When Things Don't Look Like You Think They Should

Richard Gould

Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago

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There are things in this world that do not look like we think they should. JOhn the Baptist started out thinking that Jesus would come to pronounce judgement and clean house. However, he was wrong and the way Jesus was performing his minsitry caused John to question Jesus and wonder if he really was the Messiah.

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How do our preconceived notions hurt us?

Luke 3:15–17 CSB

15 Now the people were waiting expectantly, and all of them were questioning in their hearts whether John might be the Messiah. 16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with water, but one who is more powerful than I am is coming. I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing shovel is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with fire that never goes out.”

Story of the preconceived notions that I had about how my life was going to look.

John had a deep preconceived notion about who Jesus was and what his purpose was for his ministry.

We look at our lives and the things in this world and we have preconceived notions about what is happening and how it should be happening.

These preconceived notions can hurt us because they can hinder us from seeing where God is working and moving because the things that are happening look different than our preconceived notions.

“It is amazing what ordinary people can do if they set out without preconceived notions” - Ben Stein

If this is to be taken seriously, then let us take it another step and say that it is amazing what God can do through people if they set out without preconceived notions.

Do we see things as unacceptable when they do not meet our expectations or preconceived notions?

Luke 7:18–23 CSB

18 Then John’s disciples told him about all these things. So John summoned two of his disciples 19 and sent them to the Lord, asking, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” 20 When the men reached him, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask you, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’ ” 21 At that time Jesus healed many people of diseases, afflictions, and evil spirits, and he granted sight to many blind people. 22 He replied to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news, 23 and blessed is the one who isn’t offended by me.”

“When your mind tries to verify a preconceived notion you can miss the obvious” -James Cook