Do you know what the ‘Sign of Jonah’ is? According to Jesus it is the solution to our biggest problem in life. So it’s probably worth looking into.
In Matt 16:1 the Pharisees and Sadducees come to Jesus asking for ‘a sign from heaven’. The issue is, Jesus has already given countless signs, such as feeding the 5000, healing the sick and even raising the dead. Why are these signs not good enough for Israel’s leaders? The reason is, they have an agenda that they think is more important than Jesus’ signs. The Pharisees wanted Jesus to validate their reputations of moral superiority, while the Sadducees wanted Jesus to validate their political status.
Jesus calls their agendas ‘yeast’ (Matt 16:6), because such idolatry affects the whole person. If health, wealth or prosperity, sex, money or power, popularity, family or materialism even comes close to rivalling Jesus in importance, Jesus says it will be affecting our whole lives, just like a little yeast affects the whole batch of bread (1 Cor 5:6).
Jesus tells them no sign will be given except the ‘Sign of Jonah’ (Matt 16:4), which Matt 12:40 told us was Jesus’ death and resurrection. The reason this is the only sign that will be given is because if we are not satisfied with the infinite grace shown in Jesus death and resurrection, then nothing will satisfy. We will go through life perpetually dissatisfied, discontented and unfulfilled.
The way we allow the Sign of Jonah to fulfil us is first to realise that we don’t deserve it. In fact our sin means we don’t deserve ANY blessing (sign) from God. God owes us nothing. Yet in spite of this, God gave up everything (his beloved Son) to give us everything. Jesus’ death gives us the forgiveness of sins, which reconciles us with God. Jesus’ resurrection gives us eternal life with God.
