Matthew 12:38–42Scripture
I had the privilege of flying to Orlando last week and spending a week there. It was a great time. I got to gather with I guess I'm one of them, but I got to gather with what I would consider a bunch of IT nerds and we got to hang out and figure out how we could best utilize technology to advance Bible translation around the world.
It was a fantastic time. We had many opportunities to not only be in the word but consider how we might bring the word to people who don't have the Bible in their heart language.
It's amazing today because we have so many people in the house today that maybe has five, six, eight Bibles at your disposal.
Multiple translations in fact. Take your pick. When you open the app on the Bible app, you can roll and see translation after translation in your native heart language. It is a wonderful privilege. We live in a land of abundance.
But this land that you live in, it's not everyone's world. There are places around the world where they still not have not had one word translated in their language. In fact, many villages and people around the world have never had the Bible in their hand. And so, this is immensely sad. So, we're trying to figure out how do we advance Scripture to the world? Just be grateful that you live in the land that you do. I know that it's popular today to not show much appreciation for living in America, but you are blessed.
You are blessed in more ways than you could imagine. And we should be grateful.
Introduction
We should be grateful. We should be grateful. Matthew 12:38 says this. Then some of the scribes and Pharisees, they answered him, saying, "teacher, we wish to see a sign from you."
We can get critical of the Pharisees here. I'll just stop for just a minute. I know I should read all the way through. It's never going to happen. It's never going to happen. I try. It's not going to happen. I just need to resign to the idea that it's possible, right? We in a lot of ways are similar here. There are some similarities here.
It is possible for you to not have your heart hardened so much that you will not ever repent and still desire a sign from Jesus.
As if what he hasn't done, it's not sufficient. It's not enough. It's okay to want things. How many of you have ever gotten mad at your child because they wanted something? Yeah. Well, some people raise their hand. I have too. But at the end of the day, we know that's part of their DNA. And God knows that about us, too.
But when you constantly want and you constantly get and you constantly are unsatisfied, it begins to speak something about your heart. They want another one. By the way, he's given several. He's healed a blind man. He's he's he's healed all kinds of things. He's cast out demons out of people. I mean, he's he guys, it's pretty evident who this man is. It's pretty evident at this point who this man is. Why are we asking for more?
Ladies and gentlemen, you don't have to be an American to understand that this world has an insatiable desire for more. It wants more. And the more we eat, the more we are unsatisfied. It's interesting. But he answered them, "an evil." He didn't mince words, by the way.
You ever think I'm too hard? Hang out with Jesus a little bit. And not the Jesus that you've constructed in your mind and your heart to flatter yourself.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 4:22
The Jesus of Scripture when you get crossways with him. You ever been crossways with the Lord? He here's what he does. Here's what he says in initiation of that. He doesn't say, "Oh, I love you evil and adulterous generation.
You seek for a sign, but no sign will be given to you. Except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it for she came. No, that's the wrong one.
And condemn it for they repented at the preaching of Jonah. Behold, something greater than Jonah is here.
Listen to this. This is
You want more and greater standing before you and you don't even see it.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 5:36
The queen of the south will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it. For she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And behold, something greater than Solomon is here. He's here.
We live in a world consumed with more. You want to know the title of my sermon? I'll give it to you. When more isn't enough.
And this really just kind of echoes into the room today. Reverberate reverberates across Pleasant Hill, the greater Kansas City area, the United States. And honestly, even in places where there's lack, there is an insatiable desire for more.
We want more. We need more money. Show me the money. I want more money. We want more hobbies, more activities, more food, more recognition.
Notice me, see me. I need to be seen. We fill our calendars. We constantly upgrading our possessions. We exhaust oursel pursuing the next thing we believe will finally be enough. But how many of you know no matter how much you obtain, it just does not satisfy?
How many of you know that your possessions become your prison?
Pastor Shawn Gray · 7:27
And I'm not even talking about tangible possessions. I'm talking about your insatiable need to be noticed.
To be seen. Pride will stir a hunger in you to the degree that you're chasing notoriety. And the marker of your life is not his plan for your life any longer. It is simply to be seen. That's why great men stand behind huge pulpit and fall under the pressure of this insatiable desire to be noticed.
Decisions are made behind pulpit for the church to be seen, to be noticed, to be viewed as a great leader. Are you with me today? And we are no different today.
