Sophisticated Fools - Part II Matthew 16:1-4

Matthew 16:1-4 and the Signs of the Times

Last week was part one of our sermon through Matthew chapter 16 verses 1 through 4. We looked at the first three and a half verses and this morning We are going to look at the end of verse 3 and verse 4.

The reason we are taking so much time to focus on such a small portion of scripture that there is so much relevance in these verses to our present day and It's worth meditating Carefully on what the text says and its relevance to what we are seeing in the world that we live in.

So at this time I encourage you to turn in a Bible with me to Matthew chapter 16. If you see one of those red Bibles is on page 976 this two Sunday sermon is titled Sophisticated fools. We'll begin by reading the whole text if you if you missed last week's sermon.

It is on the website so you can listen to that. But here's a but before we jump into the the sermon here I'm going to begin by reading here verses 1 through 4 and the Pharisees and Sadducees Came and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.

He answered them when it is evening. You say it will be fair weather for the sky is red and in the morning It will be stormy today for the sky is red and threatening. You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.

An Evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah so he left them and Departed. Here's a big idea once again. Understand that sharp minds often miss the things of God and Our first reason why that we saw one week ago is that rebellious humans? intentionally miss God's Truth.

Blindness to God-Orchestrated Events

Here's our second reason and this will be the focus of this morning. Sharp minds often miss the things of God and the second reason why is that rebellious humans are blind to God? Orchestrated events.

Happening before their eyes. Rebellious humans are blind to God orchestrated events happening before their eyes. Now in the first point we looked at how unbelievers generally miss the things of God. They have no problem rejecting God and his word because they are inconvenient to their sinful lifestyle.

We saw that quote last week from Elders Huxley the offer of the brave new world where he told them. Honestly, this is why we are atheists. This is why we reject the Bible. This is why we reject God. It's because it's not convenient to our sinful lifestyle.

Now in the second point we are going to zero in on what they are specifically. Missing when Jesus is talking to the Pharisees Pharisees and Sadducees. In the second of verse three he tells the Pharisees and Sadducees that you cannot interpret the signs of the times.

So they miss the signs of the times. So not only are they missing the general realities that God is creator. That they are sinners that they need saving and the judgment is coming. But they also miss the major events orchestrated by God.

Happening right before their eyes. Now when you hear the phrase the signs of the times this brings to mind a prophecy fulfilled in the latter part of history. What we must understand about the Old Testament is that it only told of one coming of the Messiah.

We know now that there are two coming to the Messiah because we get later revelation from the New Testament. When Jesus came the believing Jews thought that Jesus was going to restore the kingdom of Israel.

We know this because in the beginning of Acts. Right before Jesus ascends to heaven. What did the disciples say to Jesus? Will you now? Restore to us the kingdom of Israel and by the way, this is this gives a clear evidence that there will be a 1 ,000 year reign of Christ because that is what the 1 ,000 year reign of Christ is is fulfilling God's promises to Israel.

Just as they are laid out in the Old Testament and the disciples rightly Expected there to be a kingdom of Israel where Israel will be a superpower. Where Christ will reign from Jerusalem and where he will wrap up world history.

Before the eternal state that is coming, but that was not God's plan for it to happen right then the New Testament Gave new revelation that revealed that there would be a gap in history. Between the first coming of Christ and the second coming this was news to them.

Almost 2 ,000 years have gone by since Christ ascended to heaven with this in mind. We have been in the last days for almost 2 ,000 years. The Messiah came when he came the first time to pay for sins.

But at his second coming it will be to judge the world and gather his people as Hebrews 9 28 says so Christ. Have you been offered once to bear the sins of many? Will appear a second time not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

What Jesus is telling the Pharisees and Sadducees is that this book that they say that they believe. This book from where they draw their history. Foretold the Messiah. And what Jesus is telling them is that he is that Messiah and yet this long foretold Messiah.

They want nothing to do with him. He stands right before him. We don't want you. We want a Messiah of our own Imagination and Jesus goes after him here as we saw one Sunday ago. They can observe the regular activities of the world right sailing was so big at this point in history.

When the sky is this way. It's safe. You know, you know what weather is coming when it's this way. It's threatening. You're not gonna set sail. You can observe the world that you live in but you cannot observe the things of God.

