Just give me a sign - by Angus Martin

Found here. My comments in bold.

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Asking for a sign is not the same thing as wanting information from God.

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Lucy sat on the steps of Bondi Beach, wondering what to do. Josh had just asked her for ‘coffee’; she really liked him, but she thought she had committed herself to a life of singleness. She thought, “Just give me a sign, God! I don’t know what to do.”

Trevor had received two job offers. One was from a Christian organization where he could help train gospel workers, but the pay wasn’t great. The other was a well-paying job with good hours that would allow him to give more money to church and have enough time to lead a Bible study group. He didn’t know which one to accept. He thought, “Just give me a sign, God! I don’t know what to do.”

Have you ever felt like you wanted a sign from God to know what to do? I know I have from time to time! But asking for signs can be dangerous. Have a look at Mark 8:11–13:

The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” And he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side.

What a strange request by the Pharisees. Why do they then demand a sign? Why do they need their own personal sign? Why do they want Jesus to perform?

It could be because they are seeing so many people flock to follow Jesus that they want their own piece of the pie. Or are they actually sarcastically demanding a sign because they think this Jesus guy is a bit ridiculous? It is an odd request, especially given the many signs he performed throughout his earthly ministry.

But isn’t Jesus’ response also strange? Jesus says that no sign will be given to this generation. What? But he just gave a sign; he fed a huge crowd with seven loaves and a few fish (Mark 8:1-10). He’s giving plenty of signs! Healing after healing, miracle after miracle.

Jesus takes this quarrelsome request from the Pharisees, turns it back on them, and applies it to the whole generation. That escalated quickly!

I think the key to understanding this section is what Mark says back in 4:9–12:

And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, so that “‘they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.’”

You’re not going to understand Jesus if you don’t listen to him. Or in our case of the Pharisees, they’re not going to see Jesus for who he is unless they see what he does (the quote from Isaiah 6:9 in this passage). They want Jesus to conform to their own view of him, but he sets the rules of engagement.

Back to Lucy and Trevor and their sign-seeking. They are not sarcastically asking for a sign like the Pharisees, but they’re still asking. (Up to now we have been silent, waiting for the author to arrive at his application. 

We see the author has colored the terms of the issue by referring to Lucy and Trevor as wanting a sign, as opposed to simply wanting guidance. The author puts words in their mouths. By having them ask for a sign, it allows the him to pounce on them by comparing them to the Pharisees. 

Granted, the author extends a bit of mercy to his fictitious sign-seekers. But still, they're asking for a sign, and for that the author takes issue.)

According to this story in Mark, asking for a sign from God is not looking at and listening to Jesus as he reveals himself. Asking for a sign is not engaging with Jesus on his terms. (Does the author mean we shouldn't ask for signs [i.e., help or information] from God? Or is he saying there are no more signs and wonders?)

I said before that I would have appreciated an occasional sign to know what to do. Not in a “I will become a Christian if you give me a sign” way, but in little things. If this happens, I’ll take it as a sign to do that. If I get this job, that’s a sign that means… Because he responded to my text message, I know that’s a sign that means… It’s sunny today, that’s a sign that means…

We want extra layers of meaning and understanding in our lives, so we ask God to reveal to us what he intends. But that gives us many problems, one of which is trying to interpret the sign we asked for. If, against all odds, it really is sunny instead of rainy when we asked it to be, what does that mean? It could mean anything, couldn’t it? And what makes it a sign for me? Aren’t there millions of other people who are also affected by it being sunny? (Taking his premise to an absurd level, the author suggests that asking for direction from God -- is the same thing as asking for a sign -- is the same thing as asking God to manipulate some sort circumstance that would be signal for what a person should do.)

This kind of thinking is modern-day superstition. We try to listen to our experiences; we try to find divine signs and miracles to help us understand who God is, who we are and what we’re supposed to do. But the problem with listening to our experiences is that it means we’re not looking at and listening to Jesus in the Bible. Asking for signs from God and appearing to find them is not looking and listening to Jesus on his terms.

Do pray for things. Pray for that job, or for the weather, or that friend, or that situation. God is active in our world today, and he listens to our requests. (Does He answer? Previously the author wrote, You’re not going to understand Jesus if you don’t listen to him. We would agree with this. So does the author think God gives specific answers to specific prayers? Can we receive revelation about our life issues and the decisions we are faced with? Apparently, no. 

The author will take back his statement about listening to Jesus at the end of his article.)

But don’t treat him like some kind of supernatural counsellor from whom we request modern self-help guidance in the form of uninterpretable signs.

Why does Jesus say no sign will be given to that generation? Because the Pharisees should recognize that his actions and his teachings point to him being the great prophet, priest and king the Old Testament foresees. If only they would open their eyes and ears to see and listen!

How much more for our generation? We have been given the greatest sign of all! Jesus hung on the cross—the climax of the Bible. (No, the resurrection, followed by Pentecost, would be that.)

We stand on the privileged side of this historic moment! If only we would keep looking and listening to that clear-as-crystal sign, rather than seeking others.

God has given us everything we need to know about who he is, who we are, and what we are to do with our lives. (He paraphrases 2Pe. 1:3:

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

Notice this Scripture is not talking about the Bible, it is talking about His divine power. His divine power has given us everything.)

It’s all in the Bible, and his Spirit will help us grasp its implications for our future. 

You want to know what to do? Open your Bible and listen up. (The author had been making his case for not seeking signs based on the Pharisee's cynical request for a sign, but did not tell us the Scriptural basis for his prescriptions until now. 

So as we noted before, the author takes back his previous statement [You’re not going to understand Jesus if you don’t listen to him.]. Apparently, it's the Bible only where we find information.

But more to the point, the author has isolated the issue of wanting a sign as being the equivalent of seeking information beyond the Bible. That is, any information that isn't from the Bible is not engaging with Jesus on his terms. Those terms are that everything we need is in the Bible.

But the author does not document these assertions. 2Pe. 1:3 does not say this. Nothing else he has conveyed has demonstrated his thesis. 

We feel sorry for poor Trevor and Lucy. They are not going to get anything from God about making important decisions in their lives apart from the Bible. They are left to isolation from the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Apparently He does not guide us, and we should not expect answers from Him.

But this is false.

Ro. 8:5, 9, 14 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ... because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

 1Co. 2:12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.

Ga. 5:16, 18, 25 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Christians do not seek signs from circumstances, they seek revelation from the Holy Spirit. They seek revelation from wise brothers and sisters, to whom the Holy Spirit speaks. They seek revelation from Pastors as they preach and counsel. They read commentaries from theologians. They read books from mature men and women of faith. 

Ironically, they even read articles like the author has just wrote.

The Bible is beyond invaluable. But it's not the only source of direction and godly wisdom. The Bible says so.)