Expectations and Living Life

Luke 24:1-49

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2024%3A1-49&version=NIV;NLT

 

Expectations influence every area of our lives. Sometimes this results in humorous situations while other times it can lead to painful circumstances. Here is a tongue-in-cheek list that I found called, “What husbands expect from their wives”:

• She could marry a movie star, but wants only you.
• Her favorite hobbies will be mowing the lawn and shoveling snow.
• Her favorite expression will be, "What can I do for you today, Dear?"

This was followed by the second part called, “What husbands get”:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• She speaks 140 words a minute, with gusts up to 180.
• Where there's smoke, there she is-- cooking.
• She lets you know you only have two faults: everything you do, and everything you say.

 

Expectations do influence every area of our life. The women who went to the tomb expected to find a dead body. Instead they found an empty tomb and two angels who told them the amazing story that Jesus was alive.

 

Two men walking to the village of Emmaus were discussing the events of the previous

days including the unbelievable story from the women. Originally, these men had great expectations that Jesus would be the glorious Messiah who had come to rescue Israel, but his death left them disheartened and downcast.

 

Later, as the same two men were telling the other disciples that they had just spent time with the risen Christ, Jesus actually stood among them and greeted them. Despite all of this, the disciples’ expectations clouded them with doubt. Jesus showed them his hands and feet; he even ate food to overcome their expectations.

 

³⁰ When Jesus was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. ³¹ Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. ³² They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”                       NIV

 

What are your expectations of Jesus?

 

When you go to a funeral or a wedding; when you travel from town to town or to work or to visit family or friends; when you eat a meal or go out shopping; when you attend church, spend time in God’s word or pray at the dinner table?

 

 

 

What do you expect from Jesus? Will you miss him or see him?

 

 

(If God has spoken to you through this blog, please feel free to share it with others.)

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What are Your Expectations?

Matthew 20:20-28

 

 

Ezekiel Elliott

There was a recent Columbus Dispatch article about all of the Ohio State football players that are expected to be drafted in the National Football League. There are a total of fourteen Buckeyes, with six of them expected to go in the first round, which would tie a record. Those are pretty lofty expectations.

 

When I asked Jesus into my life in the summer of 1970, I expected that life would be a spiritual mountaintop experience from

then on. In the fall of 1974 when I got married, I expected to have the perfect marriage. We all have expectations of our spouse, our children, our work and our life. And in reality, those expectations are what we expect from Jesus.

 

James and John also had lofty expectations. They wanted to sit by Jesus in his kingdom on his left and on his right. After all, they had given up the family fishing business when they responded to Jesus’ call to follow him. No doubt this was a huge economic, social and relationship sacrifice.

 

As a result, they expected something in return. I scratch your back, you scratch mine...

Expectations. What’s even more amazing is that they asked for this “favor” shortly after Jesus had announced his death and resurrection for the third time. Could Jesus’ closest followers actually be this dull, this ignorant?

 

“Listen to me carefully. We are on our way up to Jerusalem. When we get there, the Son of Man will be betrayed to the religious leaders and scholars. They will sentence him to death. They will then hand him over to the Romans for mockery and torture and crucifixion. On the third day he will be raised up alive.”      MSG

 

This statement seems pretty clear to me. The disciples heard what they wanted to hear; what they hoped to hear; what they expected to hear. Expectations and hope go hand in hand.

 

What are your expectations of Jesus? What do you hope to get from him? A job, a spouse or children without issues? A life without tragedies or without struggles? What can you realistically expect?

 

The Bible tells us that what you can expect from Jesus is that he will be faithful. He will be with you always, and never leave you no matter what you do or what is happening in your life. He will always love you and be at work in your life to draw you closer to him, and to use you in the lives of others.

 

That’s an expectation that you can count on.