A Sign of Something Greater (Lk. 11:27-32)
We are a society that craves evidence. At every turn we have a yearning to "know" what is or is not true or "real" - as we define it mostly. Because of this yearning, we are also an incredibly skeptical bunch. Covid proved both of these things to be true in tandem. Follow the science we said. Which science? Well obviously the one that I trust, right? It was this same craving for proof that drove the Pharisees and scribes to test Jesus. If He really is the son of David He should prove it by doing another miracle.
Luke 11:27–32 NKJV
27 And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!”
28 But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
29 And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.
30 For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation.
31 The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.
32 The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.
Dan Barker’s Story
Dan Barker is like many others who have tasted and seen the goodness of God. Once upon a time, Dan was sold out for the Lord. At the age of 14 he surrendered his life to Christ. At 15 he became an evangelist and at 16 he served as a librarian for Kathryn Kuhlman’s L.A. choir. Eventually, Dan was ordained as a minister and served as a pastor and evangelist for a couple decades. Dan admits to having witnessed “miracles” firsthand, even to the point of being used by God to bring healing to others.
In 1984, after wrestling with his Christian beliefs, Dan declared himself an atheist. He says,
“I did not lose my faith. I gave it up purposely.”
The motivation that drove me into the ministry is the same that drove me out. I have always wanted to know. Even as a child, I fervently pursued truth. I was rarely content to accept things without examination, and my examinations were intense. I was a thirsty learner, a good student, and a good minister because of that drive. I always took things apart and put them back together again.
Faith and reason began a war within me, and it kept escalating. I would cry out to God for answers, and none would come. Like the battered wife who clings to hope, I kept trusting that God would someday come through. He never did.[1]
Wow! What a tragic story. To have been on the front lines of ministry with God, to have experienced the grace and the miraculous power of God firsthand, and to see no convincing proof is probably the most heartbreaking story I have ever heard.
I do not aim to give evidence for the existence of the God of the Bible because that would lump us together with the religious leaders of our text. However, my hope today is that, by hearing God’s Word, through which faith in God is developed, you will better appreciate the grace of God that has appeared to you today. Also, that you will not allow what has not yet been revealed to keep you from trusting God by what He has made known.
Truly Blessed (Lk. 11:27-28)
Let’s take another look at verses 27 and 28.
Luke 11:27–28 NKJV
27 And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!”
28 But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
This exchange between Jesus and the woman sets up Jesus’ response to the people’s request for a sign. There is a lot more to this woman’s outburst than we can discover in Luke’s record. Thankfully, we have the testimony of Matthew and Mark to fill in the gaps for us.
Matthew tells us that as Jesus was speaking about unclean spirits that leave a person, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. (Matthew 12:46 NKJV)
According to Mark’s record, Jesus’ family members think He’s crazy and they want to save Him from making a fool of Himself.
Mark 3:20–21 NKJV
20 Then the multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.
21 But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, “He is out of His mind.”
This is when Jesus speaks those now familiar words. As He is made aware of the presence of His family members, He responds,
Matthew 12:48–50 NKJV
48 “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?”
49 And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers!
50 For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”
At some point during this whole commotion, a woman stands up and shouts, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!” (Luke 11:27 NKJV)
Jesus’ mother is in the crowd when the woman shouts those words. What honor she must’ve felt in hearing that. “What a blessed woman your mother is to have a Son like you.”
Luke 11:28 NKJV
28 But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
In the Catholic church, prayers are offered to Mary, the mother of our Lord,
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
For all of my brothers and sisters who grew up Catholic and those in recovery joining us today, notice here that the scripture does not take away Mary’s blessing; rather, it expands it to those who hear the Word of God—which means to listen intently in order to respond—and blessed are those who keep the Word of God—which means to guard it and obey it. Blessed are the hearers and doers of the Word.
Well, what does that look like practically? And that is what Jesus addresses in the next few verses.
