV): "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? 'I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.'"

Reflection: In what ways might you be resisting the truth of Jesus' identity in your life? How can you open your heart to genuinely seek His truth today?

Day 2: The Sign of Jonah and the Power of Resurrection

Jesus pointed to the "sign of Jonah" as a prophetic symbol of His death and resurrection. Just as Jonah spent three days in the belly of the fish, Jesus would spend three days in the heart of the earth, ultimately rising from the dead. This event is central to our faith, demonstrating Jesus' victory over sin and death and providing the foundation for our hope and salvation. The resurrection is not just a historical event but a living reality that calls us to trust in the risen Christ and live in the power of His victory. [13:50]

Hosea 6:1-2 (ESV): "Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him."

Reflection: How does the reality of Jesus' resurrection impact your daily life? What steps can you take to live more fully in the power of His victory over sin and death?

Day 3: Compelling Evidence of the Resurrection

The evidence for Jesus' resurrection is compelling and multifaceted. The empty tomb, eyewitness testimonies, the transformation of the disciples, and the growth of the early church all testify to the reality of Jesus' resurrection. This evidence invites us to trust in the risen Christ and embrace the life He offers. The resurrection is not just a doctrine to be believed but a reality to be experienced, calling us to a life of faith and action. [19:27]

Acts 4:33 (ESV): "And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all."

Reflection: What evidence of Jesus' resurrection do you find most compelling? How can you share this evidence with others in a way that invites them to trust in the risen Christ?

Day 4: Responding to the Sign of Jesus

Seeing a sign is not enough; we must act upon it. Just as ignoring a road sign can lead to disaster, ignoring the sign of Jesus' resurrection leads to spiritual peril. The Pharisees' rejection of Jesus led to their judgment, serving as a warning for us today. We are invited to turn from our sins and trust in Jesus, embracing the life He offers through His resurrection. This is not just a call for unbelievers but a reminder for believers to live daily in the power of the resurrection, sharing the good news with others. [26:30]

Ezekiel 18:30-31 (ESV): "Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel?"

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to respond to the sign of Jesus' resurrection? How can you take a concrete step today to turn from sin and embrace the life He offers?

Day 5: Living in the Power of the Resurrection

The resurrection empowers believers to live transformed lives. As followers of Jesus, we are called to live in the power of the resurrection, sharing the good news with others and trusting in the victory Jesus has won over sin and death. This is a daily call to faith and action, inviting us to experience the fullness of life that Jesus offers. The resurrection is not just a past event but a present reality that shapes our identity and mission as believers. [34:09]

Colossians 3:1-2 (ESV): "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth."

Reflection: How can you live more fully in the power of the resurrection today? What specific actions can you take to share the good news of Jesus' victory with others?

Sermon Summary

In Matthew 12:38-41, Jesus addresses the scribes and Pharisees who demand a sign from Him, despite having witnessed numerous miracles. This request for a sign is not born out of genuine curiosity or faith but rather a desire to trap Jesus. The religious leaders, despite their respectful address, are not truly seeking to understand or follow Jesus. They are more interested in maintaining their power and authority than in recognizing the truth of Jesus' identity. Jesus responds by pointing to the "sign of Jonah," a prophetic symbol of His death and resurrection. Just as Jonah spent three days in the belly of the fish, Jesus would spend three days in the heart of the earth, ultimately rising from the dead.

This passage challenges us to consider what it would take for us to believe in Jesus. Are we like the Pharisees, demanding signs while ignoring the evidence already before us? Jesus' resurrection is the ultimate sign, proving His divinity and His power over sin and death. The empty tomb, the consistent testimony of witnesses, the transformation of the disciples, and the unstoppable trajectory of the early church all serve as compelling evidence of the resurrection.

The sermon calls us to respond to this sign. Seeing a sign is not enough; we must act upon it. Just as ignoring a road sign can lead to disaster, ignoring the sign of Jesus' resurrection leads to spiritual peril. The Pharisees' rejection of Jesus led to their judgment, a warning for us today. We are invited to turn from our sins and trust in Jesus, embracing the life He offers through His resurrection. This is not just a call for unbelievers but a reminder for believers to live daily in the power of the resurrection, sharing the good news with others.

