Breaking expectations!
October 23, 2014
John 20:1 And early in the morning while it was yet dark Mary came to the tomb and found the stone rolled away.
We were discussing expectations the other day in a group and this scripture came to mind. I have written about it in past blogs but I love the way God gives us fresh revelation. Just when you think you understand it, God shows you another way of looking at it.
We all grow up with expectations. Some are what our parents teach us like expect to go to school, expect to do well and expect to grow up and take care of yourself one day. These are all good and well. Some of the expectations we have is because we are selfish and want things for ourselves. These are not taught by someone but us giving in to our sinful nature. The bottom line is simply that we all have expectation.
God wants us to have expectations. I believe godly expectations are just another way or a word for faith. As a matter of fact God tells us that he can do abundantly above anything we can ask or expect. What I want to look at today is something else. We can actually be bound by our expectations. Especially the ones that we develop through our past experiences.
When you talk to some people they have a hard time to trust people. They developed an expectation that all people will hurt their trust because someone else did it to them. Some struggle to love because a bad relationship created an expectation that you will get hurt if you try again. There are many things we can look at but I think the point is made.
Mary came to the tomb expecting Jesus to be still dead. She expected to come and cry over someone she have lost that was dear to her. The darkness didn’t help her situation. Yet the Bible says that in spite of the darkness she saw the stone rolled away. She still didn’t understand the meaning of this. Then two angels show up and gives her a revelation. “He is not here He is risen from the dead.” Can you see what I see? She received a fresh revelation about Jesus’ condition. I love the fact that she is challenged to rethink what she expected to find at the tomb. You see the thing that will change some of our expectations is a fresh revelation. What happens when God shows up?
I love new revelation. Another thing in this story that blesses me is the fact that Jesus shows up. You see revelation must lead to an encounter with God otherwise revelation stays just knowledge. The encounter that comes after the revelation will change your expectation. Think about it. After she sees Jesus she no longer expects him to be dead. Without the encounter with Jesus the revelation from the angels she received might still be questioned. Someone with an experience are no longer at the mercy of an argument. Imagine the apostles only heard Jesus was alive. They might still be persuaded that it was not true. Because Jesus shows up they are no longer at the mercy of an argument. They know that they know that they know.
What do you know about Jesus today? Did your revelation lead you to an encounter with God? Paul says that he did not preach Christ but by a revelation first. How do I know Paul had an encounter with God after the revelation? He walked in the power of that encounter. God wants to reveal himself to us and shatter our old expectations of Him. He is ready to give us fresh revelation but it is an invitation into an encounter. I don’t want to know anything more about God without encountering Him.
Moses heard all the law that God gave him. It described what God wanted. Yet he asked to see God’s glory. I hear you God, but I must meet you. Revelation is inviting us to a meeting with God. Imagine if I heard all the good things about my wife. Her parents would tell me about her character and her qualities. They would describe how beautiful she is and how good she would be as a wife and a mother to her children. Then I thank them for telling me all those things about her and leave. That is stupid. The revelation I got about her was an invitation to meet her and have an encounter with her. If I would turn away and leave I will forever wonder about this wonderful woman I have never met.
A lot of us do exactly the same thing with God. The Holy Spirit teaches us about God and then we turn away and leave and forever wonder what this God is really about. We live with the regret of never actually meeting him. Our past expectations need to be shattered. God is bringing new revelation so that we can come and meet him.