Here’s Your Sign (Lk. 11:29-30)
Luke 11:29–30 NKJV
29 And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.
30 For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation.
1 Corinthians 1:22–23 NKJV
22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom;
23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,
The crowd was getting bigger as more and more people gathered to see and hear what Jesus would do and say next. He’s being put to the test by Pharisees and scribes who want to see a sign (Mt. 12:38). If you remember, the issue centers around whether or not Jesus is the promised Davidic Successor as the multitudes have questioned (Matt. 12:23). Unlike Luke, Matthew places the request for a sign after Jesus cast the demons out of the man which, I find, makes the need for further proof even more absurd. They have just witnessed the power of God set a man free from the enslavement of darkness and they aren’t convinced about Jesus.
NT scholar, Darryl Bock, says
...to delay decision in the face of repeated demonstrations of power is really avoidance. For having refused to believe God’s Word, the people will not believe a sign either.[2]
We know this to be true based on what Luke shares later in his record. Jesus tells a story about a rich man and a beggar named Lazarus. The rich man lived well in this life, having all of his needs met. Lazarus did not. He suffered greatly in this life, and much of his suffering was a result of the rich man’s negligence. The rich man and Lazarus both died. Most likely, for the first time, the rich man experiences suffering and Lazarus experiences compassion and blessing. The rich man yells out to Abraham, who is comforting Lazarus, and begs for Lazarus to warn his family about the suffering which may await them as well. And here is how the story ends.
Luke 16:30–31 NKJV
30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’
31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ”
Listen, if you will not take God at His Word, it is highly unlikely that you will be convinced by any other means. This is not to say that signs and miracles do not aid in the development of our faith, but they cannot be divorced from the Word of God. Miracles and wonders are inextricably linked to the Word of God.
These things can point us to God’s Word, but they cannot take the place of God’s Word. This is the problem with many hyper-charismatics. Their faith rests upon the next miracle and not on the Miracle-Worker.
Notice in Luke’s account, Jesus is not opposed to signs per se. We know that because in rejection of their request He offers them a sign—the sign of Jonah. How is Jonah a sign to these folks? If you know the story of Jonah then it seems pretty obvious. However, some commentators and scholars understand Jesus to mean that the sign is Jonah’s preaching of repentance while others argue that Jonah’s deliverance from the belly of the fish is the intended meaning. My question is this, “Why can’t it be both?”
Jonah 1:1–2 NKJV
1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,
2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.”
Yahweh called Jonah to preach judgment to the people of Nineveh because of their wickedness, but Jonah refused and ran away from his calling so, in response to Jonah’s wickedness
Jonah 1:17 NKJV
17 Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
While in the belly of the fish Jonah comes to his senses as he prays to Yahweh for deliverance. The Lord heard his prayer.
Jonah 2:10 NKJV
10 So the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.
Jesus tells us in the Gospel of Matthew how this relates to His own life, death, and resurrection.
Matthew 12:40 NKJV
40 For 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.
After being delivered from the fish, Yahweh, again visits Jonah with a message for the people of Nineveh.
Jonah 3:1–4 NKJV
1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying,
2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you.”
3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three-day journey in extent.
4 And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day’s walk. Then he cried out and said, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”
So again, it’s both. Jonah’s life and testimony of deliverance is a sign to the people as well as the message of repentance. In like manner, Jesus’ life and testimony of deliverance from death and His call for repentance are both proofs of His mission and messiahship. The apostle Paul makes this same argument in his letter to the church in Rome. He says that Jesus was
Romans 1:4 NKJV
4 ...declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.
Just as Jonah was delivered from the fish, Christ was delivered from the grave. This is your sign!
What other evidence do you need?
And let me add this. You too are a sign to a generation looking for proof of Jesus.
2 Corinthians 3:3 NKJV
3 clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.
A new letter was written last week as we witnessed the power of God to transform lives when Colby was baptized as a sign of his faith in Jesus. He believed what God said and he responded to what was revealed. Do you need another baptism to prove that God changes lives? As you think back on your own life, how many prayers has God answered for you? How many more does He have to answer before you will lay your life down in full submission to Him?
If you need another sign to believe, you’ll never be fully convinced. However, if you are already convinced, you’ll never need another sign.
Greater Still (Lk. 11:31-32)
In these final two verses, Jesus tightens the screws on these religious leaders who want more proof. He uses two examples of Gentiles who heard and kept the Word of God.
