Jesus taught that rejecting him meant they'd rejected the only sign they were going to get. Imagine you are on a journey and there is only one path that will get you where you want to go. And you fail to see it. This is what happens when...
Matthew 16:1-4 The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test Jesus they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered them, "When it is evening, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.' 3 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. 4 An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah." Then he left them and went away.
Do we ignore Jesus' teaching that he is the only sign we are gonna get? For the love of their traditions and for the sake of their personal power, these two religious groups, who generally don't even like one another, have both rejected Jesus. But now they join forces to try and discredit Jesus. Funny how hate can unite "evil and unfaithful" people. Jesus has already done a bunch of miracles and is very popular among those not in power. In fact he is taking away from the popularity and power of the leaders.... and they are upset by this. They have serious control issues! So they decide to try and discredit Jesus by asking for a sign. There have already been lots of signs. Now they want one more. But Jesus tells them that he is the only sign they are going to get. Jonah was the only sign given to Nineveh. God sent Jonah and nothing else to tell the Ninevites about God. And Jesus is the only sign they are going to get too. But they didn't want Jesus - his gospel took away their traditions and power.
What traditions and power issues do we have - what makes us evil and unfaithful - that keep us from following the only sign we are ever going to get?
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