Great Expectations

“They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” That sign on the locker room wall confirmed my expectation of God’s provision in leading me to a new field of ministry. The head football coach, my dear friend Coach Mickey (as my young sons used to call him), regularly quoted his favorite passage of Scripture with the goal of pounding it into the hearts and minds of the young men with whom we ministered. “From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded” (Luke 12:48). Our boys learned the importance of great expectations. They grew to understand what was required of them as young men, as student-athletes, as teammates, classmates, and friends. They knew what was required of them – they were expected to give their best. They learned that requirements are expectations that must be met. Take a moment and let that sink in… Expectations matter. Why are expectations so important? What happens/how do you feel when you don’t get what you expected? when you get something that you didn’t expect? Are you expecting something from Jesus? Do you expect to do something for Jesus? Are you expecting to do something with Jesus? What do you expect from yourself? for yourself? What do you expect from others? What is your expectation for others? Yes, great expectations – now that’s the point.

Some folks may see Matthew 11 as a collection of unrelated stories, but this record and the accordant teachings of Jesus confirm its main focus: who is this Jesus? “What were you expecting?” is the question underlying each section in this passage. Let’s dig deeper.

Before we look at the selected passages from Matthew 11, we need to consider how the other sections of this passage contribute to “the big picture.” [What’s the point of the big picture? Expectations. The question Jesus asked then: “What were you expecting?” The question we ask ourselves now: “What do we expect?” We need to keep these things in mind.]

In the first section (verses 2-6), John the Baptist, THE forerunner of the Messiah, unexpectedly found himself in prison where he received updates regarding the ongoing events and results of Jesus’ ministry. The ascetic, wilderness-wailing, camel-hair-clothed, honey/locust-eating, repentance-preaching cousin of the Messiah expressed what many Jews of that day must have been thinking: “Jesus is here now to establish His kingdom. Taking longer than I thought it would. This is certainly not what I expected!” He sent his disciples to Jesus with instructions to pose this question: Are you the Expected One, or should we expect another of a different kind? There it is: expectations.

In the next section (verses 7-15) Jesus spoke to the crowds in praise of John the Baptist. [I interject here an important rule of thumb pertaining to your study of the Bible. Pay very close attention to words and phrases that are repeated. They are repeated for a reason! An important point is being emphasized. Take note!] Three times Jesus asked the people in the crowd about the expectations that led them out into the wilderness to see John: What did you expect to see when you went out there? There it is: expectations.

In verses 16-19, Jesus flipped the script. John and Jesus did not measure up to expectations and they were dismissed as demonic agents. At this point Jesus turned the tables on the Pharisees (not literally this time) and pointed out how their take on his work and witness demonstrated childish, selfish expectations, the kinds of expectations that resulted in stubborn, stiff-necked rebellion. [Ever heard that before, regarding the nation of Israel?] Jesus looked around and asked, “But to what will I compare this generation?” This is to ask, “What were these people expecting of the Messiah and of John, who came to prepare the way for the Expected One, the Anointed One?” Jesus then presented the matter in terms of the expectations of children at play. Think of your own experiences at weddings and funerals. When the time is right (after the appropriate, traditional first dances), who are usually the first to hit the dance floor? The kids. I love to watch the younger children celebrating in such a jubilant manner. And then there’s the tearful expectation of mourning at the sound of the funeral dirge. When young ones are presented with so many things they just don’t understand, it can make for some sad moments. You would expect childlike responses in these situations. But here Jesus points out that they did not dance when the flute was played, they did not cry at the sad funeral song. Not what you would expect them to do. What’s wrong with this picture?

Jesus and John did not conform to expectations by doing the things the elite demanded. The Jews could not deny the power on display in the ministry of John and Jesus, so they rejected both of them and attributed their power and authority to the evil one (the unpardonable sin). Jesus and John acted in very unexpected ways, ways that did not square with the expectations of “the wise and intelligent” – they reached out to the folks marginalized by the powerful and important of Jewish society. Glutton. Drunkard. Friend of tax collectors and sinners. Can’t you just hear it? “Does not attain to contemporary professional standards.” “Fails to meet mandated expectations.” Must be from the devil. Just not what we expect… Rejected. There it is: expectations.

