11.2.2025 Sign Of Jonah

Devotional

Day 1: Recognizing the Obvious Signs of God

It is easy to miss the obvious work of God when it does not fit into our expectations or desire for control. Like the Pharisees, we may demand more evidence or signs, even when God’s presence and power are already clear. The challenge is to open our hearts and truly see what God is doing, rather than insisting on our own terms or remaining oblivious to the truth that is right before us. [01:07]

Matthew 12:38-39 (ESV)
Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.”

Reflection: Where in your life might you be ignoring the obvious ways God is at work because it doesn’t fit your expectations or comfort zone? What would it look like to surrender your need for control and ask God to open your eyes today?

Day 2: The Ultimate Sign—The Resurrection of Jesus

The resurrection of Jesus is the ultimate and eternal sign God has given to reveal who Jesus is—the Messiah, the Son of God, who has all power, dominion, and authority. Just as Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days, so Jesus was in the heart of the earth and then rose again, leaving behind an empty tomb. This miraculous event is the foundation of our faith and the only sign we truly need to trust in Christ. [18:12]

Matthew 12:40 (ESV)
“For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

Reflection: How does the reality of Jesus’ resurrection shape your confidence in God’s promises today? In what area of your life do you need to let the truth of the empty tomb give you hope or courage?

Day 3: True Repentance—Turning from Regret to Transformation

Repentance is not merely feeling sorry for our wrongs; it is a deep, Spirit-empowered turning of our hearts and lives toward God. The sign of Jonah is not only about Jesus’ resurrection but also about our repentance—like the people of Nineveh, who responded to God’s call with genuine change. True repentance means no longer choosing to be oblivious to the obvious, but allowing God to transform us from the inside out. [24:04]

Matthew 12:41 (ESV)
“The men 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.”

Reflection: Is there an area in your life where you have settled for regret instead of true repentance? What step can you take today to invite the Holy Spirit to bring real transformation in that area?

Day 4: The Indwelling Spirit—Filling the God-Shaped Vacuum

When we repent and trust in Christ, we are not just emptied of sin but filled with the very presence of God. The Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us, making us God’s temple and protecting us from the enemy’s attempts to reclaim ground in our lives. Transformation is not about outward moralism or checking off religious boxes, but about inviting God to fill every part of our hearts and lives with His righteousness and presence. [29:36]

1 Corinthians 3:16 (ESV)
Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?

Reflection: In what ways are you tempted to settle for outward change rather than inviting God’s Spirit to fill and transform you from within? How can you intentionally welcome the Holy Spirit’s presence into your daily routines this week?

Day 5: Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone for God’s Mission

God’s work often calls us to step outside our comfort zones, to let go of our paradigms, and to trust His perfect plan—even when it is uncomfortable or challenges our priorities. The story of Jonah and the call of Jesus remind us that following God may require us to make difficult, paradigm-shifting choices that align our lives with His kingdom and mission, rather than our own preferences or traditions. [16:47]

Jonah 3:1-5 (ESV)
Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey in breadth. Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.

Reflection: What is one area where God may be calling you to step outside your comfort zone for His purposes? What practical action can you take today to say “yes” to God’s mission, even if it feels uncomfortable?

Sermon Summary

In Matthew’s account, Jesus is confronted by the Pharisees and scribes who demand a sign, even after witnessing countless miracles and acts of compassion. Their request is not born from genuine curiosity or openness, but from a desire to maintain control and avoid the uncomfortable truth that Jesus represents. It’s easy to judge the Pharisees, but their tendency to ignore the obvious when it threatens their worldview is a deeply human one. We, too, often choose to be oblivious to what God is doing right in front of us, especially when it challenges our sense of control or comfort.

Jesus responds to their demand not with another miracle on their terms, but with the “sign of Jonah.” This sign is twofold. First, it points to Jesus’ own resurrection: just as Jonah spent three days in the belly of the fish, so would the Son of Man spend three days in the heart of the earth before rising again. This is the ultimate, eternal sign—one that surpasses all previous miracles and fulfills the deepest promises of God. The resurrection is not just a historical event; it is the ongoing, living proof of Jesus’ identity and authority.

The second part of the sign of Jonah is repentance. The people of Nineveh, notorious outsiders and enemies of Israel, responded to Jonah’s message with genuine repentance. Jesus warns that these outsiders—along with the Queen of the South, another non-Israelite—will stand in judgment over those who refuse to respond to the obvious truth of God’s work. Repentance is not mere regret or surface-level change; it is a deep, Spirit-empowered transformation that turns us from self-reliance and control to humble trust and obedience.

For those who have not yet believed, the resurrection is the sign that calls for a response of repentance—a turning from being oblivious to the obvious, and embracing the life Jesus offers. For those who already follow Christ, the call is to a repentance that goes beyond moralism or outward conformity. True repentance is a Spirit-driven transformation that fills the “vacuum” of our hearts with God’s presence, making us his dwelling place and protecting us from the return of old patterns and temptations.

The challenge is clear: will we continue to demand signs on our own terms, or will we respond to the sign God has already given? Will we remain oblivious to the obvious, or will we allow the resurrection and the call to repentance to reshape our lives, even when it is uncomfortable and requires us to step outside our paradigms?

