God expects much of us. He has a high expectation of us for our own sake.

John 14:12

Sermon Manuscript:

Living in the Lord’s expectations 

Introduction:  

*This is a “monumental moment in time” where Moses has died and Israel has a new leader to carry on God’s purpose

Joshua 1:8-9–This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 

-God says, “Good success for you Christian comes by you doing whatever I am leading you to do…”

*For the journey God warns them that “they have not passed this way before”…
Joshua 3:3-5–and commanded the people, “As soon as you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God being carried by the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place and follow it. 4  Yet there shall be a distance between you and it, about 2,000 cubits in length. Do not come near it, in order that you may know the way you shall go, for you have not passed this way before.” 5 Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”

-that you do not know where you are going in this time and season in your life-but if we follow the Lord He will do great things

-so our expectations cannot be in what we know from the past…-God wants to leads us out to something new with great expectations!

-this is why God told Joshua to meditate day and night in the Word, and by faith do it!-expectations in my Word in order to do my will!

Ex: it stops us from having expectations in other people/things to give us purpose, which are too low!
-how do you see your life? Is it rooted with an expectation in God? or is it met with an attitude that this is another day where things will not change, so we “go through the motions?”

*The death of Moses may have been sad, but it shook up the routine and re-focused their expectations
-Expectations are important-because it triggers a faith to believe that I can change, and things can change for the better!

Romans 8:28-And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

–This is a clear call to have an expectation in God, even in terrible things!

-the danger of low expectations-Matthew 13:57-58–And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.”  58 And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief. 

-Christ responds to people who expect Him to powerfully move, for His purpose.=walking in the Word is to live with great expectation in the Lord…

We will look at a woman enduring a tough season, but it changed her life with her two sons forever…Her life was shaken up, and she had to put her expectations in God…
She realized 3 things: 1) First an unwavering obedience that God is the answer to my life. 2) God would change her life with what she already had 3) A hard working expectation that God is faithful to meet her needs through His will.

Are you desperate enough for change?

2 Kings 4:1,2-Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord, but the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.”

-The woman’s children are at stake and it provokes her to bring her situation to the man of God

*It is an opportunity for her to have her own faith and expectation in God…

(vs1)-but she uses her husband’s fear of the Lord to gain favor with the prophet…

-she is appealing to his relationship with God not her own-she is living off of “a second hand relationship” with God

–she is not confident in her own relationship with God-so when this trial comes she is in crisis

Ex: thinking someone elses faith is going to help you-Jesus is the only Mediator!

1 Timothy 2:5-6–For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6  who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.

-God has a way of removing strong pillars of faith for you to have your own…Ex: parents, pastors, spouses etc.

So Elisha the man of God, challenges her to have her own faith…

2 And Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?” And she said, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” 

*Elisha causes her to re-focus in on what she has in her house….

–this is what the Word of God should do, cause you to focus on what God is telling you, not anyone else…

–that we focus on what we do have, not what we don’t…-lifts us out of negativity into possibilities

*Her lack of confidence is seen because she sees what she has, as not useful for God…

(vs2)-She knows what is in the house, she just sees it as useless to help her situation…”nothing but a jar…”

-How do you see what you have? Do you think you need outside things to define and sustain you…-who are you without titles, money, a car, friends, spouse, children

–Until we can come to the point where I don’t need that to define me, I am not free-everything I need I have…

Philippians 4:19–And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

-The prophet wants this woman to see that Christ can meet all her needs with what she has-not neglect it

Ex:  this kills inferiority complexes, and self-pity-thinking you need what others have “outside of your house”

*What are things in you that you have neglected, that God can use? But because of how you see it, you neglect it…

–How much time do you spend with yourself?-assessing who you are and what you bring to all situations?

Ex:  knowing what you offer and allowing that gift to serve it’s purpose=makes you useful, purposeful, indispensable

–But it was Elisha that challenged her to look at what she had and for her to see it correctly…

2 Timothy 1:6-7–6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

-The Word from the prophet challenged her to see what God has for her to focus on…not neglect it in fear

Ex:  Is fear causing you to neglect your gift?-fear of commitment, fear of criticism, fear of making mistakes

But a focused obedience expects change

2 Kings 4:3-5 Then he said, “Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels and not too few. 

*(vs.3)-The next thing the prophet does is dictate her expectations…

-because living according to what she knew and had, would not change her situation (she just saw a jar of oil)

-her expectations had to be heightened!-John 6:63-It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

-the Word is to point to what we see as dead, God brings to life!

Ex:  getting your perspective changed by what someone said-their information now dictates your expectations

*There is no greater expectations on your life than obedience to God’s Word

-The Word should dictate low expectations (self pity, low confidence) and arrogantly high expectations (ego ridden)

-she goes from crisis unbelief, to living by faith in the Word directing her

at this point nothing has changed practically in her life, (the creditors are still coming to get her children!)

2 things have changed: 1) her perspective-in what she has 2) her expectations-what God can do with it

-all from committing to listen and obey the Word

-she is now in the position for God to meet her needs-no longer in herself but in His instruction…

-faith put her in position for God to show His glory for our benefit!

God’s high expectations teaches a focused discipline and faith

2 Kings 4:4,5-Then go in and shut the door behind yourself and your sons and pour into all these vessels. And when one is full, set it aside.” 5 So she went from him and shut the door behind herself and her sons. And as she poured they brought the vessels to her.

*this woman had to believe that what the prophet told her to do was going to pay off-”shut the door and fill”

Hebrews 11:6-And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 

(focused discipline)-she did not have time to think that other things were priority (discipline)…-crisis put her in a focused discipline

Ex: studying to graduate on time

(focused faith)-she did not have the luxury to procrastinate and argue what God said…-crisis forced her to walk by faith

-she wanted the reward of God to provide to rescue her children

-crisis will cause us to prioritize our life-when you really get humbled to need God, our plan is not an option

Ex:  Christianity is not to be reactionary- “I am in crisis, I need God”

*It would be God’s high expectations that causes this lady to see her faith rewarded

Ex:  If we put high expectations on our children to do well in school for reward…

-focused discipline will teach them that they must do what is expected for the reward-”parable of the talents”

-gospel centered expectations loves even in failure, so they don’t confuse accomplishments with love

Conclusion:  Living for God’s high expectations

2 Kings 4:6,7- When the vessels were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another.” Then the oil stopped flowing. 7 She came and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on the rest.” 

*(vs6)-Her obedience fulfilled the oils capacity–she fulfilled her capacity by Trusting God at His Word

-Only God knows what you are capable of doing?-1 Corinthians 2:9-10-But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—

10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.

-So the Word becomes an opportunity to see your capacity everyday=brings purpose and identity from the inside

Here is the challenge: 1)-Am I going to live in the low expectations of what I think and feel?

or 2) Am I going to live at the highest capacity, which is what God is calling me to do for that day?

*(vs7)-God not only met her needs, but gives her an abundance through worship=not selfishness

-she doesn’t get blessed and do whatever she wants with it-leads to selfishness & greed

-she brought her fulfilled capacity back to the man of God for what to do with it-”I do not own this blessing”

-this is the humility of worship

James 1:16-18–Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 

-that whatever I am capable of doing is to be brought back to you in worship-this is how I live for God’s high expectations

-we lose our expectation because we stop living at our full capacity, which is living to obey God in His Word and Spirit…