Now it's interesting reading this as those who live in 2021. When we see the phrase signs of the times this should perk our attention. The world has always been a crazy place. But what we see in our present time is unique.

February 2020 before Kovat seems so far away. Does anybody remember that world? I don't. The world was different then in March 2020 everything changed the whole world shut down from Kovat 19. Those first few weeks felt apocalyptic.

I'm fascinated asking people who have lived 60 70 80 90 years like Elvin and Susan. If they have ever seen anything like this and their answer is the same. They haven't these are people who lived through the Great Depression Pearl Harbor World War two the Kennedy assassination and 9 -11.

Those events rattled the world, but still. Nothing like what came on this earth in March of 2020. It's not just the virus all the other things that happened as well. And if one wants to learn about the end of the world, there is only one place to look.

This book right here has the answers. The Bible tells us clearly how this world is going to end. I Notice a trend in our day where a lot of theologians are trying to to Explain away the details and pretty much just say let's just understand the theology of the end times.

You know the the big picture of the character of God and and things like that, which is true. But the details are in the book. And he wouldn't have given us the details if he didn't want us to know them.

So let's study the details. The Bible tells us clearly how this world is going to end and when the secular world Puts forward theories about how the world will end. I remember reading watching a show one time 10 most likeliest what likeliest ways the world will come to an end and they were talking about black hole Gamma-rays, I mean, you know things like that, you know, really interesting interesting showing anything nice thing about is the Christian.

You know that none of these things are gonna happen. But still the world actually believes these things something is going to happen. The most recent one I've heard is that the Sun is gonna run out of juice.

Like six billion years from now and everybody's so sad. I don't know. You'll be dead. I mean who cares right? But there's only one Place where we get the true answers about this world's final days. And that's the Word of God the place to look more than all others in Scripture is the book of Revelation.

The first three chapters of the book is historical as Jesus addresses the seven churches. But the rest of the book describes future events events that have not yet Happened and there's a war on this in Christianity, by the way.

People are trying to say well all these events happened in the first century. Hogwash, they did not happen in the first century. There's 100 pound Pieces of ice that are gonna fall from the sky. That hasn't happened historically not even close half the world's population is gonna die.

That hasn't happened historically. This is all future. This ancient book Talks about a one-world currency. What when does that happen in history? Okay, I'm gonna stop saying this a one world government a one world ruler and a one world religion.

During most of the last 2 ,000 years. It was hard to see how this would all be set up. This is so because of a lack of technology. A Lack of technology meant the world had to be regional. Powerful people and powerful governments could only control smaller regions.

But this is not so anymore. In recent years we have seen a globalist movement develop. People in this world have always been evil. But when the world is regionalized Evil is restrained. Look at the Tower of Babel.

They all come together and God says this isn't good. These people are gonna come up with some really evil plans. So what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna spread them all over the earth. That's what's happened.

Evil leaders in different corners of the earth are unable to unite unless you have technology. Which we have. We have a globalist movement that has developed and there are even politicians talking about a one-world currency.

Evil governments use crisis to gain power and what we have seen not only in this country But also all over the world is that governments have gained more control over people's lives. We still have a lot of freedom where we live but other places not so much.

A place like China has very little freedom and countries are becoming more like China. Australia is One example of this and in our country, there's every effort to control Americans as well. Right now in America what we are seeing is half democracy and half oligarchy now what the founders planned by the way.

What is an oligarchy. An oligarchy is a small percentage of powerful people? They come together to run the country in America right now. It's the federal government the mainstream media. Secular universities big tech like like Facebook and Twitter.

By the way, we have a Facebook account. They haven't they haven't censored us yet, but we're on there large corporations like coca-cola and Apple and Walmart and Hollywood. Why is it that sports leagues are moving all-star games out of cities because the local government did something they didn't like.

It's because the federal government and large corporations are working together. To advance an agenda and when states make laws that go against that agenda. They show the power that they have you see this was censorship censorship.

When someone with influence post something that hurts their agenda that threatens their powers. So they take it down. The oligarchy is real and I hope all of us see that and they're not for you. Okay, understand that.

