3/4/2020 Lenten Luminaries
[Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.] (Lk. 11:30)
When asked to provide a sign for His listeners, Jesus references the one sign they will receive—the sign of Jonah. As much as Jonah didn’t want to follow God’s directive, he eventually did what God asked. He became a sign to the Ninevites of their need to change their ways and refocus their lives on God.
Jesus notes that He (the Son of Man) will be a sign to the people of His time as Jonah was to his contemporaries. Jesus commanded His disciples to repent and believe in the Gospel. He didn’t just ask, but commanded the people of His time to change their ways and refocus on God.
It can be really easy for us to domesticate Jesus as a free spirited teacher Who didn’t require anything more of His followers than faith. We sometimes make Jesus out to be just a lovey-dovey guy, rather than recognize how radical His words were and are. In so doing we can easily disregard His call to an authentic and necessary conversion.
What are those ways in your life that Jesus is asking you to change? Where are those places in your life that Jesus is requiring you to refocus on Him?