Not The Savior They Expected

 

Expectations can be hard. We want something to happen, sometimes we even have reason to believe they will happen or will be a certain way. But it is not uncommon for our expectations to let us down, because things didn’t happen how or when we expected. We have a reasonable amount of certainty to expect a project to turn out a certain way and are rightly disappointed if it doesn’t. It is trickier when it comes to relationships, however, because there are added variables, how the other person will act, etc. We need to be careful what kind of expectations we put on others.

 

Mark 15:6-11,15 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Now at the feast he used to release for them any one prisoner whom they requested. The man named Barabbas had been imprisoned with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the insurrection. The crowd went up and began asking him to do as he had been accustomed to do for them. Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” For he was aware that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to ask him to release Barabbas for them instead… Wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

 

I have heard this story so many times that I often take it for granted. One thing I didn’t know until recently is that Barabbas, while being a murderer, was also imprisoned for insurrection, for trying to overthrow Roman authority. This is exactly what the people thought the Savior would do, free them from Roman oppression as He had done during the Exodus and after the exile. That is why they wanted him to be released, he was attempting what they wanted to happen. They didn’t realize the Savior was not coming to fight the Roman’s. They expected to receive an earthly king who would give them physical freedom, not a spiritual Savior who would bring them freedom from sin. Unfortunately, because of their expectations, they did not recognize the Savior when He came. He was not what they expected or wanted.

 

We have expectations now as well. We expect God to do certain things for us. We expect to not suffer or go through hardship. It is important that we base our expectations on Scripture and what God has actually promised, not on what we want or think He should do. I know people who think that America will find revival through our upcoming election and even through the end times will be spared from any of the curse. They seem to think our President is our savior. They expect God to act a certain way, or share their view of how life will proceed. While it would be fantastic for this to be true, it is not scripture.

 

We need to be careful what we expect, especially from God, or we will be disappointed which can cripple our faith. It is important to remember that God is not a genie in a bottle who appears to fulfill our wishes. We should also remember that He can see all of time at once. He is ever mindful of every person who has ever lived, and how each action and event will impact every one individually. We should pray more for God’s will to be done, than for our own agenda. We need to keep our eyes open to what God is doing so that we don’t miss it like those of Jesus’ day. What God does, even what He has promised, may not look the way we think it will. They expected a king, what they got was a baby born to a poor carpenter in a manger. They expected physical freedom from Roman oppression, what they got was spiritual freedom from the bondage of sin.

 

Be open to what God is doing. Look at Him and not what you expect. Ask Him to work what is best and not what you want.