Waiting Expectantly for God: Trials and Hope in Biblical Context

Now that Thanksgiving 2024 is Past . . . . WHAT ARE YOU WAITING EXPECTANTLY FOR? Christmas? Something else?

Did We Include? For God to show me how God is answering a prayer? To See How God Is Acting in our world these days? For Jesus to return ? or For God to bring God s future kingdom forever human family/culture of humans in the image of God?

What biblical hope is NOT, but often is the English meaning of hope #1 --wishing for what we think is very unlikely to occur --optimism that refuses to face reality all around us thinking positively no matter what because it makes you feel better

What biblical hope is NOT, but often is the English meaning of hope (Revelation 11-18) #2 Expecting Empire/Nation, Religion, World-wide Economy to bring humanity to our potential or even meet our real needs. *Revelation 11-18 imagery *Rome, Jerusalem, and Church leaders cooperating to execute Jesus

So what are we told to expect, but that we will have to wait expectantly for *for God to act in our world now a day by day way of life *for God to bring a future God planned for us humans from the beginning, but which we are not capable of bringing without God intervening in the bent and broken world!!!

BUT FIRST: A reminder that waiting expectantly for God to act in this bent and broken world can be very tough!

I. WAITING EXPECTANTLY FOR GOD TO ACT CAN BECOME PRETTY DIFFICULT: #1 *Abraham and Sarah: I will bless all nations through you: But they can t even get pregnant, plus many difficult issues with neighbors in the land! -I will give you the land of Canaan, but your descendants will have to wait about 400 years. *Daniel- in exile, wondering when God will act

I. WAITING EXPECTANTLY FOR GOD TO ACT CAN BECOME PRETTY DIFFICULT: #2 *Psalm 44;22-26 WAKE UP LORD we are beaten down and crushed. Why aren t you doing anything to help us in these crazy times!!! *Jesus in the garden waiting expectantly, but also in great anguish as he prayed if possible . . . . *Luke 24:21 Jesus faithful followers -- we used to hope that he was the Messiah

I. WAITING EXPECTANTLY FOR GOD TO ACT CAN BECOME PRETTY DIFFICULT: #3 Zechariah 9:12: It can be so difficult that we can feel like prisoners of hope (tikvah) NEVERTHELESS: But We are challenged to wait expectantly for God to act in our lives even in this bent and broken world

II A. WAITING FOR GOD TO ACT IN OUR DAY BY DAY LIVING = A WAY OF EVERYDAY LIFE BEFORE GOD 1. A CHALLENGE THROUGHOUT THE HEBREW BIBLE A WAY OF EVERYDAY LIFE BEFORE GOD. Two Words: Kavah/Tikvah and Yachal both wait expectantly

HEBREW BIBLE - Psalm 40:1-3 I waited patiently (kavah) for the LORD; the LORD inclined to me and heard my cry. 2The LORD drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. 3The LORD put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear (be awed), and put their trust in the LORD.

HEBREW BIBLE - ISAIAH 40:27-30 (1) 27Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, My way is hidden from the LORD, and my right is disregarded by my God ? 28Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. The LORD does not faint or grow weary; the LORD S understanding is unsearchable.

HEBREW BIBLE - ISAIAH 40:27-30 (2) The LORD gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. 29 Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; 30

HEBREW BIBLE - ISAIAH 40:27-30 (3) 31but those who wait expectantly (kavah) for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

II B. WAITING FOR GOD TO ACT IN OUR DAY BY DAY LIVING = A WAY OF EVERYDAY LIFE BEFORE GOD 2. A CHALLENGE THROUGHOUT THE NEW TESTAMENT A WAY OF EVERYDAY LIFE BEFORE GOD. Elpizo/Elpis wait expectantly

New Testament New Testament WAITING EXPECTANTLY AS A WAY OF LIFE WAY OF LIFE (1) *Roll Call of the Faithful in OT and climaxing in Jesus faithful expectant waiting - [Hebrews 11:1-12:4] *How trusting God daily increases the assurance or gives substance to our waiting expectantly for what God promises *Roll Call concludes with Jesus who waited expectantly in trust for God to bring the joy that was set before him.

NT NT WAITING EXPECTANTLY AS A WAY OF LIFE (2) WAY OF LIFE *1 Corinthians 13:13And now trust, hope (expectant waiting), and love (commitment to good for others) abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

NT WAITING EXPECTANTLY AS A WAY OF LIFE (3) *Romans 8:24 For in hope (waiting expectantly for God to act) we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? (context of waiting expectantly for God to bring about the renewal of humans so that God can then renew the entire creation as well!!! Nothing can stop God, but we often won t be able to see how God is moving in that direction must wait expectantly.)

