Don't miss the everyday signs

Article for Wednesday February 25, 2026

Matthew 12:38–39 38Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” 39But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

Many people do not believe there is a God because they do not see Him.  Many people want to see at least a sign or miracle that will make them believe.  And many want a sign such that if there is a God no terrible thing will happen to anyone or at least their loved ones.

I tell you; miracles happen every day, but they are not for everyone to see based on where the miracle is being accomplished and for what reason.  We all actually see miracles, but we no longer call them miracles because they are everyday mondain’s.  after a while all things become mondain and their sheen dulls in our sight, or our sight fades from the sheen.

Oh, thank God there are no pharisees among us today.  Or are there pharisees among us?  There are Christian hypocrites, and there are non-believing hypocrites.  I’m not sure which is worse.  I think what Jesus is saying here is, if you are blind to what is going on around you then you will not see the signs that will lead you the Son of Man.

Well Jesus is going to let them see the sign of Johnah.  A sign well known to the scholars, or pharisees as it maybe.  Jonah who tried to hide from God and deny God his services.  Johnah learned as have I, if God calls you to do something then you are going to do it, happily or not.

Matthew 12:40 40For 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.

I never had thought of Johnah’s captivity in the fish paralleling with Jesus in the tomb.  It must have been like hell to be in the belly of a fish if at least smelly than all get out.  And I’m sure Johnah wanted to get out of that fish prison. 

Then Johnah’s coming out of the fish could parallel with the resurrection of Jesus.  Both was a means to bring salvation to God’s people.  Ninevah was parallel to us sinners all.  Ninevah needed to repent and they did and they were forgiven. 

We too need to repent, and here is the lesson; the people of Ninevah feared God and repented.  Can we say the same?  Do we fear God enough to repent and wear sackcloth to show our humbleness to God our Father in heaven. 

Let’s say we find a time to wear the sackcloth of repentance.  I don’t know where we can even get sackcloth and enough for each of us to wear.

Matthew 12:41 41The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

Something greater is preaching to us and it is not me or any other pastor; it is Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ, the Son of the heavenly Father comes to warn us in His word that it is time to repent and know we are sinners who need to be saved.  Moreover, we who have the word know that Jesus Christ is speaking to us as well as speaking to the pharisees. 

Jonah, a Jesus like character, must tell the people of Ninevah that they need to clean-up their act and repent of their sins.  The word of God is telling us to clean-up our act and repent.  But how can we if we do not fear our Lord God?  That is the problem with our whole world as well as the Jews; we do not fear God enough to truly repent and follow in the footprints of Jesus Christ our savior.

Our predicament begs for a savior to come and save us from our sins.  We know we have Jesus Christ as our savior, and it is His works not ours which saves us.  But this does not mean that we do not have to fear God, and it does not mean that we do not have to repent.  Where is your heart and where is your treasure?  Or is it better to ask who is your heart and who is your treasure?

Matthew 12:42 42The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.

Something better is here and something better is on His way to return to all believers.  His name you know is Jesus Christ.  He comes to take what is His and to destroy all who want to turn away from Him.  Yet Jesus even then will give those who do not fear Him another chance. 

Let me not forget the gospel of forgiveness.  Jesus died because of sin and died to let all who believe forgiveness.  Jesus comes to our weakness in His weakest hour and forgives us our trespasses against Him.  Jesus then falls to the belly of the earth to defeat death, sin, and the evil one.  Jesus is more than spat out of the earths belly, He is resurrected and made whole through the love of the Father for our sake.  Jesus Christ is our savior, and we are all adopted back into the family we were separated from.  God’s eternal family. 

Amen.