Anticipation - To look forward to, especially with pleasure, to be in a state of expectancy

In 1975 Carly Simon did a song entitled Anticipation

In 1980 adapted into a TV commercial for Heinz Ketchup.

I. The Bible is a Book of Anticipation

A. Ever since God's promise to Adam and Eve in the garden after they had sinned.

Ge 3:14 So the LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, "Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.  15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."

The first prophecy about the coming of Jesus as Messiah.

-  Jesus is the "he" who would come and crush the head of Satan.

B. The Old Testament is filled with scripture that creates an anticipation for this coming Messiah.

1. Jews understood that a promise had been made to King David that one of His descendants would set on the throne forever.

Ps 89:34 I will not violate my covenant or alter what my lips have uttered.  35 Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness-- and I will not lie to David--  36 that his line will continue forever and his throne endure before me like the sun;  37 it will be established forever like the moon, the faithful witness in the sky."

2. This is why when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a colt the people said: 

Mt 21:9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna in the highest!"

- They knew what God had promised David

3. The book of Revelation refers to Jesus 3 times as a descendant of David.  Rev 3:7  Rev 5:5   Rev 22:16

Re 22:16 "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star."

4. Isaiah writes in anticipation of the coming Messiah:

Isa 11:1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him-- the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD--

5. Jeremiah writes in anticipation of the Messiah

Jer 23:5 "The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.  6 In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.

6. Mary lived in anticipation of a Messiah

Lu 1:31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,  33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

- She knew that Joseph was a descendant of David.
- Her family was a also descendants of David
- Mary knew instantly - MESSIAH!

 7. The shepherds near Bethlehem knew the promise.

- They were looking for a Messiah

Lu 2:8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

Anticipation rose as they wondered what they would find as the went into the city

8. The Wise Men following a star were in  anticipation.

Mt 2:1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem  2 and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him."

Mt 2:10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.  11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.

These Magi influenced by the stories of Daniel sought the promised Messiah

-------------------------------------------------------
II. After  Was Born Joseph and Mary Took  Jesus to The Temple to Consecrate Him.

A. While there Joseph and Mary are met by two people  who had been living in anticipation of the Messiah

Simeon:

Lu 2:2 When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord  23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord"),  24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons."  25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.  26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ.  27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,  28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 29 "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace.  30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,  31 which you have prepared in the sight of all people,  32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."

Anna:   

 Lu 2:36 There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.
 38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

1. The Prophets
2. The Shepherds
3. The Wisemen/Maji
4. Mary and Joseph
5. Simeon & Anna and others

ALL LIVING LIVES OF EXPECTATION OF A COMING MESSIAH.

III. God Wants Us To Live Lives Of Anticipation

A. Anticipation of Jesus Return

1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.  18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.
(NIV)

- We are to be like Anna & Simeon….

B. Anticipation of God's working in each day

C.  God's is blessed by our hearts being in anticipation of Him.

1.) In Malachi the Priest and people were bored with God.
      - Their worship had gotten stale and meaningless 
      -  They were bringing nothing, or sick offerings
      - But there were some that still lived in anticipation of what God might do.

Mal 3:16 Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name.  17 "They will be mine," says the LORD Almighty, "in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him.

- Talked with each other
-  Excited about what could be - what God might do

- God wrote their names in a book
- Probably wrote the names of those who were bored with God too in another book.

2. In the New Testament Bible tells us of a special reward for those who live in Anticipation

2Ti 4:8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day-- and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

Php 3:20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,

Ga 5:5 But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope

3. God is blessed by our, anticipation, eagerness, hope and excitement about Him.

Example: Julia has been greeting me with a hug and a "I missed you daddy"

Instead of, "Oh how long have you been home, I didn't notice you there.

- Which one describes our walk with God?
-  I'm looking for God to show up today
-  Or bored and not even noticing when He reveals His hand.

IV. A Life Lived in Anticipation of God's Workings and Return Will Produce:

#1. Joy and Enjoyment of life
- Anticipation of what God might do next

#2. Attitude of possibilities rather than limits
- Faith and anticipating good things

 #3. God loves everybody!
   - But He enjoys people who live in excited anticipation of His presence in their lives
   - 

V. How Can We Create a Life of Anticipation of God's Working in our lives?

 #1.  Know what he has promised
- Can't get excited about something that you are unaware of.
-  Get fascinated by His word - More and More as you study it
-  Remember Jesus is the YES to the promises of God - He is God's covenant promise to us.

#2. Choose to focus on possibilities
  - Get excited about how God might bring them to pass.
 
#3. Enlarge your expectations 
- Is your expectation Ketchup size?  ( Anticipation is focused on the small thing of life.)
- Favorite show - boy friend - what you're going to buy….
- Is your expectation God size?

Who's salivation is God going to allow me to have part in?

How is God going to answer this prayer, I can't wait to see

How is God going to use me today?

Where am I going to be when Jesus returns

#4. Look to the Future, Leave the Past in the Past.

Temple rebuilt under Zerubable
- Some shouted
- Some cried

The ones that cried were measuring the future against the past.

Leave the past in the past - and focus on what God is going to do.

 

Is your heart in a state of anticipation of what God might do around the corner?