“Lord Jesus, have mercy on us that our generation looks for signs and wonders. Instead of seeking You, we seek miracles and signs. Have mercy on us. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.”
Acts 2:40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.”
The Pharisees were disputing with Jesus and were testing Him, by asking Him for a sign. Mark 8:11-12 Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him. (12) But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation.”
They were not willing to place their trust in Him. They were not willing to submit to Him and they were not willing to walk in His ways. Signs and wonders will surely follow but what is important is to believe in Jesus, submit to Him as King, and walk in His ways.
Matthew 16:2-4 He answered and said to them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; (3) and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times. (4) A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” And He left them and departed.
Jesus called this generation hypocrites, wicked and adulterous that seek signs. The only sign that the Lord gives us is the sign of Jonah.
What is the sign of Jonah?
Matthew 12:38-40 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” (39) But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. (40) For 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 sign of Jonah is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. This is the non-negotiable core of the Gospel. It is only when we identify with His death, burial, and His resurrection that the Gospel of Jesus becomes a reality for us.
Luke 11:29-32 And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. (30) For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation. (31) The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here. (32) The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.
After the feeding of the five thousand, the people saw it as a sign and wanted to make Jesus, king. John 6:14-15 Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.” (15) Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.
The Lord knew why they were seeking Him. They were looking for immediate gratification and their needs to be met.
John 6:25-35 And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You come here?” (26) Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. (27) Do not labour for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”
The Lord longed for them to believe in Him for He was their habitat. (28) Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” (29) Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” (30) Therefore they said to Him, “What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? (31) Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘HE GAVE THEM BREAD FROM HEAVEN TO EAT.'” (32) Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. (33) For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” (34) Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread always.” (35) And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.
Let us seek Jesus, signs will follow.