Sermons for the Month
Expecting Too Much Of People Too Little Of God
DATE: December 4th, 2005
SERVICE: Second Sunday In Advent
TEXT: 2 Peter 3:8-15 and Mark 1:1-8To all of you Saints here this morning, grace and peace to you from God our Father, from His Son, Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit. AMEN
This is a season of expectation, so I have been thinking this week about that word, expectation, which has both a positive and a negative side. Our expectations can stir up hope, anticipatory joy and be energizing. However, what happens when expectations are not met? When that's the case, the feelings that are stirred up are more along the lines of hurt, sadness and disappointment, which often lead to anger, bitterness and distrust.
Then the very human tendency is to cast blame, usually on those, or on the one, who did not meet our expectations. Actually, though, the problem is our own because we are the ones who had expectations. Now, you say, just a minute we can "buy" that, we are willing take responsibility IF our expectations were unreasonable or based in fantasy or some unmet need. BUT, what if the expectation was a reasonable one, based in life's realities and an accepted norm of our world? It's ok to have expectations then, isn't it, and to be upset when they are not met?
My answer to that is, "Yes, it's ok to have expectations," but I would add that it's OK as long as we remember two very important things. The first you have heard me says before, it's vital to remember that we live in an imperfect world filled with imperfect people. And, the second is similar to the first, although we would like to be in control of this imperfect world with its imperfect people that is not the case.
Therefore our expectations, as reasonable as they may be, will not always be met. That does not mean, however, that we must throw up our hands, or throw down our bodies, in despair, and today's scripture readings help us to understand why that's true.
In the reading from 2 Peter and the Gospel of Mark we see two references to instances of unmet expectations, one is obvious and the other is subtle. Let's start with the subtle one.
As is true every Advent, today we heard from John the Baptist, the cousin of Jesus who was sent as preparer of the way. John is prophet-like in his presentation, and he is strongly encouraging everyone - including faithful Jews who from their point of view have no reason to do so - to repent and be baptized so that their hearts will be prepared for the soon-to-arrive Messiah.
In his proclamation he alludes to the expected, that the one who is coming is more powerful than John. In fact, John is saying that the distance between them is greater than that between a master and a slave because he is unworthy even to untie the thong of his sandals, which was a slave's job. John is pointing to his own unimportance and to the greatness of the one who follows.
Of course that's the case, his contemporaries would have thought. The one who is coming is the Messiah, an impressive leader, filled with power from on high. Like his ancestor David he will be a great King and will lead the rebellion against Rome and restore the Jewish homeland. Of course he is more powerful than John!
That's what they expected, so they must not have heard - or put into the right context - what else John said about Jesus. This part was unexpected. The one who is to come will baptize - will immerse, will submerge, will overwhelm - you with the Holy Spirit, John said. He is coming to bring the Holy Spirit, and with it forgiveness, spiritual healing, restoration of right relationship, incorporation into the people of God the list is endless.
These are unbelievable gifts of God, but did you notice what happened as the ministry of Jesus unfolded? Many people were so focused on what they expected of the Messiah - the leader of the rebellion scenario - that they overlooked the unexpected, the Holy Spirit at work among them. When their expectations were not met they responded with anger and bitterness, to their detriment, especially if they never did wake up to Jesus as the Messiah who conquered the power of sin and death rather than the power of the Romans.
The theme of unmet expectations is more obvious in the reading from 2 Peter. You see, the early church expected the return of Jesus within the life-time of the apostles. As they began to die, people became uneasy about the seemingly long delay. So, when their expectation was not met, some believers began to reject the concept that he would return and they began to adopt an "anything goes" life-style. In the face of this crisis in expectation, the writer of the letter makes three points.
The first is that even talking about a delay is to impose human concepts on God who is not bound by created time. Second, to say that God is indifferent because of the delay in Jesus' return is to deny the benefit of that delay. God's patience gives more time for the world's salvation. And, third, since this world will one day pass away - and who knows when that will be - Christians should live as if the end were already here. One writer labeled this "Living for God's tomorrow," which means that we can impact the world and be at peace no matter what happens.
Now, if you reflect on those three points, you'll note that even though those early believers' expectations were not met, it wasn't all negative. True, Jesus had not yet returned, but that did not mean that all was lost. Just think of the possibilities that have been created as a result of that unmet expectation, including our presence here today. And that's exactly the concept we need to "get"; it's true that sometimes - perhaps even often - our expectations are not met. But do we ever think about the fact that we expect too little, that our point-of- view is too limited? Isn't that what was happening for those who expected Jesus to be a political leader and for those who thought Jesus would return before the first century ended? Their expectations were too small. Could it be that sometimes it's good that our expectations are not met? Perhaps there is some better possibility, or at least there can be blessings in the midst of disappointment.
Recently a young person asked me if, when I was age 12, I expected to be a pastor. The answer was easy; since women were not allowed to be pastors then, it was not something I expected for my life. As it turned out, my expectations were too limited; what I thought would happen never came to pass and I am living what I could have never imagined.
I think that is a scenario that is repeated often in our lives - at least it has been the case in mine. Our expectations may not be met; often that is difficult for us. However, if we would open the eyes of our hearts we might see that there is a continuum before us. On one end is the reality that in the midst of the challenge of unmet expectations there are unexpected blessings, and at the other end is the reality that something better has happened than we could have ever expected. In between those two extremes are unlimited possibilities for how God might work in spite of our expectations IF we allow that to happen.
Do you see what I mean now when I said that when our expectations are not met we do not need to throw our hands up, or our bodies down, in despair. It may feel like that's what we need to do, so go ahead for awhile, but always come back to the expectation that always will be met in our lives. It is this: those who have immersed, submerged and overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit can confidently expect that God desires to transform their lives in ways that are beyond their expectations. AMEN