Jesus on a grilled cheese sandwich.  The virgin of Guadalupe’s image on a tortilla.  Mary, the mother of Jesus, painted with road salt on the walls of a Chicago underpass.  And there are countless more.  A story is told of a 12 year old Lebanese girl who cried tears not of water but crystal. To some this was a sign of the blessed tears of the virgin Mary. Another source tells of a Christian youth group who bought a boat to help spread Christ in Greece. To show dedication, they fasted for 40 days. At the end of those days, they said wherever people on the boat or crewman went, fish came to them. They jumped out of the water onto the beach, into the ship - all over the place. There’s even one about a Hindi idol drinking milk from a spoon, showing, to some, the gods were pleased with this offering.  Go online sometime and type in signs and miracles. The stories that pop up range from interesting to laughable. And they are everywhere.

And why do we hear about these?  And especially, why do we often hear about them from a media that practically goes out of its way to make any reference to God?  Because people love signs.  People want to know there is some higher power out there directing their lives and that they are not alone. They want some proof they’re not going through what they are w/o a reason. They want to feel like what they believe in is real, not just something they were taught or tricked into believing. It comes down to proof.  Proof, be it in the courtroom or our lives, offers us a great deal of comfort.

Wish we had something like that here? As you struggle to get through each day, as you worry about the Church and this church, as you look at society and, after thinking it can’t get any worse, it does, do you ever find yourself wishing the Lord would give us a sign, bringing us the same relief and proof that others received from milk drinking statues and athletic fish?

Maybe, but do we need them? Are we being shorted by God if we don’t have a vision, hear a voice or have herds of animals flock to us? Today we celebrate Jesus’ transfiguration. He went up the mountain and his true glory, might and power were revealed. Talk about a sign, there it is. But that happened 2000 years ago.  Does the Lord still do such things?  Should we expect them? And if not, has he given us anything else to reassure us what we believe is true, what we go through is part of his plan and what we face we do not face alone? Let’s answer those as we focus on “The Only Sign We Will Ever Need.”

For that, we turn to a text that has a powerful sign. Elijah, having completed his service to God on earth, was taken into heaven by a whirlwind. Before that happened, horses and a chariot of fly flew across the sky.  But Elijah was not alone when this happened.  Elisha was with him.  Let’s call Elisha his vicar. He knew what was going to happen to Elijah but when other prophets mentioned it, he did not even want to talk about it or leave the side of his bishop. It sounds like Elisha is in denial.

Can you blame him? The times in Israel were rough. Elijah dealt with Ahab, of whom the Bible says did more wicked things before God than any one before him (which says something) and his wife Jezebel for years. He had to run for his life and fight false prophets, literally. Now his job, God’s spokesman to Israel, was going to be Elisha’s job.  We get nervous when we have to bring a snack to our child’s preschool class for the first time or have to say a few words in front of a group. Imagine your new job is standing up to a people who for the most part had turned from God and would kill you if you said something about it.  Think Elisha wanted a sign, something to get him through what would probably be a brutal first day as the top dog?

Certainly.  And he asks for it.  He wants double portion of Elijah’s spirit, one that doesn’t back down from a fight but is faithful to God no matter what.  And Elijah, knowing only God can give this, says that if he sees him taken away, that is proof, a sign, he’ll receive that for which he asked. But Elisha gets even more. Elijah parts the river by putting his robe on a stick.  And then he sees the big event. The chariots, horses, fire and whirlwind all made things clear to Elisha. I have the gifts to do this job. I’m serving the most high and only God.  I am not alone.  I am God’s servant.  He wanted his sign and he received it.

Jump to the Gospel. The disciples often misunderstood/forgot who Jesus was. Before he went to Jerusalem to die, he made sure they knew.  He showed himself as the true God, the maker of heaven and earth.  He was flanked by two great heroes of faith: Moses and (surprise) Elijah. That whole event was a sign to them as the whirlwind was a sign to Elijah. Jesus is not just some guy.  He is THE one on whom everything hinges.  

So, Elisha got his sign. The disciples go theirs. They needed it and it happened. Are we getting the short end of the stick?  I can’t remember any of you saying God appeared to you while you were mowing the lawn or digging potatoes. Certainly we have not had an instance where we were all blinded by a powerful light here at church and overcome with a serene feeling. And I don’t think any of us have showed up here and the trees out back plan formed the shape of a cross. Where is our sign?