Key Takeaways

1. Ignoring the Obvious Is a Choice Rooted in Control The Pharisees’ refusal to accept Jesus’ miracles was not due to a lack of evidence, but a desire to maintain their own authority and comfort. We, too, can become blind to God’s work when it threatens our sense of control or challenges our established paradigms. The call is to recognize where we might be intentionally oblivious, and to surrender our need for control to God’s greater wisdom. [01:32]
2. The Sign of Jonah: Resurrection as the Ultimate Proof Jesus offers the resurrection as the final and sufficient sign of his identity and mission. This event is not just a miraculous occurrence, but the foundation of our faith and the ultimate demonstration of God’s power over death and sin. The empty tomb is the perpetual sign that demands a response from every generation. [18:12]
3. Repentance Is More Than Regret—It Is Deep Transformation True repentance is not simply feeling sorry or making surface-level changes. It is a Spirit-empowered turning of the heart and mind, a willingness to step outside our comfort zones and allow God to reshape us from the inside out. This kind of repentance fills the “vacuum” in our souls with God’s presence, preventing old patterns from returning. [24:04]
4. Outsiders Often See and Respond to God’s Work More Readily Than Insiders Jesus points out that the people of Nineveh and the Queen of the South—outsiders to Israel—responded to God’s message with repentance and faith, while the religious insiders remained resistant. This is a sobering reminder that spiritual privilege can breed complacency, and that God’s grace often breaks through in unexpected places and people. [21:29]
5. The Spirit-Filled Life Is the Only Defense Against Spiritual Emptiness Repentance that is only skin-deep leaves us vulnerable to the return of old sins and spiritual emptiness. Only by inviting the Holy Spirit to dwell within us—making us God’s temple—can we experience lasting transformation and protection from the enemy’s schemes. The Spirit’s presence is both the evidence and the means of true, ongoing change. [29:24]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:21] - Jesus Confronted by the Pharisees
[01:07] - Ignoring the Obvious for Control
[02:25] - The Heart Behind Asking for Signs
[03:51] - God’s History of Giving Signs
[04:26] - The Pharisees Demand a Greater Sign
[06:02] - “Evil and Adulterous Generation” Explained
[07:19] - The Bridegroom and the Adulterous Bride
[08:13] - The Root of Skepticism: Control
[10:34] - The Sign of Jonah Introduced
[11:22] - Jonah’s Story and Its Significance
[14:33] - Understanding “Three Days and Three Nights”
[16:13] - Jonah as a Sign for All Nations
[18:12] - The Resurrection: The Ultimate Sign
[19:24] - Repentance: The Second Part of the Sign
[21:29] - Outsiders as Witnesses Against Unbelief
[22:49] - The Holy Spirit’s Role in Seeing and Repenting
[24:04] - What True Repentance Looks Like
[25:41] - The Danger of Surface-Level Change
[27:39] - The Need for Deep Transformation
[29:24] - Becoming God’s Dwelling Place
[31:12] - Repentance Beyond Moralism
[32:48] - The Challenge of Obvious, Uncomfortable Truth
[34:21] - Will You Remain Oblivious or Respond?

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Matthew 12:38-45 (ESV) — > 38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.”
> 39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
> 40 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
> 41 The men 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.
> 42 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.
> 43 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none.
> 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order.
> 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.”

Observation Questions

What kind of sign did the Pharisees and scribes ask Jesus for, and how did Jesus respond to their request? ([00:41])
According to Jesus, what is the “sign of Jonah,” and how does he connect it to himself? ([10:48])
Who does Jesus say will stand in judgment over the current generation, and why? ([19:36])
In verses 43-45, what warning does Jesus give about spiritual emptiness and what happens if it is not filled? ([25:41])

Interpretation Questions

Why does Jesus call the generation “evil and adulterous” for seeking a sign, and what does this reveal about their hearts? ([06:02])
How is the resurrection of Jesus a greater sign than all the miracles he performed before? ([18:38])
What does the response of the people of Nineveh and the Queen of the South teach us about who is open to God’s work? ([21:29])
According to the sermon, what is the difference between surface-level change and true repentance? ([27:39])

Application Questions

The Pharisees ignored the obvious signs because it threatened their sense of control. Are there areas in your life where you might be intentionally ignoring what God is doing because it would require you to change or let go of control? What would it look like to surrender that area to God? ([01:32])
Jesus says the only sign we need is his resurrection. Are you ever tempted to ask God for more proof or a different kind of sign before you trust or obey him? What would it look like to respond to the sign he’s already given? ([10:34])
The people of Nineveh and the Queen of the South were outsiders who responded to God, while the religious insiders missed it. Have you ever seen someone outside the church respond to God in a way that challenged or inspired you? What can we learn from their openness? ([21:29])
The sermon described repentance as a deep, Spirit-empowered transformation, not just feeling sorry or making surface changes. Is there an area in your life where you’ve only made surface-level changes? What would deeper repentance look like for you? ([24:04])
Jesus warns that if we don’t fill our lives with God’s presence, old patterns and temptations can return even stronger. What are some practical ways you can invite the Holy Spirit to fill the “vacuum” in your heart this week? ([29:24])
Sometimes the truth God wants us to see is obvious but uncomfortable. Is there something obvious God is calling you to do or change that you’ve been avoiding because it’s uncomfortable? What’s one step you can take this week to move toward obedience? ([34:21])
The sermon challenged us to go beyond moralism and outward conformity. In what ways do you find yourself “checking off boxes” in your faith rather than seeking real heart change? How can your group help you pursue deeper transformation? ([31:12])

