Living with Expectation
Discussion Guide
Summary
This sermon focuses on God's invitation for His children to cry out to Him as their loving Father. The pastor emphasizes that God is calling a 'family meeting' to remind believers that He is present, willing, and able to help with every need. Drawing from the story of Joshua the high priest in Zechariah 3 and the prophetess Anna who waited for Jesus, the message highlights how God exchanges our filthy garments for clean robes and calls us to maintain our expectation and faith. The central theme is that as adopted children of God, we have the spirit of adoption that allows us to boldly approach the throne of grace, crying 'Abba, Father' with confidence, knowing that God always says yes to His children.
Intro Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for calling us together as Your family today. We ask that You open our hearts and minds to receive what You want to speak to us through Your Word. Help us to be receptive to Your Spirit and to see ourselves as You see us - as Your beloved adopted children who can come boldly to Your throne. Remove any barriers or distractions that would keep us from hearing Your voice clearly. We invite You to move among us and transform us through this time together. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Ice Breaker
What's the most memorable family meeting you've ever had, either as a child or as a parent? What made it stand out to you?
Key Verses
Zechariah 3:1-7
Galatians 4:4-6
Romans 8:15
Hebrews 4:16
Hebrews 5:7-8
Questions
The pastor mentioned that sometimes we stop crying out to God because we think we're 'grown enough' to figure things out ourselves. What are some areas in your life where you might have stopped asking God for help?
In Zechariah 3, God rebuked Satan who was accusing Joshua. How does it feel to know that God defends you against the enemy's accusations?
The prophetess Anna waited 84 years as a widow, serving God through fasting and prayer. What can we learn from her example about faithful waiting and expectation?
What does it mean to you personally that you have 'the spirit of adoption' rather than 'a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear'?
The pastor shared how Jesus cried out to the Father 'with loud cries and tears.' How does this change your perspective on bringing your emotions and desperation to God in prayer?
When you became a child of God, your identity, potential, resources, and authority all changed. Which of these changes do you struggle most to walk in?
The sermon mentioned that we should approach God like children who boldly interrupt their parents when they need something. What holds you back from approaching God with that same boldness?
How can we maintain expectation for Jesus' return while also crying out to God for our daily needs and challenges?
Life Application
This week, identify one area where you've been trying to handle things on your own instead of crying out to God. Make a commitment to daily bring this situation to your Heavenly Father with the boldness and expectation of a beloved child. Practice approaching God's throne with confidence, knowing that He delights in saying 'yes' to His children.
Key Takeaways
God is calling a family meeting to remind us that He is present, willing, and able to help with every need we have
As adopted children of God, we have the spirit of adoption that gives us bold access to the throne of grace
We should never stop crying out to God, even when circumstances don't go as expected, because He is always available and responsive
Our identity, authority, potential, and resources all changed when we became children of God, and we need to walk in this reality
Just as Jesus cried out to the Father with loud cries and tears, we are invited to bring our emotions and desperation boldly to God
Ending Prayer
Father God, thank You for adopting us as Your children and giving us the privilege to cry 'Abba, Father' with confidence. Help us to never stop coming to You with our needs, big and small. Awaken in us the authority and identity we have as sons and daughters of the King. Where we have shut doors to You or stopped believing, revive our faith and bring fire to those areas. May we live as Your prepared bride, ready for Jesus' return, while boldly approaching Your throne for daily grace and help. Transform us from the inside out and help us to walk in the fullness of what You've called us to be. In Jesus' mighty name, Amen.
5 Day Devotional
Day 1:
The Family Meeting
Have you ever been called into a family meeting? Maybe as a child, your parents gathered everyone together to address something important. There's something both nerve-wracking and comforting about those moments - you know something significant is about to be discussed, but you're also reminded that you belong to something bigger than yourself. God is calling His own family meeting right now. He's looking at you with love and saying, 'I have some things I want to show you and speak to you about.' This isn't a meeting where you're in trouble or about to be lectured. Instead, it's an invitation into deeper relationship and understanding. Too often, we approach God like distant relatives who only call when there's an emergency. But God wants us to know that He's always available, always present, and always ready to help. He's not the kind of father who's too busy, too tired, or too overwhelmed by our problems. He's sitting right here with unlimited resources, unlimited wisdom, and unlimited love. The beautiful truth is that when you have a problem, you don't need to figure it out alone. You don't need to exhaust all your options before coming to Him. He's already here, already aware, and already equipped to help you through whatever you're facing. This family meeting isn't about what you've done wrong - it's about remembering who your Father is and what He's capable of doing in your life.
Bible Verse
'The Lord said to Satan, "The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?"' - Zechariah 3:2
Reflection Question
What would change in your daily life if you truly believed that God is always available and eager to help you with every challenge, not just the big emergencies?
Quote
I feel like the Lord's called a family meeting. He's called you here, and he said he's got some things he wants to show you and speak to you.
Prayer
Father, thank You for calling me into this family meeting. Help me to remember that You are always present and available to help me. Give me the confidence to approach You with every concern, knowing that You have unlimited resources and love for me. Amen.
Day 2:
No Waiting in Line
We live in a world of waiting. Waiting for text responses, waiting in drive-through lines, waiting for approval, waiting for the right moment. We've become so accustomed to delays that we've started treating God like another busy service provider who might get to us eventually. But here's the revolutionary truth: with God, there's no waiting in line. You don't have to wait for Him to finish helping someone else before He can turn His attention to you. You don't need an appointment, and you certainly don't need to clean yourself up first before approaching Him. God's forgiveness and grace can touch any sin, no matter how scarring or permanent it seems. He can take what feels like a permanent marker stain on your life and make it white as snow. The impossible becomes possible when you're dealing with a God who operates outside the limitations of time, space, and human resources. Too many of us have stopped crying out to God because we got tired of waiting, or because we convinced ourselves we should be mature enough to handle things on our own. But spiritual maturity isn't about needing God less - it's about recognizing how much we need Him in every area of our lives. Your faith is the richest thing you own, yet we often shut it off when we don't see immediate results.
