What did you expect?

Matthew 2: 1-2, 9-11

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What did you expect? There was a time where my family and I went on a vacation and we had certain expectations because every time we would go on these family vacations, we would stay at the luxurious places, maybe a timeshare thing. We were on our way to Colorado and we were talking about the swimming pool and the hot tub that would be waiting for us. But when we finally arrived, we were in the middle of nowhere and we realized that where we were staying, with all of our family members, uncles, and aunts, and cousins, was really a hunting shack on the side of a mountain. It wasn’t at all what we expected.

Now, in retrospect, we look back and that was one of the best family vacations we had ever gone on and we wouldn’t trade it for the world, even though it wasn’t at first what we expected. We see something happening like this around Christmas time, shortly after Jesus birth with the wise men. We wonder if Jesus was living up to their expectations. Let me share with you from Matthew Chapter 2 verses 1 and 2

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, when Herod was king, Wise Men from the east came to Jerusalem. They asked, “Where is he who has been born King of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:1-2)

The wise men’s expectations brought them to the palace in Jerusalem. That’s where a king would be born. But of course, you know the story, Herod says “what? What King?” And there was no newborn king found in that place. After a search of scriptures, they discovered that it was nearby, perhaps, in this little sheep town, Bethlehem, that they might be able to find the newborn king, the long promised Messiah. And so the wise men head over there, and as they were on their way, we hear how God directed them to the specific person that they were to find.

After listening to the king, they went on their way. Then the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them, until it stood still over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with overwhelming joy. After they went into the house and saw the child with Mary, his mother, they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (Matthew 2:9-11)

What did you expect? The wise men came and they were expecting to find a king in a palace being revered and adored. But that’s not where they found him. Instead, they go over to this little town and they find him with a peasant mother. Not really living up to expectations. And yet, what do those wise men do? They acknowledge that God led them to this child, to this little boy, Jesus, and they bowed down to him. They worship him, this little son of a peasant girl, and they worship him and confess their faith in him by offering him these costly gifts.

Throughout his life, Jesus didn’t live up to people’s expectations. Even as he goes and suffers and dies upon the cross, that doesn’t meet what people expect of the Son of God. And yet, how much better do we have it, even though those expectations haven’t been met? Those wise men? They believe that this was the Messiah and they worshiped him, even though he didn’t live up to their expectations. We do the same still today.

Even though Jesus might not appear to the eyes of the world to be great and glorious, when we see him, especially upon the cross suffering and dying to pay for our sins, we like those wise men, we bowed down in that unexpected place before this humble person, Jesus, we worship him. We acknowledge him to be our Lord and our Savior.

So at Christmas time, when we consider how Jesus comes in unexpected ways, we rejoice. We like those wise men bow down, we worship him, we confess our faith in him. We pray.

Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your Son into this world. Help us to put our trust and our faith in him, even though he comes in unexpected ways. Amen.

God’s peace be with you.