Maybe we don’t need a sign as badly as Elisha or the 12, guys who’d soon see their leader taken or their Lord killed. But a sign while working in a marriage that seems to grow colder by the day would be nice. A sign to show us the world is wrong when they call us idiots for our beliefs would take some of the sting away. And wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a sign to tell us in 5 years our church will be so packed we have to build a new church?  Admit it. Those signs would be nice, right?

But why do we think we need them?  A pastor friend of mine told me about one of his 1st Bible classes at church. Someone asked about signs and visions, and he responded that while we can’t rule out such things, it might not be a good idea to wait for them. But then the church president made this comment: “How does God communicate with his people?  What is the one way he said he will make information known to them?  What does he do throughout Scripture again and again?  He tells them NOT to look for signs and visions. He tells them NOT to wait for miracles to validate things. He tells them to return to his Word. Through the Bible, God promised to speak to his people and he has made no other way known to us.”

My friend was embarrassed, because he knew that. That member was absolutely right. Go through you Bible and find how many times Jesus or Paul tell people to wait for signs. I can think of only one: when Jesus tells the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the sending of the Holy Spirit. But he did that because they had no solid word to rely on.  The Bible as we have it today was not around then.  In that one special case, Jesus told them to look for a sign, but in every other one, both he and Paul and all the other writers tell people to return to the Word.  What we need to know, the validation and proof is right there.

But maybe that doesn’t always settle us.  We want more.  The Bible may say it, but I want to feel it, experience it and know with certainty that what is said is truth and that I’ll be fine. In essence, we’re saying, ‘Nice try, God, but not good enough. You told me you’ll be with me and bless my marriage, but there are still problems. You said if I teach my kids your word, things will work out and it doesn’t always seem like that’s the case. You said your word brings peace, joy and all those things, but so often I’m lacking them. Give me something real I can bank on. Give me a real sign, and then I’ll believe it, believe you.”

Let’s not lie to ourselves and say we’ve never thought that way. We have. Satan uses doubt today as much as he did in Eden. God’s Word isn’t true, he says. God’s Word is lacking, he says. God’s Word is full of holes, he says.  How can you trust it? We’ve all had that temptation and we’ve all given into it: the Word is not sign enough.  Give me something else.

But look at what Scripture has done.  Look at the powerful effect the message of the Gospel has had.  In those times when we give in to this temptation to doubt, Scripture reels us back in, shows us our sins and works repentance in our heart.  Scripture is the reason you are even here today.  Scripture is the reason you fight through tough marital times, hardships in the family and issues with your health. Do you honestly think you do that because you are just a better person than those who give up?  Do you honestly think you do that because you have a spirit that doesn’t know when to quit?  Do you honestly think that it is just coincidence that you will leave this place and continue serving God?  Not at all.

You do these things and know these things because God has given us all the sign we need and more.  He gave us his Son.  And what that son did is revealed to us in the Bible. There we hear of his love, a love so great he bore all our sins and died that we’re not overcome with doubt and guilt but are forgiven children of God.  There we hear of his power that he will use on our behalf to protect, strengthen and lead us all our days.  There we hear of his sacrifice, one made that we need not fear ever being separated from our God.  There we hear of the eternal home he won for us. Heaven is ours. He promised it.

Go back to those signs people claim to see.  Do any of them tell people of the Savior?  Can a salt stain of the virgin Mary comfort souls ripe with sin?  Can fish jumping on a boat reassure a sinner that due to the work of the Savior, heaven is his? No. Scripture can. And does. Through the message of Scripture the Spirit brought us to faith, and, as God has promised, that is what he’ll use to keep us in the faith.  Not signs, not miracles, not visions, but his Word.  Period.

Elisha had the whirlwind.  The disciples saw the transfigured Jesus.  And we have his Word.  In each of those, God sent or does send a message to his people: you are mine, and nothing can take what is mine from me.  And that is a necessary and powerful thing to remember as we on Wednesday begin Lent.  Then and now, don’t wait for a sign that won’t come.  Use what God has given us. Through it he drives away fear, releases us from our sins and assures of our resting place.  Let’s see a milk drinking statue do that.  Amen.