They're not for you. Now in America, we still have some form of a democracy because our founding fathers Made it very difficult for a small group of corrupt powerful people to take over this country. But these powerful elitist institutions are trying to run the country and let me tell you that this power structure is not going away.

Okay, we know how the Bible ends. Okay. But the good news is there is resistance and the resistance is made up of mostly common people. Like you but this is the future of America. There will be this ongoing cultural civil war between corrupt powerful people and ordinary people who know evil when they see it and want to fight against it as Christians we need to be a part of the resistance.

Okay, let me say that again we need to be a part of the resistance. Ever seen Star Wars kind of like that. Okay now. Yeah, that I've wrestled with this right? Okay. Let let me let me let me be very clear on something.

Being part of the resistance does not mean being vulgar. Okay. It does not mean using tactics that are sinful. It means doing what John the Baptist did. It is not lawful for you to take her as your wife.

Or what Jesus did? When he called out evil leaders or what the prophets did or what the Apostles did? We want to be like them not Going in the sewer. Okay, I'm gonna be very clear on that and the goal is Two things we pray for repentance.

We call for repentance and we call for justice. If repentance doesn't come then we want justice. King David Always was calling for justice against his enemies and we should do the same right? We want to be biblical.

That's the whole goal here and with those common people who see evil but are not born-again Christians. What an opportunity it is to share the gospel with those people. I know those people in my own life.

They are trying to hold on to the good of this country, but may we offer them the greatest hope Jesus Christ. He will destroy every evil power in the future and those who belong to him will dwell with him in forever glory.

That's what we can offer people. It is the only thing we can offer people that truly matters that truly lasts. But as we think about what is happening in this country and in our world. How many Christians recognize the times that we live in go back to the second half of verse 3?

You don't recognize the signs of the times. He's telling this to the Pharisees and Sadducees. So do we recognize the signs of the times that we live in the Christian who thinks that what is happening in? our country and in the world is Normal and that those who are raising concerns are alarmist.

You know an alarmist is someone who yells fire when there is no fire. People who say that you know, there's nothing to see here. These people are overreacting. Those people are either dishonest or ignorant.

Pastoring in these times is much different than pastoring in 2019. Listen to my service for 2019. They might sound a little different. I don't know. I preach with more urgency today than I did early on in my ministry here because I see evil advance.

I See that Christ's return may be very close. Evil has accelerated and when evil accelerates Christians need to pay close attention. The message is clear. The world's not going to go on forever. This world will come to an end.

Look at the national debt, for example. It's outrageous you can't keep up you can't keep up this pace. Look at look at the look at the tension and the instability in the Middle East. Can't keep up with this look at China gaining more and more power, which is an evil government.

Can't keep up. The Bible describes major events happening around us as birth pains. Matthew 24 8 after describing the crises of the world. Jesus said these are but the beginning of birth pains. Now I am a man and I don't know what it's like to have birth pains.

But I witnessed my wife experiences during her two pregnancies. The way birth pains work is that the closer to the birth you get the greater the intensity of the contractions as The contractions increase the birth of the baby is close.

This is how world history is as. The events increase and as the events get bigger and bigger the end is close. What we experienced in 2020 was a big contraction. Now you might be asking how close is Christ's return.

I Don't know the answer to that. None of us do. Jesus said in Mark 13 32 that none of us know the day or the hour. But when we see these things happen We should know it is getting closer. And we should live in light of that just like Doug said this morning teach us to number our days.

That we may have a heart of wisdom. And as we think about the end of the world We need to talk about how we must live right living with lives of wisdom. 2nd Peter chapter 3 verses 11 and 12. Peter describing the end times tells us this what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness.

Waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God. Okay, so as we see Christ return we want him to find us living for him living lives of holiness. Vigilant of his return when in 2nd Timothy, it says who are the ones who are going to be saved?

Those who long to see his appearing. May that be us and while we are here He calls us to live courageous lives for Christ's sake. This is a virtue that is a lacking that isn't talked about much. There's a lot of books out there about Living in the home and Living in church life, which is great, right?

We want those things. There's books to talk about the gentleness of Christ, which is which is good, right? Christ is gentle. But when is someone gonna write a book about the the courage of Christ. Has that been written?

