•A Sermon by Dr. Bob Griffin, Pastor/Teaching Elder at Sovereign Grace Church
I. DEMANDING A SIGN
A. SEEKING DARKNESS
Matthew 16:1a The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Him . .
1. JEWISH LEADERS, BOUND BY LOVE OF DARKNESS
Pharisees and Sadducees bound in common opposition to Jesus
Blind hatred of Jesus united “Ritualists” and “Rationalists”
2. JESUS, THE TRUE LIGHT
John 1:7-11
Romans 1:20-23
I Corinthians 2:14
Psalm 82:5
Proverbs 4:19
Jeremiah 5:21-22
B. REJECTING LIGHT
Matthew 16:1b and tried to entrap Him by demanding a sign from heaven.
1. BLIND AMBITION
2. WHAT CONTRIBUTES TO MAN’S SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS?
Sin – John 3:19-21
Satan – II Cor 4:3-4
Self – Luke 2:34-35
Sovereign Judgment – Luke 19:42
II. DISCERNING A SIGN
A. UNDERSTANDING THE PHYSICAL
Matthew 16:2-3a He responded to them,“When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be good weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and gloomy.’”
1. FOLK METEROLOGY
2. PRIDE
B. INTERPRETING THE SPIRITUAL
Matthew 16:3b “Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, yet you cannot interpret the signs of the times”.
1. REPLACEMENT
Man’s Wisdom chosen over God’s
Hypocrites
2. MODERN SOCIETY
Many have insight/discernment over things of this world
Missed the signs of His first coming.
Short-sighted on His second coming
Mark 13:4-13
II Thessalonians 2:7
I Timothy 4:1
II Peter 2:1-3
II Peter 3:3-4
III. DECLARING A SIGN
A. REGRESSING INTO ERROR
Matthew 16:4a “An evil and adulterous generation demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the ‘sign of Jonah’.”
1. ATTITUDE OF THIS GENERATION
2. SIGN OF JONAH
Matthew 12:39-41
Matthew 28:11-15
B. ABANDONING
Matthew 16:4b So He left them and walked away.
1. LEFT BEHIND
Romans 1:24-32
2. CHANGING MINISTRY