Reflections with Andy – Luke 11: 29-32 – Trust and Obey

In this passage, Jesus tells the crowds that no more signs will be given except the sign of Jonah—pointing to his own death and resurrection as the ultimate proof of God’s power and love. Just like the Ninevites repented at Jonah’s preaching and the Queen of Sheba sought out Solomon’s wisdom, Jesus says that people outside of Israel showed more faith than those who had him standing right in front of them. For us, the message is clear: we don’t need flashy signs or special confirmations—God has already given us the greatest sign in the resurrection. Often, we already know what God is calling us to do; the real step is trusting Him enough to obey. The peace we long for usually comes after obedience, not before.

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Well, good morning! It’s good to be with you again on this great Wednesday morning as we keep walking together through Luke. Hope all is well with you. I’m looking forward to today—Wednesdays are always a fun day for me because we’ve got Bible study at church tonight. And y’all know I love Bible study. It’s just a good time to dig into God’s Word, learn a little bit more, and honestly just enjoy being together. So I’m excited for tonight. If you’re in a place where you can be part of a Bible study or worship service midweek, I hope you’ll jump in and take advantage of that. It’s always a blessing.

This morning we’re still in Luke 11. Let me read verses 29–32:

“When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, ‘This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. The people 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.”

Alright, let’s unpack that. One thing about Luke’s Gospel—it really builds on itself. Every miracle builds on the one before, every teaching flows into the next. So you always want to read Luke in context.

Now remember what we just saw earlier—people accusing Jesus of casting out demons by the power of demons. They were seeing signs, but not believing. They wanted more proof, more signs, even though Jesus had already given them plenty.

And here Jesus says, “This generation wants a sign? Well, you’re not gonna get one—except the sign of Jonah.” Now, that’s an interesting line. What does he mean by that?

So let’s go back. Jonah was called to go preach to the Ninevites—the capital of Assyria, one of Israel’s biggest enemies, and honestly one of the most brutal empires of that time. Jonah didn’t want to go. He didn’t like them. He didn’t want them saved. And sure enough, when God did save them, Jonah got mad! He basically says at the end of the book, “See, Lord? I knew you’d forgive them. I knew you’d be merciful. That’s why I didn’t want to go.” He’s salty about God being gracious!

And of course, Jonah runs from God, gets tossed off a boat in a storm, swallowed by a big fish, and spends three days in the belly before being spit back out. That becomes a picture of what’s coming in Jesus—three days in the tomb, and then resurrection. That’s the “sign of Jonah.”

So Jesus is telling them: you’re not going to get flashy signs on demand. You’re going to get the sign—his death and resurrection. And that’s more than enough.

And then he gives these examples. The Queen of Sheba—she traveled a long way just to hear Solomon’s wisdom. She wasn’t even Jewish, but she came hungry to hear. The Ninevites—evil as they were—repented when Jonah preached. And Jesus says: you’ve got something greater right here in front of you, and you’re still not believing. So at the end, even Gentiles—outsiders—are going to stand in judgment over this unbelieving generation.

Now let’s bring that to us. How many times do we say, “Lord, just give me a sign”? I’ve been there. Maybe you have too. We’re wrestling with a decision, we want clarity, and we pray, “God, if you’ll just show me clearly, then I’ll do it.” I’ve even said, “Lord, if you’ll just give me peace about this, I’ll move forward.”

But here’s what I’ve found in my own life—and I’m not saying this is the rule for everybody, but it’s how God’s worked with me: usually, I already know what God wants me to do. The peace doesn’t come before obedience. The peace comes after obedience. Once I step out in faith, then God gives me the assurance.

So yeah, you can ask for signs. And sometimes God gives them. But most of the time, we already know. We’ve felt the nudge. We’ve read it in Scripture. We’ve heard it in prayer. The real question isn’t whether God will show us—it’s whether we’ll trust Him enough to obey.

And that’s hard, isn’t it? Obedience is easy when the path is clear and simple. But when you’re standing at a crossroads and you’re unsure—that’s when faith gets tested. That’s when we’ve got to pray, fast, seek wise counsel, and ultimately step out in trust.

Jesus says the only sign we need is the resurrection. And that’s true for us too. We already have the sign. Christ is risen. He’s alive. That’s all the confirmation we really need.

So today, listen for God’s voice. He may not write it in the sky or flash it in neon. But He’s speaking—through Scripture, through worship, through prayer, through that quiet nudge of the Spirit. Trust Him. Obey Him. And you’ll find peace on the other side of obedience.

Have a great Wednesday. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.

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