God gives every person the chance to discover the love that He has for all people. You find it when you follow His Son Jesus. When Jesus walked on earth, He spoke truth, taught truth, and demonstrated truth that is wrapped in unconditional love. Wherever He went, people could come and listen. He made Himself available to anyone who desired to know more about God.
Jesus makes Himself available today. If you desire to know God, Jesus will reveal Himself to you.
Back in Jesus’ day as well as today, there are mixed opinions about Christ. People have expectations when it comes to spiritual matters. You see this in Luke 7:18-35 where many followed the Pharisees and religious leaders. They followed Old Testament ways. Others followed John the Baptist. He prepared people for the coming Messiah so when Jesus arrived, people would know to follow Him. As Jesus went around healing people and teaching about the Kingdom of God, many joined Him.
Jesus spoke to the crowds to help them to understand truth, “What kind of man did you go into the wilderness to see?”24 He was challenging their faith, and helping them to see that He was who they were searching for. Jesus questioned their expectations of who John the Baptist was. They tended to trust their own thoughts on who the Messiah would be. They had preconceived notions already formed in their minds.
Jesus was leading everyone to the decision that every person must make. God gives each hopeful believer two options. You see these options in verses 29-30.
Option one: You agree with Jesus and what He is offering you and you follow accordingly. Option two: You reject God’s plan of salvation by continuing to live life how you want to live.
All the people who were listening to Jesus chose option one. Notice who chose option 2, religious men. Those in the first camp realized their sins and their need for a Savior. They repented and obeyed. Those in the second camp didn’t think they needed to repent. They thought they were in good standing with God apart from Christ. They suffered from the woes of their expectations.
Jesus goes on to describe the generation of people in His day; see verses 32-35. This is accurate even in 2022. This generation plays games like children. They are willing to gamble with eternal life. They live each day as if life is all about having fun. They complain about those who won’t play along. They misconstrue who John is, saying he’s possessed by a demon. They have misconceptions about Jesus saying He’s a glutton, drunkard, and is friends with sinners. They see things incorrectly because they have expectations that do not align with God’s Word. They choose option 2 rather than option 1.
How does a believer correct wrong assumptions about God? Read verse 35, “But wisdom is shown to be right by the lives of those who follow it.” Wisdom is Jesus. Follow Him and He will lead you in all clarity, truth, and godly living that brings glory to God.
Following Jesus is the remedy that diffuses all expectations. He will align your mindset and heart towards Him. You begin to desire the presence of Christ. The scriptures comes alive as the Holy Spirit leads you forward in faith. Essentially, you become one with God.
Becoming one with God is a beautiful thing. Don’t let the woes of expectations shipwreck your faith. You are made to live fully alive in Christ. Let God set your heart on the path of obedience that leads to abundant living.
Carol J German 