Bible Verse
'Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.' - Hebrews 4:16
Reflection Question
In what areas of your life have you stopped crying out to God because you felt like you should be able to handle things on your own?
Quote
You don't have to wait in a line. We get used to waiting in lines. How many of you guys wait and watch a text and wait? It's red, but nobody's responding. That happened the other day. Well, she looked at it. Why didn't she respond to me? And we sometimes take all these places in our own lives of waiting and this. And God is present now.
Prayer
Lord, forgive me for the times I've treated You like You're too busy for my problems. Help me to remember that You're always available and that my faith is my most valuable asset. Restore my confidence in crying out to You. Amen.
Day 3:
Plucked from the Fire
Imagine standing in court, accused and dirty, with your accuser pointing out every flaw and failure. That's exactly where Joshua the high priest found himself in Zechariah's vision - standing before God in filthy garments while Satan accused him. But then something beautiful happened: God Himself stepped in as the defense attorney. God didn't just dismiss the charges; He rebuked the accuser and completely transformed Joshua's appearance. The filthy garments were removed, and clean, beautiful clothes were put in their place. This is a picture of what God does for each of us. You are a brand plucked from the fire. There's something in you that God has put there - a calling, an anointing, a purpose that can't be destroyed by your past mistakes or current struggles. Satan may be pointing out your flaws, but God is saying, 'Shut up. Get out of here. You don't have anything to say about this person.' We often think we need to get cleaned up before coming to God, but the truth is, He's the one who does the cleaning. You might feel filthy this morning, but God specializes in taking away filthy garments and clothing you with His righteousness. You don't have to wait until you feel worthy - you come as you are, and He transforms you.
Bible Verse
'Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel.' - Zechariah 3:3
Reflection Question
What 'filthy garments' in your life do you need to allow God to remove and replace with His righteousness?
Quote
The Lord said To Satan. The Lord rebuke you. Satan isn't that good. You have a God that's rebuking Satan, saying, shut up. Get out of here. You don't got nothing to say about this person.
Prayer
God, thank You for being my defender against every accusation. Help me to come to You just as I am, trusting that You will clothe me with Your righteousness. Silence the voice of the accuser in my life. Amen.
Day 4:
Adopted and Transformed
Adoption changes everything. When a child is adopted, they don't just get a new address - they get a new name, new identity, new inheritance, and new family connections. The same is true when God adopts us as His children. Through adoption into God's family, your character should change, your joy should change, and your entire perspective on life should shift. You went from being spiritually dead to completely alive in Christ. This isn't just a nice theological concept - it's a reality that should transform how you walk through each day. As an adopted child of the King, you now have authority that shifts kingdoms and challenges the powers of darkness. You're not just surviving life; you're bringing life to others who are still spiritually dead. When you walk through the streets and encounter people who don't know Jesus, you have the power to speak life into their situations. But here's the question: Are you living like the adopted child of the King that you are? Are you walking in the authority and confidence that comes with your new identity? Too often, we live like spiritual orphans, forgetting that we have full access to our Father's resources and authority. Your adoption papers have been signed in the blood of Jesus - it's time to start living like it.
Bible Verse
'But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.' - Galatians 4:4-5
Reflection Question
How should your daily life look different knowing that you are an adopted child of the King with full access to His authority and resources?
Quote
When you became adopted by God, what changed? So our character, our joy in life changed. Your character should change as a son and daughter of the king.
Prayer
Father, thank You for adopting me into Your family. Help me to live with the confidence and authority that comes with being Your child. Transform my character and perspective to reflect my new identity in You. Amen.
Day 5:
Learning to Cry Out
Even Jesus, in all His glory and divine nature, cried out to the Father with loud cries and tears. If the Son of God found it necessary to passionately depend on His Father, how much more should we be crying out to the Lord? Yet somewhere along the way, many of us stopped crying out. Maybe we got too grown, too smart, or thought we had enough resources to figure things out on our own. Perhaps past disappointments made us hesitant to hope again. But when we stop crying out, we're essentially putting our most valuable asset - our faith - on the shelf. God doesn't just want to hear from you during life-and-death emergencies. He's available to help you get out of the ditch, to assist with the daily challenges, and to be present in every moment of your life. As soon as you cry out to God, He hears you. There's no delay in His hearing because He knows your voice - He put that voice inside of you. Jesus is coming back for a prepared and ready bride. As sons and daughters of the Most High God, He has poured His Spirit upon you. You have the Spirit of the living God within you, and you have the power to shift and change what's happening around you. But it starts with remembering how to cry out, how to depend on Him, and how to live in the reality of who you are in Christ.
Bible Verse
'During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.' - Hebrews 5:7
Reflection Question
What has caused you to stop crying out to God, and what would it look like to return to passionate dependence on Him in every area of your life?
Quote
If Jesus, in all of his glory on the earth, was still crying out and saying, hey, God, help me out, Father. Abba. Father, like, I'm right here. I need you to do something. I need you to change the situation. I need you to help me. How much more should we be crying out to the Lord?
Prayer
Lord, forgive me for the times I've tried to handle life on my own. Teach me to cry out to You like Jesus did - with passion, dependence, and complete trust. Help me to live as Your prepared and ready child. Amen.
