Here's Your Sign

As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.”
He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here.

“No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy,your body also is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.” Luke 11:27-36

There is nothing more important than learning and obeying the Word of God. Not even your mother. Not even Jesus' mother. We mothers know what the lady meant, when she cried out in ecstasy to glorify Mary. We also know what Jesus meant when he made the issue clear of which is more important in life. His mission was the salvation of His people. That could only happen if they heard His Word and understood that He was the only way of salvation. Who His mother was was incidental to His humanity. Who His Father was was creator of the universe, the planner and provider of our eternal life.

The unbelievers want a "sign." Prove yourself to us. Why should we believe you are who you claim to be? Well, actually there had been many signs in His ministry. People who do not want to believe will simply reject all evidence. So remember Johah. He was sent to an unbelieving people, and he didn't even want them to be saved, but God sent through him the message and they DID believe! A pagan Queen came from afar to learn wisdom from Solomon, who had the Word of God to impart. Over and over we see: where there is positive volition to Bible Doctrine, the people are ready and willing to believe. The negative ones will not believe, even with God the Son standing before them.

Jesus, and we, have the truth to proclaim. He is our light. He is the light of the world. One doesn't light a lantern and place it undercover. The purpose of the light is to reveal, to show, to teach. We take in the light and retain it in our souls. What we see and hear of God's Word with our healthy (positive) senses enlightens our innermost being. We must guard against the darkness of false doctrine and negative volition. We see and absorb the light, we store it up and carry it in our souls and are able to share it with others who are drawn to the light.

How miserable it must be to constantly be hovering in the darkness. Hating, rejecting, contradicting everything that is good and true. Despising those who try to share their light. What a dismal, dreary existence, built on lies and deceit and shameful rebellion. Jesus offers them light and life. They continue to choose darkness and death. And they ask for a sign.