Matthew 12:38 says, Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. Some of the scribes and Pharisees asked Jesus for a sign that He was the Messiah. The only sign that they would really get was the sign of the cross and empty tomb after His death, and they, like we, would have to accept Him by faith. Verse thirty-nine declares, But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: Jesus said an evil and perverse generation sought after a sign, and that His three days in the tomb like Jonah's three days in the belly of the whale before he was delivered to life again would be the only sign. Verse forty adds, For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. This is what I just stated. We either believe this or not, but it is the only way to salvation and we will be given no other sign. Verse forty-one continues, The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. Jesus said the men of Nineveh would rise up in judgment against these scribes and Pharisees, because the men of Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah, and they did not repent at the preaching of Jesus, One Who was much greater than Jonah. Verse forty-two says, The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment 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. Jesus said that they would also be judged by the queen of the south who came from the farthest reaches of the world to hear Solomon, and One much greater than Solomon was there. We live in a time after the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, so we will be held more accountable than those who did not believe in Him before He came I believe, just as the scribes and Pharisees were in that day. Verse forty-three declares, When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Verse forty-four adds, Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Verse forty-five continues, Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. Jesus compared the people of that day to one who had a demon cast out, and the demon not finding rest returned to the one that he was cast out of. Finding the man appearing to be sane, the demon would return with seven other spirits more wicked than himself and possess the man. I believe that what Jesus was saying is that we cannot clean our own life simply by having things appear normal. We may cast out one sin, but if we are not empowered by the Holy Spirit after accepting Jesus as our Savior and Lord, then we will ultimately just give in to a greater sin. Verse forty-six states, While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. While Jesus was talking to the people around Him, His mother and brothers came desiring to talk to Him. Verse forty-seven adds, Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. Someone told Jesus that His mother and brothers wanted to talk to Him. We are not told why they wanted to talk to Jesus, only that they did. As his earthly relatives, they may have felt that Jesus owed them more, or they might have simply been there to ask Him to come home where it would be safe, but that is speculation on my part. Verse forty-eight asks, But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? Jesus asked who His mother and brethren were, and it was not to be based on earthly ties, but on spiritual ones as we will see in the next verse. Verse forty-nine declares, And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! Then verse fifty adds, For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. The only way to have a personal relationship with Christ is through faith in the heavenly Father. I know some people pray to Mary, but I believe that we see here that she has no more influence with Jesus than any other believer. If we put our faith in Jesus as our Savior and Lord, then we have as much access to Him through the Holy Spirit as anyone else does.
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