Sermon Clips

The adulterous generation are the ones, the bride, that have chosen to reject the bridegroom. To look for somebody else. And the bride has chosen to reject the bridegroom because he is not, Jesus is not what they expected. He's not the conquering hero. Jesus is the suffering servant. He's not a mighty warrior on a steed. He's a humble carpenter on a small donkey. [00:07:00] (27 seconds) #ParadigmShiftNeeded

Their skepticism, it didn't come from a lack of data. I believe it came, their skepticism came because they wanted to keep on holding on to control. They didn't want to give control up to the Son of God and the Son of Man. Because honestly, Jesus probably could have, I know for a fact, he could have put, you know, made the stars form an arrow pointing down at him, and have written in the skies, Jesus is the Messiah. I don't think it would have made a difference for the Pharisees. They didn't believe, because they didn't want to believe. They chose to stay oblivious. To the obvious. [00:08:52] (39 seconds) #SignOfJonah

So for those of you who are asking for one more sign, let me say this, Jesus actually does give one. Now the passage itself makes it sound a little negative, because it says, I will just give you. But it's not an insignificant sign that Jesus leaves for every single one of us. In verse 40, the sign that he gives us is there. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The sign that Jesus gives, the sign that he leaves behind, is the sign of Jonah. [00:10:29] (41 seconds) #MiraclesAndFaith

``So the first part of the sign of Jonah that Jesus leaves for us is his resurrection. It's the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is to realize that Jesus is the Messiah. He is the one who has come with all power, dominion and authority and he is the one who will die. He will die on a cross for our sake and he is the one who will be resurrected from the dead. After three days. He will leave behind an empty tomb. And this is the last sign Jesus provides. And honestly, the only one we need. Everything Jesus had done pales in comparison to the resurrection of the crucified Christ. It's the only perpetual, it's the only eternal sign that we need. [00:18:09] (50 seconds) #RepentanceAndFaith

The second part, I believe, is our repentance. See, the sign of Jonah, it is absolutely Jesus' resurrection. And I believe it is also our repentance. In verse 41 and 42, let me read this again. It says the men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it. For they, the people of Nineveh, repented at the preaching of Jonah and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. [00:19:19] (31 seconds) #HolySpiritPower

So what is our response to this truth, to this reality? I think there are two responses that we see in Scripture today. And the first one is for those of you who have yet to make the decision to believe that Jesus is the Son of God. The Son of God who died so that his blood might justify you and me. And here's the thing. This is your sign. Don't ask for another one because this is the ultimate sign. The resurrection of God. The Son of God. And the response that Jesus is asking for of us, of those who have not made that decision yet, is our repentance. [00:23:17] (42 seconds) #FaithOverRegret

When I say we are called to repent, it's not merely regret. Repentance is not just regret. It's not just feeling sorry for wrongs done. Repentance goes much further than that. Repentance follows through on that emotion with sorrow and those emotions, and it turns your life around. It's the changing of your mind. It's the changing of your heart by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is no longer choosing to be oblivious to the obvious. That is what repentance looks like. [00:24:00] (33 seconds) #SpiritOccupied

The beautiful promise we get from Jesus is that if we repent, if we confess our sins, Jesus is faithful. He is just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from our unrighteousness. He promises to light our path. He promises to be with us as we turn from darkness to light. He promises to be with us as we turn from Satan to the Savior. Because the power to do this unnatural paradigm shifting thing, it only comes from God, from the Holy Spirit. [00:24:35] (31 seconds) #UltimateProof

See, the sign of Jonah, as I said, it is not an insignificant sign. It is the ultimate proof. It is the sign of Jesus' resurrection and our repentance. And our repentance, hear me here, cannot be limited to moralism. It cannot be limited to just doing things, to just following a bunch of rules and checking off a checklist. The repentance we manifest, it absolutely needs to be more than skin deep. It needs to be down to the soul. It needs to be down to the heart. [00:30:50] (35 seconds) #FollowGodsPath

What would Jesus do? Would He prioritize working or worshiping on Sunday? What would Jesus do? Would He prioritize my child's soccer tournament or my child's spiritual foundation? What would Jesus do? Would He prioritize visiting my family burial plot, having dim sum brunch, or giving glory to God amongst my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ? Sometimes, the obvious is staring us in the face and it is screaming through His words and it's uncomfortable. So the question here that I ask myself and I ask you to ask too, will you continue to be oblivious to the obvious? Or will you decide to make the change, shift, and follow God's design and God's path? He's giving you the sign. [00:33:43] (57 seconds)

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