The Unexpected God

    God has made promises throughout history which were recorded in the Bible.  With the benefit of hindsight we are able to see God’s promises and how He brought them to fruition.  Historically, God’s word has been misconstrued, misused, and misinterpreted.  There is no doubt that God, through the prophets, announced the coming of the Messiah in places like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Psalm, and most of the Minor Prophets. 

    So the fact that Jesus came was not a surprise for the devout.  The surprise is that they had formulated a picture what the Savior would be like, how He would act, and what He would do.  Jesus became a stumbling block to many because He was not the conquering military leader they were expecting.  Jesus made it clear to Pilate that His kingdom was not of this world.  Jesus came to seek and save the lost, 

    To be tried for treason and blasphemy was not the picture most had of the Christ.  To be arrested and crucified on a cross was not the image they had of their King.  Jesus’ association with tax gatherers, prostitutes, Samaritans, lepers, and non-Jews was an abomination to those who expected something better.

    Although Jesus had told His disciples of His pending death and ultimate resurrection from the dead, the scriptures reveal a group of followers who were amazed and somewhat unprepared for Jesus appearance to them following His power over the grave. 

    Too often our idea of who Jesus is and what He came to do and accomplish gets tangled up in our expectations of Him.  We will examine the unexpected life and ministry of Jesus in this sermon on “The Unexpected Jesus.”

Scriptures: Joshua 6; Isaiah 9:6-7; Isaiah 53:2-3; Colossians 2:9-10