I don't know. Maybe it has if it has. There aren't too many of them. We need courage. We need to be in prayer. We need to share the gospel with the lost we need to urge other Christians to wake up and Recognize the times in which we live.

There's a big problem with American Christianity. You've heard me tell you this before. I Completely missing what is going on? I believe God has removed his blessing from churches that have compromised in order to win the applause of the world.

These Christian institutions and churches are calculated in what they say because they don't want to face hostility. They don't want to be shut down. They see the climate of society. They see this oligarchy where the most power is and they're afraid.

They want to survive in this climate and in order to survive you need to compromise. So these places tone down the message. They're not on the front lines in the fight. They don't cover certain topics.

They care what the world thinks of them. They want to draw people. They think that if they take a stand they will lose people. But the great irony is that they are losing people and they're losing the wrong people.

You know who they're losing. The Christians who are full of conviction. The Christians who want to be courageous the Christians who want to stand for Christ no matter what that's who they're losing. The ones who don't care what the world thinks the ones who will stand on the Word of God no matter what it costs.

What a great irony that is any church or Christian institution that compromises severely as so many places have loses God's blessing. How do I know this. Look at how God dealt with Israel in the Old Testament.

When Israel went after other gods, he removed his blessing their land became a land of famine. They lost in war. They were taken captive by their enemies, but in Isaiah 66 to the Lord said this. This is the one to whom I will look he was humble and contrite and trembles at my word.

If you want God's blessing then humbly follow him. Fear him don't fear man. Tell the truth and not just some of the truth, but the whole truth. To the one who does this God is close to you. His blessing goes with you that's something I'm trying to try to explain to this church is I Want to tell you the whole?

Not just some of the truth. I think churches have become places where you know, we just don't we don't go certain places. Why is that where did that come from it and whoever said that I mean it doesn't tell us to do that in here.

I mean it comes from a Cultural a cart a cultural Conventional wisdom within Christianity. This is what seminaries I tell their pastors who are going to go out into the world and It just misses the whole point and it's so interesting right if you look at the Bible where did Jesus spend most of his time.

Away from the institution away from the people. He was in the Galilean region with ordinary people. Telling the truth. That's where John the Baptist was before he Before Christ was introduced. So think about think about this.

We want to have a pure Christianity not a watered-down cultural Christianity. In Matthew 1032 Jesus said everyone who acknowledges me before men I Will also acknowledge before my father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men I Also will deny before my father who is in Heaven.

If you're on a nationally televised show and someone asks you the question is Jesus the only way to heaven. Yes. Don't waffle around and I see that sometimes they've kind of waffle around just give a clear answer.

Yes, if you die apart from Christ, you will perish. That's what the Bible teaches. God is with the one who fears God not the one who fears man. How can God's blessing be on a church or a Christian institution that sees the oligarchy that sees the evil?

Globalistic power structure and Strategizes to figure out how we will survive. And that's happens all all over the place. Instead of saying we are going to do what's right and trust him to take care of us.

That needs to be the mentality and there's a spectrum on that. Some have compromised a ton while others have compromised less. Some have compromised just by being silent in Private they believe what I have explained to you, but they won't speak it publicly.

This group God is more patient with his blessing is still there. But it could be there more and my prayer and plea is that they join the other churches and Christian Organizations who are on the front lines in this present fight.

And what I have observed is that in the world and in America the churches that are thriving the most are the ones that haven't Compromised and the ones that haven't stayed. Silence, isn't that interesting?

People are flocking to these places and the ones that are floundering are the ones who have linked arms with the world. Right. God removes his blessing doesn't he and if you stand with God, he will stand with you.

But if you cower and compromise he is not pleased and he will remove his blessing. His blessing will only return if bail is removed. When Israel went after bail God forsake them. But when but when they turn from him that's when he returned to them in Matthew 6 24 you cannot serve two masters you either love one and you hate the other and.

Too many Christians are trying to serve two masters right now. What does God think but what does the world think. Who cares what the world thinks right? What does God think? That's the only thing we should be thinking about.

Now unbelievers, of course do not understand the times in which we live they're clueless. They think the world is going to go on forever. The unbelieving liberals think we are going to destroy this planet through carbon emissions.

