{"id":20586,"date":"2023-02-27T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-02-27T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailchi.mp\/urc\/urc-daily-devotionmonday-27-february-2023"},"modified":"2023-02-27T06:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-02-27T06:00:00","slug":"urc-daily-devotion-monday-27-february-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.trinitywimbledon.org\/index.php\/urc-daily-devotion-monday-27-february-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"URC Daily Devotion\u00a0Monday 27 February 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"

St Matthew 16: 1 – 20<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test Jesus they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.  He answered them, \u2018When it is evening, you say, \u201cIt will be fair weather, for the sky is red.\u201d  And in the morning, \u201cIt will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.\u201d You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.  An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.\u2019 Then he left them and went away. When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread.  Jesus said to them, \u2018Watch out, and beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.\u2019  They said to one another, \u2018It is because we have brought no bread.\u2019  And becoming aware of it, Jesus said, \u2018You of little faith, why are you talking about having no bread?  Do you still not perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?  Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?  How could you fail to perceive that I was not speaking about bread? Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!\u2019  Then they understood that he had not told them to beware of the yeast of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, \u2018Who do people say that the Son of Man is?\u2019  And they said, \u2018Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.\u2019  He said to them, \u2018But who do you say that I am?\u2019  Simon Peter answered, \u2018You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.\u2019 And Jesus answered him, \u2018Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven.  And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.  I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.\u2019  Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.<\/span><\/p>\n

Reflection<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Jesus had mentioned \u201cthe sign of Jonah\u201d before and had explained that just as Jonah was in a big fish, he will be in the earth for three days (Matthew 12:40).  However the Gospel of Luke explains the sign as having to do with Jonah being sent to Nineveh and Jesus being sent to this generation (Luke 11:30).  So is this \u201csign\u201d about Jesus\u2019 resurrection or our repentance?  The book of Jonah is not about Jonah\u2019s death and resurrection.  The focus is on a prophet who knows scripture well, but fails to understand God\u2019s will and rebels against God. God sent Jonah to call \u201cthose people\u201d to repentance, and Jonah did not want to do it.  Even in the end of the story, Jonah is sulking because \u201cthose people\u201d responded favourably to God\u2019s love and weren\u2019t suffering.  \u201cSalvation belongs to the LORD\u201d indeed (Jonah 2:9b).<\/span><\/p>\n

So when Jesus speaks of \u201cthe sign of Jonah\u201d, he may be referring to his own death and resurrection (as in Matthew 12), but he may also be talking about God blessing people whom we would actively seek to exclude from \u201cour\u201d churches and community spaces as in Luke 11.  In Matthew 16:17, when Peter is called the \u201cson of Jonah,\u201d maybe we are given a little clue by Jesus as to what Peter\u2019s ministry will be like?  Peter – the one reluctant to accept Gentiles, but realises the Holy Spirit of God has different plans (Acts 10). <\/span><\/p>\n

The teaching of the sign-seeking, religious authorities then is the unwillingness or inability to see God at work and to follow God\u2019s lead.  Even though they knew scripture, they struggled to see what God was doing through Jesus.  Like Jonah, being able to quote scripture doesn\u2019t matter, if one fails to listen and follow God.  This \u201cyeast\u201d is what Jesus tells his disciples to avoid.<\/span>
 
Prayer<\/span><\/strong>
God, as we read your Word, help us to know Your heart better.  Draw us closer to You and to Your priorities.  Help us to live and serve together in the community that You are creating.  Amen<\/span>.  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

St Matthew 16: 1 – 20 The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test Jesus they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.  He answered them, \u2018When it is evening, you say, \u201cIt will be fair weather, for the sky is red.\u201d  And in the morning, \u201cIt will be stormy today, for the … <\/p>\n

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