Expectations!
I Jn 3:1-3
1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
3 Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.
OF ALL THE NAMES FOUND IN THE BIBLE FOR GOD, none seems to reveal more about His true nature than the term, “Father.”
The knowledge of God’s Father-love is the first and simplest, but also the last and highest lesson that we can learn concerning His designs for mankind.
Now, to speak of God as our Father is to say a great deal about Him. Jesus tried to help us understand this dimension of God.
He spoke of His Father’s constant nearness, generosity, mercy, and love.
He also helped us to see that the Father forgives and forgets when we meet the conditions. And, of course, as our Father, God sometimes disciplines us when we need it. He also rewards us and protects us, and takes time to listen to our cries.
But as we think about God, seldom do we take into account the EXPECTATIONS THAT He has for us. I believe that God is the greatest of all visionaries. There are certain hopes, dreams, and plans that He has in mind for each one of us.
Most parents, if they truly love their children, expect certain things of them. They pray and work and do all they can to influence them in certain directions. They have high hopes, big dreams, lofty expectations.
Before my two sons were even born, I began to form in my mind certain things I wanted them to achieve and experience.
Above all else, I wanted them to have a deep and lasting relationship with God—one that will see them through any crisis here on earth and give them absolute assurance concerning the future. And to that end my wife and I worked and prayed until we knew that both of them had received Christ as Lord–one at his bedside and one at a Christian camp.
What they do for a living, how much money they make, where they live, what kind of family they have, what kind of education they acquire–these things are really secondary in my mind. In fact, they are really meaningless if they are not int the will of God. As the Scriptures declare, “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but looses his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Here’s the point: THE BEST GOALS AND DREAMS THAT WE CAN HAVE FOR OUR CHILDREN ARE SPIRITUAL IN NATURE!
This is the legacy of parenthood! And just as we have certain expectations in regard to our children, so also God expects certain things of us. What are God’s expectations of us? What are His dreams for us? They can be summed up in four words.
1. KNOW. God expects us to know Him.
To be intimately acquainted with Him—on a personal level.
He’s done everything in His power to make it possible for us to know Him.
❏ He’s given us evidence of His existence in creation
❏ He’s given us the Bible
❏ He’s given His only begotten for us
❏ He’s given us the Holy Spirit to speak to us
❏ He’s given us the witness of the Church
❏ He’s given us a humger to know Him
What more could God do? We are all without excuse! None of us will stand before God on Judgement Day and say, “I had no idea that God loved me so.” God is not willing that anyone should perish. He wants everyone to know Him and to receive His promise of eternal life. That’s the goal and dream of God for everyone that is born. And if anyone ends up in hell for all eternity, it will be because they chose to turn away from all these efforts on God’s part.
From the moment we are born, God begins to draw us unto Himself. He expects all of us to know Him. Do you KNOW Him? Many folks know ABOUT Him. But they are not intimately acquainted with Him. They don’t commune with Him daily; they don’t listen to Him by reading His Word; they don’t obey Him. They don’t experience His power in their lives.
I know a lot about President Bush because I’ve read about him and listened to him on TV, but I do not know Him intimately. I can’t call him up and say, “Hi George. Just thought I’d call. How ‘s the family?”
Of course, I’m aware that there are forces in our world under the control of the devil that will do everything possible to keep us from knowing God. But if a person truly seeks after God, that person will find Him.
When John wrote the words found in our Scripture lesson, he was addressing God’s adopted children. He was writing to those who already knew God. But he had more to say to them. He wanted them to have the assurance of their salvation. Over in the 5th chapter and verses 12 and 13, we read, “He who has the Son has life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
God makes a promise. Faith believes it. Hope anticipates it. Patience awaits it.
God wants you to know that you know Him.
Illus.: “Get On With the Operation”
A soldier was badly wounded. A surgeon said to him, “I must operate right away. I think I ought to tell you that you have one chance in a hundred to come through. Have you anything to say?” The soldier answered, “No, Doc, get on with the operation! All is well with my soul. Which ever side I come out on, there will be a welcome for me. If I come through this, mom will be there to greet me. If I don’t Jesus will welcome me. So get on with the operation.”
