Great Expecations

It could be that you have known someone for such a long time and took for granted the abilities they have and so you miss out on a relationship that could be so much more.

(Like me coming over to your house in the morning to play the morning Reveille on a bugle)

There is a passage from our Bible reading plan that caught me this past week, and had me asking myself, “What am I expecting Jesus to do in my life?”

Or a bit more pointed, “What am I expecting Jesus CAN DO in my life?”

And a corollary, “Are my expectations less than what Jesus really can do and wants to do in my life?”

The questions came while reading Mark 6:1-6: a passage that may be considered a boring and uneventful passage surrounded by amazing stories of Jesus’ miracles.

It is, however, a very informative passage and one that hits a little close to home.

Let’s walk through it together.

Mark 6:1–6 (ESV)

1 He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him.

"went away from there”

4:1-34 - Jesus was teaching parables by the Sea of Galilee

4:35-41 - Crosses the sea and calms the storm

5:1-20 - Frees a man possessed by demons (just imagine that scene!)

5:21-43 - Returns across the sea and heals a sickly woman and raises a dead girl

and now. . . he makes his way over the land about 25 miles to his hometown (Nazareth)

5-6hr walk - what do you suppose he and his disciples discussed?

“What a crazy few days this has been!”

“Wait until we get to Nazareth - I can’t wait to see what God does there!”

2 And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands?

What was he teaching them that left them astonished?

Luke 4:16–22 (ESV)

16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?”

3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

4 And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.”

5 And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching.

“He marveled because of their unbelief.”

This is the same word used by so many when they witnessed what Jesus could do:

Mark 5:20 (ESV)

20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.

Matthew 9:33 (ESV)

33 And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marveled, saying, “Never was anything like this seen in Israel.”

I love New Testament scholar RT France’s heading for Mark 6:1-6: “Not Everyone is Impressed with Jesus.”

The question is, are you? He goes on to say:

“The triumphal progress of Jesus through the recent part of the narrative (since the explanatory discourse of chapter 4) is in danger of leaving the reader with a false security. One after another the forces of wind and water, demonic possession, illness, and even death have yielded to his authority. Forgetting the picture of divided response in chapters 2–3, the reader may be beginning to feel there is something almost automatic about the ‘success’ of Jesus. This pericope therefore serves to redress the balance, and to remind us that the effect of his ἐξουσία cannot be taken for granted. If πίστις has been the key to at least some of the preceding miracles of deliverance (4:40; 5:34, 36), what is to be expected where it is absent?”

— RT France, NICNT

It was not Jesus’ inability to perform miracles that caused little to happen but the people’s unwillingness to receive who Jesus is and what he can do

Don’t take offense when Jesus doesn’t sense.

The people went from astonishment to offence

3 And they took offense at him.

They took offense at him instead of having belief in him because he made no sense to them.

They took offense because Jesus claimed authority over them.

They were happy to have encouragement - they were not happy to hear about his authority.

Jesus acted differently than they expected, and it offended them.

He didn’t stay quiet, play by the (religious) rules.

He shook things up.

*Do you ever get offended when Jesus does something unexpected in your life?

If we are not willing to allow Jesus do do something unexpected in our lives, are we truly wanting him to be Lord of our lives — Jesus-first?

That would be giving Jesus lip-service instead of Lordship.

If Jesus isn’t able to surprise and confound us - would you even want to follow him?

Had they believed what he said about himself - had they not taken offense - what would have likely happened — miracles!

Don’t become so comfortable with what Jesus has done that you miss out on what he can do.

3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?”

Knowing who Jesus IS will affect what you believe he can DO

Jesus was known as “Jesus of Nazareth” (1:24)

They thought of him in terms of what they currently knew of him

Their shock and disbelief at what Jesus was doing was because of who they thought him to be

While Jesus is indeed “Jesus of Nazareth,” he is also:

-I am the Bread of Life (John 6:35)

I am the Light of the World (John 8:12)

I am the Door (John 10:9)

I am the Good Shepherd (John 10:11,14)

I am the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25)

I am the Way and the Truth and the Life (John 14:6)

I am the Vine (John 15:1,5)

Jesus suffered on that cross to bring us comfort, not to make us comfortable.

We cannot, we must not tame Jesus!

"Is—is he a man?" asked Lucy.

"Aslan a man!" said Mr. Beaver sternly. "Certainly not. I tell you he is the King of the wood and the son of the great Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea. Don't you know who is the King of Beasts? Aslan is a lion—the lion, the great Lion."

