Don’t or Won’t See?

Don’t or Won’t See?
Being Spiritually Dull is Dangerous

Signs, Bread Aplenty! Beware Blinders & Busyness;
from Matthew 16:1-12

            Talk about missing the point! Jesus’ foes would not see, so they turned to testing Him to trap Him. Jesus’ disciples were slow to see, so they needed a wake-up rebuke and reminder. “Not getting it” often reveals intimate things about one’s heart. See if you can see what Matthew was showing us from these two related encounters with Jesus:

            “The Pharisees and Sadducees approached, and tested him, asking him to show them a sign from heaven. 2 He replied, “When evening comes you say, ‘It will be good weather because the sky is red.’ 3 And in the morning, ‘Today will be stormy because the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to read the appearance of the sky, but you can’t read the signs of the times. 4 An evil and adulterous generation demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” Then he left them and went away.

            5 The disciples reached the other shore, and they had forgotten to take bread. 6 Then Jesus told them, “Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”  7 They were discussing among themselves, “We didn’t bring any bread.”

            8 Aware of this, Jesus said, “You of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves that you do not have bread? 9 Don’t you understand yet? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand and how many baskets you collected? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand and how many large baskets you collected? 11 Why is it you don’t understand that when I told you, ‘Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees,’ it wasn’t about bread?” 12 Then they understood that he had not told them to beware of the leaven in bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”  (Matthew 16:1-12 – CSB)

Don’t or Won’t See? Doubt, Dullness is Dangerous

Unified Foes = Focused Fools. Testing isn’t Truth Seeking (vs. 1)

·         Strange Bedfellows are a Sign of ill motives, ungodly methods  

·         Demanding our terms is a damnable power play, control ploy

Beware Willful, Selective Hearing / Seeing  (vs. 2-4a)

·         Discerning the Physical, but Ignoring the Spiritual (cf. Rev. 16:9, 11)

·         Not a matter of IQ, but “I Will!” – the Proverbial “fool” (Psalm 14:1)

·         A sign of willfully wickedness, spiritual adultery  (Romans 1:18-24)

Jesus’  Resurrection is Ultimate Sign, Our Faith Focus (4b, cf. 12:39)

·         Grace: “none… but sign of Jonah.” WOW! The Greatest Sign

·         "If they do not listen to… the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'" Luke 16:31 (1 Corin. 15:1-9; Romans 1:4)

It’s Dangerous to be Spiritually Forgetful, or Dull (vs. 5-11)

·         They had one job! What’s yours? Distraction can lead to deception (Col 2:4-8)

·         Humbly hear Jesus: “O you of little faith… Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember… how many baskets you gathered? How is it that you fail to understand…?” (vs. 8-11) OUCH!   

·         Set eyes on, look to Jesus (Col. 3:1-3; Heb. 12;1, 2; John 15:1-5)

Better a Late “Ah, Ha!”  than Never  (vs. 12; John 20:26-31)

·         Beware subtle, contaminating influence of self-righteous pride, or arrogant “liberty”

·         False Teachers tickle, and tempt us to turn from Jesus (2 Timothy 4; 2 Corinthians 11:1-4)

·         Let Jesus bring application to His Teachings (cf. Matt 7:21ff; James 1:22)

·         How are you testing God? What terms and conditions do you set for the Almighty?

·         What are you avoiding hearing, doing? Repent, re-love, re-do (Rev. 2:4, 5; 3:19, 20; John 13:17)