The Expectancy Of Faith - Sermon With Worship

The Expectancy of Faith: Embracing God's Promises

In our spiritual journeys, we often find ourselves longing for more - more purpose, more meaning, more of God's presence in our lives. The truth is, we were indeed made for more. Our Creator has designed us with a capacity to experience His glory and to play a vital role in His grand plan for the world. But how do we tap into this 'more' that we're destined for?

The answer lies in developing an expectant faith - a faith that not only believes in God's promises but actively anticipates their fulfillment. This expectancy is not based on who we are or what we can do, but on who God is and what He has already told us He will do.

Consider the early disciples after Christ's ascension. They had just witnessed an extraordinary event - their Lord and Teacher ascending into heaven before their very eyes. Imagine the mix of emotions they must have felt as they walked back to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. Awe, confusion, excitement, perhaps even a tinge of fear about what lay ahead.

Yet, they didn't scatter or retreat into hiding. Instead, they gathered together in an upper room - possibly the same room where they had shared the Last Supper with Jesus. Why? Because Jesus had given them a command and a promise: to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit.

This gathering wasn't just a handful of close disciples. We're told that about 120 believers came together in that room. Think about the diversity of personalities and backgrounds represented there - from the impulsive Peter to the doubting Thomas, from the zealous Simon to the once-skeptical brothers of Jesus. Yet, despite their differences, they were united in one purpose: to wait expectantly for God's promise to be fulfilled.

What marked their time of waiting? Prayer. Not just casual, sporadic prayer, but devoted, persistent prayer. The Scripture tells us they were "with one accord... devoting themselves to prayer." This wasn't a one-time event or a brief spiritual high. It was a sustained commitment to seeking God together.

Their prayer was characterized by three key elements:

1. Persistence: They didn't just pray once and then go about their business. They devoted themselves to prayer, making it a central focus of their gathering.

2. Unity: Despite their diverse backgrounds and personalities, they prayed "with one accord." They didn't allow their differences to distract them from their shared purpose of seeking God.

3. Dependence: They recognized their need for God's power and guidance. They knew they couldn't fulfill their mission on their own strength.

This expectant faith and prayer set the stage for the incredible outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and the explosive growth of the early church that followed. The same Holy Spirit that empowered them has been promised to all believers. Yet, how often do we approach our faith and our prayers with this same level of expectancy?

Too often, we limit our expectations of what God can do in and through us. We may hope for God to move, but do we truly expect it? Do we pray with the persistence, unity, and dependence that marked the early church?

The truth is, the same power that transformed that group of 120 believers into a world-changing movement is available to us today. But we need to cultivate an expectant faith - a faith that doesn't just believe God can move, but anticipates that He will.

This expectancy should permeate every aspect of our spiritual lives:

- When we gather for worship, do we come expecting to encounter the living God?

- When we pray for our communities and our world, do we truly believe God can bring transformation?

- When we face personal challenges, do we approach God with confidence that He can and will work in our situations?

Developing this kind of expectant faith requires us to continually "warm up" our spiritual lives. Just as a cup of coffee grows cold without attention, our faith can become lukewarm if we neglect it. We need regular refilling of the Holy Spirit, a constant rekindling of our expectation that God is at work.

This doesn't mean we'll always see dramatic, visible results. Sometimes, God works in quiet, unseen ways. But an expectant faith trusts that God is always moving, always working out His purposes, even when we can't see it.

As we cultivate this expectancy, we position ourselves to be part of God's incredible work in the world. We become more attuned to His voice, more responsive to His leading, and more available for His use.

So, let's challenge ourselves to embrace an expectant faith. Let's approach our prayers, our worship, and our daily lives with a renewed anticipation of God's presence and power. Let's unite with fellow believers in persistent, dependent prayer. And let's watch with excitement to see how God will fulfill His promises in and through us.

Remember, we were made for more. Not because of who we are, but because of who God is. He has promised to do great things through His church. It's time we started expecting it.

As we step out in expectant faith, we open ourselves to experience the fullness of what God has for us. We position ourselves to be part of His redemptive work in the world. And we discover the incredible adventure of living in the flow of God's Spirit.

Are you ready to expect more? Are you prepared to see God move in ways you've never imagined? The journey of expectant faith awaits. Let's step into it together, with hearts full of anticipation for all that God will do.