Sermon Tone Analysis

Three Realities to Understand!

Text: , ,

Introduction: Last week, we read the climax of the Christmas story: Jesus’ birth and the visits from the shepherds and the Magi.

You’d think it was all smooth sailing from here…

They all lived happily ever after!

But more disappointment was to come.

There are three types of storms that come into our lives.

Storms that we bring on ourselves.

Storms that are caused by others.

Storms that are allowed by God.

Storms or trouble is something that belongs to the human race.

I’ve yet to meet anyone who can boast of being totally free from it.

It is one of those common denominators that links everyone who has lived, who is now living, or who will live on this earth.

Introduction: Last week, we read the climax of the Christmas story: Jesus’ birth and the visits from the shepherds and the Magi.

You’d think it was all smooth sailing from here…They all lived happily ever after!

But more disappointment was to come.

Life rarely looks like we thought it would, but that doesn’t mean God’s promises aren’t true.

Introduction

Introduction

Three reality's for the Christian

Expectations Not Met

We surly expected a King David figure to take out the Romans.

Our expectation were not fulfilled in Jesus so we will look for another .....

Illustrations we expect God to behave or any in a manner and when that does not happen we abandon ship and look for an alternative.

God you led me here why is it so difficult - missionary

God I followed the path you gave me why is it so rough

Can God be King and not take out my problems .....

I need God to take over my problem .....

What we see is really bad

isaiah 9.

This is not what we expected - all the children killed and we are on the run!

Illustration you are faithful to church, tithe, witness to neighbors and yet your child gets cancer!

This is not what we expected -

This is not what we expected

Illustration - went into ministry only to have my daughter in ICU and 1/5 of the income....

matt 1.28-33

This is what I get .......

Receive and Believe in spite of the surroundings.

matt 2.16

We are given the power to become sons of God!

Sins can be forgiven

Salvation is obtainable

A life of joy in spite of circumstances

Peace with circumstances

See the early Jews just never got over the fact that the Jesus they had created in their minds was not the Jesus before them.....

Pain and suffering can bring about creativiy, resourcefulness and courage.

Example: Parents who lost a child helping to pass laws or starting organizations to protect other children.

Artists and composers sometimes do their greatest work during times of pain or loss.

Scripture: ; ; ;

Pain and suffering can help us to comfort others who are going through similar pain.

Example: This is the benefit of support groups for various problems.

People who have faced the same problems are able to help and encourage others.

John and Phyllis Clayton have been able to help others because of their experience with diabetes and with a mentally retarded child.

Jim McDoniel has been able to help others because of his experience with a handicapped child.

Scripture:

2- Pain and suffering can bring about creativiy, resourcefulness and courage.

Example: Parents who lost a child helping to pass laws or starting organizations to protect other children.

Artists and composers sometimes do their greatest work during times of pain or loss.

Scripture: ; ; ;

3- Pain and suffering can help us to comfort others who are going through similar pain.

Example: This is the benefit of support groups for various problems.

People who have faced the same problems are able to help and encourage others.

John and Phyllis Clayton have been able to help others because of their experience with diabetes and with a mentally retarded child.

Jim McDoniel has been able to help others because of his experience with a handicapped child.

Scripture:

Pain and suffering can help to shape our character.

Example: People who have survived as prisoners of war or persecutions often have a strength of character which is admired by others.

Gold is refined by the fire which heats it until the impurities come out.

Scripture: ; ,:

See the early Jews just never got over the fact that the Jesus they had created in their minds was not he Jesus before them.....

What Jesus have you created?

Whether it was Jesus’ own nation rejecting him or the jealous king that sought to kill him, Jesus experienced some severe disappointment.

Topics: Expectations, Confusion, Disappointment with God

Big Idea of the Message: L

Whether it was Jesus’ own nation rejecting him or the jealous king that sought to kill him, Jesus experienced some severe disappointment.

Him being God’s son didn’t immunize him from disappointment and rejection.

So, if he dealt with it, you can be sure we will too.

But even in the midst of that disappointment and rejection, we find hope.

A Beautiful Picture

I Expectations Will Not be Met

Isaiah

Application: The religious leaders and priests were interpreting Scripture and making Jesus into what they hoped he would be.

They were looking for external peace—peace from their physical enemies.

But Jesus came to bring internal peace.

External peace can be lost in a second, but nobody can steal your internal peace.

The New Testament, of course, reveals the Jewish messianic expectation that the apostles, and, presumably the biggest number of common Jews had, which is for a conquering Son of David.

Here, even at the end, the apostles were still expecting Jesus to restore political power to the Jews.

Clearly, Judas expected Jesus to be a conquering king.

He hoped to manipulate Jesus into rebelling against Rome when he had him arrested.

He hoped to manipulate Jesus into rebelling against Rome when he had him arrested.

Here, even at the end, the apostles were still expecting Jesus to restore political power to the Jews.

Clearly, Judas expected Jesus to be a conquering king.

He hoped to manipulate Jesus into rebelling against Rome when he had him arrested.

There were a number of Jewish expectations of the Messiah, as there are different interpretations of the actual Messiah, Jesus, today!

I am no expert, and you may want to do some of your own research, but the way I undertand it the most common Jewish expectation for the Messiah was as a "Son of David", to come as a conquering Messiah, restoring the political fortunes of the Jews.  is one of many messianic passages which calls the Messiah the Son of David.

It should not be surprising to us that the Jews had this expectation.

Many OT passages clearly depict a victorious Son of David.

The problem is that these Jews failed to notice the Messianic prophecies which presented a Messiah not to their liking.

The Essenes did have a concept of a suffering servant (), but it seems that the Jews, in general, did not tend to pay nearly as much attention to this role of the Messiah.

This should not surprise us, as this is human nature.