DON’T BE SURPRISED
INTRODUCTION: There are plenty of things in life that can surprise us, like a sudden noise or an unexpected event. Well, there are some things that happen to us as a Christian that can surprise us but they shouldn’t. Let’s take a look at what some of these are.
1) Don’t be surprised when worldly people act worldly.
It’s interesting how after we come to Christ we can have the tendency to expect those who don’t know Christ to act like they do. So why do we expect non-Christians to act like Christians? Probably because when we see the light and start changing we can see things more clearly. When we were in the world the things of the world were normal and accepted. But now, since the scales have been removed from our eyes we can better see the contrast between godly and ungodly.
I remember back when I had quit drinking and I saw drunk people from a sober perspective. I was like, “what’s the matter with you people? Don’t you realize how foolish this is?” We will typically have this problem when worldly people act worldly towards us. “I can’t believe that person cut me off. I can’t believe she was so rude to me.” When we change our behavior we expect everyone else to; forgetting of course that we were once like that (and still can be) and also forgetting the only reason we were able to change was because of the power of Christ. We can’t expect those who don’t know Christ; those who don’t have the power of Christ to act like Christ.
It’s sinful nature. Just as you can’t expect a wild animal to act against its nature, we can’t expect non-Christians to act against their nature. Sometimes I’m surprised when I see how degradingly sinful America is becoming but I shouldn’t be; we live in a fallen world. Therefore, we shouldn’t be surprised that there is so much evil in the world.
Ecc. 5:8-10, “If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still. The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields. Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless.”
As long as there are people in this world who are looking out for their own interests there’s going to be evil in the world. When the focus is self then everyone else will suffer. The poor and defenseless will go on being oppressed and people will continue to take advantage of one another. Why? Because there will always be people who don’t really care about anyone else but themselves. Therefore, we can’t be surprised that there are so many people hurting other people. It will go on like this until the second coming of Christ. Then we will experience a life without selfishness; a life without the presence of evil. But until then, we will have to deal with living in a fallen world.
2) Don’t be surprised when you suffer persecution.
John 15:18-19, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.”
Jesus was giving his disciples fair warning and a reality check. Jesus’ words are in his discourse during the Last Supper. It wouldn’t be long before his disciples saw the culmination of the hatred against him when he would be crucified. Jesus knew that soon he would ascend into heaven and they would be receiving the treatment he did. Therefore, it was important for them to know that it was coming. And it didn’t take long before they found that out.
Maybe that’s why the Apostle John wrote in 1st John 3:13, “Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you.” John knew it was important to give the followers of Jesus the same warning that Jesus gave them.
It makes sense to be surprised when the world hates us when all we’re trying to do is share the gospel with them. I mean, we’re telling people how they can be saved and live a new life. But many people don’t want to hear about that because they don’t want to be told they are sinners in need of salvation. They don’t want to be told about living a new life because that would involve changing things in their current life.
Even though it’s obviously an eternally better alternative to live for Jesus many won’t think so and therefore will persecute us. We will be laughed at, ridiculed, hated and judged and perhaps even physically attacked. And we shouldn’t be surprised because in our sinful nature we are hostile to God as Romans 8:7 states.
Paul understood all of this and he wanted his young protégé Timothy to understand as well. 2nd Tim. 3:10-13, “You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.”
I find Paul’s words to be both concerning and relieving at the same time. Knowing that if I’m going to live a godly life I won’t escape persecution is not a pleasant thought. However, knowing that the Lord rescued Paul the way he did brings comfort. There were times people tried to kill Paul but the Lord rescued him. We may have to suffer persecution but we can be sure we will be kept safe until our work here is done.
Jesus said in John 16:33, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” The persecutions Jesus dealt with did not defeat him. He rose above them and pressed on. He finished his work and overcame the world. We can take heart because the power that enabled Jesus to persevere and overcome resides in us. If we want to live a godly life we will be persecuted but we can be courageous because there is victory in Jesus.
3) Don’t be surprised when you are disciplined.
Heb. 12:5-7, “And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.” Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?”
Persecution is not the result of doing something wrong; it’s the result of doing something right. However, the Lord’s discipline is the result of doing something wrong. And when we are disciplined by the Lord we shouldn’t be surprised and the writer of Hebrews tells us why. As we can relate to our earthly Father’s discipline when we did something wrong we can then understand why there is discipline when we disobey our heavenly Father.
However, that doesn’t mean our heavenly Father will do it like our earthly father. We may have had an earthly father who was abusive towards us and punished us too severely. Our earthly father may have disciplined us solely out of anger. We may have been punished for things we didn’t do.
But when we are punished by our heavenly Father we can be sure the discipline will be fair and just. And it will always be out of love and for the purpose of correction. A loving father disciplines his children because he wants them to stop doing harmful things. When we were disciplined we may have thought our punishment was harsh or extreme but we have to admit we knew if we got caught we were in for it. We understood that if we did something wrong and our parents found out we were not surprised to be disciplined for it.
So, why are we surprised when the Lord disciplines us? We know that nothing escapes the Lord’s notice; he sees all and he knows all. So, if we do something wrong and God doesn’t spank us on the spot we erroneously conclude that he’s ‘letting that one go’. So later when we disobey God and we’re disciplined we are surprised. The fact is there is always a consequence to our disobedience; it’s just that there are times when it’s more obvious than others and some consequences are more severe than others.
Also, we mistake God’s mercy for tolerance. When we’re not disciplined right away we think that means it’s no big deal to God. What we don’t understand is that God is a merciful and patient God. With that said, however, our sin always has a negative effect in some way; we might just be blind to it at the time.
God wants to correct our behavioral defects and he will use different ways to try to accomplish that. But we can be sure that God never winks an eye toward sin. We shouldn’t be surprised when the Lord disciplines us because we know that he loves us too much to just sit back and watch us destroy ourselves without doing everything in his power to try to get us to wake up and turn around.
4) Don’t be surprised when God answers prayer.
1st John 5:14-15, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.”
We read these words and know they are true but we can still have a lack of confidence when approaching God with our prayers. There are times when we are actually surprised when God answers our prayers. But we shouldn’t be surprised over anything he does. If we believe nothing is impossible for God then why are we surprised when he does the impossible? We might be surprised when he does something unexpected but when we pray we shouldn’t be surprised when he answers. We should pray knowing he can do it. We leave it up to him to determine if he will but as far as believing that he can, that shouldn’t even be a question in our minds.
Why are we surprised when God answers prayer? Because of doubt. James 1:5-8, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.”
This isn’t talking about someone who wonders whether or not God will do what they ask-that’s called leaving room for his will. And it isn’t saying I’m double-minded and unstable if I doubt a time or two. This reflects someone who is a perpetual doubter. I’m asking but not believing God will; or worse-not believing that he can.
If I haven’t become convinced that nothing is too big for God to do then I’m going to have an element of doubt attached to my prayers. Doubting can cause my prayers to become just a formality; I’m doing it because that’s what I should do without truly having the faith to trust in God’s ability to accomplish what I’m praying for.
Sometimes it’s not that I doubt he can but that I doubt he will. I’ve been praying for something for a while and it hasn’t happened so I conclude it isn’t going to. So, when God finally brings it to pass I’m surprised. But we shouldn’t be surprised when God answers prayer; no matter how long it takes.
Praying with an element of doubt attached to it will place a limit on our prayers. We won’t ever pray big; we won’t ever pray for the impossible. But when we know that God can do exceedingly abundantly more than all we could ask or imagine then we will pray accordingly; and we will not be surprised when he brings it about. We will be excited and in awe but not surprised.
