Signs

Matthew 16:1-12

So I did catch a cold and it sucks. My throat hurts really bad and everytime I cough or sneeze it hurts. :( I took my vitamins, ate food, and had a good night sleep. I don't know what I lacked, but I want to get over this stupid cold as fast as possible. It just makes me feel so lazy. I feel like just going home and hibernating for a while. Too bad I have a lot of stuff due the next week and will probably have to study for a couple classes with exams coming up. This cold could not come at a better time.

Classes today were annoying because of my cold. Chinese I was just hoping the teacher wouldn't call on me to read something because talking hurts. Lab was tedious and I was done with the lab before we even started with the second part. I was just going through the motions, harassing the TA with questions, and pretty much making the TA do everything. Senior design was a waste of time because I absolutely couldn't think. This was a very unproductive day.

Pharisees Test Jesus
Reading: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%2016:1-12;&version=49;

The reading today was about another time when the Pharisees tested Jesus. They've been pretty persistent with the tests till now. The last time we read about the tests in Matthew was back in Galilee when they asked Jesus why His disciples did not follow the traditions of the elders. Jesus replied that it was not about what entered the mouth but what came out that defiled the man. He immediately rebuked and put down the traditions that the Pharisees so treasured and lived with.

This test was about vision. They said that when it is evening Jesus says it will be fair weather because the sky is red and when it is morning Jesus says there will be a storm because the sky is red. They were wondering if Jesus had any abilities in telling the future or any prophetic signs. Jesus replied to this saying that the wicked generation always seeks signs, but no signs will be given to them. How many of us always look for signs for truth? In an age where people are so desparate for vision, if we don't have a sign, we don't believe it. Why are people so into science? Because we can see something. We see a result. And we believe that result. We are always looking for signs. But Jesus tells us here that we will not be given any signs.

Jesus then goes on and His disciples forget to bring any bread. Jesus tells them to beware of the food that the Pharisees have. The disciples think that He said this because He realized that they did not have any bread. Immediately Jesus asks why they had so little faith. He fed them before, the five thousand, and the four thousand. Yet, they still don't believe that He is capable of supplying them with daily needs. The command was simply a warning against the Pharisees.

This is very important because we are always into signs. And when we do get a sign, we eat it up. When we are desparate for something and we get it, we'll be so into it that we forget everything else. Jesus is giving us a warning for that. We have to build up on our faith to protect against such things.