Matthew 12
December 8, 2022
“Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, ‘Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.’ He answered, ‘A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.’” (v38-40)
The irony of the Pharisees asking for a sign is that (in this chapter alone) Jesus healed a man’s shriveled hand, healed a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and healed a large number of people who were sick. And even though Jesus says that a “sign will not be given” to them - he still previews for them his own death and resurrection, the ultimate sign of His Messiahship - if they would but have eyes to see.
Father, I praise You for opening the spiritual eyes of my heart to the fact that Jesus is Savior and Lord. It’s only by Your grace that I now see Him for who He is. After all, there is a tendency (in every human being) to rationalize that Jesus is not Lord, so that we can do whatever we want. And so, I pray today for those in my life who need the miracle of You opening their eyes to see Jesus for who He really is.
— Pastor Joshua Brooks
Use the following steps to guide your daily time with the Lord…
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Start with prayer. Ask God to open your heart to help you understand and receive His Word.
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Read and observe the passage carefully. As needed, read a second Bible version to help with understanding.
➡️ What does it say?
What does this passage teach me about God? What does it say about my sinful nature and my need for God’s grace? How does this passage point to Jesus?
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➡️ What am I going to do about it?
Does this passage include a promise to claim, an action/attitude to avoid/embrace, or a principle to apply? How can this truth apply to my life? What could my next step be? How can I share this with others? Is there a verse or section of Scripture I need to memorize?
