Mark 1:15 “The time has come” [Jesus] said. “Repent and believe the good news!”

I was talking with Lance Utne, one of our 10th grade class shepherd, last night at the Patriot/Stonewall boys basketball game. He shared a humorous story from teen Sunday school this past week.

Every week the senior high youth gather for a time of group instruction and then break out into various small groups for further teaching and discussion. Now, I was a youth pastor for years and I grew up in a church youth group. So let’s just say, when a group of teens gather, it doesn’t surprise (or even worry me) that things get a little chaotic. Laser-like focus on the Bible lesson is not the strength of most teens. Apparently this past week, though, things were a little over the top… some kids were cutting up, texting, writing notes or otherwise oblivious to whatever was being taught at the front.

Lance was somewhat frustrated, even though he wasn’t the lead teacher that day, so at the break-out session he started off the discussion with this question.

“How many of you came to Sunday school expecting to actually learn something today?”

His question was met with raised eyebrows, sideways glances, and a sudden interest in looking at shoes.

“No, really…” He continued, “How many of you came to Sunday school expecting to actually learn something today?”

Cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep (that’s crickets filling the silence). One hand raised, a tentative second.

“So why did you come?” He asked… and then the discussion began.

Since hearing that story I’ve been thinking about the role of expectation in our lives. What do we expect when we gather together for worship? Do we expect to encounter the living God? Do we expect our lives to be transformed by the power of the word of God and community? Do we anticipate the Holy Spirit to move and for prayers to be answered? And if we expect nothing to happen is it any surprise that nothing does?

What about your marriage or a difficult family relationship, your struggle with a co-worker, besetting sin, a habit or hang up? Your chronic anger, your struggle with lust, your health? If the enemy steals our hope, hasn’t he already won the battle? If nothing is going to change, why should I do anything different?

One of the most radical teachings of Jesus was that the kingdom of heaven is near. Some translations say, “at hand” or “drawing nigh,” but the sense is that God’s kingdom activity could break through at any moment. That the eternal stands unseen all around ready to make a difference. That there is an unseen reality that is more real than what my circumstances or heart are telling me; that all things are possible with God. That extraordinary things- healing, reconciliation, peace, and restoration- are in fact possible when we change our mind set (repent) and believe.

I’m not teaching “the power of positive thinking” here- that somehow we can create our own reality if we just think happy thoughts, sprinkle pixie dust, close our eyes tight and believe, believe, believe. But instead, to ask the question, how might God’s kingdom break through here and how should I change my mind set and choices (repent) to reflect that belief? The kingdom of God really is near, repent and believe the good news!”

So this Sunday when we gather together for worship and the word, expect to hear from God, regardless of whether you like the worship set or find the teaching to be entertaining. Trust that where two or three are gathered in Jesus’ name, there he is in our midst (Matthew 18:20). And for those areas where the enemy has stolen your hope and where you have no sense of anticipation that anything could ever change, to find that the kingdom of God is indeed near.

Maybe it starts with the prayer, “Lord, I want to believe that things could be different, restore my sense of expectation…”