Mark 8:12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.
Oh Friends, it’s a beautiful morning, let’s be up and at ’em! (smile) Okay, so it’s not a beautiful day in your neck of the woods, and truthfully, neither is it in mine. However, I’m sure that in some part of God’s wonderful planet Earth, a beautiful day has dawned with sparkling sunshine and will continue that way, until it ends in a fiery blaze of orange, gold and crimson, as the sun sets behind the horizon. I’m therefore telling the truth, since I didn’t say exactly where the day was beautiful. In fact though my people, each and every day that we’re alive is a beautiful day, whether or not it’s reflected in Mother Nature. Please get that salted away in your hearts, souls and minds. As the song says, the Promised Land is not Africa, America, Europe, Asia or anywhere physical; ‘The Promised Land is a state of mind.’ And that’s quite true, for there’s nowhere in this world that actually reflects or matches our writings and thoughts on the subject. The Promised Land is a vision; a vision of faith we hold before us, a Utopian place we visualize as the ultimate venue for good living. It takes faith and hope to envision it. Note Bruh Paul’s words: ‘For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience (perseverance) wait (eagerly) for it.’ (Rom.8:24-25) Exactly Friends! Unlike the Pharisees of Jesus’ time, we have hope and faith, but they came to Jesus ‘and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him.’ (Mark 8:11) But those supposedly learned people were as Jesus said, truly blind, because after seeing all the miracles He did and His familiarity with the scriptures, you’d think they would at least be inclined to look seriously at His claims. But so taken up were they with their own egos, social and political positions, fearing they would lose that good life they enjoyed, they refused to even consider Jesus as the long awaited Messiah, especially since the scriptures envisioned their Saviour as being more of a warrior king, certainly not a poor, itinerant preacher. The scholars though claim that this particular group of Pharisees weren’t really interested in Jesus’ message, but were either out to satisfy their own curiosity, or gather evidence against Him, to prove He was one of Lucifer’s minions. Remember when ‘the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.’ (Mark 3:22) The Jewish rulers were so intent on getting rid of Jesus, they would stop at nothing to do so. They were so blinded by their hate, anger and fear that they did not even consider it possible that having done all He’d done, Jesus could read their minds or at least discern the reasoning behind their questions. Oh Friends, there’s really none so blind as he who refuses to see! But anyway, Jesus was on to them, and it’s noteworthy that the Good Book says, ‘he sighed deeply in his spirit,’ before answering them. This ‘sigh or groaning’ of Jesus is reflected in other places too. For example when He opened the ears and loosened the tongue of the deaf, speech impaired man. ‘And looking up to heaven, he sighed…’ (Mark 7:34) Also when He came to deal with Lazarus’ death, He ‘groaned in the spirit and was troubled…again groaning in himself.’ (John 11: 33,38) The scholars claim that this signifies Jesus’ inner emotional and spiritual fervour as He entreats the Father to undo the wrong. Hn! I don’t know if the sigh in our Bit would fall under that explanation nuh. I think Jesus was more fed up and tired, exasperated with the foolish games the Pharisees were playing. (smile) He might’ve been more asking the Father to give Him the patience to answer them sensibly and not just strike them down dead where they stood. And if so, the Father granted Him that desire, for He calmly replied: ‘Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.’ Then He left them, got into a boat and went over to the other side. Oh Friends, don’t you just LOVE how Jesus could rag on the stupid, hypocrite Pharisees an’ dem! He was being derogatory because they refused to accept Him as the Messiah in spite of all the solid evidence He provided. According to Matthew, others apparently also asked Jesus for a sign, and His answer was: ‘An evil and adulterous (unfaithful to God) generation asketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.’ (Mat.12:39-41) Jesus was obviously referring to His death and resurrection. Then He further rebuked them by saying that the people of Nineveh would judge them harshly ‘because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, a greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the south shall rise up in judgement with this generation; and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon: and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.’ (Mat.12:41-42) Jesus was simply pointing out that the Ninevites repented after a lowly prophet like Jonah warned them of coming tribulations for their ungodliness, and how the queen of Sheba travelled a great distance to hear Sol and marvelled at his riches and wisdom and believed on the Lord. (1 Kin.10:1-13) Yet they, in their ungodly wisdom and great arrogance refused to listen to and believe Him, who was much greater than both Jonah and Sol. Ah Friends, do we feel as the Pharisees did? Are we also looking for signs before we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour? Unfortunately, Jesus doesn’t do signs for signs sake. He deals in truth and faith, and expects those who follow Him to do the same. But enough for now. More tomorrow, God willing. Till then: LOVE your God, LIVE your Faith, and SPREAD His Word! Much LOVE!…signs are for those who don’t know where they’re going…believers do…
