Putting God’s Expectations Above Our Own

 Scripture: Jeremiah 1:4-10  • Psalm 71:1-6  • 1 Corinthians 13:1-13  • Luke 4:21-30

In the season of Epiphany, we have considered Jesus' baptism, his first miracle, and last week his first sermon. This week we get part II of his sermon in his home town of Nazareth. Epiphany celebrates the light come into the world in God's time. We have been studying the new ways to look at things, to grow as a church and as God's people, illuminated by God's love.

This week Jesus chose his home town to inaugurate his mission, pointedly, not just to the "home team," the Jews, but to the whole world. The poor will be fed, the blind will see, the captives will be set free, the oppressed freed, and God's Jubilee is thrown open to all. Why do you think Jesus said and did this in his home town? What was their reaction?

What do we expect from Jesus? What does he expect of us? What do  we expect of  ourselves? Read The Rev. Kirk Kubicek's "We Are His," The Rev. Danae Ashley's "Putting God's Expectations Above Our Own" and The Rt. Rev. Robert Wright's "Love is for Grownups," which ties in St. Paul's beautiful "love chapter" from 1st Corinthians with the message Jesus brings to us from Nazareth. It isn't easy trusting God's will over our own wants, wishes, hopes, and expectations. Unless we see that as our hope. And we gave been given the greatest hope of all. God is with us.