Exceeding Expectations: The Promise of Redemption in Christ
Summary
In reflecting on the nature of expectations, especially around Christmas, it's clear that our human anticipations often fall short of reality. As children, we dream of perfect holidays filled with gifts and joy, but reality seldom matches our dreams. This theme of unmet expectations extends beyond Christmas to our lives and spiritual journeys. Yet, there is a place where expectations are not only met but exceeded: the Word of God. Over the past 14 months, our congregation has journeyed through the entire Bible, discovering a single, cohesive story of God's desire to be with His people.
From the beginning, in the Garden of Eden, humanity had a perfect relationship with God, which was shattered by sin. Despite this, God promised redemption through a descendant of Adam and Eve. This promise is fulfilled in Jesus, whose birth marks the culmination of centuries of anticipation. Jesus is the embodiment of God's promises, exceeding all expectations as the Savior who reconciles humanity with God.
The story of Jesus' presentation at the temple, as recounted in Luke 2, illustrates this fulfillment. Mary and Joseph, fulfilling the law, unknowingly bring the Lamb of God to the temple. Simeon and Anna, guided by the Holy Spirit, recognize Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah, the glory of God returning to His people. This moment signifies the restoration of the relationship between God and humanity, a relationship broken by sin but healed through Jesus' sacrifice.
As we enter a new year, we are reminded of our mission to share this good news. Our journey through the Bible was not just for personal growth but to equip us to extend God's invitation to others. We are called to make disciples, sharing the grace and forgiveness we have received with those around us. In doing so, we fulfill our role in God's story, bringing His light to a world in need.
Key Takeaways:
1. Unmet Expectations and God's Fulfillment: Our human expectations often fall short, especially during times like Christmas. However, God's promises, as revealed in Scripture, exceed all expectations, culminating in the birth of Jesus, who fulfills God's promise of redemption. [01:42]
2. The Promise of Redemption: From the fall of Adam and Eve, God promised a Redeemer. This promise is fulfilled in Jesus, whose life and sacrifice restore the broken relationship between God and humanity, offering forgiveness and eternal life. [04:18]
3. The Glory of God in Jesus: The presentation of Jesus at the temple signifies the return of God's glory to His people. Simeon and Anna recognize Jesus as the Messiah, the fulfillment of God's promises, bringing salvation to all. [17:27]
4. Our Mission as Disciples: As followers of Christ, we are called to share the good news of Jesus with others. Our journey through the Bible equips us to extend God's invitation, making disciples and sharing His grace and forgiveness. [26:00]
5. Living in God's Grace: We are recipients of God's abundant grace, which we are called to share with others. This grace is not earned but given freely, transforming us and those around us as we live out our faith in the world. [28:01]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [01:42] - Unmet Expectations
- [02:58] - Christmas Reflections
- [04:18] - Journey Through Scripture
- [07:21] - The Birth of Jesus
- [11:45] - God's Presence in the Old Testament
- [14:41] - The Promise of Greater Glory
- [15:26] - The Prophecy of Malachi
- [17:27] - Jesus Presented at the Temple
- [19:23] - Simeon's Recognition
- [20:39] - Anna's Witness
- [22:16] - The Lamb of God
- [23:36] - Our New Identity in Christ
- [24:46] - Fulfillment of God's Promise
- [26:00] - The Great Commission
- [27:17] - Living Out Our Mission
- [28:01] - Extending Grace and Forgiveness
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Luke 2:21-38
- Genesis 3:15
- Matthew 28:18-20
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Observation Questions:
1. In Luke 2:21-38, what significant events occur during Jesus' presentation at the temple, and who are the key figures involved? How do Simeon and Anna respond to Jesus' presence? [19:23]
2. According to Genesis 3:15, what promise does God make after the fall of Adam and Eve, and how is this promise connected to the birth of Jesus? [04:18]
3. What is the significance of the name "Jesus" as given in Luke 2:21, and how does it relate to the expectations surrounding His birth? [07:21]
