Aligning Expectations: Finding Hope in Disappointment
Summary
The triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, often celebrated as Palm Sunday, marks a significant historical event where Jesus was hailed as a king by the people. This moment of jubilation, however, quickly turned to cries for crucifixion just five days later. The crowd's drastic change in attitude stemmed from unmet expectations. They anticipated a Messiah who would overthrow Roman rule and restore Israel's independence, but Jesus came with a different mission. He came to reveal God's character, demonstrating humility and love through his sacrifice on the cross. This unexpected turn of events highlights a common human struggle: the disappointment that arises when God doesn't meet our expectations.
Disappointment can deeply affect our spiritual lives, leading to feelings of isolation and bitterness. Like the people of Jerusalem, we often have preconceived notions of how God should act in our lives, especially during hardships. When these expectations aren't met, it can lead to a deflated soul, as seen in the story of Richard, who lost his faith due to unmet expectations and personal trials. However, the key is not to eliminate expectations but to align them with God's promises and character.
God promises that while we will face trials and sorrows in this world, He is working out a plan for good. Our troubles are temporary, and through them, God offers us intimacy, healing, resilience, and maturity. By drawing near to God during difficult times, we can experience a deeper relationship with Him, allowing Him to heal our wounded lives and develop resilience. This process ultimately leads to spiritual maturity, making us complete and all that God intends us to be.
In the face of disappointment and unmet expectations, we are encouraged to raise a hallelujah, trusting that God is orchestrating everything for our good. By inviting God into our pain and allowing Him to work in our lives, we can overcome disappointment and grow in our faith, becoming resilient and mature followers of Christ.
Key Takeaways:
- Unmet Expectations and Disappointment: The crowd's shift from praising Jesus to calling for His crucifixion highlights the danger of unmet expectations. When God doesn't act as we expect, it can lead to disappointment, which can deeply affect our spiritual lives. Aligning our expectations with God's promises helps us navigate these feelings. [57:52]
- The Role of Trials: Jesus' mission was not to meet the immediate expectations of the people but to fulfill a greater purpose. Similarly, our trials are not without purpose. They are opportunities for God to work in our lives, bringing about good and beautiful outcomes. [01:06:56]
- Intimacy with God: Trials can draw us closer to God, allowing us to experience His care and comfort. By drawing near to Him, we can develop a more intimate relationship, which is essential for our spiritual growth and healing. [01:10:37]
- Healing and Resilience: God desires to heal our wounded lives, bringing wholeness and resilience. Through our struggles, we can experience God's healing power, which strengthens us and prepares us to face future challenges with confidence. [01:14:18]
- Spiritual Maturity: Trials test our faith, leading to patience and ultimately maturity. By trusting God through our difficulties, we become complete, embodying the character and strength that God desires for us. [01:19:55]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:01:00] - The Triumphal Entry
[00:03:15] - Fulfillment of Prophecy
[00:06:30] - From Praise to Crucifixion
[00:09:45] - Unmet Expectations
[00:13:00] - The Nature of Disappointment
[00:16:20] - Richard's Story
[00:20:00] - The Role of Trials
[00:23:30] - God's Greater Purpose
[00:27:00] - Intimacy with God
[00:30:45] - Healing and Resilience
[00:34:10] - Spiritual Maturity
[00:37:30] - Raising a Hallelujah
[00:41:00] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Matthew 21:9-11 (Triumphal Entry)
2. Zechariah 9:9 (Prophecy of the Messiah)
3. James 1:2-4 (Trials and Maturity)
---
Observation Questions:
1. What were the people's expectations of Jesus during His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and how did these expectations change by the end of the week? [00:06:30]
2. How does the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9 describe the coming of the Messiah, and how was this fulfilled in the triumphal entry? [00:03:15]
3. What does the sermon suggest about the role of trials in our spiritual journey? [01:06:56]
4. How did the story of Richard illustrate the impact of unmet expectations on one's faith? [01:04:10]
---
Interpretation Questions:
1. How might the crowd's unmet expectations of Jesus as a political savior reflect our own expectations of God in difficult times? [57:52]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that trials can lead to a deeper intimacy with God? [01:10:37]
3. How does the concept of resilience, as discussed in the sermon, relate to the biblical understanding of spiritual maturity? [01:19:55]
