At this point, Jesus has cast demons out of a multititude of people, along with healing them from various conditions: leprosy, blindness, mute, criple, paralytic, withered hand, even death. What other sign could the Pharisees possibly want? But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For 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. (Matthew 12:29-40)
Just like when He was tempted by the devil in the wilderness, and the devil said, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’[Psalm 91:11-12]"(Matthew 4:6; see THE GOSPEL: Jesus Baptised, then Tempted); the Pharisees are asking for the same kind of sign, that He die and come back to life. Three days, three nights; that was the sign from Jonah, and that will be the sign from Him. (Matthew 27:45-65; 28:1-10) Jesus explains further, The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. [see JONAH: Save Yourself Some Trouble, Obey the First Time] The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here. [see Christianity vs. Relgion: Watch Out for Counterfeits] (Matthew 12:39-43; Luke 11:29-32)
Now, Jesus explains the unbelief of the Pharisees, and all unbelievers in a very interesting way: “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he [the unclean spirit] goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return to my house [the man] from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.” (Matthew 12:43-45; Luke 11:24-26) In other words, the Son of God, Christ Jesus has come to "clean out" the sin in our lives. But instead of turning from the sin and turning to Him, we allow the sin to come back into our lives. For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. (II Peter 2:20)
And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!” But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” (Luke 11:27-28) Yes, this woman was right that Jesus is someone special! (see The Perfect Gift, A Body) But look at Jesus, always putting God first, just as we should. It's easy to get "puffed up" and "proud" when we know we're blessed by God; but we can't begin to get caught up in the blessing, but always stay focused on The Blesser, God. Jesus says the way we do this is to hear the word of God and keep it! Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. (I John 2:3-6)
Jesus goes on to explain the truth of being freed from sin further: “No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light. The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness. Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness. If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.” (Luke 11:33-36; see THE GOSPEL: "Salt & Light" Lesson) Some people refuse to "see" the light, The Truth, no matter how much proof and evidence God gives, just like the Pharisees. If we profess to be Christians, we better make sure we are what we say we are. (Galatians 6:3-5, 7-8) Then, for those of us who have heard, seen and believe The Truth, lets make sure that through the power of God's Holy Spirit in us, that we Let our light so shine before men, that they may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven! (Matthew 5:16)
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