Dealing With Expectations

Is Jesus Really the One?

Matthew 11:2-11                                   Rev. Todd B. Freeman

Bethany Presbyterian Church, Dallas                      December 12, 2004

Let’s talk about expectations. We all have them – about almost everything and everyone.

Each of us could sit and write list after list of what we expect. For example, parents have certain expectations of their children, and visa versa. You have expectations of your spouse or partner, and even your friends. Teachers have expectations of their students. Those who are ill have expectations of their doctors and of the medication they take. Your employer has expectations of you. We have expectations of our government officials. A congregation has expectations of its pastor and of its music program. Pastors have expectations of church leaders and members.

Sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming to reflect upon what other people expect of you; of what you expect from other people; of what you expect of yourself.

And now the really big question: What happens when others don’t meet or conform to your expectations?

We can extend all this to our personal and community journey of faith as well. What do you, what do we expect from God? What happens when God doesn’t meet your or our expectations? Perhaps an adjustment of our expectations may be in order.

In the Gospel of Matthew we come face to face with the difference between what we expect of others and what they can deliver. Today’s sermon text from Matthew 11 involves John the Baptist and Jesus himself. What did John expect?

John foresaw someone who would carry on his ministry at a higher level. The One greater than John would fulfill John’s prophecies; he would be the instrument of God’s judgment and usher in a new age of God’s kingdom. But what has happened? John finds himself locked away in prison. His prophecies were not fulfilled, at least not to his satisfaction, and the end did not come.

Jesus of Nazareth did not fit stereotypical messianic expectations. He had not yet fulfilled John’s prediction that the Coming One would baptize the repentant in the Holy Spirit and destroy the unrepentant. He had not conformed to popular Jewish expectations of a messiah who would bring about political, social, and economic deliverance, restoring Israel to its former glory under Kind David.

Jesus’ failure to do so caused disappointment, even scandal.

John must have wondered on a personal level why this one more powerful than he didn’t at least bring fire from heaven to rain down upon his oppressors who would have him beheaded. While sitting in that prison cell he is led to wonder, then, was this Jesus of Nazareth really the One, or should he wait and look for another?

So John sends a couple of his disciples to ask Jesus this pointed question directly. We have to admire John. He had a problem with Jesus, so he approached Jesus as directly as his imprisonment allowed. No behind-the-back criticism! John faced both disappointment and doubts, but he was open to hearing Jesus’ response to his questions.

Jesus, however, does not give a simple yes or no answer. No Time magazine cover declaring, “Yup, I’m the Messiah!” Jesus merely states, “Go and tell John what you hear and see.” In other words, look at the evidence, listen and see for yourself, and come to your own conclusion.

Jesus then echoes the words of the Old Testament prophet Isaiah. We have already learned by this point in the Gospel of Matthew that Jesus has indeed given sight to the blind, mobility to the lame, cleansing for the lepers, hearing to the deaf, new life to the dead, and good news to the poor.

Jesus, in essence, defines his own messiahship, rather than have others define it for him. As the Messiah, the Christ, he would be a liberator. His words and actions brought liberation. Granted, perhaps not the kind of liberation the Jews were expecting, but liberation nonetheless.

Jesus’ answer demanded much of John the Baptist. He asked John to stretch his understanding to fit a very different messiah than the one whom he expected. Perhaps many people today as well, then, need to stretch their understanding to fit a different model of the messiah than the one so many prefer: the Mr. Fit It, magic problem-solver and giver-of-good-things kind of messiah.

Jesus is a humble, compassionate and liberating messiah who demands justice and offers transformation for people’s lives. He is not one who comes with force, bringing fire-and-brimstone judgment and threats of damnation, like so many tend to preach. Instead, he pronounced blessings on the poor in spirit, the meek, and peacemakers. He called his disciples to love their enemies. He warned them not to judge others.

Jesus made it necessary for people to redefine their definition and expectations of a Savior and Messiah, of what it meant to be the Christ. The kind of messiah that overcomes the enemies of God by judgment and demands that we get all the rules right misses the point of who this Jesus was and is. And the Jesus Seminar gives this warning in their introduction to The Five Gospels: “Beware of finding a Jesus entirely congenial to you” [p.5].

So John’s question, “Are you the one, or should we look for another?” is a valid question indeed. And since the church is to be the extension of Jesus’ ministry I think church visitors have a right to ask that of a congregation as well.

There’s a wonderful book entitled, Twelve Keys to an Effective Church, by Kennon Callahan. In reference to the first (and most important) key: “Specific Concrete Missional Objectives,” it states: “People have a right to come to a congregation and ask, ‘Are you really God’s servants, or should we look elsewhere?’” Then asks, “How would you answer this question on behalf of your congregation? How do we indicate to the world that we are the people of God?”

Or, to put it metaphorically: How are the blind seeing, the lame walking, the deaf hearing, and lives being transformed and renewed in and by this community of faith?

After reviewing Jesus’ answer to John’s disciples about reporting what they hear and see, the book asks: “What are the specific concrete human hurts and hopes in your immediate community which are calling out for help? Are there two or three other people in your congregation who have the same concern as you do about a specific human hurt or hope in the community?”

Exploring the answers to these questions might be a good focus for our Social Action area of ministry in the coming year.

I want to return for a moment to this issue of expectations. Just as Jesus didn’t conform to what some expected of him, God doesn’t seem to conform to certain expectations, either. For instance, and especially at this time of year, it’s important to remember that God is not some kind of divine Santa Claus, handing out gifts to the good and lumps of coal to the bad. But how often are our prayers more like Christmas wish lists? Biblical commentator Larry Broding writes:

An experience of God is a gift, not an expectation. Once we build our faith solely upon awe experiences, we focus upon them as if they were magic. We might think that these experiences should be an everyday event; if we have a “down” day, our prayer life dwells only upon a return to the “wow” experience. When we do not have a consistent spiritual high, we might be tempted to reject faith as an illusion. We might forget the passion of Christ; even pain and depression are paths to God.

He goes on to ask:

What do we expect from God? Miracles or magic. Miracles engage us in a faith dialogue with God; we become part of the miracle as it becomes a part of us. Magic, however, is meant for entertainment. It impresses us, but does not change us. Miracles demand a response; magic demands applause. Do we pray to be engaged or impressed? As Christmas approaches, it’s time to ask the question. What do we expect from God? Do we want to follow God, whatever that might entail? Or, do we want God just to fix us? Have we confused faith with expectation? Faith puts God in charge. Expectation puts us in charge. Faith allows God to surprise us. Expectation does not.

As a part of preparing for Christmas, reflect upon your expectations of the holidays. Are they realistic? Can people or events really fulfill your ideals? Perhaps it may help if we set aside our expectations just enough so that God can surprise us!

And, of course, you must find your own answers and come to your own conclusion concerning the question: Is Jesus really the one, or should we wait and look for another?

What are your expectations of the Messiah, the Christ? I suggest you look around, what do you hear and see?

Amen.