Matthew 16:1 – One day the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus, demanding that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority.

2 He replied, “You know the saying, ‘Red sky at night means fair weather tomorrow; 3 red sky in the morning means foul weather all day.’ You know how to interpret the weather signs in the sky, but you don’t know how to interpret the signs of the times! 4 Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign, but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah.” Then Jesus left them and went away.

5 Later, after they crossed to the other side of the lake, the disciples discovered they had forgotten to bring any bread. 6 “Watch out!” Jesus warned them. “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”   7 At this they began to argue with each other because they hadn’t brought any bread. 8 Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, “You have so little faith! Why are you arguing with each other about having no bread? 9 Don’t you understand even yet? Don’t you remember the 5,000 I fed with five loaves, and the baskets of leftovers you picked up? 10 Or the 4,000 I fed with seven loaves, and the large baskets of leftovers you picked up? 11 Why can’t you understand that I’m not talking about bread? So again I say, ‘Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’”

12 Then at last they understood that he wasn’t speaking about the yeast in bread, but about the deceptive teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. (NLT)

Before Jesus walked the earth, the people of Israel spent a lot of time trying to make God happy.  They spent even more time worrying about whether or not they had sinned and made God angry.  After Jesus lived, died, and rose from the dead, his message was called Good News.  It was called Good News for a reason!

In this passage, the religious leaders are asking Jesus for a sign.  He tells them the only sign that he will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah – coming back after three days in the tomb.  Jesus then warns the disciples about the yeast of the religious leaders.  Verse twelve tells us that the disciples finally came to understand that Jesus was speaking of their deceptive teachings.  Friends, there are still religious leaders who preach and teach deception! 

I believe that the most common deceptive teaching is the teaching that we somehow have to earn our way into heaven.  We cannot!  Heaven is a free gift.  Paul tells us in Romans 6:23 that the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus.  He then tells us in Ephesians: “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it” (Ephesians 2:8-9, NLT).

It’s called Good News for a reason!  It’s called Good News because God’s love and mercy is not something we earn, it’s something we receive.  We are told in Romans 11:6 that God’s grace is free and undeserved.  We do not have to live life in fear of God’s wrath.

Today, rejoice, celebrate, and praise God for God’s free and undeserved grace!  That, my friends, is truly Good News! 

Posted by Ramón Torres