4. What does the sermon imply about the importance of aligning our expectations with God's promises rather than our desires? [01:06:56]
---
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when your expectations of God were not met. How did you respond, and what did you learn from that experience? [57:52]
2. The sermon discusses the importance of drawing near to God during trials. What practical steps can you take to cultivate a closer relationship with God in your current circumstances? [01:10:37]
3. Consider the story of Richard and his journey from faith to disbelief. How can you guard against disappointment leading to a crisis of faith in your own life? [01:04:10]
4. How can you actively invite God into your pain and allow Him to work in your life, especially in areas where you feel wounded or hurt? [01:16:43]
5. The sermon encourages raising a hallelujah in the midst of trials. What does this look like practically for you, and how can you incorporate this attitude into your daily life? [01:19:55]
6. Identify an area in your life where you feel God is calling you to develop resilience. What steps can you take to grow stronger in this area? [01:14:18]
7. How can you align your expectations with God's promises, and what changes might this require in your perspective or actions? [01:06:56]
Devotional
Day 1: Aligning Expectations with God's Promises
Disappointment often arises when our expectations of God do not align with His promises. The people of Jerusalem expected Jesus to overthrow Roman rule and restore Israel's independence. However, Jesus came with a different mission: to reveal God's character through humility and love, ultimately sacrificing Himself on the cross. This unmet expectation led to a drastic change in the crowd's attitude, from praising Jesus to calling for His crucifixion. In our spiritual lives, we may also experience disappointment when God doesn't act as we expect, leading to feelings of isolation and bitterness. Instead of eliminating expectations, we should align them with God's promises, trusting that He is working for our good. [57:52]
Jeremiah 29:11-13 (ESV): "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart."
Reflection: What expectations do you have of God that may not align with His promises? How can you begin to align your expectations with His character and promises today?
Day 2: Trials as Opportunities for Growth
Jesus' mission was not to meet the immediate expectations of the people but to fulfill a greater purpose. Similarly, our trials are not without purpose. They are opportunities for God to work in our lives, bringing about good and beautiful outcomes. Trials test our faith and can lead to spiritual growth and maturity. By trusting God through our difficulties, we become complete, embodying the character and strength that God desires for us. [01:06:56]
James 1:2-4 (ESV): "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
Reflection: Think of a recent trial you have faced. How can you view this trial as an opportunity for growth and trust in God's greater purpose?
Day 3: Drawing Near to God in Trials
Trials can draw us closer to God, allowing us to experience His care and comfort. By drawing near to Him, we can develop a more intimate relationship, which is essential for our spiritual growth and healing. In times of hardship, God offers us intimacy, healing, resilience, and maturity. By inviting God into our pain and allowing Him to work in our lives, we can overcome disappointment and grow in our faith. [01:10:37]
Psalm 34:17-18 (ESV): "When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit."
Reflection: In what ways can you draw nearer to God during your current struggles? How can you invite Him into your pain and allow Him to work in your life?
Day 4: Experiencing God's Healing and Resilience
God desires to heal our wounded lives, bringing wholeness and resilience. Through our struggles, we can experience God's healing power, which strengthens us and prepares us to face future challenges with confidence. By trusting in God's promises and character, we can find healing and resilience in the midst of trials. [01:14:18]
Isaiah 40:29-31 (ESV): "He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."
Reflection: What areas of your life need healing and resilience? How can you trust God to bring wholeness and strength to these areas?
Day 5: Trusting God for Spiritual Maturity
Trials test our faith, leading to patience and ultimately maturity. By trusting God through our difficulties, we become complete, embodying the character and strength that God desires for us. Spiritual maturity involves trusting in God's plan and allowing Him to shape us through our experiences. As we grow in our faith, we become resilient and mature followers of Christ. [01:19:55]
Hebrews 12:10-11 (ESV): "For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it."
Reflection: How can you trust God to use your current challenges to develop spiritual maturity in you? What steps can you take to embrace His discipline and grow in your faith?