Key Takeaways

1. The demand for signs often masks a deeper resistance to truth. The Pharisees' request for a sign was not genuine; they had already witnessed Jesus' miracles but refused to believe. This challenges us to examine our own hearts and consider whether we are truly open to the truth of Jesus' identity and mission. [04:15]
2. Jesus' resurrection is the ultimate sign of His divinity. The "sign of Jonah" points to Jesus' death and resurrection, a powerful demonstration of His victory over sin and death. This event is central to our faith and provides the foundation for our hope and salvation. [13:50]
3. The evidence for the resurrection is compelling and multifaceted. The empty tomb, eyewitness testimonies, the transformation of the disciples, and the growth of the early church all testify to the reality of Jesus' resurrection. This evidence invites us to trust in the risen Christ. [19:27]
4. Responding to the sign of Jesus requires action. Like a road sign warning of danger ahead, the sign of Jesus' resurrection calls us to turn from our sins and follow Him. Ignoring this sign leads to spiritual peril, while embracing it leads to life and salvation. [26:30]
5. The resurrection empowers believers to live transformed lives. As followers of Jesus, we are called to live in the power of the resurrection, sharing the good news with others and trusting in the victory Jesus has won over sin and death. This is a daily call to faith and action. [34:09]
** [34:09]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[04:15] - The Pharisees' Demand for a Sign
[07:12] - The Context of Matthew 12
[10:08] - The Burden of Proof
[13:50] - The Sign of Jonah
[19:27] - Evidence of the Resurrection
[22:40] - Transformation of the Disciples
[26:30] - Responding to the Sign
[31:21] - The Rejection of the Sign
[34:09] - Living in Resurrection Power
[37:00] - The Call to Faith
[39:30] - Closing Prayer

Sermon Clips

People today are looking for signs. They want to see a sign that confirms to them either that what they believe already is true or that what they're curious about or questioning can be believed. People want a sign from God, a sign from heaven, a sign from Jesus. Show us a sign so that we know we're on the right path. [00:00:45] (24 seconds) Edit Clip

Every time Jesus does another miraculous signs around them, guess what happens? You'd think they'd soften and eventually go, okay, the first time I wasn't sure, maybe it was a scam. The second time, by the third time, I started to believe. That's exactly the opposite of what happens. The signs that Jesus performs actually only serve to make the scribes and Pharisees more agitated and more combative with Jesus. [00:03:57] (28 seconds) Edit Clip

Have you ever had a conversation with someone that you came to understand it wasn't really in good faith? Maybe you've had a conflict with someone, you've approached someone because they did something, or maybe they repeatedly do something that offends you, that is wrong, and you go to them and you say, brother, sister, husband, wife, child, parent, friend, this thing you've done, it's not okay. [00:06:26] (23 seconds) Edit Clip

And another important question is this if you come to understand that Jesus is who he says he is what are you going to do with that information? If he truly is the son of God if he truly did live a sinless life if he truly was raised from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion what are you going to do about it? They were seeking a sign and even still today many many people are seeking a sign and saying God if you do xyz then I'll believe in you. [00:10:52] (31 seconds) Edit Clip

What tender compassion and mercy Christ displays in this moment, even to doubters, even to people who are opposed to him, even to people who are trying to test him, even to people he knows are going to kill him. He shows compassion. He shows compassion to doubters, compassion to rebels, compassion to enemies, compassion to those who are going to betray him. [00:13:24] (26 seconds) Edit Clip

They would have understood exactly what Jesus meant when he used that sign of Jonah to communicate how he would endure death for three days and then come back to life, proving that he was in fact the Messiah. And when he did do that, the scribes and Pharisees would now need to reckon with that truth. Why? Because Jesus told them to their faces. Here's the sign you're going to see. I'm going to die and three days later, I'm going to be back again. [00:17:36] (27 seconds) Edit Clip

Can I give you just a brief survey of the historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ? I'm going to give you four simple words that I hope you can remember. Tomb, testimony, transformation, and trajectory. The tomb is empty. The testimony is consistent. The transformation is inexplicable, and the trajectory is unstoppable. The tomb of Jesus Christ is empty to this very day. [00:18:36] (28 seconds) Edit Clip

Jesus gave these wicked scribes and Pharisees the greatest sign that the world has ever seen. They wanted him to do a little parlor trick, a little dog and pony show for him, but Jesus says there's something much greater going to happen. I'm going to die and rise again. He gave an irrefutable sign that he was sent from God, offered as a sufficient sacrifice for sin, and he conquered death on our behalf. And the crucial question for you to reckon with today is this, what are you going to do with that sign? [00:25:03] (33 seconds) Edit Clip

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