More Than Sunday: Kingdom Expectations
This past Sunday, Fox brought a message that hit me right in the expectations. You know the kind—the kind that makes you squirm in your seat a little and nervously wonder if he’s been reading your journal (or maybe listening in on your internal monologue). His question to us was simple but weighty: Has the rule and reign of Christ in your life lived up to your expectations?
Cue the awkward laugh and a quick, “Well, that depends,” because who wouldn’t want to dodge that question?
The Weight of Expectations
Fox started with Isaiah 9:6-7, the kind of verse we love to hear during Christmas: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder… Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end.”
I mean, who doesn’t love the sound of peace without end? Sign me up for that! But then he brought us to Isaiah 53, and the tone shifted dramatically: “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief… Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.”
Hold up. Where’s the warm and fuzzy peace? This is the part where the fine print of faith hits you like a reality check. The truth is, the Kingdom of God doesn’t always look the way we expect. It’s more Isaiah 53 than a Pinterest-perfect life—or my version of “perfect,” which involves a home renovation project that doesn’t take twice as long as planned or involve three trips to the hardware store.
When Life Feels Off-Script
If you’ve ever had your plans implode in spectacular fashion, you know the feeling. Personally, I’ve had my fair share of moments where I thought, This is NOT how it’s supposed to go! Like when I’m convinced I’ve set our team up for success at work, only to find out that someone misunderstood the process and mounted an AED cabinet to the wall right above a chair making sitting there impossible! (True story.) Or when I think I’m finally nailing this whole “godly husband” thing and Erika gives me the look that says, Bless your heart.
Fox reminded us that even the people of Israel struggled with unmet expectations. They wanted a Messiah who would overthrow their oppressors and bring immediate peace.
Instead, they got Jesus—the suffering servant who came to save them in a way they didn’t even realize they needed.
Even at the cross, the chief priests mocked Him, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him” (Matthew 27:41-42). Their disappointment blinded them to the reality of who Jesus was.
Disappointment: The Great Revealer
Fox talked about how disappointment, while painful, can reveal profound truths. And let me tell you, disappointment and I are well-acquainted. Whether it’s parenting mishaps, work stress, or my overly optimistic timelines for home projects, I’ve faced plenty of moments where life didn’t meet my expectations.
But here’s the kicker: disappointment often reveals where I’ve been putting my trust. Am I basing my expectations on my plans, my desires, or the truth of God’s Word? Spoiler alert: it’s usually not the latter—at least not at first.
Fox gave us three questions to help wrestle with these moments.
Humor as a Coping Mechanism
Now, I’ll be the first to admit that my default response to stress is humor. Case in point: when Fox asked if the rule and reign of Christ in my life had lived up to my expectations, my brain immediately went, Does forgetting to check those hot dogs so they don’t burn count? But beneath the jokes is the real work of faith—figuring out where my expectations are out of sync with God’s plans. And as much as I’d like to just laugh my way through it, wrestling with disappointment is necessary if I want to grow.
The Advent Tension
Advent is all about waiting—waiting for the Messiah, waiting for His return, and waiting for the Kingdom to come in fullness. It’s the tension between the “already” and the “not yet,” and let me tell you, I’m not great at waiting. (Just ask my family—they’ll confirm that I insist on being early everywhere we go, even when it’s wildly unnecessary.)
But here’s the beauty of it: even when life feels off-script, God is still at work. His Kingdom may not look like we expect, but it’s exactly what we need.
An Invitation to Reflect
This week, take some time to wrestle with the three questions Fox gave us. It’s not always comfortable (or funny), but it’s worth it. Because at the end of the day, the Kingdom of God isn’t about meeting our expectations—it’s about exceeding them in ways we never imagined.
So, here’s to reflecting, recalibrating, and maybe cracking a few jokes along the way. Let’s remember the hope of Advent, trusting that even in the tension, God is writing a story far better than anything we could plan.
Cue the awkward laugh and a quick, “Well, that depends,” because who wouldn’t want to dodge that question?
The Weight of Expectations
Fox started with Isaiah 9:6-7, the kind of verse we love to hear during Christmas: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder… Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end.”
I mean, who doesn’t love the sound of peace without end? Sign me up for that! But then he brought us to Isaiah 53, and the tone shifted dramatically: “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief… Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.”
Hold up. Where’s the warm and fuzzy peace? This is the part where the fine print of faith hits you like a reality check. The truth is, the Kingdom of God doesn’t always look the way we expect. It’s more Isaiah 53 than a Pinterest-perfect life—or my version of “perfect,” which involves a home renovation project that doesn’t take twice as long as planned or involve three trips to the hardware store.
When Life Feels Off-Script
If you’ve ever had your plans implode in spectacular fashion, you know the feeling. Personally, I’ve had my fair share of moments where I thought, This is NOT how it’s supposed to go! Like when I’m convinced I’ve set our team up for success at work, only to find out that someone misunderstood the process and mounted an AED cabinet to the wall right above a chair making sitting there impossible! (True story.) Or when I think I’m finally nailing this whole “godly husband” thing and Erika gives me the look that says, Bless your heart.
Fox reminded us that even the people of Israel struggled with unmet expectations. They wanted a Messiah who would overthrow their oppressors and bring immediate peace.
Instead, they got Jesus—the suffering servant who came to save them in a way they didn’t even realize they needed.
Even at the cross, the chief priests mocked Him, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him” (Matthew 27:41-42). Their disappointment blinded them to the reality of who Jesus was.
Disappointment: The Great Revealer
Fox talked about how disappointment, while painful, can reveal profound truths. And let me tell you, disappointment and I are well-acquainted. Whether it’s parenting mishaps, work stress, or my overly optimistic timelines for home projects, I’ve faced plenty of moments where life didn’t meet my expectations.
But here’s the kicker: disappointment often reveals where I’ve been putting my trust. Am I basing my expectations on my plans, my desires, or the truth of God’s Word? Spoiler alert: it’s usually not the latter—at least not at first.
Fox gave us three questions to help wrestle with these moments.
- What am I basing my expectations on?
- What does scripture tell me I can expect?
- Am I wrestling with the disappointments in my life to find Jesus’ lordship?
Humor as a Coping Mechanism
Now, I’ll be the first to admit that my default response to stress is humor. Case in point: when Fox asked if the rule and reign of Christ in my life had lived up to my expectations, my brain immediately went, Does forgetting to check those hot dogs so they don’t burn count? But beneath the jokes is the real work of faith—figuring out where my expectations are out of sync with God’s plans. And as much as I’d like to just laugh my way through it, wrestling with disappointment is necessary if I want to grow.
The Advent Tension
Advent is all about waiting—waiting for the Messiah, waiting for His return, and waiting for the Kingdom to come in fullness. It’s the tension between the “already” and the “not yet,” and let me tell you, I’m not great at waiting. (Just ask my family—they’ll confirm that I insist on being early everywhere we go, even when it’s wildly unnecessary.)
But here’s the beauty of it: even when life feels off-script, God is still at work. His Kingdom may not look like we expect, but it’s exactly what we need.
An Invitation to Reflect
This week, take some time to wrestle with the three questions Fox gave us. It’s not always comfortable (or funny), but it’s worth it. Because at the end of the day, the Kingdom of God isn’t about meeting our expectations—it’s about exceeding them in ways we never imagined.
So, here’s to reflecting, recalibrating, and maybe cracking a few jokes along the way. Let’s remember the hope of Advent, trusting that even in the tension, God is writing a story far better than anything we could plan.
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So good! ??