4. How does the sermon describe the journey of the congregation through the Bible over the past 14 months, and what was the intended outcome of this journey? [04:18]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the story of Jesus' presentation at the temple in Luke 2 illustrate the fulfillment of God's promises, and what does this reveal about God's faithfulness? [17:27]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that human expectations, especially around Christmas, often fall short, and how does this contrast with God's fulfillment of His promises? [01:42]
3. How does the sermon connect the theme of redemption from Genesis 3:15 to the mission of Jesus as described in Matthew 28:18-20? [26:00]
4. What role do Simeon and Anna play in recognizing Jesus as the Messiah, and how does their recognition serve as a testament to God's plan for salvation? [20:39]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when your expectations were not met. How did you respond, and what can you learn from the sermon about aligning your expectations with God's promises? [01:42]
2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of sharing the good news of Jesus. Identify one person in your life who needs to hear this message. How can you share God's grace and forgiveness with them this week? [26:00]
3. Consider the promise of redemption in Genesis 3:15. How does understanding this promise impact your view of Jesus' role in your life today? [04:18]
4. Simeon and Anna recognized Jesus as the fulfillment of God's promises. How can you cultivate a similar awareness of God's work in your life and the lives of those around you? [20:39]
5. As you enter a new year, what specific steps can you take to live out your mission as a disciple, sharing God's light with those in need? [27:17]
6. The sermon highlights the theme of living in God's grace. What is one area of your life where you need to extend grace to yourself or others, and how can you do so this week? [28:01]
7. Reflect on the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20. What practical actions can you take to make disciples in your community, and how can you involve others in this mission? [26:00]
Devotional
Day 1: God's Promises Surpass Human Expectations
Our human expectations often fall short, especially during times like Christmas, when we anticipate perfect holidays filled with joy and gifts. However, the reality is that our dreams and anticipations are rarely met. This theme of unmet expectations extends beyond Christmas to our lives and spiritual journeys. Yet, there is a place where expectations are not only met but exceeded: the Word of God. God's promises, as revealed in Scripture, exceed all expectations, culminating in the birth of Jesus, who fulfills God's promise of redemption. Jesus is the embodiment of God's promises, exceeding all expectations as the Savior who reconciles humanity with God. [01:42]
Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV): "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Reflection: Think of a time when your expectations were not met. How can you trust in God's promises to exceed your expectations in that area today?
Day 2: Redemption Through Jesus Restores Our Relationship with God
From the fall of Adam and Eve, God promised a Redeemer. This promise is fulfilled in Jesus, whose life and sacrifice restore the broken relationship between God and humanity, offering forgiveness and eternal life. The story of Jesus' presentation at the temple, as recounted in Luke 2, illustrates this fulfillment. Mary and Joseph, fulfilling the law, unknowingly bring the Lamb of God to the temple. Simeon and Anna, guided by the Holy Spirit, recognize Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah, the glory of God returning to His people. This moment signifies the restoration of the relationship between God and humanity, a relationship broken by sin but healed through Jesus' sacrifice. [04:18]
Colossians 1:13-14 (ESV): "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
Reflection: In what ways have you experienced the restoration of your relationship with God through Jesus? How can you share this experience with someone who needs to hear it today?
Day 3: Jesus as the Fulfillment of God's Glory
The presentation of Jesus at the temple signifies the return of God's glory to His people. Simeon and Anna recognize Jesus as the Messiah, the fulfillment of God's promises, bringing salvation to all. This moment is a powerful reminder of God's faithfulness and the fulfillment of His promises through Jesus. The glory of God, once distant due to sin, is now present in the person of Jesus, offering hope and salvation to all who believe. This event is a testament to the fact that God's glory is not confined to the past but is actively present in our lives today through Jesus. [17:27]
Haggai 2:9 (ESV): "The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the Lord of hosts."
