David Bahn – Reflections

What would be the sin of this generation? In Jesus’ day it was their failure to recognize God’s presence in his life and ministry. They didn’t believe in Jesus; they wanted only to rid the world of him. He called them evil and adulterous. What would he call twenty-first century man?

Matthew 12:38-45

Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” ³⁹But he answered them, ”An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. ⁴⁰For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. ⁴¹ The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. ⁴² The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.

⁴³“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. ⁴⁴Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. ⁴⁵Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.”

We don’t seek signs; we figure out the science or schemes behind the signs we encounter. We don’t worry about evil or adultery; we just do whatever we wish. We don’t care about Jonah, Nineveh, Solomon or queens; we just want the government out of our hair.

It might be that there are seven unclean spirits inhabiting this generation whose influence are even more evil than the evil spirit of Jesus’ day. Surely these seven centers of power have been attacked by Satan today: government, church, military, family, education, media and business. The result of denying Jesus his proper place in this generation is the seven-fold corruption we see in these places.

If ever there is a time for Christians to stand out from the rest of the world it is today. If ever there is a time for us to repent at the reality of Satan’s influence in every corner of power it is now. If ever we have the opportunity to stand tall for Christ it is in this generation. Our witness to Christ’s presence and power starts with an attitude of humility, mercy and kindness. It is celebrated in faith, hope and love. It is centered in the power of the Good News of life and salvation in Jesus. And it is lived out in the lives of those who rejoice at the favor and goodness of God in Jesus, who love him first and who love our neighbor as ourselves.