Expectation

When I was a kid I never wanted to know what I was getting for Christmas. I enjoyed experiencing wonder, and I loved analyzing each of my gifts in order to try and figure out what was underneath the wrapping. And I just thought everyone was just like me. But then I met my wife, and not only did she know everything she was getting for Christmas, but had likely shopped for it with her mother and even tried it on. It just seemed so wrong. Where is the surprise? Where is the wonder? Where is the expectation? To me, that was 99% of the joy of the season.

I’ve softened some on that position. I appreciate how difficult it is to find the right clothes for girls, and the desire to avoid the stores after Christmas in order to make exchanges and returns. I also appreciate the practicality of giving someone something that they either want or need. I mean I think the only thing worse than not getting what you expect is to give what is something you expect to be wanted only to find out it was rejected. If you have enough unmet expectations, then expectation becomes something you want to avoid. After all, the great philosopher Antonio Banderas once said, “Expectation is the mother of all frustration.”

Why do those words seem to ring so true?

One reason, I think, is because expectation implies waiting. We can’t be in a stage of expectation if we aren’t also waiting.

And if there is anything universally trues about Americans it is that we hate to wait.

If I am going on a short trip and I can get there without having to stop at a light or a sign even if it will require a few extra miles I’m taking the long way.

Technology doesn’t help.

We no longer wait for breaking news it gets delivered to our phones instantaneously and there is at least three TV channels devoted to news 24 hours a day, every day.

We no longer wait for the coffee to brew we just throw in a Kcup.

We no longer wait in checkout lines because we can buy anything in our PJs on our couch.

We no longer wait expectantly for a letter from a loved one because we can send an email, text or DM that can be read instantaneously.

We no longer wait expectantly to see loved ones because we can just FaceTime them.

Because we have such a disdain for waiting there is a concerted effort to remove all opportunities for waiting.

And when we don’t have the opportunity to wait we become terrible at practicing the discipline of expectation.

Weak waiters are frustrated expectors.

Just think about it.

How many of you have waited for something for a week? A month? Three months? Nine months? A year? What about a decade? Or two decades?

600 years is how long Israel had to wait. I’m sure expectation diminished with each passing generation. People have never liked waiting. We know that by the time Jesus shows up the temple had become a marketplace. The celebration of feasts and festivals had become religious traditions and sacrifice a superstitious obligation. The hope for a Messiah had become a desire for military salvation from the physical enemy of Rome. So, it seems that as soon as there was just a flicker of expectation left God slides his Son into the story.

Matthew 1

12 And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13 and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, 14 and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, 15 and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.

17 So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

     23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,

     and they shall call his name Immanuel”

(which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

Matthew quotes the prophet Isaiah in the birth story and he would go on to quote Isaiah 9 as Jesus began his ministry.

9  But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

     2  The people who walked in darkness

     have seen a great light;

     those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,

     on them has light shone.

John writes in his Gospel.

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Jn 1:1–5). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

And if we read a little more of Isaiah 9 we discover a little more about the child.

6 For to us a child is born,

     to us a son is given;

     and the government shall be upon his shoulder,

     and his name shall be called

     Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

     Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

     7 Of the increase of his government and of peace

     there will be no end,

     on the throne of David and over his kingdom,

     to establish it and to uphold it

     with justice and with righteousness

     from this time forth and forevermore.

     The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Is 9:1–7). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

I know it’s been a long time since that baby was born.

It’s been a long time since that baby grew into the greatest man to ever walk the earth.

It’s been a long time since he hung on that Roman cross.

It’s been a long time since he was buried in a tomb.

It’s been a long time since he resurrected three days later.

It’s been a long time since he left and sent us the Holy Spirit.

It’s been a long time to wait for Him to return.

There have been several Christmas’ that have come and gone since the first one. The Church established the tradition of Advent in order to keep the fire of expectation of Jesus’ return burning.

Maybe it’s been a long time since you contemplated whether you a ready for His return.

Maybe instead of looking forward to His return you dread it.

Or maybe you just don’t want to spend too much time thinking about something that may never come true in your lifetime.

I don’t know where you are with it all, but maybe this morning God can somehow capture your attention and place inside of all of us a renewed expectation that He Will Return.

And it’s going to take some work on our part. It’s going to require some discipline. But maybe today you can make an effort to get excited about waiting.

Strong waiters become fascinated expectors.

All earthly delights  are sweeter in expectation than in enjoyment; but all spiritual  pleasures more in fruition than in expectation. Francois Fenelon