Christmas Expectation

Your expectation determines your direction.

You will become something that reflects what you hope for, what your expectation is.

The first Christmas was a time of revelation. Not only of revealing Christ, as God in the flesh, but Christmas was a time of revelation of what was in the heart of man.

The wisemen’s heart - expectation of the King’s birth

The Jewish rulers’ heart - no expectation for the Messiah

Herod’s heart - panic over being replaced.

Anna the prophetess - expectation of the Messiah

Principle: Your expectation will dictate your direction in life.

A group like ours today represents several directions of life. Some people are headed in the right direction and others in the wrong direction. Some amass the blessings of God and others deprive themselves of the benefits of God’s promises. Your expectations for the coming of Jesus Christ dictate your attitudes and direction in this life.

The success or failure of your life is predicted by your attitude toward Jesus' return. Those who look forward to it live accordingly. Those who do not wait live as a result of this absence of waiting.

I. His spiritual expectation v. 25

“waiting for”

Your expectation determines your action. Your actions amount to your direction.

The one who waits for the coming of Jesus lives his life according to the coming of Jesus. Anyone who does not live their life in a way that pleases Jesus will be ashamed when Jesus comes.

Simeon placed his trust in the promises of God. Specifically, he placed his trust in the promise that God would come and reveal his glory to Israel to deliver them and to atone for their sins.

Isaiah 40:1–5 KJV 1900

Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, That her warfare is accomplished, That her iniquity is pardoned: For she hath received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, Make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, And every mountain and hill shall be made low: And the crooked shall be made straight, And the rough places plain: And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, And all flesh shall see it together: For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

Even though most people at the time did not share the expectation that Simeon had, that expectation caused certain things in Simeon’s life:

He was just and devout - his conduct wa good, in the eyes of both God and men.

The Holy Ghost was upon Him - he was living his life in a way that God said: “I can lead and use this man”.

He waited for the consolation of Israel - this is the root of the other two - because his expectation was right, he lived right; and because he lived right, He was an instrument in the Spirit’s control.

Spiritual expectation creates spiritual assurance.

When you know God's promises and place your faith in them, it directly affects your conduct. This conduct gives you assurance that you will be rewarded with the coming of the Lord and at the coming of the Lord.

Now, if you expect what God doesn’t promise, you won’t have assurance.

2 Peter 3:13–14 KJV 1900

Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

Anyone who sincerely awaits the coming of the Lord endeavors to live their life in a way that will not cause shame at His coming.

Titus 2:11–13 KJV 1900

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

All of these verses draw a line between our future expectation and our present attitude. Those who sway from the return of Christ live for the present world. Those who await the return of Christ live for the world to come.

Those who live for the world to come awaiting the coming of Jesus have an assurance of heart.

1 John 2:28 KJV 1900

And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

You must know that if you live your life without active expectation for his coming, you will move away from him and be ashamed at his coming. But if you live each day like Simeon, who awaited consolation for Israel, and your life reflects this attitude, you can have assurance before God. You will have the joy and see the pleasure of your Savior at his coming and not the shame of having gone astray.

1001 Illustrations that Connect Illustration 419: Avalanche Ahead

When Dave Boon first saw the avalanche that swept his car over a guardrail on Interstate 40 in Denver, Colorado, it was only a puff of powder. After that brief warning, a snowy burst of wind knocked the car out of control. “Not even a second later, a freight train hit us,” Boon said.

Boon had been traveling with his wife, June, and Gary Martinez, thirteen, on their way to a youth group ski trip. The three of them had been discussing the possibility of an avalanche. “We were talking about avalanches and how there was so much snow and stuff. Then we turned the corner and saw some white powder, and it slammed us into the guardrail,” Boon said.

The wall of snow knocked the car over the rail and caused it to roll hundreds of feet down a steep mountain slope. In the middle of the descent, the car struck a tree and was knocked out of the avalanche’s grasp. It came to a stop upside down and pointing back uphill.

Fortunately, Boon and his wife were well trained. After clearing an airway and freeing himself from the seat belt, Boon was able to exit the car along with Martinez and then cut his wife free from her restraints. Despite several bumps, bruises, and scrapes, none of the three required hospitalization.

For Boon, the experience was a reminder that warnings and hints of danger need to be respected. “The signs read, ‘Avalanche Area, No Stopping,’ ” he said. “We’ve driven by that place hundreds of times. We’ve skied avalanche chutes, worn beepers, always carried an avalanche shovel. We’ve seen avalanches. But in our wildest dreams, we never imagined getting hit in a car by one.”

—Patrick O’Driscoll, “Avalanche Sends Travelers Tumbling,” USA Today (January 8, 2007)

Are you, today, living your life in the expectation that what God has said in His Word is true and will come to pass?

The first Christmas revealed that yes there were people living according to that expectation. And sadly, many were not living according to that expectation. One had great assurance; others had great fear.

III. His spiritual announcement v. 34-35

Simeon said several beautiful things in his prophecy. But he concluded with the theme of this message:

Luke 2:35 (KJV 1900)

(Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

Simeon was primarily talking about Christ’s crucifixion which would reveal the faithlessness of Israel. But the coming of Christ had that effect also.

Christ’s coming revealed the expectation of people. It revealed who believed God and who didn’t. It revealed who trusted God and who didn’t. It revealed who obeyed God and who didn’t.

It revealed whom God would bless and whom God would not bless. It would reveal whom God would use and whom God would not use.

Conclusion

1001 Illustrations that Connect Illustration 349: Good Things Ahead

Reference: Revelation 22:20

When Pastor David Peterson was preparing a sermon, his little daughter came in and asked, “Daddy, can we play?”

“I’m awfully sorry, sweetheart, but I’m right in the middle of preparing this sermon. In about an hour I can play,” her dad said.

“OK,” she said. “When you’re finished, I will give you a great big hug.”

She went to the door, then did a U-turn and came back to give her dad a bone-breaking hug.

“You said you were going to give me a hug after I finished,” her dad said, teasing.

“I just wanted you to know what you have to look forward to!” the little girl said.

God wants us to know, through this first coming at Christmas, how much we have to look forward to in his great second coming.

Christmas is a time of year to reflect on what we want out of life. Or rather, what our life should be all about. Not in some vague way, but it’s an opportunity to remember:

God has spoken, and I know what he said.

I believe God, and believe Him enough to do what He said.

I want my life to count for God; I expect that He will do what He said and I want to live my life in light of that.