Luke 11:31–32 NKJV
31 The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.
32 The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.
How convicting and potentially infuriating those words must’ve been for those who heard them. You mean to tell me, a bunch of unclean, idol worshipping pagans are going to stand against me on the day of judgment? Jesus says, you better believe they will and the reason why is because they heard and kept the Word of God.
The first example Jesus uses against His people is the queen of Sheba, the queen of the south.
1 Kings 10:1–3 NKJV
1 Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions.
2 She came to Jerusalem with a very great [company], with camels that bore spices, very much gold, and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was in her heart.
3 So Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing so difficult for the king that he could not explain it to her.
So, when she saw all of Solomon’s prosperity and she had experienced his wisdom firsthand she was completely awestruck.
1 Kings 10:5 NKJV
5 ...there was no more spirit in her.
It took her breath away and, in response, she blessed the Name of the Lord.
1 Kings 10:9 NKJV
9 Blessed be the Lord your God, who delighted in you, setting you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord has loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness.”
Jesus uses this woman as an example of what faith in God’s Word looks like. This woman didn’t need to see before responding. She responded to what she heard. It parallels what Jesus spoke to Thomas.
John 20:29 NKJV
29 Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
And now, something greater than Solomon was standing right before the Pharisees and scribes.
Solomon only acted with wisdom. Jesus is the Wisdom of God.
1 Corinthians 1:24 NKJV
24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
1 Corinthians 1:30 NKJV
30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—
Colossians 2:3 NKJV
3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
The second example Jesus uses is the people of Nineveh. After Jonah is vomited onto dry land, he goes to Nineveh preaching the message of repentance, and everyone turns to Yahweh in faithful obedience.
Jonah 3:5 NKJV
5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them.
And a remarkable thing happened as a result of their repentance.
Jonah 3:10 NKJV
10 Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.
And now, something greater than Jonah was standing before the people as Jesus spoke. Jonah only preached judgment and repentance. Jesus is the Great Judge and the One to Whom we turn.
My friends, the relenting of the Lord that the Ninevites experienced can be your experience as well if you will believe the message of God’s grace to you today.
Here is what Yahweh declares by the mouth of the prophet Ezekiel and the Apostle Peter.
Ezekiel 18:21 NKJV
21 “But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die.
Ezekiel 18:23 NKJV
23 Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord God, “and not that he should turn from his ways and live?
2 Peter 3:9 NKJV
9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
Respond
Here is the last thing I’ll say.
There is a day coming when every one of us will stand before the judgment seat of Christ and give an account of what we have done in this life. Standing in line with us will be people we have written off as too far gone and unredeemable. And as we have judged those people in this life, like the rich man and Lazarus, we may find them judging us in the next life and what will grant them the privilege of being our judges is simply that they have believed and obeyed the Word of God. It’s that simple.
Have you heard the story of the man stranded at sea praying for God to save him?
A man stranded at sea begins to pray and ask God for deliverance. Twice God sent rescue boats, and twice the man refused them, convinced God would save him directly. Not surprisingly, the man died. As he stood before God confused, he asked, “Why didn’t You rescue me?” God said, “I did—I sent two boats.”
Think about something for a second, on the day that you stand before God and He asks why you didn’t trust Him, why you didn’t believe in His Son Jesus for your own salvation, or why, as a child of God, you didn’t obey the Word, will you respond by saying, ‘I needed more proof… life was too painful… circumstances weren’t fair.’ “You know God, if my grandmother had lived a few more years...if my child had been healed from cancer...if my husband/wife hadn’t divorced me, then I would’ve believed for sure.” And God’s going to say, “But did you hear the Gospel? Were you told about my love for you?” Did you hear about how I gave my Son to die in your place so you wouldn’t have to die?” And if you say, “Yeah, but...” Then as the Apostle Paul says, “You are inexcusable” my friend.
But hey, I’ve got good news for you. God has sent another boat today. He has thrown you another lifeline, and if you will grab hold of it, He will pull you to safety. No other sign is necessary besides the sacrificial death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ.
Tre Clark
Britton Christian Church
9/24/2026
40 years ago — Dan Barker: ‘I just lost faith in faith’ - Freethought Today; https://www.freethoughttoday.com/articles/vol-41-no-05-june-july-2024/40-years-ago-dan-barker-i-just-lost-faith-in-faith/
D.L. Bock, Luke, p213