When we break bread at Thanksgiving and Christmas, we don't know how to ask questions about others because we need for them to notice us more. We came that you may know us more. But what of you knowing others more?
Less of you, more of him. But I have a plan. Less of you, more of him. But I have an idea. Less of you.
But I have a need. Less of you. More of him.
I just want you to know
An appetite does not become holy simply because you bring it to church.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 9:11
Many of you today brought an appetite in here today. You're hungry. We can approach Christ with the same restless dissatisfaction that drives everything else in our life. We want another experience at church. I need an encounter. Show up, Lord.
If you're a believer and you walked in, he showed up when you walked in. But I need more. Tell you what I need. I need a goosebump. I need a feeling. I need a movement. I need the earth to tremble. Show me a sign this Sunday. Our prayers are marked by a desire for more. Jesus alone is not enough.
We manufacture movements in the church.
What if we didn't have instruments? What if our lights went out? What if we didn't have air conditioning? What would happen then? Is he enough for you?
Pastor Shawn Gray · 10:21
Or do you need more? Jesus is standing in their midst and he isn't enough. He is their provision. He is the great I am. He is El Shadai. He is all of that. And they miss him because they want more than what's before them. And if you think that you come to church and this isn't you, if you think you come to church and we haven't brought this idea into our fellowships, the way that we function, into the way that we pick our churches and fellowships, you're wrong.
You're wrong. We're raising a generation is getting married later and later. It's because we have options. Women have become a smorgus board of options and we are completely unsatisfied with options presented before us. So we wait, we look and we never discover.
The same go for men when women are looking for men. It is interesting because when you have options, you are completely unsatisfied with the options presented before you. And here we are.
We have Jesus before them. He is the greater thing they long for. And they reject him because they want more than what's before them. Let me ask you something. Let me ask you something. Is he enough? Let me really present this for you. If he doesn't show you a sign by healing you, is he enough? If he doesn't move on your behalf and answer your prayer the way you want, it's just simply him. Is Christ enough?
If he doesn't restore quick enough and move quick enough and answer your questions quick enough, is he enough?
Meanwhile,
We can become so occupied with what we want him to do that we fail to recognize who he already is.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 12:46
We live in a generation that lacks joy. We are a joyless generation. We are so occupied with what we want him to do that we can't be joyful about what he has already done. Man, he has given his life for you.
He has redeemed you from the curse. He has saved you from your sin. He has given you a new heart, those who believe in him. And the Pharisees, they're standing before the son of God and they're asking for more. When the heart refuses to surrender, more will never be enough. Even the presence of Christ will become another occasion to demand something else. Here's my points. This will be quick.
I'm trying Brook's preaching downstairs. So, I'm to the children. So, Sharon to the children. So, I'm I'm I'm gonna try to finish before her and make her panic. Okay. So, here we go. Just for kicks. It's fun. I get to do that. It's my this is my I'm trolling Brooke from the P. Anyway, sorry. I should keep these things in internal
Point 1More won't cure your rebellion
dialogue and keep my composure. It's going to be so fun though. Anyway, the point number one, more won't cure your rebellion.
If I just have another service, I'll be less rebellious.
You're not going to fix what's wrong in here by attending something out there. This is an inner work he's trying to do.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 14:38
But I'm chasing this and that and this and that and this and that and this and that trying to fix this. It's not how it works.
Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him saying, "Teacher, we wish a sign from you." But he said to them, "this is evil, an adulterous generation." You know why he says adulterous? You have a wife, you commit adultery because you want something more.
It's evil. If you think we just do this with our wives or with our husbands for with our loved ones and not with Christ, you're infinitely wrong.
We do this with him. God help us. No sign will be given to you except for the sign of Jonah. Now listen, their request, it sounds respectful, but it comes from hearts already resisting him. Earlier in this chapter, Jesus restores a man's withered hand. And the Pharisees began to plot his destruction. And then he delivers a demon-possessed man, and they attribute his work to Satan. These people are nuts, man. And now they want a sign.
They've already found reasons to reject what he's done and they are asking him to do something else. Listen, Jesus did not create evil in their hearts. His presence, track with me today, exposes what their religion had concealed.
Today in the church, some of the most offended people are offended because when Jesus shows up in the room, he exposes what you've been trying to conceal for years.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 16:26
This is not a delivery issue. Track with me here. It's not how truth comes across this pulpit. When you come face to face with Christ, it's convicting. When the disciples realize who he is, you know what they do? What up, homeboy?
