The Sign of Jonah

Posted by Karah

PAUSE

Grab your Bible, journal, and a pen and go to your favorite quiet place. Take a deep breath. Ask God to open your eyes to what He wants you to see today.

Have you ever asked God to send you a sign to prove that He was there? To prove He loved you or that you were on the right path? Journal your experience.

Read Matthew 16:1-12.

“The Pharisees and Sadducees approached, and as a test, asked Him to show them a sign from heaven.” —Matthew 16:1

The Pharisees witnessed Jesus’ miraculous feeding of the 4,000 yet they wanted something more—another sign. The question asked in verse 1 is more a question of Jesus’ authority than a request.

The sign of Jonah, referenced in verse 4, is a reference to Jesus’ resurrection. Jonah was in the belly of a fish for three days, and even compared the experience to death (John 2:2,6-7). This parallels with Jesus being in the tomb for three days before His resurrection.

Consider these questions:
• The Pharisees directed their focus and faith to the wrong places. They questioned Jesus, ignored His authority, and denied Him as the Messiah. They refused to accept His authority in their lives. When have you been like that?

• How can this kind of thinking lead others astray? What is a modern day example of that?

RESPOND

• Some things appear to be good on the outside but actually go against what Scripture teaches. Are there influences in your life that are dangerous to your relationship with Christ? What can you do to minimize or eliminate those influences? Journal your response.

• To better understand the sign of Jonah read Jonah 1:17 and Matthew 12:40.

BEHIND THE STORY

It is important to understand what happened before this encounter between Jesus and the Pharisees. Jesus was on a mountain, teaching and healing all who were brought to Him. The people who were staying on the mountain with Jesus had nothing to eat for three days. At the end of those three days, Jesus said, “I have compassion on the crowd” (v. 32). The disciples only had 7 loaves of bread and a few small fish. Jesus miraculously fed about 4,000 people that day just from that small amount of food.

THE POINT

Jesus is the Messiah. We must not overlook His authority or try to be saved through any other means.

Posted in Boys, Devotions | Tagged Camp Ridgecrest Alumni and Friends, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, Reprinted from EC magazine. @ 2016 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, Weekly Devotions