The Question of Signs
A Sermon on John 2:18-22
Originally preached Nov. 28, 1965
Scripture
18¶ Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? 19Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. 20Then said the Jews, Forty and six years …
Sermon Description
Throughout Jesus’s ministry on earth, people marveled at his many signs and miracles. Performing signs and miracles is something Jesus does often in the New Testament; however, there always seem to be people who were never satisfied with the signs of Jesus. In this sermon on John 2:18–22 titled “The Question of Signs,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones speaks on this topic as he warns against the wrong way of asking Jesus for signs. He begins by pointing out how the people of Jesus’s time continually asked for signs but asked them for the wrong reasons. These people were asking for signs outside of a relationship with Jesus and were never satisfied with the signs they were given. They were more focused on seeing signs in the physical and visible sense rather than being transformed in the spiritual sense. Dr. Lloyd-Jones then challenges Christians to reflect upon their own lives today by asking themselves: “am I also guilty of asking for signs for the wrong reason? Am I not content with what the Lord has already given me?” Dr. Lloyd-Jones concludes by encouraging reflection upon these questions and taking hold of the signs God has already given, rather than to continuously ask for more.
Sermon Breakdown
- The context of the passage is Jesus cleansing the temple in Jerusalem. The Jewish leaders confront Jesus and ask him for a sign to prove his authority.
- Jesus replies indirectly by saying "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." The Jews misunderstand and think Jesus is referring to the physical temple.
- Jesus is actually referring to his own body and predicting his resurrection. The disciples later understand this after Jesus rises from the dead.
- The sermon examines why Jesus refuses to give the Jews a sign and condemns those who seek signs in the wrong way. Jesus calls them an "evil and adulterous generation."
- An "evil" generation lacks spiritual understanding and fails to see the signs already given. They crave the visible and tangible due to a lack of spiritual insight.
- An "adulterous" generation is not content with God and his ways. They are ruled by curiosity, lust for excitement, and impatience. They want to take matters into their own hands.
- Jesus never grants signs to those with this wrong attitude and mentality. He refused signs to the devil, Herod, and Pilate. God's blessings are only given to those who seek him in spirit and truth.
- We must examine ourselves to avoid spiritual adultery. Signs of this include dissatisfaction with God, restlessness, craving excitement, and allowing anything to come before Christ.
- To avoid this, we must believe what God has already given us in Scripture, seek to know Christ above all else, submit fully to him, and patiently wait on his timing. He will give signs to those who truly seek him.
Sermon Q&A
What Does Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Teach About Signs and Spiritual Adultery?
Based on Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' sermon on John 2:18-22, here are key questions and answers about his teaching on signs and spiritual adultery:
What incident was Dr. Lloyd-Jones discussing in this sermon?
The sermon focuses on the aftermath of Jesus cleansing the temple. After Jesus drove out the money changers and animals, the Jewish leaders confronted Him asking, "What sign showest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?" - demanding proof of His authority to act in such a manner in the temple.
How did Jesus respond to the Jews' request for a sign?
Jesus gave an indirect answer: "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." He did not give them a direct, spectacular sign as they requested. John clarifies that Jesus was speaking about His body and His future resurrection, though the Jews completely misunderstood, thinking He referred to Herod's temple.
What did Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the two main attitudes toward signs in this passage?
The first attitude is demonstrated by the disciples, who believed in Jesus and remembered Scripture in response to His actions. The second attitude is shown by the Jewish leaders who remained unconvinced and demanded visible, tangible proof before they would believe in His authority.
Why did Jesus condemn the request for signs from the Jewish leaders?
Jesus described those seeking signs as "an evil and adulterous generation." Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that this condemnation applied because their request revealed: 1. A lack of spiritual understanding and perception 2. A materialistic approach to spiritual matters 3. Dissatisfaction with God's ordained ways 4. A craving for the spectacular and sensational 5. A desire to dictate the terms on which they would believe
What is "spiritual adultery" according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
Spiritual adultery is being dissatisfied with God and His ways - similar to how an adulterous spouse becomes discontent with their partner. It involves looking elsewhere for satisfaction, being ruled by curiosity about other things, having a restless spirit that lusts after sensational experiences, and eventually taking matters into one's own hands rather than trusting God's methods and timing.
Did Jesus ever grant sign requests that came from this "adulterous" spirit?
No. Dr. Lloyd-Jones is emphatic that Jesus never granted such requests. He points to multiple examples: 1. He refused here in the temple 2. He refused during the wilderness temptations 3. He refused Herod's request to see a miracle 4. He remained mostly silent before Pilate and the high priests
How can Christians today avoid spiritual adultery regarding signs?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones advises: 1. Be content with what God has already given, particularly in Scripture 2. Focus on Christ rather than on experiences or gifts 3. Avoid a restless, craving spirit that seeks excitement 4. Don't allow anything to come between you and Jesus in your affections 5. Submit to Christ's timing and methods rather than dictating terms 6. Seek Christ Himself rather than signs and wonders
What is the right approach to spiritual gifts and experiences?
The right approach is to: 1. Recognize that true spiritual experiences glorify Christ, not ourselves 2. Remember the Holy Spirit's role is to glorify Jesus, not Himself 3. Be content with the revelation in "Moses and the prophets" (Scripture) 4. Wait on God's timing rather than demanding experiences 5. Allow Christ to decide what gifts and experiences to give, rather than dictating to Him
What warning does Dr. Lloyd-Jones give about the devil's tactics?
The devil works subtly to confuse believers by either making them deny spiritual gifts altogether or driving them to excesses. Satan can counterfeit spiritual experiences and will try to get Christians to focus on anything other than Christ Himself. Toward the end of time, Satan will perform "such signs and miracles so as even almost to deceive the very elect."
What final exhortation does Dr. Lloyd-Jones give?
He urges believers to keep their eyes "steadfast upon the Lord Jesus Christ," to seek Christ Himself rather than experiences, to submit completely to Him, and to wait on His timing. Believers should ask, seek, and knock, but not try to hurry God or help Him. In God's timing, He may give remarkable experiences, but only to those who seek Him for who He is, not for what He can give.
The Book of John
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.