Quotes
Jesus was arrested in a garden on Thursday night, and then we find this scene occurring on Friday. Again, Matthew's gospel. It was the governor's custom each year during the Passover celebration to release one prisoner to the crowd. This year, there was a notorious prisoner, a man named Barabbas. And as the crowds gathered, he asked them, which do you want me to release to you, Barabbas or Jesus, who's called the Messiah? [00:51:58] (30 seconds)
just five days I mean what in the world had Jesus done between Sunday and Friday to cause this drastic turn in the hearts of some of these people with the answer to that question is this nothing nothing meaning he did none of the things that they had expected him to do so let's start there let's kind of explore their expectations you see there was no doubt on that day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey that the ancient prophecies were being fulfilled and that he indeed was the long -awaited promised Messiah sent by God to save his people [00:53:06] (44 seconds)
You see, we're in an age where God's eternal plan to win back the trust of human beings that he created, it's still in progress, which means God is allowing sin and evil. We were the ones who chose to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. And so he's allowing it for now with all the trouble, sickness, sorrow, suffering, and death that it brings, so that, so that, as Pastor Randy so often says, so that one day he can abolish it forever. He is working out a plan. He is working out a plan. [01:06:44] (32 seconds)
Now, again, that sounds like a pretty discouraging message, doesn't it? Until you realize that for those of us who've put our trust in Christ, we've returned to him and come back into union with him through our trust in him, there is more that we can expect. There's more. You see, we can raise a hallelujah in the middle of our storms because of the more that God offers us, that God promises, the more that we can expect from our God. [01:07:53] (31 seconds)
He says we are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work towards something good and beautiful when we love him and accept his invitation to live according to his plan. Can you hear what this is saying? It's saying that there are expectations that we can have of our God. When trouble comes our way, we can expect God to bring something good and beautiful out of the troubles. When we go through seasons of trials and hardship and pain and heartache, sorrow and grief, we can expect our God to bring something good and beautiful out of it all. [01:08:50] (45 seconds)
If we do this, James says, draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Folks, our adversary, Satan, he will use disappointment to isolate us, to move us away from God, to make us think that God is unaware, he doesn't even care. Just as King David wrote, where is your God? But God promises just the opposite. He will never force his way into our lives. He's too gentle and humble for that. But as soon as we draw near to him, man, he promises, he draws near to us. [01:09:50] (41 seconds)
God assures us over and over again that he is very, very much aware of our sorrow and our pain. And he cares. He cares deeply. And his desire is to comfort us in those times. Every time we cry with him, it matters to him so much that he collects our tears in his bottle, the psalmist says, because we matter to him, our tears matter, our sorrow matters because we matter. [01:11:44] (29 seconds)
And I dare say this, I dare say that without this kind of closeness with our creator, we will seek out people to fill this need for us. People that even the best of them are incapable of this level of care and comfort and concern. And in so trying to do this, we might just become the black hole of emotional need that sucks the life out of people. Let's not be that person, right? [01:12:35] (30 seconds)
Christian psychologist Larry Crabb, he describes our emotional life like an iceberg. It's really interesting. Above the surface, he says, only a little bit of our emotional life is above the surface. And he calls this the managed life. Isn't that a good term? It's all about how do I look and how do I feel? How do I look and feel good? What can I do to look good and to feel good? And our focus is on living by this set of principles to be successful. [01:13:56] (30 seconds)
Some of the best and most beautiful work he wants to do is in our wounded life. He wants to bind up those wounds and heal our broken hearts from all the pain and the hurt from our past. And folks, I think far more than we realize it, it's the wounded life that is driving the decisions we make in our lives. And far more than we realize, it's the wounded life that is on display in our reactions, our reactions to situations and our reactions to people. [01:14:80] (34 seconds)
James is the half -brother of Jesus. Mary and Joseph went on to have more children after Jesus, and his half -brother says this. He says, Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. In other words, raise a hallelujah. Why? Why do you say that, James? Let's look. You know that when your faith is tested, that's what trials and troubles do, you learn to be patient in suffering. If you let that patience work in you, the end result will be good, good and beautiful. [01:20:00] (35 seconds)
May we be God's people who raise a hallelujah in the middle of our storms through all the trials and all the troubles because we have confidence, absolute confidence, trust that our God is orchestrating everything to work to good and beautiful things in us so that we will be mature and complete, all that God wants us to be, all that you and I were created to be. [01:23:04] (33 seconds)
Chatbot
-
I'm an AI bot trained only on this specific sermon. Do you have any questions about it?