High five. No, they fall down in fear and trepidation because I am a sinner. You remember Peter? And on. Think of the examples. Why does this happen when they're faced with the Messiah, the revealed Christ? Why do they? And this is what happens in Scripture. Christ is revealed. And once he's revealed beyond the level of being our homeboy to being the savior of the world, guess what happens? You become intimate with what you've been concealing for years. And it's offensive.
It's offensive. Don't think you're going to come to church and not be offended. Especially if you're crying for Christ to show up. He is truth and truth reveals the sin in you. Not your neighbor, not your husband, not your wife, not your mama, not your papa, not your auntie or your uncle. You have a sin problem. You, this has not been thrust upon you. You are the problem.
We need to understand that
When we come into this room, when we see his holiness clearly, we begin to see our sinfulness honestly.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 18:23
Our self-importance starts losing its footing because we're standing before someone whose glory leaves us with nothing to boast about. And we love to boast. To be pulled up with your significance, beaming at the radiance of your own self-importance while remaining untouched by your sin.
That ought to alarm you. If that's your Sunday, if that's your moments in the word in your private devotion life, you may have en learned to enjoy religious things while keeping your heart defended against the Lord. You have this ability to sit through a sermon identifying everybody else's failures and never considering your own. You can recognize the Pharisee across the room while protecting the one in your own heart.
And sometimes our demand for more is how we avoid dealing with what God has already made clear. We ask for direction while refusing obedience. We ask for confirmation while explaining away his commands. What are you waiting for God to do before you obey him? What have you made conditional upon him meeting your terms?
A heart determined to resist can turn another sign into another excuse.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 20:03
Until we resurrender, there will always be something else we say we need. More
Point 2More will forever be less than Christ
won't cure your rebellion. Number two, more will forever be less than Christ. Oh, that's good. Oh, man. Come on. But he answered them, "an evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to you to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so the son of man, not me, Jesus saying this of himself, will be there three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Jesus answered their demand by pointing them towards Jonah. Jonah was a rebel. He was rebellious. Tried to run away from what God wanted. And let me tell you something.
Good luck telling God no when he's decided you're going to tell him yes.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 21:12
And be thankful he snatches you up. Cuz if you weren't snatched, you wouldn't be saved. You were dead. You were not partly dead. You were dead. You know what I'm talking about? The princess's bride. You get the you get the you get it? He's only partly dead. No, he's fully dead. You're fully dead. And Jesus saved you. You're Lazarus dead.
Your corpse is stinking kind of dead. And
He calls you out of death and into life. Thank the Lord for his call.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 22:18
Thank the Lord that he beckons us. Thank the Lord it doesn't it's not as far as it depends on you. We praise the Lord that he has chosen us and that he has called us. We praise the Lord for this.
Jonah is the sign. The son of man will be three days and three nights in the belly of the earth. They are asking for another demonstration while standing before the one who will give himself for sinners. They want him to satisfy their demands and he announces the saving work they desperately need.
We're on the other side of the cross and the resurrection. Sometimes we come to church wanting more when he's standing right in our midst.
Be critical of the Pharisees all day long. Do that all day long. But with greater revelation comes a tremendous amount of responsibility for you. But know this, no matter what you long for, Christ is more than that. More will forever be less than Christ. What could they demand that would be greater than him?
What gift could ever surpass the giver? More will forever be less than Christ?
Pastor Shawn Gray · 23:56
You ever been in a time where you wonder if God has disappeared?
You ever been in a place where you love the Lord, but you're kind of mad at him? I really I'm looking out there like I can see your faces, but I can't. So, I'm not even going to I don't know. I hope you're nodding or something. I'll be like, I can't even see that. Thank you.
Wave helps. You ever been brokenhearted and wonder why God wouldn't mend that broken part in you?
No matter how much you come to church, no matter how much you read the Bible, no matter what you do, it seems like there seems to be this wound. You ever had a wound that just won't go away? And you cry out to the Lord. You beseech him. You faithfully attend church. You read the Bible daily. You daily. You daily.
You daily in the word. And the pastor keeps saying, "just read the word. Just read the word. It'll heal you. Just read the word. It'll it'll deliver you. Just read the word. It'll redeem you. Just read the word. You'll have peace. Just read the word. You'll have joy. Just read the word. Read the word. Read the word. Read the word.
