Revelation changes expectations

It has always puzzled me that the disciples were so unprepared for Jesus’ resurrection. No one seemed to foresee it. It wasn’t as if Jesus had not told them on various occasions what would happen but somehow the truth just hadn’t sunk in.

No one was waiting at the tomb in anticipation of Jesus walking out alive. The disciples were hiding away in Jerusalem and even the women who did visit the tomb went to prepare a dead body with no expectation of a risen Lord. In fact when they did see Jesus, they could hardly believe it and when they told the disciples they thought it was just nonsense (Luke 24: 11). Only Peter and John actually went to the tomb.

Cleopas and Simon on the road to Emmaus could not make sense of what had happened either and even when Jesus walked with them and explained the Scriptures they did not realise they were talking with Jesus till ‘their eyes were opened and they recognised him’ Luke 24: 31. In fact when they hurried back to Jerusalem to tell the others and Jesus appeared in the room they thought he was a ghost. Even when Jesus showed them his scarred hands and feet and he ate some fish, they were still not convinced.  It was not until ‘he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures’ (Luke 24: 45) that they got it.

They needed revelation – their minds opened to what had been prophesied and what they had been told. The disciples had seen Jesus crucified, they had seen his body taken down from the cross and placed in a tomb so their experience said he was dead. They therefore did not expect resurrection even though they had been told about it. Even when the evidence was presented to them, they still could not believe it till Jesus himself opened their hearts and eyes to what the Scriptures said.

We too need this revelation because, like the disciples, our past experiences can shape our expectations. However when we do not live by our experiences but by what the Bible says, we can live victoriously even in the midst of the most difficult times. With revelation of God bringing life to the Scriptures we no longer expect the defeat and failure of past experiences but we live in the expectation of God’s goodness, kindness, love, mercy and grace.

The Bible no longer becomes theoretical but an amazing book full of the endless possibilities of what God can and wants to do in our lives and in the lives of those around us. Our expectations change when we believe and act on what the Bible says.

The disciples certainly had very wrong expectations of Jesus’ resurrection but under the revelation of God and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, they turned from frightened men and women into world changers and powerful ministers of the Gospel.

If we let our future expectations be based on our past experiences not on the Word, we will always be disappointed which can lead to frustration and even cynicism. Instead we need the Holy Spirit to open our minds to the wonders of what God is doing so with an expectation of God’s goodness we will see great and wonderful things.

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 1: 20

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 2 Peter 1: 4