Sermon Tone Analysis

Sunday...Blue Christmas: a candlelight worship of hope and healing for those who are hurting, stressed, or lonely

But first…Friday...Emmaus/Chrysalis Reunion gathering

Before that though…Ageless Wonders

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Christmas Expectations

What about your Christmas Expectations?

We expect laughs

We expect gifts

We expect busy

We expect expenses

Christmas is supposed to be a joy…but it’s getting ready for it is always a difficult...

IT’s always been that way.

Every year we have to come through John the Baptist

John the Baptist gives us a sober look at our expectations every year as we near Christmas, as we look forward to the coming King.

We need to consider our expectations every now and then…because First:

Expectations are very powerful.

Expectations are sort of a 2 edged sword.

When grounded in the truth, they can build anticipation or become a burden.

Like graduating high school or college…so excited about the next thing…but terrified that we have to leave what we know.

Expectations can have a similar effect when they are in things that aren’t real either.

For example, when we don’t trust people, expectations can lead us to make false assumptions about people…or they can lead to despair…even when our expectations are grounded in lies, they can lead us to depression because we fear what might be.

Expectations are heavy.

When we hope in things we don’t understand,

When we hope in things that are beyond our reach

When we hope in ideas that we never claimed, but were put on us by others

Expectations are Dangerous

When the hope is groundless

When we expect the wrong outcomes

When they are contextually impossible

Expectations are a reality

We expect Safety

Kindness

Grace

Tolerance

But what happens when these don't come?

How do we respond?

This what John speaks to, when our expectations are thrown to the air

That’s where we find ourselves today.

WE have expectations for Christmas and they are based on what happened last year…the last time “they” came over.

Same with a king…the people had expectations…a king would rescue them, defend them, conquer for them...

But John delivered a different message.

It started out very familiar:

Good News

That’s what we want…that’s what we need…Salvation.

This is the king that they expected....

But then this woolly man changes the story:

Wait a minute!

Woah there....what are yall doing…comging down here just because it’s the Godly thing to do…yall don’t believe htis…or your lives would show it.

Yall are relying on your geneology when your heart is dead.

The peace and prosperity…the blessing....the fruitfulness that you hoped for can’t come to you all because you are dead wood…you are going ot be cut down and thrown out in order to make room for a new people who produce fruit.

Can you imagine the reaction when the God the expected was not the God who was coming?

What’s going on?

How would you respond?

Isn’t that what we want?

We want specifics in our spiritual life.

Pray this prayer.

Give this much.

Study this book.

Go to this church.

We want clear steps.....they weren’t any different:

The King is coming, what do we do?

Should we clean up the town?

prepare a celebration?

Should we plant an orchard?

Build a temple or a palace?

What do we do?

John’s answer, surprisingly simple....not at all what they expected.

Simple things that everyone could participate in.

John told them to live differently.

Don’t take advantage of people

Don’t abuse your position for personal gain

If you are trusted with authority, a badge, or a gun, use it to honor God and your neighbor rather than make more of yourself.

While you may work in places that take advantage and work against the kingdom of God, use your position to actually promote the grace of God.

When this new king arrived, things would change....so, you prepare by getting ready for his reign…work for the kingdom.

Show your allegiance by doing what the king would want you to do.

The people began to get excited about John, but he had to make sure they knew he wasn’t the messiah and he knew he had a role to play…just as everyone else.

John’s was to preach this good news…theirs was to serve the Kingdom…The kings was to tend to the harvest.

Expectantly Waiting

We have expectations today about when Jesus comes again.

Many expect Jesus to make things right…and he will, at least that’s what the Bible tells us, but not right as we think it should be, but right as God says is was intended to be.

So what do we do while we wait?

WE wait well…we wait while we participate in his kingdom practices.

We wait knowing that he can make anyone he wants into his child…he ccan transofrm them in a moment.

We wait as we seek to be pruned by his spirit into fruitful disciples.

We wait as we we trust that God is the one who can sort out the harvest from the chaff.

As we wait, we rejoice that he is that God…our God who can do far more than we can imagine.

WE wait as we take care to love him with our little cracked up, bruised, and imperfect heart until he comes and makes all things new.

The King is Coming and he’s much more than we are expecting