Sermon Central
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Exceeding Expectations
Contributed by Todd Catteau on Jun 25, 2025 (message contributor)
Last Sunday I preached about heaven. I love preaching about heaven but I always feel like any description I give falls so far short of what it will actually be like. And I must admit, I have many questions. What exactly will it be like? What will we be doing? Will the bonds we've formed here remain intact? Heaven, in so many ways is incomprehensible to me but there is one thing I am confident of – it will far exceed any of my expectations.
I find it maddening when my expectations fall short of reality. Someone recommends their favorite restaurant and I find it so-so. Someone raves about a movie and I find myself dozing throughout. There have been times when someone would say to me, "You've gotta see this," or "You have to go there," and when I do I wonder what all the hype was all about. Unmet expectations are frustrating.
But that will not be the case for heaven. No matter what you or I think, it will be better.
I've had that experience at least a couple of times in my life, when I saw something that exceeded my expectations. One was when I first visited the Grand Canyon. I had seen pictures and videos. I had read the impressive statistics on its width and depth. I had heard talk about the beautiful earthy tones. I was excited to visit this “big hole in the ground”, but I still vividly remember standing at the rim, placing my eyes on it and standing there in an awe that far exceeded my expectations. All the statistics and all the pictures were accurate, but they were inadequate.
Another experience was visiting Niagara Falls. Same thing. I had seen pictures and videos. I had read of the impressive volume of water, the height of the drop, and the thunderous sound. But actually seeing it firsthand - feeling the mist on my face and hearing the earth-shaking roar - surpassed any depiction or description. All the descriptions were accurate but once again they were inadequate.
These natural wonders taught me that some realities can only be known through direct experience. No amount of preparation can substitute for standing in the presence of true majesty.
And I believe the same will be true of heaven. We do have some impressive descriptions. Streets of gold. Gates of pearl. Unparalleled worship led by hosts of angels. No tears or sadness. And I believe them all to be accurate but I also believe them all to be inadequate.
Like the Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls, heaven will far exceed my expectations, and even more!
I think it's good to think about heaven. It keeps me from falling too in love with this world. It gives me hope and joy especially in times when this life falls so far short of my expectations. Most importantly, it motivates me toward holiness, knowing that while heaven's invitation extends to all, its experience will not be universal.
While I love preaching about heaven, I suspect my greater need is to think about it more regularly—not just on Sundays when it's my professional duty, but daily as a personal discipline. I want heaven to be more than a sermon topic; I want it to be the constant backdrop against which I view everything else.
May heaven be always in my heart and ever on my mind.
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