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

We shall reap if we faint not

‘The people walking in darkness have seen a great light’ Isaiah 9: 2

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem very few people would have realised that ‘the light of the world’ had arrived. For sure the shepherds proclaimed his birth and all that the angel had told them but whilst ‘all who heard it were amazed’ (Luke 2: 18) I wonder how much of a long lasting impact it made on most of them.

Even when the ‘light of the world’ started his ministry in Galilee 30 years later, fulfilling the Isaiah prophecy, few could be called his followers. Most enjoyed the fruits of his ministry - the healing, miracles and provision of food – but on the day of Pentecost there were only 120 believers left of the thousands who must have been touched by the presence of Jesus amongst them.

However two old people realised who this baby was and whilst they would not have seen the outworking of the prophecy, they rejoiced over the birth of the baby. Mary and Joseph had done everything the Law required. Jesus had been circumcised and named on the eighth day and then they went to the Temple in Jerusalem, only about 5 miles from Bethlehem, to offer a sacrifice for Mary’s purification and to present the infant Jesus, as their first-born, to the Lord.

Simeon was a devout man and he was waiting for ‘the consolation of Israel’ - the Messiah. He had been promised that he would not die before he had seen him. The Holy Spirit was on Simeon so that at just the right moment he went into the temple courts to meet Mary and Joseph. Taking Jesus into his arms he rejoiced over the birth of this baby and prophesied

Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. 

For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:

a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.’

Simeon knew this baby was the ‘light of the world’ for both Jews and Gentiles.  However whilst his coming would be good news for some, raising them up, it would not be good news for everyone. He foresaw trouble for many in Israel. Jesus would be a stumbling block for those who disbelieve. Even for Mary his mother ‘a sword will pierce your own soul too.’  I wonder if Mary remembered that as she watched the horror of her own beloved son being beaten and crucified.

At that moment, Anna an elderly prophetess, came up and realising who the child was, gave thanks and spoke to anyone who was anticipating the ‘redemption of Jerusalem.’ I wonder how many of them looked at the baby and imagined what this child might become.

These two old people are a source of inspiration for us. They had been waiting for years to see the fulfilment of their dreams, not just for themselves, but for their nation. They hadn’t given up nor had they doubted and they were not disappointed. Their hope was placed firmly in God.

Perhaps today you have been waiting for years to see the fulfilment of your dreams – the salvation of a loved one, a healing, a miracle or for revival and a great outpouring of God’s love and miracle working power in your church, community or nation.

May we, like Simeon and Anna, not give up but with fresh faith believe again that God is working on our behalf, that he has heard and is answering our prayers.

‘And let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap if we faint not’

Galatians 6: 9 KJV

God of all hope

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15: 13

Hope is as essential to our lives as the air we breathe. Without hope, life begins to shut down and close in. For the Christian, hope is not an optimistic wish for future things but hope is a trust in the goodness of God; that despite the circumstances, God is good and will bring forth good things.  

Most Christians, I am sure, would agree with this but for some there can be areas of our life where hope has died and when that happens it is as if we close the door to any further hope in that area to save ourselves from future disappointment. There are many areas where this could happen but some examples are being single, childlessness, bereavement and grief, separation and divorce, church life and ministry, unemployment and failure. So often it feels like hope has been dashed and in order to function, we put our lost hope and disappointment into a room and close the door.

However God does not want us to have closed doors in our lives as they can lead to further difficulties and a bitterness of spirit. The only way to keep the door open on our deep hurts and disappointments is to establish in our own lives that God is good and has good things for his children. As Steve Backlund says, ‘hope expects and knows that things will ultimately work out in a good way.’

Whatever has happened is not because God is punishing us. God has not stopped loving us and God does not want to teach us a lesson in a negative sense. Some of these past hurts may have come about because we have made poor choices or even sinned. God wants to bring healing and hope again into these areas.

Today if fear is gripping your heart and you dare not trust God in an area where you have lost hope, start with this declaration and prayer:

God I trust you because you are a good God and want only good things for my life. I am so sorry if I have in any way caused these difficulties but I will not blame anyone for what has happened. I forgive any who have been instrumental in what has happened including myself. Today I choose to believe that you will bring good out of this. I open the door of my hurt to your healing love and restoration and I receive your hope. In Jesus Name Amen.

 

 

 

Hope does not disappoint us

 'And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out (and continues to pour out) his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.'   Romans 5:5 

my words in brackets

Disappointment is one of the most crippling conditions known to man as it saps hope from our lives.  Without hope, life is very dismal.  In the Bible hope does not refer to an optimistic anticipation of some future event; hope is the sure expectation of God doing what he has promised which is why Paul was able to say so confidently that hope does not disappoint us.

Disappointment happens when we place our hope on anything other than God; exam results, career prospects, winning the lottery, getting married, having children, the pastor promoting our ministry, children looking after us in our old age, good health.  When we place our hope on these sorts of things all goes well till they let us down as they inevitably will. Then our world collapses and disappointment floods in.

As it says in Proverbs 13:12 ,’hope deferred makes the heart sick.’   Disappointment causes us to pull back from God and other people.  We feel like we have put our hope out there and we have become vulnerable and now we have been let down.  It makes us wary of trusting people and God and so we lose our expectation and hope to protect ourselves from further disappointment.

However Paul assures us that hope (the confident expectation of God’s goodness) will not disappoint us.  The two disciples on the road to Emmaus after Jesus’ death and resurrection were terribly disappointed (Luke 24:13 – 35).  They said to the risen Lord, not realising who he was, ‘but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel’ (verse 21).  They had placed their hope in God but were still disappointed – why?  They explain to Jesus in great detail why they were disappointed but these very reasons should have been a source of hope not disappointment!  Jesus though was there in the midst and explained it all to them and then revelation comes!  They realise that Jesus himself has been with them all the time.  The very person they had hoped in, had not disappointed them.

If you are sitting with disappointment weighing heavily on you, take it to Jesus. Explain to him exactly why you are disappointed and let him bring you his hope in the midst of it.  You may have been placing your hope on things or people other than Jesus or you may just have misunderstood his workings in your life. 

 

Let God restore hope to you today and let him pour out and continue to pour out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.