Jesus on a grilled cheese sandwich.  The virgin of Guadalupe’s image on a tortilla.  Mary, the mother of Jesus, painted with road salt on the walls of a Chicago underpass.  And there are countless more.  A story is told of a 12 year old Lebanese girl who cried tears not of water but crystal. To some this was a sign of the blessed tears of the virgin Mary. Another source tells of a Christian youth group who bought a boat to help spread Christ in Greece. To show dedication, they fasted for 40 days. At the end of those days, they said wherever people on the boat or crewman went, fish came to them. They jumped out of the water onto the beach, into the ship - all over the place. There’s even one about a Hindi idol drinking milk from a spoon, showing, to some, the gods were pleased with this offering.  Go online sometime and type in signs and miracles. The stories that pop up range from interesting to laughable. And they are everywhere.

And why do we hear about these?  And especially, why do we often hear about them from a media that practically goes out of its way to make any reference to God?  Because people love signs.  People want to know there is some higher power out there directing their lives and that they are not alone. They want some proof they’re not going through what they are w/o a reason. They want to feel like what they believe in is real, not just something they were taught or tricked into believing. It comes down to proof.  Proof, be it in the courtroom or our lives, offers us a great deal of comfort.

Wish we had something like that here? As you struggle to get through each day, as you worry about the Church and this church, as you look at society and, after thinking it can’t get any worse, it does, do you ever find yourself wishing the Lord would give us a sign, bringing us the same relief and proof that others received from milk drinking statues and athletic fish?

Maybe, but do we need them? Are we being shorted by God if we don’t have a vision, hear a voice or have herds of animals flock to us? Today we celebrate Jesus’ transfiguration. He went up the mountain and his true glory, might and power were revealed. Talk about a sign, there it is. But that happened 2000 years ago.  Does the Lord still do such things?  Should we expect them? And if not, has he given us anything else to reassure us what we believe is true, what we go through is part of his plan and what we face we do not face alone? Let’s answer those as we focus on “The Only Sign We Will Ever Need.”

For that, we turn to a text that has a powerful sign. Elijah, having completed his service to God on earth, was taken into heaven by a whirlwind. Before that happened, horses and a chariot of fly flew across the sky.  But Elijah was not alone when this happened.  Elisha was with him.  Let’s call Elisha his vicar. He knew what was going to happen to Elijah but when other prophets mentioned it, he did not even want to talk about it or leave the side of his bishop. It sounds like Elisha is in denial.

Can you blame him? The times in Israel were rough. Elijah dealt with Ahab, of whom the Bible says did more wicked things before God than any one before him (which says something) and his wife Jezebel for years. He had to run for his life and fight false prophets, literally. Now his job, God’s spokesman to Israel, was going to be Elisha’s job.  We get nervous when we have to bring a snack to our child’s preschool class for the first time or have to say a few words in front of a group. Imagine your new job is standing up to a people who for the most part had turned from God and would kill you if you said something about it.  Think Elisha wanted a sign, something to get him through what would probably be a brutal first day as the top dog?

Certainly.  And he asks for it.  He wants double portion of Elijah’s spirit, one that doesn’t back down from a fight but is faithful to God no matter what.  And Elijah, knowing only God can give this, says that if he sees him taken away, that is proof, a sign, he’ll receive that for which he asked. But Elisha gets even more. Elijah parts the river by putting his robe on a stick.  And then he sees the big event. The chariots, horses, fire and whirlwind all made things clear to Elisha. I have the gifts to do this job. I’m serving the most high and only God.  I am not alone.  I am God’s servant.  He wanted his sign and he received it.

Jump to the Gospel. The disciples often misunderstood/forgot who Jesus was. Before he went to Jerusalem to die, he made sure they knew.  He showed himself as the true God, the maker of heaven and earth.  He was flanked by two great heroes of faith: Moses and (surprise) Elijah. That whole event was a sign to them as the whirlwind was a sign to Elijah. Jesus is not just some guy.  He is THE one on whom everything hinges.  

So, Elisha got his sign. The disciples go theirs. They needed it and it happened. Are we getting the short end of the stick?  I can’t remember any of you saying God appeared to you while you were mowing the lawn or digging potatoes. Certainly we have not had an instance where we were all blinded by a powerful light here at church and overcome with a serene feeling. And I don’t think any of us have showed up here and the trees out back plan formed the shape of a cross. Where is our sign?