While the unbelieving conservatives recognize that there is a problem and are desperate to fix it. But don't understand that this world will end when Christ returns. They don't understand that major events will happen that precede the end of the world.

So they are confused and want nothing to do With the evil that's going on, but they don't know what to do about it. But as history moves on. They don't understand that things will only get worse not better.

But that's the unbeliever. What about Christians? As I just mentioned it's sad that so many fail to see the times in which we live. But there is a legion of Christians who do understand who do see that there is a serious problem in the world.

That see there is compromise in the mainstream Church who do see that Christ's return may be very close. And so they live with that urgency. Jesus wants us to long for his appearing. We are told in Scripture to long and pray for Christ's return and The more we talk about the Christ's return the better we will live.

You think it might be the opposite? Oh, you're just thinking too much of the age to come. No, if we think about the age to come we will live better lives. And we are told to long and pray for his return in Revelation 22 20.

The Apostle John prays come Lord Jesus. But many Christians are missing the uniqueness of the time we live in. Most of the places that are more aware are smaller. Most of these people are unknown but it is just like God to work in this way as Paul wrote in the first Corinthians 1 verses 26 to 27 consider your Calling brothers.

Not many of you are wise according to worldly standards. Not many were powerful. Not many were of noble birth, but God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.

I wonder if I should say this, but I will say I'll say it. John Piper Wrote an article that was the worst article he's ever written to be frank and What the article showed me I disagreed with what he said.

What he said was. And it was about the vaccine. What he said was all the pressure is coming from the conservative side. And so if you're a conservative Christian, you should get the vaccine. Don't listen to those voices.

And I'm thinking how out of touch is this guy? You didn't understand. I used to love John Piper. He was my go-to guy. My family was annoyed at how much I talked about him at one point. Okay, so for me for me to say this.

I'm just following the facts. Okay, and if someone leaves the facts. Then my trust goes down. Okay, and It's it's it's hard to do that because you attach yourself to someone. But it but when you see when you see them veering from the truth, it's it's troubling.

Okay with the vaccine the pressure is not coming from the right maybe a little bit. Okay, I understand to a certain extent. Yes. It's coming from the left. What I mean by that is people are losing their jobs because they don't get the vaccine.

People are wondering am I gonna have to take this and yet he writes an article about not even mentioning that. And mentioning that somehow the pressure is coming from conservative Christians. And the point I'm making here is he's out of touch with Ordinary Christians.

And he's one of many they're kind of you know in this elite bubble of Christianity. They're out of touch they are in touch with you in the pews and I'm not saying throw away to your John paper books. Okay, he's written a lot of good things and a lot of things that are glorifying to God and We should hold on to those things and and there's lots of things that I learned from him that I won't give up.

And I'm grateful for but there is a disconnect in our country between elite Christians and Ordinary folks who just who just sit in the pews and it's it's and there's a problem and we and I and people need to see that and I hope my prayer for him is that he would see that and that he would repent of that.

Anyway, just because something is small though like like our church. Just because something is unknown. Does not mean that there's not a great work happening there. This is how God works and in the end one will be able to see God's great works in small places that makes a great difference in the world and God is glorified through the power that he works in these people and in these places.

Thinking about the Lord of the Rings who are the group of people that take down the evil powers? Hobbit. The hobbits Frodo and Sam. All right, they go they march across all this danger. They go to Mount Doom.

They throw the ring and. And evil is defeated. They lived in they lived in the Shire kind of mess me Rika a little bit. Interesting, okay. I'm just saying God works in small places to show his power. To show that you know, I can use these small people.

To get my message across. Now as Jesus talks with these Pharisees and Sadducees, he tells them that their intellect is good. Okay, we've seen that we've seen that in these verses their intellect is good.

They can see the world they live in they can interpret the weather. Right. They know that two plus two equals four. They know that when a truck is coming towards you you need to turn away. Right. They know the world that they live in but what they don't see Are the things of God and Specifically the things of God happening right in front of them.

The Messiah stands before them and they can't see it. And they are asking Jesus here to perform a sign. Remember the sign from heaven as verse one says, but he's not going to do it. Why would he do this when the real issue is their unbelieving hearts and this heart causes them?

