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Jesus went on from there and walked beside the Sea of Galilee. And he went up on the mountain and sat down there. (1) And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and they put them at his feet, and he healed them. .... (2) Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they pass out on the way.” …. And directing the crowd to sit down on the ground, he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. …. Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. …. (3) 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 are powerless to 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. Matthew 15: 29 – 16: 4 |
Two weeks ago GCSE results were published. How very important these are. A desired career opens up – or closes. What factors should a student take into account when choosing what to do during the lifetime ahead? Is it to follow my own aptitudes and abilities – the gifts – already evident in me? Or shall I go for a career path that will pay well? Or some other objective?
Matthew reports that, on one occasion (see bold above), Jesus went up the mountain near Lake Galilee. His career plan is set out in what happened next.
First, great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and they put them at his feet, and he healed them. Jesus’ career was devoted to the good of the needy. That objective didn’t feature in the guidance I received. |
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‘Sin is man’s declaration of independence from God’.’ (Anon.)
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Second, Matthew records (see bold above) that Jesus says this, “I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry [from this desolate place], lest they pass out on the way.” Jesus multiplied seven loaves and a few fish and fed 4,000 men – let alone women and children. His was a career to provide life-giving bread to all….
Third, when others are critical of Jesus’ career path, things become even clearer. Leaders - religious and political – arrive but they’re not interested in his self-giving career. They asked him to show them a sign from heaven. They will decide whether this man – and even his career – is valid.
Jesus points out the major problem about giving them a sign from heaven. “You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you are powerless to interpret the signs of the times.” Although they can forecast the weather, they are powerless - unable – to discern the signs of the times all around them. There’s no point in providing a sign - they can’t believe a sign...
Then Jesus gives the reason why they can’t believe. He says “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign…” They can’t believe even a clear sign from heaven because they are in fact “evil” and “adulterous”. “Evil”? Do their careers depend on them doing “evil” – doing bad things? “Adulterous”? In their careers they seem exclusively to serve God (in the church) and to serve the people (in politics). But are they in truth, adulterously, serving themselves?
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‘The essence of sin is my right to my claim to myself.’ (Oswald Chambers, author “My Utmost for His Highest”, 1874-1917)
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“… but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” Key events in Jonah’s career are recorded in a book preserved in the national archives of Israel. Jonah lived in the 8th century BC. The LORD God asked him to preach to the people in Nineveh - a major heathen, prosperous and powerful city. Instead he ran away. Through storm, near-drowning in the Mediterranean and a huge fish (in which he was “buried” for three days) Jonah finally, reluctantly did God’s will.
Jesus gave these leaders the “sign of Jonah” in three ways. First, he went willingly (unlike Jonah) to death on the cross – willingly communicating the message of forgiveness to all.
Second (unlike Jonah) he was truly dead and was “buried” for three days but rose from the dead to live for ever more.
Third, unlike Jonah and the religious and the political leaders, there was no self-seeking adultery in his career. My career? I need him to save me. |
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