Maybe we don’t need a sign as badly as Elisha or the 12, guys who’d soon see their leader taken or their Lord killed. But a sign while working in a marriage that seems to grow colder by the day would be nice. A sign to show us the world is wrong when they call us idiots for our beliefs would take some of the sting away. And wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a sign to tell us in 5 years our church will be so packed we have to build a new church?  Admit it. Those signs would be nice, right?

But why do we think we need them?  A pastor friend of mine told me about one of his 1st Bible classes at church. Someone asked about signs and visions, and he responded that while we can’t rule out such things, it might not be a good idea to wait for them. But then the church president made this comment: “How does God communicate with his people?  What is the one way he said he will make information known to them?  What does he do throughout Scripture again and again?  He tells them NOT to look for signs and visions. He tells them NOT to wait for miracles to validate things. He tells them to return to his Word. Through the Bible, God promised to speak to his people and he has made no other way known to us.”

My friend was embarrassed, because he knew that. That member was absolutely right. Go through you Bible and find how many times Jesus or Paul tell people to wait for signs. I can think of only one: when Jesus tells the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the sending of the Holy Spirit. But he did that because they had no solid word to rely on.  The Bible as we have it today was not around then.  In that one special case, Jesus told them to look for a sign, but in every other one, both he and Paul and all the other writers tell people to return to the Word.  What we need to know, the validation and proof is right there.

But maybe that doesn’t always settle us.  We want more.  The Bible may say it, but I want to feel it, experience it and know with certainty that what is said is truth and that I’ll be fine. In essence, we’re saying, ‘Nice try, God, but not good enough. You told me you’ll be with me and bless my marriage, but there are still problems. You said if I teach my kids your word, things will work out and it doesn’t always seem like that’s the case. You said your word brings peace, joy and all those things, but so often I’m lacking them. Give me something real I can bank on. Give me a real sign, and then I’ll believe it, believe you.”

Let’s not lie to ourselves and say we’ve never thought that way. We have. Satan uses doubt today as much as he did in Eden. God’s Word isn’t true, he says. God’s Word is lacking, he says. God’s Word is full of holes, he says.  How can you trust it? We’ve all had that temptation and we’ve all given into it: the Word is not sign enough.  Give me something else.

But look at what Scripture has done.  Look at the powerful effect the message of the Gospel has had.  In those times when we give in to this temptation to doubt, Scripture reels us back in, shows us our sins and works repentance in our heart.  Scripture is the reason you are even here today.  Scripture is the reason you fight through tough marital times, hardships in the family and issues with your health. Do you honestly think you do that because you are just a better person than those who give up?  Do you honestly think you do that because you have a spirit that doesn’t know when to quit?  Do you honestly think that it is just coincidence that you will leave this place and continue serving God?  Not at all.

You do these things and know these things because God has given us all the sign we need and more.  He gave us his Son.  And what that son did is revealed to us in the Bible. There we hear of his love, a love so great he bore all our sins and died that we’re not overcome with doubt and guilt but are forgiven children of God.  There we hear of his power that he will use on our behalf to protect, strengthen and lead us all our days.  There we hear of his sacrifice, one made that we need not fear ever being separated from our God.  There we hear of the eternal home he won for us. Heaven is ours. He promised it.

Go back to those signs people claim to see.  Do any of them tell people of the Savior?  Can a salt stain of the virgin Mary comfort souls ripe with sin?  Can fish jumping on a boat reassure a sinner that due to the work of the Savior, heaven is his? No. Scripture can. And does. Through the message of Scripture the Spirit brought us to faith, and, as God has promised, that is what he’ll use to keep us in the faith.  Not signs, not miracles, not visions, but his Word.  Period.

Elisha had the whirlwind.  The disciples saw the transfigured Jesus.  And we have his Word.  In each of those, God sent or does send a message to his people: you are mine, and nothing can take what is mine from me.  And that is a necessary and powerful thing to remember as we on Wednesday begin Lent.  Then and now, don’t wait for a sign that won’t come.  Use what God has given us. Through it he drives away fear, releases us from our sins and assures of our resting place.  Let’s see a milk drinking statue do that.  Amen.