Expectations
Luke 7
Jesus performed some incredible miracles. The first is of an important servant to a Roman captain. Jesus doesn't even show up and the servant is healed. Perhaps someone reading this story might say to themselves, "Jesus just got lucky here," since he doesn't even go to the soldier's house. But the next story forces you to reconsider - Jesus is with a large crowd and runs across a funeral procession. Jesus' heart breaks for the widowed woman who lost her son, so he goes straight to the casket and says, "Young man, I tell you: Get up." And incredibly the man gets up.
Because of these miracles John the Baptist wants to know something. Is Jesus the Messiah, the 'expected one?' So he sends two of his followers to Jesus to ask the question, "Are you the one...or are we still waiting?" Jesus does not immediately answer the question. He seems to basically ignore the question so that he can minister to the people around him. For several hours he heals people from diseases, distress and evil spirits. Blind people could suddenly see. With everything that happens Jesus seems to be asking a question back to John's followers - is this what you were expecting?
I imagine many of us aren't quite sure what to expect from a Messiah. We can get 'saved' by one, but what does that really mean? Jesus seems to be managing expectations here. He doesn't tell people whether he will meet their expectations or not because everyone has a different view of what should be expected. Instead he simply does what only God can do. He heals the sick, welcomes the disenfranchised and raises the dead; they will experience God's presence in their lives and have a better life for it. Is that what you were expecting?
Jesus performed some incredible miracles. The first is of an important servant to a Roman captain. Jesus doesn't even show up and the servant is healed. Perhaps someone reading this story might say to themselves, "Jesus just got lucky here," since he doesn't even go to the soldier's house. But the next story forces you to reconsider - Jesus is with a large crowd and runs across a funeral procession. Jesus' heart breaks for the widowed woman who lost her son, so he goes straight to the casket and says, "Young man, I tell you: Get up." And incredibly the man gets up.
I imagine many of us aren't quite sure what to expect from a Messiah. We can get 'saved' by one, but what does that really mean? Jesus seems to be managing expectations here. He doesn't tell people whether he will meet their expectations or not because everyone has a different view of what should be expected. Instead he simply does what only God can do. He heals the sick, welcomes the disenfranchised and raises the dead; they will experience God's presence in their lives and have a better life for it. Is that what you were expecting?