Reflection: How do you see the glory of God manifested in your life today? What steps can you take to recognize and celebrate His presence more fully?
Day 4: Our Mission to Share the Good News
As followers of Christ, we are called to share the good news of Jesus with others. Our journey through the Bible equips us to extend God's invitation, making disciples and sharing His grace and forgiveness. This mission is not just for personal growth but to equip us to extend God's invitation to others. We are called to make disciples, sharing the grace and forgiveness we have received with those around us. In doing so, we fulfill our role in God's story, bringing His light to a world in need. [26:00]
Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV): "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
Reflection: Who in your life needs to hear the good news of Jesus? How can you intentionally share His love and grace with them this week?
Day 5: Living in the Abundance of God's Grace
We are recipients of God's abundant grace, which we are called to share with others. This grace is not earned but given freely, transforming us and those around us as we live out our faith in the world. As we enter a new year, we are reminded of our mission to share this good news. Our journey through the Bible was not just for personal growth but to equip us to extend God's invitation to others. In doing so, we fulfill our role in God's story, bringing His light to a world in need. [28:01]
2 Corinthians 9:8 (ESV): "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work."
Reflection: How have you experienced God's grace in your life recently? What is one way you can extend that grace to someone else today?
Quotes
"It seems like one of the questions that we ask a lot this year, especially of kids around this time, is, how was your Christmas? I probably have heard that question four or five times this morning already, and I don't always know how to answer it. And I think part of the reason I don't know how to answer it, because I remember what it was like for me as a kid." [00:00:01] (20 seconds)
"But if there's one place where we can look to see expectations not just met, but exceeded, it's in the Word of God. For the last 14 months as a congregation, we've been going through the entire entirety of the Scriptures, a 14-month reading plan that have been on eight of these different little bookmarks like this." [00:03:41] (19 seconds)
"And one of the things that I hope that you've seen in these last 14 months as we've journeyed through this, like some of you said, you're going to journey through it again. You kept all the bookmarks, and you're going to read through it again because you found a great value in how we did this, and that's great, a good expectation to set for yourself in this new year." [00:04:23] (17 seconds)
"You see, as we've been journeying through this book of the Scriptures, we've been seeing that God's people are filled with expectations. It's part of our nature. We go back to the very first story in the book, in the Scripture, the very first people, Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden in Genesis chapter 2, and we see that they were in a perfect place." [00:04:58] (20 seconds)
"When Adam and Eve give birth to their very firstborn son, Eve is so excited because she thinks her expectations of that child to be born, to rescue and redeem, and to bring her back to that perfect relationship with God and with her husband Adam has been born. Literally, she calls him the man, which you probably know in the English form as the name Cain." [00:06:12] (25 seconds)
"Now, you heard also that reading from Exodus that Josh read for us as well that told us where this kind of originated, where this started. And the purpose of them doing this as the Israelite people in the community is that they were remembering the most significant event in the Old Testament when they did this with their firstborn children and when they did this with their firstborn cattle." [00:09:00] (21 seconds)
"But yet God does not abandon them. In fact, God continues to dwell with them in something that we call the tabernacle. It was kind of like, I mean, it was kind of like God lived as like a winter Texan for 40 years in the wilderness. He set up this mobile home. It was his kind of fifth wheel, and everywhere the people went, they would set up the fifth wheel." [00:11:45] (19 seconds)
"This is Emmanuel, God with us. This is he of whom the prophets had spoke of. This is he who's the fulfillment and the exceedingly fulfillment of all the expectations that people had had of old. He is the one who would come as the promised Messiah, the Christ, the anointed one, who would save his people from their sins." [00:17:57] (24 seconds)
"Matthew 28, 19, the final words of Jesus as he ascends into heaven, he declares to his disciples then and his disciples now, go, go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I've commanded you. And remember, I'm with you always." [00:26:09] (23 seconds)
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