Seeking Signs
Dearly beloved of God, the religious leaders came to Jesus Christ and sought a sign from him. The record is in Matthew.
Matthew 12: 38-40
38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Jesus told them that the only sign that generation would get would be his death and resurrection from the dead.
As Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly [he was dead and buried in the whale’s belly] so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth [he was dead and buried in the earth].
Both Jonah and Jesus were raised from the dead after three days and three nights.
Jonah lived for a period of time after he was raised from the dead, but like all people he died, and is yet in the grave awaiting his resurrection. What about Jesus Christ after God raised him from the dead?
Romans 6:9
Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
When God raised His Son from the dead, he died no more. Death no longer has dominion over him. He lives forevermore.
Jesus Christ is the only man to die and to be resurrected from the dead to die no more. He is the only one that death no longer has dominion over. That is quite a sign, wouldn’t you agree?
I Corinthians 15:57
But thanks be unto God, Which giveth us the victory [over sin and death] through our Lord Jesus Christ.
When will Christians receive their victory over death? God reveals the answer in the context of the verses that precede the statement in verse 57.
I Corinthians 51-56
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be unto God, Which giveth us the victory [over sin and death] through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The victory over sin and death is ours through our Lord Jesus Christ. When he returns for us we will receive the victory over death.
I Thessalonians 4:15-18
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
When the Lord Jesus Christ returns for the Church all Christians will receive the victory over death, whether we are yet living, or we have fallen asleep.
Dearly beloved of God, we will meet the Lord in the air, never to die again. There is no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus; we are justified.
When Christ appears we will be like him; he will transform these mortal, corruptible bodies so that they are fashioned like unto his glorious body, never to die again. See Philippians 3:20, 21 and I John 3:2 and Romans 8:29.
Jesus Christ was the firstborn from the dead, and we will follow at his coming.
From that moment we will always be with the Lord. Oh, rejoice, the victory is ours through our Lord Jesus Christ!
Are Christians to seek a sign of his coming today?
Philippians 3:20
For our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.
His coming is the only thing we look for today. There are no other signs of his coming for the Church of the Grace of God. Eyes upward! He could return for us at any time. Who knows, it could be today!