The Sign of Jonah

Sermon for Wednesday of Reminiscere

Matthew 12:38-50

February 28th, 2026

“An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.”

Only a few verses before our Gospel reading tonight Jesus healed a blind and mute demon possessed man. All the people who saw it were amazed and begin asking “Can this be the Son of David?” When the Pharisees hear about the miracle they say: “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.”

The healing of a blind and mute demon possessed man by Jesus should lead scribes and Pharisees to see that Jesus is opposed to satan, instead they accuse Jesus of working for satan. Now they want another sign. Like that would convince them? There is nothing Jesus could possibly to do that would give them what they want except His death. The scribes and Pharisees are playing a game. A deadly game.

The scribes and Pharisees have heard Jesus teaching with authority. They’ve failed to successfully challenge his teaching. They’ve seen His sinless lifestyle that is above reproach. They’ve witnessed His signs and miracles. They know He’s not a fake. They know His signs and miracles are real - and that scares them.

Jesus is a threat to their way of life. If Jesus continues to grow in power and influence with the people it will destroy their way of life and everything they hold dear. Their religion, their nation, their god. They are afraid that the world is going to follow Jesus and then Rome is going to come in and take it all away. Their way of life and nation will be over. The scribes and Pharisees don’t care if this is the Son of David or not. They want to destroy Him. They have chosen their god, and it is not Jesus.

Jesus is obviously disgusted with their request for a sign. How many signs does He have to give? “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” Jesus can see into their hearts. He knows their unbelief and evil intent.

The reference to an adulterous generation is a reference to those who claim to be in the true Church and loyal to God. But their works and words show they are unfaithful. Those outside the Church cannot be adulterous in their works and words because they openly reject God. They never claimed to united to Him in faith.

But those who claim to be in the Church, one with God through faith, yet who twist and pervert God’s Word, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men, their works and words expose them as unfaithful and adulterous. Their adulterous relationship is with satan. They have divorced themselves from the true God and become one with the father of lies and god of this world.

Indeed the scribes and Pharisees would be given a sign. The greatest sign, the greatest miracle was yet to come for them and for the world. Their hatred for Jesus would grow and lead to murder. Jesus would be crucified. And like Jonah in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights, Jesus would lay for three days and three nights dead in the tomb and then rise on the third day from the dead.

The miracle of Jonah was pointing forward to the greatest miracle in the history of the universe - Jesus resurrection from the dead. The belief in the resurrection of Jesus - is the touchstone by which all true believers of Christ are distinguished from His enemies.^[1]

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The Cross is the pinnacle of Jesus work. It is His hour of glory. But the resurrection is the final Word. Without the Resurrection the Cross is just another death. But with the resurrection Jesus death on the Cross is the new creation. The flesh and blood of Jesus is the doorway to eternal life. Through the flesh and blood of Jesus on the Cross we are saved and made new and given hope beyond today and this broken world.

Who can understand this? Not the scribes and Pharisees. They demand not a sign of faith, but a sign of the flesh. Only those reborn through the Spirit and the Word with faith can grasp such a mystery. It is not understood with reason or intellect of the flesh. It is the foolishness of the Cross which is hidden from the wise and intellectuals of this world . But you and I have been given eyes to see and believe the mystery hidden for ages but now revealed to His saints.

Those who reject the resurrection of Christ crucified will be judged eternally. The resurrection to life will not be theirs. The rejection of the greatest miracle in the history of the universe will result in the greatest tragedy that could ever befall a body and soul created by God. The extreme opposite and only other alternative to the resurrection to life eternal is eternal separation from God. That is hell. That is eternal death. It’s an unfathomable horror.

The men of Nineveh repented and turned from their sin at the preaching of Jonah. The queen of Sheba came and heard the Godly wisdom of Solomon and rejoiced at his words. The scribes and Pharisees have refused to listen to Jesus and words. They have rejected the signs. They are responsible for the judgment they will receive on judgment day.

We live in an evil and adulterous generation. What makes us different from the scribes and Pharisees? Our flesh, the world, and satan are constantly telling us that Jesus is a fake. He’s going to ruin our life we listen to Him. The flesh, the world, and satan tempt us to seek signs and validation in things that are not of God. We can listen and follow if we choose. Become one with this evil and adulterous generation. Divorce ourselves from God. Commit spiritual adultery by rejecting the faith we were baptized into. We wouldn’t be the first.

Or we can continue in the ways of faith that each one of us were born into through hearing the Words of Christ. He who began the good work in you will continue that work in the same way it began. Through hearing God’s Word with faith.

We stay in the faith and see the sign of Jonah always before us only by continuing to hear what God speaks and receive what He gives. It is the only way of faith. It is the power of salvation. It is the path and the light of the Cross that leads to Easter.

There is no Easter without the Cross. Because on the Cross is the flesh and blood of Jesus. His flesh and blood is the food that we eat and drink that gives us life. As long as we never lose sight of that Cross and the flesh and blood of Jesus given and shed for you and me we will always see the sign of Jonah. It is Easter. It is the final Word. It is our life. Hear it. Receive it. And live. Thanks be to Jesus. In Jesus name. Amen.