We get to the heart of the matter, verses 25-30. Jesus prayed to God the Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thanking him that the things that can be known about God, the glorious gospel, have been revealed to all people, not just the religious, worldly elite, the wise and intelligent. The gospel required faith and humility to be grasped, but the Jewish religious leaders who knew the Old Testament did not recognize the Christ and put their faith in him (Romans 9). Jesus thanked the Father for their exclusive relationship - each fully known only to the other – and then there’s the remarkable expectation of relationship for anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal the Father. This means that God the Father, in choosing Christ, the Human One, chose all humans. It underscores the reality that Jesus the Son is the only way to know the Father and the only way to the Father.

Come to me. To me alone, not to anyone or anything else. Jesus invites us to a personal relationship – the expectation here is an immediate response to the Savior Himself. Check out the personal pronouns that Jesus uses throughout these verses. Come to me, I will give, take my yoke, learn from me, I am gentle, my yoke is easy, my burden is light. Personal.

Too many folks – those who enter the wide gate to the easy road that leads to destruction – expect that they can measure up and do enough good things to gain access to heaven. They expect that when the good and the bad in their lives are weighed in the balance, the scales will surely tip in their favor and then off to the pearly gates. [Most folks will tell you they do believe there’s such a place as heaven.] This invitation extends to all people wearied by their efforts to work their way to God, to pay their own way so to speak. Heavy laden refers to the weighty, burdensome obligations of rabbinical Judaism. Jesus says, “I will give you rest.” He says, “I will rest you.” This is the gift: salvation. He gives the rest of redemption. Jesus has done the work that matters, the work He did for us when He died on the cross. He paid for us what we cannot pay for ourselves – He gives us what we do not deserve. Grace, grace. We are freed from the penalty of sin by Jesus’ death – this is our justification.

Take my yoke upon you. The yoke is a device that harnesses two animals that together can pull a load that one normally could not pull alone. Pharisaic legalism, the keeping of the Law and all the details of its interpretation in the Talmud, was the oppressive yoke under which the Jews of the day tried to “pull the load by themselves.” The Law itself was not expected to be burdensome to keep (Deut. 30:11). God’s expectation was that it be a delight and a blessing to the humble persons who trusted God (Ps 19:7-11; 119). Jesus then added, “learn from me,” and here we see the yoke of discipleship. How’s that, preacher?

The Greek word mathete here translated “learn” is from the same root as that translated “disciples” (for example, 11:1). [You may also notice that the name Matthew is similar to the Greek words translated “disciple” and “learn”. Interesting.] So Jesus calls for us to slip into his yoke and join in his work. The expectation is that his yoke will fit perfectly (if it didn’t, the load could not be pulled properly). This yoke of discipleship speaks of our sanctification as believers. As disciples we grow and learn and mature -it’s a process, it’s progressive. Sanctification means we are freed from the power of sin in our lives so that God works through us. The result: we grow in holiness. Holiness. Hallelujah.

Jesus – gentle, humble in heart. These weren’t deemed virtues in the Greek world. Jesus demonstrated their value as kingdom virtues. He invites us to step into that yoke of discipleship and join with him to do his work his way. That yoke indicates his readiness to help all who are humble enough to admit their need of his mercy and grace. Here, only here, in the Scriptures Jesus speaks of his own heart.

And you will find rest for your souls. Now wait a minute, preacher. Earlier Jesus said I will give you rest. Now he says you will find rest. What’s with that?

The rest Jesus gives is our release from trying to do things for Jesus, trying to measure up. That gift of rest means we have assurance of peace with God - justification. We are also told that we will find rest – we have work to do, we have to lay hold of that rest for ourselves – we have to work out our salvation with fear and trembling – we must pursue holiness. Rest for our souls speaks of the peace of God ruling in our hearts. The expectation of discipleship is that Jesus not only asks much of us, but He provides the power for us to respond to Him and get the work done with him.

Great expectations. What do you expect? Taking the yoke of discipleship is an expectation that must be met by all believers. Too often we delude ourselves into thinking it is optional. The General Rule of Discipleship: To witness to Jesus Christ in the world and to follow his teachings through acts of compassion, justice, worship, and devotion under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I love how the Jerusalem Cross serves as a reminder of this construct – I have a collection of coins with this cross on one side and this scripture on the other. “I have called you by name. You are mine” (Isaiah 43:1). I invite you to take one of these coins with you today and let it be a reminder of the yoke the Lord has asked you to take upon ourselves. Show it to someone this week and tell them how Jesus loves you and gave his life for you. Give the coin away when you invite that person to join us in worship. Look around. Stop doing things for Jesus. Start doing things with Jesus. See how he is at work and join with him. Slip into that yoke.

Expect great things.

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