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Matthew 16:1-12 ESV

And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ 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. An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed. When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.” But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

I. DARKNESS LOVES COMPANY (1)
A. Pharisees & Sadducees very different but find common ground in hatred of Jesus.
B. Because all that matters in life is what a person decides about Jesus, mankind is united in either hatred or love of Jesus.

II. DARKNESS DETERMINED TO DENY (1-5)
A. Jesus refuses request for a sign from Heaven. They would deny it, because they did not want to see the truth. (Ex 7:8-13, 22)
B. They did not need more signs. They needed to believe what they had already seen and surrender to Jesus as their King.
C. Miracles never created faith anyway. They only cemented faith that already existed.

III. WILLFUL SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS
A. All mankind born into dark & blind to truth of God. (1 Cor 2:12-14)
B. Some refuse to come to the light and willfully choose to remain in darkness despite the offer of God to give them eyes to see.

IV. WATCH OUT FOR SPIRTUAL BLINDNESS (6-12)
A. People choose blindness because they want to forge their own way to God in the dark rather than come through God’s light.
B. The search is over. God has come to us, to take us to Himself.
C. Willful spiritual blindness is to in pride tell God you do not want His rescue and will find your way to Him on your own.

APPLICATION
1. Jesus has come to us in our darkness to take us to the Father. We now go with Jesus to others still in the dark.
2. Confess any areas in your life where you have been willfully spiritually disobedient to God.
3. Celebrate this entire season the glorious truth that God has come for us to take us to Himself!