situations set expectations

Matthew 11:2

"Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,"

We are in the fourth week of Advent, and Christmas is almost here! Our anticipation is building as we prepare our hearts and minds. Last week, our study from Psalms strengthened our love for righteousness and hatred of wickedness. God calls us to share His heart by pursuing compassion and justice, opposing evil, and aligning with His ways—because “The LORD reigns forever!” Let us renew our commitment to praise our Lord and Savior in worship that echoes heaven’s eternal chorus, now and always.

All our preparations come with hopes and expectations. The Jewish people at the time of Jesus’ incarnation similarly held varied expectations for the Messiah.

John the Baptist, who had earlier identified Jesus as the Messiah and seen divine confirmation at His baptism, was now imprisoned in the fortress of Machaerus—likely for over a year—after condemning Herod Antipas’s marriage to Herodias.

Despite his prior conviction, prolonged imprisonment and the lack of immediate Messianic action seem to have sparked a crisis of faith. John sent disciples to ask Jesus, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” His expectations were skewed by his circumstances—a reminder that our own situations can shape our expectations too.

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Elisha’s example

1 Kings 19:19-21 "19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him. 20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee? 21 And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him." In Luke 9:54, after James and John sought to call down fire on a Samaritan village that rejected Jesus, they referenced Elijah, saying, “even as Elias did?” Jesus then taught three lessons about rejection: 1- Discipleship demands sacrifice, embracing hardship and forgoing earthly security. 2- Following Jesus requires immediate, un...

I will make you

Matthew 4:19&20 "19 And He saith unto them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed Him." In our "Follow Me" series, we study Jesus calling His disciples in the Gospel of Matthew. By the Sea of Galilee, a thriving fishing hub, Jesus saw Simon and Andrew casting nets as humble fishermen. His disciples were ordinary workers, not wealthy or educated elites. Jesus approached them and said, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." Remarkably, they immediately left their jobs to follow Him. This brief exchange conveys a profound truth: Jesus says, "I will make you." Only God can transform us to accomplish His purpose. We should often pray, "Help me, God," seeking Jesus' guidance to follow His plan for our lives.

God’s patience

2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." God did not immediately punish King Solomon when he allowed his foreign wives to build altars for false gods. Despite multiple compromises, God remained patient. Over time, Solomon’s endorsement of idolatry defied God’s covenant, leading to divine judgment, including the loss of the kingdom for his son. Some mistake God’s patience for indifference or inaction, but He follows His plan in His timing. If our nation, culture, church, or we ourselves stray like Solomon, we can repent and return to God’s path. And, should do so sooner than later! Amen!

Sermon Notes; a Daily Devotional

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