- And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. Matthew 16:1 – To put this into perspective, imagine you have someone who just baked 500 cookies and you showing up, seeing all the cookies, and then asking them to make you a cookie for you’d don’t believe they can make a cookie. How ridiculous would that be, and such is the ridiculousness of these leader’s request. Jesus had just done so many signs. He has cast out many demons, He had healed so many diseases and sick people, He even restored useless limbs back to wholeness. Yet witnessing all that they still didn’t believe. To add on to this, these religious leaders ought to have been the most knowledgeable on the Old Testament and all its prophecies about the coming Messiah. They should have seen all the signs of how Jesus fulfilled such prophecies, yet they still didn’t believe. Here points out a very sad, but very real truth. Seeing signs doesn’t always equal belief. God may part the waters in front of someone, yet they still don’t believe. God may work a miracle only He would make happen, yet they still don’t believe. Sometimes our prayer is that God will just doing some large scale miracle for the world to see so everyone will be convinced of Him realness, yet what scripture shows us is that even with the greatest miracle of all standing in front of people, some will still not believe. Instead then of a miracle, what people need is those who have been miraculously saved living godly lives in front of them. Fire from Heaven likely won’t come down, and even if it did it likely wouldn’t convince the world of Jesus’s realness. Yet what is an indisputable sign of God’s realness is the change He has made within your life. Let the world see that as their sign of God’s realness and power. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3338
- He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Matthew 16:15 – This is a pretty big question to ask of Peter. In fact, this is a pretty big question to ask ourselves. Who do you say that Jesus is? Don’t just say what your parents taught you to say. Don’t just say what will make you look good in the crowd you’re currently in. Don’t say either just whatever culture today says Jesus is. From your life experiences with God and from your studies of Him yourself, who is Jesus to you? Is He just a God you claim to follow because socially where you’re at it would be big issue if you said otherwise? Or is He truly your Lord who you trust your life to and follow the lead of? This Easter season is the perfect time to answer this question for yourself. Who is Jesus to you? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 870
- An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed. Matthew 16:4 – The ones who were against Jesus wanted a sign to prove Jesus truly was the Messiah. Jesus responded by saying no sign will be given except the “sign of Jonah.” What’s that? The death and resurrection of Jesus. Just as Jonah was in the fish three days so will Jesus be in the tomb three days and rise again. This will be their evidence, the sign they are asking for. Yet for those who see this sign yet still refuse to believe, there is no hope for them. Today we are celebrating that the sign of Jonah has been given. Jesus died, was buried, was in the tomb three days, yet now is alive and seated on the throne of Heaven. All the evidence we need to believe in Jesus has already been given. Now that everything is laid in your lap, what will you do with it? Will you keep searching for more proof of God’s love for you? More proof than the crucifixion? Will you keep searching for more signs that Jesus is who He says He is? Will you choose to believe what has been revealed already and place your trust in God? For those who believe Easter is the most beautiful story to remember and has an everlasting blessing for us attached to it. For those who reject to believe what Jesus did, Easter then has no joy for you. My prayer today is that you will choose to accept the truth that Jesus loves you, has died to be with you, and is alive again by His power to forever walk with you. If you need to talk about all this, DM me and I’d love to walk through any of this with you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1966
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