What Did You Expect?
She [Mary] will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21
Did Christmas disappoint you?
Maybe your loved ones neglected to buy the present you wanted, or a child threw a tantrum when an expected gift wasn’t under the tree. Perhaps a snowstorm or illness interfered with your holiday celebrations.
If you suffer from post-holiday blues, you’re not alone. Many people admit to battling depression before, during, and after the season.[i] And disappointment over unmet expectations is not unique to the twenty-first century. Jesus’s first coming and three years of ministry upset many people.
Jews had long expected the arrival of a promised Anointed One—Masiah in Hebrew (see 1 Samuel 2:10, 35; Psalm 2:2).[ii] But most expected him to be a political ruler.
Jesus declared that he came to set the captives free, and yet John the Baptist was not only imprisoned but also beheaded (Luke 4:18–21; Matthew 14:10). The Pharisees expected the Messiah to honor them as meticulous followers of the Mosaic law, but Jesus condemned their hypocrisy, greed, and misinterpretation of God’s laws. Crowds followed Jesus during his ministry years, believing he would save them from their Roman oppressors and reign as David’s heir (John 12:12). They didn’t realize he came to die as our redeemer.
Jesus’s disciples were confused too. Andrew told his brother, Simon Peter, that he had “found the Messiah” (John 1:41). The Twelve expected power and prestige (Matthew 19:27; Mark 10:37). Jesus told them numerous times he was going to die, but they didn’t understand what he meant. Even though he repeatedly explained the cost of discipleship, they were still arguing about who was greatest on the eve of his crucifixion (Luke 22:24).
Sometimes we’re disappointed with Jesus too. He doesn’t give us a problem-free life or answer every prayer request as we desire. Neither does he rescue us from every conflict we create.
But maybe, like the disciples, we are focusing on the wrong thing. The Messiah came to fulfill the promise God gave Adam and Eve when he told the serpent: “He [the anointed one] will crush your head” (Genesis 3:15). Jesus came to earth to crush Satan’s power.
And that’s what he did.
He also canceled our sin debt and destroyed sin’s dominion over us (Colossians 2:13–14, Romans 6:14). He restored our relationship with God (Romans 5:10–11). He gave us his righteousness (1 Peter 2:24) and permanent access to God (Hebrews 4:15). How can we be disappointed with those priceless gifts?
Why not end this Christmas season by thanking your Messiah for all the amazing gifts he brought you?
DIG DEEPER
Consider what Jesus said about discipleship in Mark 8:34–37. Is that the life you expect as a follower of Christ? Why?
Psalm 16 is a praise song. Reflect on David’s gratitude list, then create your own praise song.
Read Revelation 19:11–21 and Revelation 21:1–7. What does Jesus promise to do when he returns? Do his promises alarm you or encourage you? Why?
Denise K. Loock
[i] “How to Handle Holiday Depression When It Hits Home,” Cleveland Clinic, December 13, 2023, https://health.clevelandclinic.org/holiday-depression-and-stress.
[ii] “H4899 – māšîaḥ – Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (niv).” Blue Letter Bible. Accessed 18 Dec, 2024. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h4899/niv/wlc/0-1/.