Is Jesus Enough

Today’s reading from Matthew 16 begins with the Pharisees and Sadducess demanding a miraculous sign from Jesus.  After all the miracles Jesus had done – healing people, forgiving sins, setting people free, walking on water, and feeding thousands with next to nothing – they still didn’t believe in the authority and truth claims of Jesus.

Jesus basically tells them they’re blind if they still can’t see who he is.  And he adds a little jab when he says, “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.” 

And of course by the sign of Jonah, Jesus was talking about his coming crucifixion in which he would spend 3 days in the belly of the earth.  What a twist on their demand.  But what an important thing for us to consider.  The greatest miracle of Jesus is not the one that is coming or the one that we’re expecting.  It’s not the one where He touches somebody’s illness or where he restores somebody’s ability to walk or see.  The greatest miracle of Jesus is the miracle of our salvation, which was accomplished in His death and resurrection.

In my life and ministry, I’ve heard many people lament the fact that they can just never seem to see God at work, or that it would be so much easier to believe in Jesus if He would do what they wanted Him to do in their lives.  Jesus is not a genie that we get to do tricks by rubbing the lamp of faith.  Jesus is not a piñata that we break open with a stick made of demands.  What Jesus has accomplished for us in his death and resurrection is so much greater than anything we ask for or demand from him.

Simply put, Jesus, as He is, should be enough for us.  But is he?  It’s a difficult question to answer, but it’s a question we must consider.  If God never granted one request; if he never answered one prayer; if we never saw Him do something we begged Him to do, is Jesus still enough for us?

Is what we have in the death and resurrection of Jesus enough to satisfy the longings of our soul?  Because it should be!  In the death and resurrection of Jesus we truly have all that we need!  Our sins are forgiven; our past is wiped away; we are made new; we are filled with the Holy Spirit and we are heirs of the riches of heaven. 

It’s difficult to believe that blessing comes through trials and hardship.  It’s hard to believe that when we experience pain, it’s for our benefit and refinement.  It’s hard when we’re praying for a miracle to be disappointed with the outcome.  But even in those times of trial and hardship and pain and longing; what we have in Jesus is enough. 

One of the biggest challenges of the life of faith is learning to see salvation as the ultimate miracle – it’s already happened and is ours when we trust in Jesus – and learning to be satisfied with what we already have, instead of demanding more.  It doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t pray for more; or expect more; or doubt that God will do more.  But before we’re ready for more, God wants to know that we’re content with what we already have in Jesus.  Is Jesus really enough?