Matthew 16

Again, a group of religious leaders pressed Jesus for a sign. He pointed out to them that they saw the signs of the coming weather and understood them, but they were missing all the signs He'd been doing. An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign, He said, but the only sign they would get was the sign of Jonah. Jesus had no reason to cater to the whims of these leaders. They weren't looking for a sign to believe in Him, but to trap Him. The biggest sign was yet to come in His death and resurrection, but even then, some of the hardest hearts would still not turn and believe.

We should not test the Lord. There are enough signs given to each of us if we look for them. Why should we be given more if we have not responded to the first signs? And if we have responded to the first signs, isn't that enough?


Jesus and His disciples got into a boat to cross the sea. When they got to the other side, the disciples realized they had forgotten to bring bread. At this time, Jesus told them to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. The disciples assumed He was somehow referring to their lack of bread, but He reminded them about feeding the multitudes with very little bread twice. They still had their minds on earthly things and were not yet focusing on the spiritual things Jesus was trying to teach them. The disciples finally understood He was warning them about the teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees, and that they needed to make sure they guarded against letting those teachings enter their hearts.

We can guard against false doctrines entering our hearts by being filled with God's doctrines. By studying and memorizing scripture and praying to God, there won't be room in our hearts or lives for anything else. When we are grounded in the truth, the polished lies are easy to spot and no longer have an appeal for us.


Jesus asked His disciples a very important question - one that each of us must answer as well when we come to Christ: Who do you say I am? The disciples had heard others surmise He might be John the Baptist, Jeremiah, Elijah, or one of the other prophets. Simon Peter said He was the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus made a point that Peter had not come to this on his own, but through the revelation of God. He promised that Peter would be used in mighty ways to advance the kingdom of God.

When we come to Jesus, we must recognize who He truly is. If He was just a man, a prophet, He has nothing to give us. If He was and is the Son of God, the Savior of mankind, then He has the power to do what He said He would: forgive your sins and give you new life - now and forever.


Now Jesus began to teach about His death and resurrection to His disciples. Peter was rebuked for saying he didn't want Jesus to go through that. He let his feelings rise above God's will. God's ways don't always make sense to us. Doing it God's way may take us down a path that is uncomfortable and unexpected, but His plans are perfect and when we let Him lead, His glory always shows through in the end.


Jesus says to follow Him, we need to put aside our own desires and devote ourselves wholly to Him, even in the face of hardships. This is the way to eternal life. Living for earthly pleasures leads to separation from God. We need to choose here and now where we want to focus our attention. There is nothing we can obtain in this life that will equal the rewards God has in store for the faithful in the next life; likewise, we can't buy our way into heaven. The choice is ours to make - the temporary pleasures this earth has to offer or being in the presence of God forever, enjoying every good thing He wants us to have.