Which Old Testament Character would you pick out as being a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ?
Abraham
Joseph
Moses
Jonah?
Jesus singles Jonah out on at least two occasions
Matt 12:39-40
Jesus had been teaching about people's hearts
Be careful what words you speak for you will be judged by them
The Pharisees ignored Jesus (v38)
Matt 16:4
The Pharisees and Sadducees wanted a sign
They could not discern the signs of the times
They could not discern Spiritual matters
Luke 11:29
Another account of the version in Matthew
Jonah would not have known the significance of his situation but God did
Overview:
Why doesn't Jesus give a sign?
Why would Jesus only give the sign of Jonah?
What are the implications
Why doesn't Jesus give a sign?
They come seeking a sign but He sees through their veneer and insincerity - Jesus is not at their beck and call
They had seen the miracles of Jesus - Examples
Yet the Pharisees said "give us a sign"
There was blindness and unbelief in their heart
We live in a day and age that is not dissimilar
People suppress the truth and will not belief
They wanted a sign from heaven
Yet they would not believe the signs on the earth
Faith is not living by sight
Are you part of the evil and adulterous generation?
Evil - because you do not believe
Adulterous - because you are unfaithful to God
Why should Jesus Christ ever pander to unbelief?
Humans can give forecasts but they cannot understand spiritual issues
Can we understand the day and age in which we are living?
Sexual immorality
For some it is just normal
Have we understood the heart of man?
The encouragement of greed
Drink and drugs
The fundamental problem in society is the rejection of God and of His word
People view Christianity as archaic and most aren't even asking for a sign
What sign will be given? - only the sign of Jonah
The wonderful message of Christ dying and rising again
Because of the perverseness of their hearts
Why would Jesus only give the sign of Jonah?
The sign of Jonah meant:
Darkness for 3 days and deliverance
Deliverance to be brought for a gentile people
That many people would be redeemed
Before the cross the message of God's word was largely confined to Israel
The sign of Jonah says that this message is for the world
The Gospel is for every nation
In Old Testament days there are many who wouldn't have heard
It is a blessing that you can hear God's word
Respond to it
Did the disciples, the Pharisees or Sadducees understand what Jesus was saying?
Probably not
But we have the whole Bible to help us understand
Have you responded to it?
Quote from Hymn: Give me a sight O Saviour (Katharine Agnes May Kelly)
This sign of the crucified and resurrected Saviour for all who would believe
What are the implications?
The Judgment of the Ninevites
12:41 - "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."
Jesus and Jonah
Who was Jonah?
He was from Gad Hetha, modern day Galilee in Nazareth
He was a reluctant prophet
People heard his message and repented
Luke 11:30 - a sign to the Ninevites (as well as to us)
Who was Jesus Christ?
From Galilee in Nazareth
Came willingly
Came with all compassion and heart for the people
Jonah's message:
One of condemnation and they repented
Jesus' message:
Luke 4:18-19
Not a message of condemnation but to save it
He brought good news
Did the Ninevites have any advantage? - none
The Jews had every advantage but they did not repent
Think about ourselves and our advantage
If you do not repent we have absolutely no excuse
The Ninevites will stand up and judge us if we do not believe
Do you believe in the judgement of God?
The Queen of the South
Consider the Queen of the South (The Queen of Sheba) (v42)
How much effort she put in to find the truth
How much effort do we put in?
The Times
v43-45
Have we personal faith?
Has their been conversion
Nineveh and the Queen of Sheba had so little but listened to Jonah