"Ooh!" said Susan, "I'd thought he was a man. Is he—quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion."

"That you will, dearie, and no mistake," said Mrs. Beaver; "if there's anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they're either braver than most or else just silly."

"Then he isn't safe?" said Lucy.

"Safe?" said Mr. Beaver; "don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you."

C.S. Lewis, The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe

When Jesus becomes too comfortable a fixture in our lives, we immunize ourselves from the potential of what he could (and wants) to do for us.

Which nation in the world is probably “the most comfortable” with Jesus? America

6 And he marveled because of their unbelief.

How many churches in America do you think Jesus “marvels” at today?

How many Christians in churches have stunned Jesus because they simply want him tame?

How many of you in this church does this describe today?

I am NOT advocating sensationalism - if you are not seeing miracles it is because you do not have enough faith. . . Because the focus is not your faith - it is Jesus.

Mark 6:1–6 (IVPBBC NT): That Jesus is “unable” to do works because of their unbelief presumes a limitation not of his power but of his mission: to heal without morally directed faith would be to act like the pagan magicians of antiquity.

It is not as though they needed a sign and they would believe. (Scripture) It is that they did not believe so no sign would matter.

Luke 4:23 (ESV)

23 And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘ “Physician, heal yourself.” What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’ ”

If Jesus were to perform miracles to those who have no faith in him he would become a magic machine and not a miracle-worker

Nominal Christian = I don’t know if Jesus can really do _______

Historical Christian = I remember when Jesus did do

FaithFull Christian = Watch what my Jesus will do!

Do you REALLY believe and expect that Jesus can do great things in your life?

Test - how vibrant is your prayer life?

A clear indication of what you expect Jesus can do is hear in what you ask him to do.

ILLUST - HART test Acts 12:1-18

Acts 12:1–18 (ESV)

1 About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. 2 He killed James the brother of John with the sword, 3 and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. . . 4 And when he had seized him, he put him in prison . . . but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.. . . Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. 7 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. 8 And the angel [led him past the guard and out of the prison] . . . he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. 13 And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 Recognizing Peter’s voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate. 15 They said to her, “You are out of your mind.” But she kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying, “It is his angel!” 16 But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed.

They were stunned that prayers were answered - maybe answered differently or in a more dramatic way than they expected, but should they have been stunned that God could open prison doors and lead Peter out?

If God answered your prayers, would it surprise you? If so, then do you truly believe?

How much do you really expect Jesus:

hears your prayers?

is able to heal?

can open prison doors of addiction and recurring sin?

Wants to accomplish more for advancing the kingdom of God than he did while on earth? (He established it but said we would do greater things)

Is seriously alive and at work in your everyday life?

Expect great things from Jesus because you know him to be great.

Inverse is also true: when you KNOW Jesus to be great, you can expect great things from him.

The more you know about someone, the more you know what to expect.

(Don’t ask me to dance)

You could expect the wrong things from Jesus if you don’t first get to know HIM - not simply what he might do for you.

ILLUST - this week

Colossians 1:28–29 (ESV)

28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

How well do you know Jesus? How well do you know what he actually said in his Word he came to do? Or are you just comfortable with what you’ve gleaned over the years by being a part of a religious community.

What did Jesus do when he was rejected by those who were comfortable with him?

He went to those who were HUNGRY to know him

6 And he went about among the villages teaching.

Jesus went to those who would believe who he was and marvel at what he can do

Jesus went to:

Those who understood themselves to be unworthy - humble

Mark 5:6 (ESV)

6 And when he [Demon-possessed man] saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him.

Those who had no other choice - hungry

Mark 5 - Healing the chronically ill woman

Those who knew who Jesus was - holy

Matthew 8:5–8 (ESV)

5 When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, 6 “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” 7 And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8 But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.

Matthew 8:10 (ESV)

10 When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.

You can expect great things from Jesus because you KNOW him to he great:

Mark 4:41 (ESV)

41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

Mark 5:20 (ESV)

20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.

Mark 5:42 (ESV)

42 And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement.

How humble are you in expecting Jesus to do great things in your life - His time, his way

How hungry are you for Jesus work?

Are you not really expecting great things because you are not hungry for it?

we get hungry through desperation or devotion.

How holy are your motives in wanting Jesus to work?

Do you really have Jesus-first?

The powerful work of Jesus is for your everyday not just your Sunday or someday!

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