Oh Friends, it’s a beautiful morning, let’s be up and at ’em! (smile) Okay, so it’s not a beautiful day in your neck of the woods, and truthfully, neither is it in mine. However, I’m sure that in some part of God’s wonderful planet Earth, a beautiful day has dawned with sparkling sunshine and will continue that way, until it ends in a fiery blaze of orange, gold and crimson, as the sun sets behind the horizon. I’m therefore telling the truth, since I didn’t say exactly where the day was beautiful. In fact though my people, each and every day that we’re alive is a beautiful day, whether or not it’s reflected in Mother Nature. Please get that salted away in your hearts, souls and minds. As the song says, the Promised Land is not Africa, America, Europe, Asia or anywhere physical; ‘The Promised Land is a state of mind.’ And that’s quite true, for there’s nowhere in this world that actually reflects or matches our writings and thoughts on the subject. The Promised Land is a vision; a vision of faith we hold before us, a Utopian place we visualize as the ultimate venue for good living. It takes faith and hope to envision it. Note Bruh Paul’s words: ‘For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience (perseverance) wait (eagerly) for it.’ (Rom.8:24-25) Exactly Friends! Unlike the Pharisees of Jesus’ time, we have hope and faith, but they came to Jesus ‘and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him.’ (Mark 8:11) But those supposedly learned people were as Jesus said, truly blind, because after seeing all the miracles He did and His familiarity with the scriptures, you’d think they would at least be inclined to look seriously at His claims. But so taken up were they with their own egos, social and political positions, fearing they would lose that good life they enjoyed, they refused to even consider Jesus as the long awaited Messiah, especially since the scriptures envisioned their Saviour as being more of a warrior king, certainly not a poor, itinerant preacher. The scholars though claim that this particular group of Pharisees weren’t really interested in Jesus’ message, but were either out to satisfy their own curiosity, or gather evidence against Him, to prove He was one of Lucifer’s minions. Remember when ‘the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.’ (Mark 3:22) The Jewish rulers were so intent on getting rid of Jesus, they would stop at nothing to do so. They were so blinded by their hate, anger and fear that they did not even consider it possible that having done all He’d done, Jesus could read their minds or at least discern the reasoning behind their questions. Oh Friends, there’s really none so blind as he who refuses to see! But anyway, Jesus was on to them, and it’s noteworthy that the Good Book says, ‘he sighed deeply in his spirit,’ before answering them. This ‘sigh or groaning’ of Jesus is reflected in other places too. For example when He opened the ears and loosened the tongue of the deaf, speech impaired man. ‘And looking up to heaven, he sighed…’ (Mark 7:34) Also when He came to deal with Lazarus’ death, He ‘groaned in the spirit and was troubled…again groaning in himself.’ (John 11: 33,38) The scholars claim that this signifies Jesus’ inner emotional and spiritual fervour as He entreats the Father to undo the wrong. Hn! I don’t know if the sigh in our Bit would fall under that explanation nuh. I think Jesus was more fed up and tired, exasperated with the foolish games the Pharisees were playing. (smile) He might’ve been more asking the Father to give Him the patience to answer them sensibly and not just strike them down dead where they stood. And if so, the Father granted Him that desire, for He calmly replied: ‘Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.’ Then He left them, got into a boat and went over to the other side. Oh Friends, don’t you just LOVE how Jesus could rag on the stupid, hypocrite Pharisees an’ dem! He was being derogatory because they refused to accept Him as the Messiah in spite of all the solid evidence He provided. According to Matthew, others apparently also asked Jesus for a sign, and His answer was: ‘An evil and adulterous (unfaithful to God) generation asketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.’ (Mat.12:39-41) Jesus was obviously referring to His death and resurrection. Then He further rebuked them by saying that the people of Nineveh would judge them harshly ‘because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, a greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the south shall rise up in judgement with this generation; and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon: and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.’ (Mat.12:41-42) Jesus was simply pointing out that the Ninevites repented after a lowly prophet like Jonah warned them of coming tribulations for their ungodliness, and how the queen of Sheba travelled a great distance to hear Sol and marvelled at his riches and wisdom and believed on the Lord. (1 Kin.10:1-13) Yet they, in their ungodly wisdom and great arrogance refused to listen to and believe Him, who was much greater than both Jonah and Sol. Ah Friends, do we feel as the Pharisees did? Are we also looking for signs before we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour? Unfortunately, Jesus doesn’t do signs for signs sake. He deals in truth and faith, and expects those who follow Him to do the same. But enough for now. More tomorrow, God willing. Till then: LOVE your God, LIVE your Faith, and SPREAD His Word! Much LOVE!…signs are for those who don’t know where they’re going…believers do…
SCRIP-BITS 