When Our Expectations Meet God’s Reality

Sunday Rewind is a 5-day Devotional based on the weekly sermon at Resonate Community Church

November 23rd Sermon, Day 1

Have you ever been so sure about what God was going to do, only to have Him do something completely different? Peter experienced this whiplash moment when Jesus revealed His true mission. One minute Peter was declaring Jesus as the Messiah with divine revelation, and the next he was rebuking the very Son of God he had just confessed. Peter had painted a picture in his mind of what the Messiah would look like - a conquering king who would overthrow Rome and establish an earthly kingdom. But Jesus painted a different picture entirely: one that included suffering, rejection, and death.

Sometimes our expectations of how God should work can become barriers to seeing how He actually wants to work. We create mental images of what our calling should look like, what our breakthrough should resemble, or how our prayers should be answered. But God's ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts higher than our thoughts.

The beautiful truth is that God's plans are always better than our expectations, even when they don't match what we had in mind. Peter couldn't see it then, but Jesus' way of suffering love would accomplish infinitely more than any political revolution ever could. When our expectations collide with God's reality, we have a choice: we can resist like Peter did, or we can trust that God sees what we cannot see.

Bible Verse

"From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life." - Matthew 16:21

Reflection Question

What expectations about God's plan for your life might be preventing you from seeing what He's actually trying to do?

Quote Peter had expected for Jesus to be a leader, but not that kind of leader. He expected Jesus to be a savior, but not that kind of savior. And Peter expected victory, but not victory that came through death and a cross.

Prayer

Lord, help me hold my expectations loosely and trust Your ways even when they don't match my plans. Give me the wisdom to see that Your thoughts are higher than mine, and the faith to believe that Your way is always best. Amen.

The Daily Choice to Follow

Sunday Rewind is a 5-day Devotional based on the weekly sermon at Resonate Community Church

November 16th Sermon, Day 5

Following Jesus isn't a one-time decision - it's a daily choice. Every morning we wake up, we have the opportunity to either cling to what holds us back or surrender it to Him. The rich young ruler made his choice and walked away sad, but tomorrow brings new opportunities for all of us.

Perhaps you've been like that young man, wanting Jesus but also wanting to maintain control of your life. You want His blessings but not His lordship. You want His comfort but not His challenges. The good news is that it's never too late to make a different choice.

Following Jesus always requires sacrifice, but here's what the young ruler couldn't see: what Jesus asks us to give up is always less valuable than what He offers in return. He may ask us to surrender our pride, but He gives us His peace. He may ask us to let go of control, but He gives us His guidance. He may ask us to sacrifice our comfort, but He gives us His purpose.

The young ruler was torn between two treasures and chose the lesser one. But you don't have to. Today, you can choose to trust that Jesus knows what's best for you. You can choose to believe that His plans for your life are better than your own. Remember, Jesus isn't trying to make your life miserable - He's trying to make it meaningful. He's not trying to take away your joy - He's trying to give you joy that lasts. The question isn't whether Jesus is calling you. The question is whether you'll answer Him.

Bible Verse

'Then he said to them all: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me."' - Luke 9:23

Reflection Question

What specific area of your life is Jesus asking you to surrender today, and what step of faith can you take right now to follow Him more closely?

Quote Following Jesus is a daily decision. It's a daily choice because it's a daily offer that we can accept or reject.

Prayer

Lord, I choose to follow You today. Help me surrender whatever I'm clinging to that keeps me from wholehearted commitment to You. Give me faith to trust that Your plans for my life are better than my own. I want to choose the greater treasure - a life lived for You. Amen.

The Invitation of a Lifetime

Sunday Rewind is a 5-day Devotional based on the weekly sermon at Resonate Community Church

November 16th Sermon, Day 4

Imagine receiving a personal invitation from Jesus to walk with Him, learn from Him, and serve alongside Him. This is exactly what the rich young ruler received - an opportunity that only a handful of people in history have been offered. Yet he walked away from it. What makes this story even more remarkable is that Jesus saw something special in this young man. Despite his struggle with wealth, Jesus loved him and wanted him as a disciple. This wasn't a rejection; it was an invitation to something extraordinary.

Here's the beautiful truth: Jesus extends a similar invitation to each of us today. While we may not physically walk the dusty roads of Palestine with Him, we can still experience the joy of discipleship. We can learn from His teachings, follow His example, and participate in His mission to bring hope and healing to the world. Every day, Jesus calls us to follow Him. Sometimes it's in small ways - choosing kindness over selfishness, forgiveness over bitterness, generosity over greed.