It's not doing it. It's not doing the trick. What am I going to do?
Maybe that wound, maybe that thorn, maybe that issue, maybe that weakness, maybe that doubt, maybe that insecurity is working in you an opportunity to receive God as enough.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 25:53
Is he enough? What if he would have taken the thorn away from Paul? Sometimes your delivery becomes a disruption to his glory.
Sometimes your delivery becomes a disruption to his adoration. Sometimes a delivery becomes a disruption to your dependence on him. Track with me today. I know this is not a fun thing to hear, but can we just speak candidly that some things have been lingering for a while and no matter no amount of church attendance and prayer and Bible reading has delivered us from that thing we long to have to be delivered from. But let me just tell you today, if you have Jesus, you have more than enough. More than enough.
You can be in misery and have joy.
You can be in misery in the flesh and be satisfied in the spirit.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 27:20
Some of the happiest people I've ever met have been in chemo treatments because they've caught a glimpse of who stands before them.
And there is no cancer, there is no disease, there is no problem. And there is no hurt that can rob us from eternity with Christ.
You can kill this body, but you cannot kill this soul. We are his. He stands in our midst this morning. Don't miss him for a desire to have drums.
Are you with me today? Don't miss him for the desire to have a moving light and some haze. Don't miss him for the desire to have your song sung on a Sunday so you can truly feel them for once.
Don't miss them because the word's not served up the way you want it to be.
This is not about your wants. This is about who is in the room.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 28:33
Don't miss them today because you want more.
Point 3More light means more accountability
That's the heart of this text. Number three and the final one. I think I'm going to get her, guys. I think I'm gonna get her. The final one is this. More light means more accountability. The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with the generation and condemn it. I don't think that he means that the Ninevites are going to be in heaven and be like judgment, but it is a judgment. Their response to Jonah, their immediate repentance with just immediate repentance becomes an act of judgment against those that had greater standing before them.
Oh man. And that should caution you today. You should be cautious today. You that should awaken you today. More light means more accountability today. You have more light than ever.
You have more light than ever. The men of Nineveh repented at Jonah's preaching. The queen of the south traveled a great distance to hear Solomon's wisdom. Jesus declares that someone greater than Jonah and Solomon is standing before this generation.
And listen, Nineveh responded to a reluctant, rebellious prophet. These men are resisting God.
The queen traveled to hear wisdom from a man while they stand and who knows that this is from God while they stand within speaking distance of Christ and demand more. Jesus says those responses will testify against this generation at the judgment. I believe that it echoes across the generations from then till now and it will speak against you as well. Their exposure to greater truth makes their refusal more serious. And the more revelation we live in, the more serious our judgment.
And what will we say? We have Bibles in our homes, sermons on our phones, and more access to biblical teaching than we could exhaust in multiple lifetimes. What are we doing with the truth we have already heard?
Hearing another sermon does not excuse refusing the last one. Knowing the language of repentance does not replace turning from sin.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 31:18
We can ask for revival and refuse reconciliation.
We can pray for God to move while protecting the bitterness, dishonesty, pride, lust, and secret sin his word is trying to expose in our hearts. We can blame it on all the things around us and refuse to understand we have a sin problem ourself. And there is the trouble today. We live in a generation that wants to reassign everything and blame everyone and take no blame for our self.
It's us against the man, against the establishment, against the perpetrators of injustice.
But what of you? That's the question today.
We live in a generation much similar to that generation then.
Pharisees were good at identifying where injustice was happening while being initiators of injustice themselves because they had a sin problem.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 32:32
And their refusal to repent was because their focus was on everything else and everyone else and not themsel.
And the world today wants you to focus on everything but you and your problem.
He receives sinners who come to him. That's good news. His mercy gives you every reason to stop hiding. Some of us have spent years asking God for more while withholding the surrender his word requires. We've asked for another confirmation, another experience, another movement, another moment that would finally make obedience easier. Meanwhile, the truth we already know stands unanswered in our lives. Jesus Christ was crucified for sinners, raised from the dead. Today, trust his mercy.
Bow beneath his authority and rest in his care.
When a heart refuses to surrender, more will never be enough. But the sinner who comes to Christ will find a savior sufficient to save.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 33:51
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