Matthew 16:1-18 AMPC
Now the Pharisees and Sadducees came up to Jesus, and they asked Him to show them a sign (spectacular miracle) from heaven [attesting His divine authority]. [2] He replied to them, When it is evening you say, It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,
[3] And in the morning, It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and has a gloomy and threatening look. You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.
[4] A wicked and morally unfaithful generation craves a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. Then He left them and went away. [5] When the disciples reached the other side of the sea, they found that they had forgotten to bring any bread.
[6] Jesus said to them, Be careful and on your guard against the leaven (ferment) of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
[7] And they reasoned among themselves about it, saying, It is because we did not bring any bread. [8] But Jesus, aware of this, asked, Why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? O you [men, how little trust you have in Me, how] little faith!
[9] Do you not yet discern (perceive and understand)? Do you not remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many [small hand] baskets you gathered?
[10] Nor the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many [large provision] baskets you took up?
[11] How is it that you fail to understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But beware of the leaven (ferment) of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
[12] Then they discerned that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
[13] Now when Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, Who do people say that the Son of Man is?
[14] And they answered, Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.
[15] He said to them, But who do you [yourselves] say that I am?
[16] Simon Peter replied, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.
[17] Then Jesus answered him, Blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) are you, Simon Bar-Jonah. For flesh and blood [men] have not revealed this to you, but My Father Who is in heaven.
[18] And I tell you, you are Peter [Greek, Petros— a large piece of rock], and on this rock [Greek, petra— a huge rock like Gibraltar] I will build My church, and the gates of Hades (the powers of the infernal region) shall not overpower it [or be strong to its detriment or hold out against it].

Many people set standards of behaviour for God as a condition for their faith. “If God would just solve this one problem for me, I’d have no trouble believing.” Usually, it involves a miraculous appearance or deed.
Many people have set such conditions for God, but few have tried harder than the Pharisees and Sadducees. We see how they make their demands for a miracle quite plain to Jesus. But Jesus just declined.
As the disciples pledged their belief in Jesus, they couldn’t cope with the predictions of his death, and they even squabble over who will be the greatest in his kingdom. As you read, ask yourself, “What kind of proof would convince me of Christ’s divinity?”
No miracles will convince sceptics; they’ve already committed themselves to not believing. Many people demand proof of God’s existence or power, but their demands hide the real issue that they have already chosen not to believe in God. Until we believe that God can do miracles, we won’t even entertain the possibility that something we saw was a miracle.
When Julie Andrews as Maria in the sound of music was sent to the Von Trapp family as a governess was thinking about what challenges and adventures lay ahead, she sang about confidence: “I have confidence in springtime, I have confidence in fall she declares, “I have confidence in confidence alone!” While Maria may have had confidence in confidence alone, we don’t have faith in our faith. To have faith in one’s faith is an empty faith.
We have faith in Christ.
Our faith is more than wishful thinking. It is trust and reliance on a real person – Jesus, about a real event – His death and resurrection. It is trust and reliance on the real promise of a real God about a real future.
A future, which although it is yet to come, is just as real as today or yesterday.
John 20:19 sees Jesus come into a room without using the doors. Some interpreters understand the doors being locked to imply that Jesus miraculously passed through the door or the walls of the room. Since Jesus had a real physical body with flesh and bones after he rose from the dead, it is possible that the door was miraculously opened so that Jesus could enter just like Peter and the Angel in Acts 12:10.
The resurrection is of utmost importance to the Gospel and without the resurrection, the Gospel message is powerless to save. The resurrection of Christ means that we can count on God to keep His promises. It assures us that His Word is True and Faithful.
If you doubt Christ because you haven’t “seen a miracle,” ask if a miracle would really convince you or just entrench your scepticism, then remember that the cross is all the proof needed to sustain our faith in Christ, not an outward show of power.
Jesus said, in John 20:29 that “Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.” Seeing God’s work in your life begins when you simply step forward in faith and believe in Jesus as God’s Son who rose from death as the only way of salvation. Positive proof that Christ is risen is the hope of glory in you.
Shalom