To miss the great work that God is doing right in their midst this is what he says at the beginning of verse 4 an Evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign the Pharisees and Sadducees. Remember the Pharisees were the unhealthy conservatives the Sadducees are the unbelieving liberals.

They have received enough information, but they want more. This is not an innocent question asking. How do I know that you're the Messiah? In a place of discouragement John the Baptist Asked about Jesus whether he truly was the Messiah who was to come and and you know what?

It was an innocent question. So Jesus responds to him and tells him I am the man who's fulfilled all these Old Testament prophecies. But when the Pharisees and Sadducees ask him they are asking in order to test him.

They want to disprove him as the Messiah and they want the people not to flock to Jesus. But to flock to them like they once did. They're jealous. These people used to come after us now. They're going after him.

But Jesus says people who ask for a sign like this Aren't going to receive one. He's not interested in giving them a sign because they're in evil and adulterous generation. That's what he says in the beginning of verse 4 an evil an Adulterous generation the Pharisees and Sadducees represented this evil.

Well, the only sign that Jesus is going to give Is what he explains in the rest of verse 4 no sign will be given to it. Except the sign of Jonah. That's an interesting answer. What's the sign of Jonah?

We've already seen Jesus use this phrase in Matthew 12 verses 39 and 40. When he addressed the different group of Jewish leaders in that passage. They asked for a sign and we are right to assume that in both cases.

These corrupt Jewish leaders are asking for the same heavenly sign. That they thought would disprove Jesus. But what Jesus told the scribes and Pharisees in chapter 12 and what he is telling the Pharisees and Sadducees in this text is that they need to pay attention to the story of Jonah and How it points ahead to the Messiah.

That story prophetically pictured what was going to happen to the future Messiah. Jonah spent how many days in the belly of the fish? Three. Jesus spent how many days in the earth? Three. Jonah was spit out and Jesus was raised out of the tomb.

Nineveh listened When Jonah preached and we are to listen everyone in the world is to listen. When they hear the message of Jesus Christ and him crucified Preached that he is risen from the dead. That you will stand before him one day and it will either be in blessing or in judgment based on your response to him.

What Jesus is telling the Pharisees and Sadducees? Everyone in the world and everyone in this room that this is the only sign you need you need to believe the testimony of Scripture. Jesus would die and rise again and the people would come to know what the sign of Jonah was.

The sign of Jonah is the gospel the good news that Jesus died and rose again for sinners. What everyone needs to do is believe the sign and be saved. It is the reliable Testimony of Scripture that needs to be believed.

The unbelieving world does not need more information. Just go to the best-selling book in the world. That's that's the information you need. Believe the word and when this word is unfolding right in one's midst.

No miracle from heaven will do anything. People today want to hear an audible voice or see a great miracle and yet they don't read Revelation. They don't see that the end is unfolding right before their eyes.

They don't see that Jesus came 2 ,000 years ago on a rescue mission to save sinners and they don't see that this world is marching toward his second coming. It's happening right before your eyes. Don't you see that's what God is telling the world if they can't see this evidence from history revealed in Scripture and present events.

Preparing the way for the end. No sign will do anything. God gives people plenty of information to believe in him and if they don't Nothing the unbeliever demands will ever make him or her believe in him.

Living in Light of Christ's Return

So as we wrap up this to Sunday sermon. Understand that sharp minds often miss the things of God and in this text we have seen two reasons. Why the first reason is that rebellious humans? Intentionally miss God's truth.

The second reason why is that rebellious humans are blind to God orchestrated events. Happening right before their eyes. Do not be fooled. By intelligent people who reject God or even people who maybe aren't that intelligent but just want to live their sinful lifestyle.

Do not be fooled by anyone who says it's not logical to believe in God. When Christians understand the weather and the meaning of life accurately we are the ones who are being consistent. We are the ones who see the world for what it is.

We are the ones who have a heart that has been changed by God's grace that is no longer hostile toward God. When people reject God it is not sound intellect. It is sin. It is sin. Yes, it's that simple.

It is sin and This text clearly explains that and this is a dreadful place to be. But for every Christian God has freed you from this if you have Christ. You can interpret the facts of life and also the most important things the things of God.