Signs or Kingdom Work?

As the crowd pressed in on Jesus, he said, “This evil generation keeps asking me to show them a miraculous sign. But the only sign I will give them is the sign of Jonah. What happened to him was a sign to the people of Nineveh that God had sent him. What happens to the Son of Man will be a sign to these people that he was sent by God. [Luke 11.29-30]

We all know Jesus performed many signs and wonders.  However, regardless of what we think or have been taught, we must accept Jesus' own words about His life and ministry more so than whatever knowledge we think we have about it.

As far as signs go, Jesus, here in Luke 11, is on record of saying no miracle He performed was "a sign" but instead declared the "only" sign He would give is the sign of Jonah.

For all my life, I have been taught that all the miracles Jesus performed were signs to prove He was not only from God, but God Himself.

So, who is right? Me (and what I have been taught) or Jesus?

I think the answer to the question above goes without saying, but do we really believe it? If Jesus said the "only" sign He would give is the sign of Jonah (rising from the dead after three days), then should we not conclude that every other miracle was not a "sign" but something else?

And, if every other miracle Jesus performed was "something else" and not a sign, then should we not have some interest in understanding what those miracles actually were in the big picture of things? I think so.

The miracles, were, and are, Kingdom work - plain and simple. 

Miracles are simply the breaching of the unseen line that divides heaven from earth. Miracles are a "coming" of God's Kingdom. Miracles are God's will being "done on earth as it is in heaven." Miracles are the manifestation on earth of the way things are in heaven. Again, miracles were, and are, Kingdom work - not signs.

But here's the thing, miracles are no big deal. Jesus told His disciples elsewhere not to make a big deal about miracles, but to make a big deal because their names were written in heaven. Jesus clearly told His followers to perform miracles, but not to make miracles the goal.

Here's my take on that: it's okay to drive a car to church to worship God, but DON'T worship the car!

I am certain there are other Biblical references I will have to reconcile with on this topic. However, I cannot blankly ignore Jesus' own words that the "only" sign He would give was His death, burial and resurrection.

Furthermore, if miracles are indeed simply Kingdom work, then miracles are a task every believer in Jesus is to perform.

Father, help me to be increasingly more sure of Your Kingdom and my role in it.