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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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