III. THREE REALITIES ABOUT WAITING III. THREE REALITIES ABOUT WAITING EXPECTANTLY FOR GOD TO ACT #1 EXPECTANTLY FOR GOD TO ACT #1 1.We are Currently to Lead a Way Of Life that Co-labors With God in Building God s Kingdom, and, God Will Be Actively With Us as We Do 2. But, in a Bent and Broken World, it will always be a Mixed-Bag of Joy and Suffering, of Delights and Heartbreaking Disappointments

III. THREE REALITIES ABOUT WAITING III. THREE REALITIES ABOUT WAITING EXPECTANTLY FOR GOD TO ACT EXPECTANTLY FOR GOD TO ACT #2 3. So, We are Also to Be Very Clear that We are to be Expectantly Waiting for God to Intervene. For God to do a New Thing Something that Cannot Occur in the Current Brokenness! Something we cannot do for ourselves.

ACKNOWLEDGING THERE IS MUCH WE CANNOT KNOW YET WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS WE ARE ENCOURAGED TO WAIT EXPECTANTLY FOR IN GOD S FUTURE FOR HUMANS?

IV A. SOME OF WHAT WE ARE TOLD TO WAIT EXPECTANTLY FOR 1st- HUMAN CHARACTER COMPLETED #1 (1 John 3:1-3) 3:1See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are .2Beloved, we are God s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is.3And all who have this hope (expectation) in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

IV A. SOME OF WHAT WE ARE TOLD TO WAIT EXPECTANTLY FOR 1st- HUMAN CHARACTER COMPLETED #2 (Phil 3:20-21).20But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus the Messiah.21He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to his glorious body, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself.4:1Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.

IV A. SOME OF WHAT WE ARE TOLD TO WAIT EXPECTANTLY FOR 1st- HUMAN CHARACTER COMPLETED #3 (1 Corinthians 15:49) the human of dust, we will also bear the image of the human of heaven. 49 Just as we have borne the image of (Hebrews 11:40) 40since God had provided something better (Jesus the Messiah) so that they would not, apart from us, be made perfect (be completed telioo).

IV B. SOME OF WHAT WE ARE TOLD TO WAIT EXPECTANTLY FOR 2nd CREATION COMPLETED new heaven and new earth Isaiah 65:17 and 66:22; Rev 21:1 2 Peter 3:13 Romans 8:21-26 Why is God waiting to release the creation from its frustration? is God waiting for? God is waiting until God gets us humans ready for this gift! But, God won t be stopped! New/Renewed Creation: Garden that is a city and City that is a Garden (Rev 21-22)

IV C. SOME OF WHAT WE ARE TOLD TO WAIT EXPECTANTLY FOR 3rdHUMAN COMMUNITY COMPLETED #1 Matt 25 made up of those from all nations/Gentiles who cared for other humans when you did it for the least of these; you did it for me Rev 21:1-4 coming down from heaven (to earth) . . . See, the home of God is among humans. God will dwell with them; they will be God s peoples, and God himself will be with them

IV C. SOME OF WHAT WE ARE TOLD TO WAIT EXPECTANTLY FOR 3rdHUMAN COMMUNITY COMPLETED #2 Rev 21:23-26 best of all cultures of all time: city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb.24The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.25Its gates will never be shut by day and there will be no night there.26Humans will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 23 And the

IV C. SOME OF WHAT WE ARE TOLD TO WAIT EXPECTANTLY FOR 3rdHUMAN COMMUNITY COMPLETED #3 Rev 5 Rev 5:9-10-it all is accompanied by people of all nations, ethnicities, and times singing a NEW SONG ---and we humans won t have to sing the old song any longer!!! 9They sing a new song: You are worthy to take the scroll to open its seals, for you (Jesus) were slaughtered and by giving your life- blood you ransomed for God saints from every tribe and language and people and nation;10you have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God, and they will reign on earth.

CONCLUSION: 1. It does require trust waiting expectantly- and trusting God is committed to good for us (agape s us) -- but won t it be wonderful!!! 2. Of course, personal experience cannot prove these claims about God s future for us but they do matter. At least as personal evidence: SO . . .

Two Personal Experiences A bit of personal evidence that might be meaningful to you as well #1 1.Even at 82, my current life has a long way to go, BUT I often reflect back on where God found me -a person totally self-centered, chronically lying, using people for my pleasure no matter what it cost them who said to God God I am not sure you exist, but if you do, here I am, and you have your job cut out for you. --at least I am not what I used to be. That gives me real hope!

Two Personal Experiences A bit of personal evidence that might be meaningful to you as well #2 A TASTE OF SINGING THE NEW SONG of God s Future Our Son David s experience the day after my wife Donna passed during the early stages of the Co-vid lockdown.

Communion: an act of expectantly waiting JESUS INVITES US TO GOD S TABLE NOW and FOREVER *for now, an experience of expectantly waiting until we sing the new song