A Thrill of Hope - Week 2: Day 1
Great Expectation
Has there ever been a time in your life that you have had a great expectation? I can recall several times of great expectation in my life. One of those times was the time my grandparents came for a visit from Florida. I was just a young lad, but it was always so good to see them, and we always had so much fun together. They called when they were leaving from Florida, and the 24-hour drive seemed to me to be 24 years. I was so anxious and excited for their arrival, and I always had a great expectation of fun, food, and games upon their arrival.
There have been many other times of great expectation, like the nine months that my wife carried our child! Great expectation is what we shared for the new life that would be coming into a world that God had created for us. It was certainly exciting, and the longest nine months of my life.
Read Luke 1:68-71 below. Here we see Zechariah, (whose wife is Elizabeth) anticipates the coming of the Messiah with great expectation.
There are two very interesting things that occur in the words of Zechariah. If you were to observe more of the life of Zechariah, you would not have to go far to see that nine months earlier, he did not believe that Elizabeth would have a child. But now, filled with the Holy Spirit, He is so absolutely overcome and confident of the redeeming work that God will accomplish through the Messiah, that when he speaks of what is to come (the Messiah) that he speaks of the accomplished work of salvation (redemption) in past tense (v. 68). Zechariah learned a lesson that most of us need to learn and accept…we can take God at his Word, He redemption and salvation is both real and complete being testified to by Christ, the Messiah.
Still another very powerful implication of this passage shows us that God, has visited His people for the purpose of redeeming them. Israel had been carrying the hope of the coming Messiah for centuries, they had found themselves in bondage, captive, enslaved, and persecuted and for generations had looked for the Messiah that had been promised to save them. That promise was still anticipated, even though Israel had now fallen under Roman rule. Luke shows us their anticipation in the lives of two other witnesses. Simeon was looking for the comfort of Israel (Luke 2:35) and Anna was looking for the redemption of Israel (Luke 2:38). Indeed, there was a great expectation as the time drew near for the arrival of the Messiah. As we approach this Advent season and prepare for the celebration of the birth of our Savior, what are your expectations for this Christmas? Often, we expect family, friends, gifts, good food, football, and we even expect to put on a couple of pounds, but in truth, have no expectation for encountering the Savior.
This is not just a time to celebrate His birth and remember His redemptive work- His humility by arriving in a stinky, unclean animal stall, but Advent is also about anxiously anticipating His second coming. Our King is alive, and He has promised to return to us and restore us! For that, every believer should have a great expectation.
What are some of the ways that you can approach this season not only with great expectation for your familiar activities, but with great expectation and anticipation for Christ Himself? Will you take a few moments and ask the Lord how you can be a part of His Christmas glory this season?
Has there ever been a time in your life that you have had a great expectation? I can recall several times of great expectation in my life. One of those times was the time my grandparents came for a visit from Florida. I was just a young lad, but it was always so good to see them, and we always had so much fun together. They called when they were leaving from Florida, and the 24-hour drive seemed to me to be 24 years. I was so anxious and excited for their arrival, and I always had a great expectation of fun, food, and games upon their arrival.
There have been many other times of great expectation, like the nine months that my wife carried our child! Great expectation is what we shared for the new life that would be coming into a world that God had created for us. It was certainly exciting, and the longest nine months of my life.
Read Luke 1:68-71 below. Here we see Zechariah, (whose wife is Elizabeth) anticipates the coming of the Messiah with great expectation.
“Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people, And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David, As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, Who have been since the world began, That we should be saved from our enemies And from the hand of all who hate us…”
There are two very interesting things that occur in the words of Zechariah. If you were to observe more of the life of Zechariah, you would not have to go far to see that nine months earlier, he did not believe that Elizabeth would have a child. But now, filled with the Holy Spirit, He is so absolutely overcome and confident of the redeeming work that God will accomplish through the Messiah, that when he speaks of what is to come (the Messiah) that he speaks of the accomplished work of salvation (redemption) in past tense (v. 68). Zechariah learned a lesson that most of us need to learn and accept…we can take God at his Word, He redemption and salvation is both real and complete being testified to by Christ, the Messiah.
Still another very powerful implication of this passage shows us that God, has visited His people for the purpose of redeeming them. Israel had been carrying the hope of the coming Messiah for centuries, they had found themselves in bondage, captive, enslaved, and persecuted and for generations had looked for the Messiah that had been promised to save them. That promise was still anticipated, even though Israel had now fallen under Roman rule. Luke shows us their anticipation in the lives of two other witnesses. Simeon was looking for the comfort of Israel (Luke 2:35) and Anna was looking for the redemption of Israel (Luke 2:38). Indeed, there was a great expectation as the time drew near for the arrival of the Messiah. As we approach this Advent season and prepare for the celebration of the birth of our Savior, what are your expectations for this Christmas? Often, we expect family, friends, gifts, good food, football, and we even expect to put on a couple of pounds, but in truth, have no expectation for encountering the Savior.
This is not just a time to celebrate His birth and remember His redemptive work- His humility by arriving in a stinky, unclean animal stall, but Advent is also about anxiously anticipating His second coming. Our King is alive, and He has promised to return to us and restore us! For that, every believer should have a great expectation.
What are some of the ways that you can approach this season not only with great expectation for your familiar activities, but with great expectation and anticipation for Christ Himself? Will you take a few moments and ask the Lord how you can be a part of His Christmas glory this season?
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