Other times, it's in bigger ways - changing careers to serve others, moving to a new place for ministry, or taking a stand for justice. The tragedy of the rich young ruler isn't just that he missed his chance - it's that he missed the greatest opportunity of his lifetime. But you don't have to make the same choice. Jesus is still calling, still inviting, still offering you the chance to be part of something bigger than yourself. What invitation might Jesus be extending to you today?

Bible Verse

'When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.' - Matthew 19:22

Reflection Question

If Jesus personally invited you to follow Him in a specific way today, what do you think He might be asking of you, and what's holding you back from saying yes?

Quote Jesus offered that young man something. He offered very few individuals comparatively: a personal invitation to become his disciple, to walk with him, to learn from him, to serve alongside of him.

Prayer

Jesus, thank You for the incredible privilege of being invited to follow You. Help me recognize the ways You're calling me each day and give me the courage to say yes, even when it requires sacrifice. I want to be part of Your mission in this world. Amen.

What’s Really in Control?

Sunday Rewind is a 5-day Devotional based on the weekly sermon at Resonate Community Church

November 16th Sermon, Day 3

Jesus has an uncanny ability to identify what truly controls our hearts. With the rich young ruler, it wasn't hard to spot - his wealth had become his master. When Jesus asked him to sell his possessions, He wasn't condemning money itself. He was revealing that this man's possessions had taken the place that only God should occupy.

We all have something that competes with Jesus for first place in our hearts. For some, it's money like the young ruler. For others, it might be the need for approval, the desire for control, career success, or even family relationships. These things aren't necessarily bad, but when they become our ultimate source of security and identity, they become idols. The question isn't whether you have possessions, achievements, or relationships. The question is: do you have them, or do they have you? Can you imagine your life without them? Would losing them devastate you because your identity is wrapped up in them?

Jesus wants to free us from whatever has enslaved us. He knows that anything we cling to more tightly than Him will ultimately disappoint us and leave us empty. Only He can provide the security, identity, and purpose our hearts truly crave. Today, ask God to show you what might be competing with Him for first place in your heart. Don't be afraid of what He reveals - He's not trying to take away your joy, but to give you true and lasting joy that can't be shaken.

Bible Verse

'Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."' - Matthew 19:21

Reflection Question

What person, possession, or pursuit in your life would be hardest to surrender to God, and what does that reveal about where you're finding your security and identity?

Quote Jesus has a habit of always putting his finger on the one thing that controls us.

Prayer

Lord, search my heart and show me what I'm clinging to more tightly than You. Give me the courage to surrender whatever is competing with You for first place in my life. Help me find my security and identity in You alone. Amen.

More Than a Checklist

Sunday Rewind is a 5-day Devotional based on the weekly sermon at Resonate Community Church

November 16th Sermon, Day 2

Many of us approach our relationship with God like a spiritual to-do list. Pray? Check. Read the Bible? Check. Go to church? Check. Help others? Check. We think if we just do enough good things, we'll earn God's approval and secure our place in heaven.

The rich young ruler fell into this same trap. He had kept all the commandments since his youth, yet he still felt something was missing. His question to Jesus revealed his mindset: "What good thing must I do?" He was looking for another item to add to his spiritual checklist. But Jesus didn't give him another rule to follow. Instead, He offered something far better - a relationship.

Following Jesus isn't about completing a spiritual task list; it's about accepting an invitation to walk with Him daily. This shift in perspective changes everything. Instead of trying to earn God's love through our performance, we can rest in the truth that He already loves us completely. Instead of striving to be good enough, we can trust that Jesus has already made us righteous through His sacrifice. When we understand that salvation is about relationship rather than rules, our hearts can finally find the peace that the young ruler was searching for. We stop performing and start belonging. We stop earning and start receiving. God isn't looking for perfect people who never make mistakes. He's looking for people who recognize their need for Him and are willing to walk with Him through life's journey.

Bible Verse

'"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments."' - Matthew 19:17

Reflection Question

In what ways have you been treating your relationship with God like a checklist, and how can you shift from performing for God to simply being with God?

Quote He thought eternal life was something he needed to do. He thought there was some spiritual task he hadn't completed yet. And so he viewed salvation and eternal life as some kind of a checklist, not a calling.

Prayer

Father, forgive me for the times I've tried to earn Your love through my good works. Help me understand that You desire relationship with me, not just religious performance. Teach me to rest in Your grace and walk with You each day. Amen.