The Pharisees were wrong about Jesus.

Their expectations were tied to who they wanted Him to be, not who He actually was. Such blindness is a risk for us all.

Faulty expectations cause us to miss Jesus. Healthy expectations awaken us to the beautiful reality of His presence and person.

How, then, do we obtain these healthy expectations?

Death and Taxes

I’m reminded of another exchange between Jesus and the Pharisees.

As usual, they were trying to push Him into a corner, and what better way than with a question about one of humanity’s timeless burdens…

Taxes.

The question posed was whether or not it was right for Jews to pay taxes to Rome.

If Jesus said it was right, He would be accused of betraying His fellow Israelites. If He declared paying taxes wrong, He would be accused of rebellion against the Empire.

A lose-lose, right? Normally, yes, but Jesus wasn’t normal.

Here’s His response…

The Eternal Versus the Temporary

Notice how Jesus doesn’t entangle Himself in the quarreling of the Pharisees and Rome. Instead, He looks to a greater, more foundational issue- humanity’s relationship with God.

This is where healthy expectations come from…

…not from the issues of the day but from the deepest need of our souls, the need for God Himself.

Healthy expectations come from a heart willing to “Seek first the Kingdom of Heaven and His righteousness.” To do so means we don’t seek first our own biases and opinions. And it’s only then, when we cease trying to justify ourselves, that we begin to see Jesus for who He really is.

After all, how can we expect to see the King of Heaven when we keep our eyes glued to the Earth?

So let’s go forward, expecting not a God of our invention but He who rules over all time and space, who comes to meet our deepest needs, and who desires nothing more than a loving relationship.

Look for Him and you will find that He exceeds all expectations. 

For now, be blessed.

Jon,

Theophilus Newsletter