Great Expectations

Have your preconceived expectations ever been met with disappointment?

One of my favorite holiday classics is National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Okay…I’m not upholding this movie as a family “must-see.” Even so, I get a kick out of it every time I watch it! In many ways, it is the story of every family who tries to put on a “big, old-fashioned, fun, family Christmas.” If you haven’t seen the movie, it is basically one man’s struggle to have his entire family (in-laws included) under his roof for the Christmas holidays. From the 25,000 imported Italian twinkle lights to the 20ft Christmas tree, I guffaw as I see the ridiculous measures the father takes to make Christmas grand.

Meanwhile, another plotline has to do with the father, Clark Grizwald (played by Chevy Chase) and his employment. By trade, he is a nutritional food additives designer (too funny), and his division has created a new “semi-permeable, non-nutritious crunch enhancer” that, when applied to a cereal flake, will keep it from getting soggy in milk (don’t we wish that was real!). Anyway, because of this big breakthrough, Clark is expecting a handsome Christmas bonus. In advance of his award, he decides to go ahead and put a hefty down payment on a backyard swimming pool. Anticipating a large five-figure check to come in any day, Clark sets his sights on making the house just perfect for the holidays.
Well, as you can imagine (and probably have experienced), the entire event spirals into disaster as the extended family begins to show up one by one, including the crazy brother-in-law (played by Randy Quaid) and his misfit family. To top it all off, the promised bonus check fails to arrive until Christmas Eve, and, upon opening it, Clark discovers in horror that the expected windfall has been substituted by a menial Jelly of the Month Club membership! With this final blow, Clark has a mental breakdown and proceeds to destroy what’s left of any holiday spirit!

Have you ever had a holiday like that?

Moreover, have you ever built up and expectation in your mind of something that didn’t come to be just like you thought it should?

Followers of Jesus had, in many ways, experienced this let down as well. For so long, they had been groaning for a messiah – a national messiah – to come and reek punishment on those who opposed God’s Israel. In the end (so they thought), Jesus had turned out to be little more than a flash in the pan…a failure like so many before him. And as we see two disciples walking on the Emmaus road, we are confronted with both failed expectations and hope of the resurrection.

As you worship this week:

Meditate – on how Christ is the “expectation-meeter” for the world
Contemplate – the contrasts between what the world wants and what Christ offers.
Seek – a deep sense of joy in knowing that Christ has overcome death and the world.
Find – the joy of hospitality as we are all invited into the banqueting table of God’s grace.

Resounding Themes:

God’s Lavish Hospitality
From the Old Life to the New
Resurrection Hope
Joyful Knowledge of the Christ

Getting READY to Worship

Ready, Set, READ

Luke 24:13-35

Ready, Set, MEDITATE

- What has just happened before the men take their journey to Emmaus? Why is it ironic that they are leaving Jerusalem? What are the men doing as they journey? Who joins them? Why don’t they react immediately?

- What story do the men tell the stranger that has joined them? Clearly, what were there expectations of Jesus? Why have they given up hope?

- How does the stranger respond to their story? At what point do they recognize the man as Jesus? How do they respond and where do they go? What do they tell the Eleven?

- Have you ever had a failed expectation of God? Who failed – God or your preconception of what He should be? How does Jesus overcome failed expectations through the resurrection? How, specifically, have you experienced the hope of seeing Christ revealed in your own life?

Ready, Set, PRAY

Holy God, You have revealed Your nature to us in so many ways – each and every day. The earth proclaims Your glory. All the heavens shout Your praise. The universe declares Your majesty. And the complexity of humankind testifies to Your infinite wisdom and power. And even if all our senses were robbed from our bodies – that we couldn’t see nor hear nor touch Your beauty – Your presence would be felt deep within us, as the Spirit translates glory to glory.

And yet, we have also seen Your glory in more radiantly in the flesh-man of Jesus Whom You sent full of grace and truth. Though His life, sacrifice, and victorious resurrection from the dead, our eyes have been opened to Your eternal purpose and mission for the world. All of our hope and joy – both present and future – rests on our ability to recognize the risen Christ!

Lord, continue to open the eyes of our heart – we want so desperately to see You!

And through our Savior we pray. AMEN.

Ready, Set, WORSHIP!