Great Expectations
Notes
Transcript
We’re hitting the pause button on our end times series and we will do something different, today, we will not deal with a subject matter, but we will instead examine the state of our souls.
I will start with some questions, while I ask these questions I would invite all of you to close your eyes and to be in deep thought.
Where do you feel Jesus is right now in relation to you? Does He seem distant? Is He very close like a true companion that You can call on anytime?
What is at the top of things in your mind today? What is that unresolved issue in your life, or in your family today? Where do you feel Jesus is in relation to that issue? Do you feel that He is actively resolving the issue?
3. What is your expectation of Jesus in this stage of your life? If there is a question you can ask the Lord today, what would it be? Think of that question for a moment then ask Him.
With Your eyes still closed.. let me read from Matthew 11 verse 25.
25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
You may open your eyes.
Are you familiar with this passage of scripture? I’m sure a lot of you have already heard verses 28-30, one of the most loved text from the Bible, an invitation from the Lord: “Come to me...”
We will look at this passage in its context..
Chapter 11 follows Jesus’ instructions to send His twelve disciples to proclaim the Kingdom of God, to heal the sick and cast out demons.. they were so gung ho about the kingdom, but there was someone close to Jesus who felt alienated and did not seem to relate to what Jesus and His disciples were doing..
His cousin John the Baptist was in prison at that time, he heard about what Jesus was doing and somehow, He started to have doubts about Jesus and His mission so He sent messengers to Jesus:
2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”
John’s frustrations, his faithfulness did not payoff, done everything right but he is not getting the same result.. he expected Jesus to stay alongside him but he now languishes in prison.. if I am going to die in prison, at least I want to know that you are the One, and that I prepared the way for the right person.
Do we sometimes feel that frustration with the Lord? I don’t understand what’s going on but I want to be sure that You are who the Bible says you are in my life.
Examine Jesus’ response to John’s disciples:
Notice that Jesus did not answer it with a definitive yes.
4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.
Jesus knew that John as a prophet would understand that this is the fulfillment of prophecy about Jesus. from Isaiah 26, 35, 42 and 61.
He knew that John was alright, He would understand and had done what God wanted Him to do..
Now He turned to the crowd and it was like He scolded them.
6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
Blessed is the one who understood Who I am and my real mission in the world. John the baptist got it. How about you? Did you think I am here to just free you from the Herod and the Romans? Do you not see? Do you think that I am someone Who you can call at your every whim to give you what you want and at that time when you want it?
From the mission of John the baptist and everything that I have done, all these point to Me, it is like Jesus is saying you are missing it!
He continued to tell the crowd:
7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is he of whom it is written, “ ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ 11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, 14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.
It is like Jesus is saying, what did you expect? When John the baptist came were you looking for someone else? Did he fit the bill? He was the guy who was to prepare the way for me. he was Elijah who was to come. He pointed to Me, I am the One!
In verse 14, he said “if you are willing to accept it”.
A lot of times the problem with people is that they are not willing to accept the will and purpose of God and they would rather have their will and purpose accomplished. And if their plan outside the will of God does not come to pass, they blame God for it!
Jesus is saying we have done our part. The Kingdom of heaven is coming forcefully through the power of His miraculous deeds, raising the dead, healing the sick, etc..
15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear. 16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates, 17 “ ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”
By affirming the work of John the Baptist, Jesus is affirming Himself and Who He is. I am the One. You want God to operate according to your expectations..
Maybe in Your frustration with God in the deep issues of your life it is because
You have Great Expectations but they are the Wrong Expectations!
of Your wrong expectations. God’s Kingdom is never about us it is all about Christ!
Here is true wisdom, look at my deeds. It is like Jesus is telling us this morning, John has done His part. I have done mine, I died for you.
Now have you done your part?
20 Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.”
Now these are words, specific to people of that time, they missed out. They missed their visitation, in the book John..
38 but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”
These are not words directed to us, but these words can serve as a warning.
Pandemic, caught in our own bubble, getting frustrated with God, open our eyes to the bigger things that God is doing in His Kingdom.
At this point, you may think that Jesus made His point, now it’s time for me to beat you up and hammer you with my message big time and teach you a lesson! Are You convinced yet?
That is not our Savior, while we tend to vent our great expectations to Him, but he does not beat us up for failing to meet His expectations. He does not vent out and say: “you reject Me? Fine. Let me take my show on the road and find people who will appreciate me, rather than complain about their unbelief, what did Jesus do?
He praises the Father,
25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
Jesus submitted Himself to God’s will, He knew that God is still working and has chosen the simple ones, who like little children will still accept His message..
But I want to be happy, happiness is more than just an emotion, true happiness is when Jesus calls you blessed.. the beatitudes
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
What is the source of this happiness, it is the deep seated joy that comes as a gift from the Holy Spirit, when you have Jesus in your life.
Then He gives His final invitation..
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Explain yoke, and its relationship with the cross.
23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
Four action items to take away from today’s lesson:
The first two are in the negative:
1. Don’t focus on your own expectations of Jesus.
2. Don’t beat yourself up for failing to meet His expectations.
The last two action items are in the positive:
3. Be like little children, accept God’s will and trust Him in any circumstance.
4. Come to Jesus, find rest and take up His cross.
Prayer.