Now that man possessed a “know-so” faith. God expects us to know that we are His and that our heavenly home awaits us.
2. GROW. God expects us to grow.
We shouldn’t be satisfied with “entry-level” positions.
After Calvin Coolidge, the 30th president of the US issued his famous, “I do not choose to run” statement, he was besieged by reporters wanting details. One persistent journalist kept asking, “Exactly why don’t you want to be president again?” “Because,” Coolidge replied, “there’s no chance for advancement!”
Do you know what the largest room in the world is? THE ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT!
Some Christians who should be on the front lines are still in basic training! II Peter 3:18: “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
Ever been stuck in a holding pattern? Constant motion but no progress.
Growing as a Christian doesn’t just happen anymore than that plant you have in your house. We’ve got to feed it and nourish it, and trim it and clean it and see that it gets enough sunlight.
Baby Illustration:
❏ needs someone else to care for it at first
❏ eventually it will have to learn to care for itself
Illus.: “God’s Problem: Getting Our Mouths Open.
Psalm 81:10: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt (slavery to sin). Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.”
GOD EXPECTS US TO GROW! What strategies are you using to enhance your growth? Are you in Sunday School? Are you in a Bible Study? Do you have a daily devotional time? How are you managing to grow? The disciples spent 3 years in Bible school with the Master Teacher.
Someone has said that conversion is only 5% of the Christian life. The other 95% is growing in our walk with God.
3. GO! God expects us to go.
Do you remember the time when Jesus delivered a man from demon possession? He was so moved by his deliverance that he wanted to go with Jesus wherever He went, but Jesus said to him, Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you” (Mark 5:19).
So then, God is expecting us to GO and tell our families, our peers, our fellow-employees, our classmates, what great things He has done for us–whether they listen or not–whether they scoff or not.
David Ben Gurion, former prime minister of Israel, was asked what it would take to establish his new nation. He laughed and said, “All I need starts with the letter A: a lot of planes, a lot of guns, a lot of money, and a lot of solders.”
We too, could say that all we need to be a good witness for Christ starts with the letter A: a lot of faith, a lot of love, a lot of courage, a lot of wisdom, and a lot of determination. And the Lord will give it to us if we ask.
Jonas Salk discovered the final phase of the polio vaccine. He had a means of freeing the world from suffering. Suppose he had decided to withhold the vaccine. Wouldn’t you agree that it would have been criminal act (morally speaking) to do so?
A lifeguard hears the cry for help from a drowning man in the ocean. What should he do?
❏ form a committee?
❏ shout to him, “Hang on, we’re praying for you!”
❏ tell him how to swim?
❏ look for someone else more experienced to help him?
What the drowning man needs is a LIFEGUARD–someone to help him. God expects us to GO to the drowning souls of this world.
4. GLOW. God expects us to shine for Him.
Matthew 5:16: “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
Phil 2:14-15
14 Do everything without complaining or arguing,
15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe
Have you ever known someone who could walk into a room full of people and in a few moments completely change the atmosphere for the better? How about that person who smiles and spreads love and cheer everywhere—shining out for Jesus. Glowing Christians possess certain characteristics:
❏ they smile while others frown
❏ they work while others worry
❏ they sing while others sulk
❏ they do while others doubt
Dr. Paul S. Rees tells the story he had read entitled, Gloomy Caesar and Happy Jesus. The author contrasted what we know of Tiberius Caesar with what we know of Christ. They were contemporaries. Of Caesar, with all his pomp, power and possessions, the historian Pliny wrote, “He is the gloomiest of mankind.” But of Jesus we read that sitting in the shadow of the cross, with all of its awaiting torture and pain, He took bread and gave thanks, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples. And was the holy supper was over, they sang a hymn and departed. If anyone had a right to be gloomy it was Jesus, but He didn’t portray that at all. In fact, during the last supper He prayed that the Father would give to His followers the full measure of His joy.
That’s what we are to do–follow Jesus’ example and spread joy and victory. Remember the children’s song
“Joy is the flag which is flown from the castle of the heart when the King is in residence there.”
So, there you have it. Four words that describe our Father’s expectations: KNOW–GROW–GO–GLOW
Why not warm the heart of God today by committing yourself to live out His dream for your life?
