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One Greater Is Here - Matthew 12:41-42

"On the judgment day, you people that live now will be compared with the people from Nineveh, and they will be witnesses to show that you are wrong (guilty). Why? Because when Jonah preached to those people, they changed their hearts and lives. And you are listening to someone greater than Jonah, {but you refuse to change}! On the judgment day, you people that live now will also be compared with the Queen of the South, and she will be a witness to show that you are wrong (guilty). Why? Because she traveled from far, far away to listen to Solomon's wise teaching. And I tell you that someone greater than Solomon is right here, {but you won't listen to me}!" (ERV) Full Text

Key Thought

Jesus makes two emphatic claims to his religious skeptics: (1) in the past, foreigners recognized the greatness and wisdom of God's leaders and responded to the truth that they spoke, but Jesus' skeptics did not come to him—they will have to face judgement for being so hard-hearted; (2) Jesus says that he is greater than Jonah or Solomon and his skeptics have rejected him—so their judgement is more than deserved. Jesus is greater! He is greater than Moses, greater than angels, greater than Elijah, greater than John the Baptist; he is greater. To reject him is to reject God's greatest message and our greatest hope.


Today's Prayer

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Loving Father, today I want to pray for several of my friends who have not come to faith in Jesus. They have rejected his salvation either by neglect or by a conscious decision. Please open their hearts and work in their lives so they will have another opportunity to come to know Jesus as their Lord and respond to that opportunity. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Today's Verses in Context


Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law answered Jesus. They said, "Teacher, we want to see you do a miracle as a sign (proof)." Jesus answered, "Evil and sinful people are the ones that want to see a miracle for a sign (proof). But no miracle will be given as a sign to those people. The only sign will be the miracle that happened to the prophet Jonah. Jonah was in the stomach of the big fish for three days and three nights. In the same way, the Son of Man will be in the grave three days and three nights. On the judgment day, you people that live now will be compared with the people from Nineveh, and they will be witnesses to show that you are wrong (guilty). Why? Because when Jonah preached to those people, they changed their hearts and lives. And you are listening to someone greater than Jonah, {but you refuse to change}! On the judgment day, you people that live now will also be compared with the Queen of the South, and she will be a witness to show that you are wrong (guilty). Why? Because she traveled from far, far away to listen to Solomon's wise teaching. And I tell you that someone greater than Solomon is right here, {but you won't listen to me}! "When an evil spirit {from the devil} comes out of a person, that spirit travels through dry places looking for a place to rest. But that spirit finds no place to rest. So the spirit says, 'I will go back to the home (person) I left.' When the spirit comes back to that person, the spirit finds that home (person) still empty. That home is swept clean and made neat. Then the evil spirit goes out and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself. Then all the spirits go into that person and live there. And that person has even more trouble than he had before. It is the same way with the evil people that live today." While Jesus was talking to the people his mother and brothers stood outside. They wanted to talk to Jesus. A person told Jesus, "Your mother and brothers are waiting for you outside. They wantto talk to you." Jesus answered, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" Then Jesus pointed to his followers and said, "See! These people are my mother and my brothers. My true brother and sister and mother is any person that does the things my Father in heaven wants."

— Matthew 12:38-50 (ERV)

 


123132: God With Us: 365 Devotionals from the Gospel of MatthewGod With Us:
365 Devotionals from the Gospel of Matthew
By Phil Ware

Join the author of the Gospel of Matthew in God With Us, a devotional that will immerse you in exploring the glories of Immanuel. The book uses one short passage each day and follows the Gospel text from beginning to end. Each day's passage is followed by a brief Reflection to open up the day's Scripture and a Prayer to show how the verses challenge you to live for Jesus.

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Jesus is the only One who can save people. His name is the only power in the world that has been given to save people. We must be saved through Jesus!" —Acts 4:12 (ERV)

In the past God spoke to our people through the prophets. God spoke to them many times and in many different ways. And now in these last days God has spoken to us again. God has spoken to us through his Son. God made the whole world through his Son. And God has chosen his Son to have all things. The Son shows the glory of God. He is a perfect copy of God's nature. The Son holds everything together with his powerful command. The Son made people clean from their sins. Then he sat down at the right side of the Great One (God) in heaven. God gave him a name that is a much greater name than any of the angels have. And he became that much greater than the angels. —Hebrews 1:1-4 (ERV)

Jesus answered, "The things I teach are not my own. My teaching comes from him (God) who sent me. If a person wants to do what God wants, then that person will know that my teaching comes from God. That person will know that this teaching is not my own. —John 7:16-17 (ERV)