What If You’re Missing the Moment?

KEY VERSES:

• Luke 19:28–44
• Zechariah 9:9
• Isaiah 55:8–9
• Ephesians 3:20
• Psalm 100:5
• Romans 8:28
• 1 Corinthians 13

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Main Idea: Most of our relational and spiritual problems start with unmet expectations and a failure to understand what God is really doing.
• The People’s Expectations: The crowd expected Jesus to overthrow Rome—not to ride in on a donkey as a humble king (Zechariah 9:9).
• The Reality: Jesus came to bring something better than temporary freedom—He came to bring eternal peace, even when it didn’t look like what they wanted.
• Misunderstanding God: When our expectations don’t match who God actually is, we get discouraged, confused, and hurt.
• Reframing God: Use these four verses to understand God better:
  • Isaiah 55:8–9 – His ways are higher
  • Ephesians 3:20 – He does more than we imagine
  • Psalm 100:5 – He’s good and faithful
  • Romans 8:28 – He works for our good
• 3 Groups of People:
  • Followers: Passionate, but distracted by emotions or circumstances
  • Religious Leaders: Fighting to keep control, missing the Messiah
  • Unaware Bystanders: Not engaged, spiritually checked out
• Final Challenge: Which part of the crowd are you? Let’s stop projecting our version of God and ask Him to show us who He truly is.

TALK ABOUT IT:

• Have you ever been disappointed with God? What expectations weren’t met?
• Which group from the crowd do you identify with most—Follower, Religious, or Unaware?
• What expectations do you currently have of God that might be based more on personal desire than His promises?
• What does it look like in your life to let God be in control rather than your circumstances?
• How can you tell when your faith is being driven by emotions vs. by trust in God's character?
• Which of the four reframing verses hit you hardest—and why?
• What can you do to better align your understanding of God with Scripture?
• What might God be trying to show you right now that you’ve been missing?

APPLY IT:

• Pause and ask yourself: Am I expecting God to act how *I* would?
• Spend time this week in prayer simply asking God to show you who He really is—not who you’ve imagined Him to be.
• Let go of trying to control everything. Trust that God’s ways are higher and better.
• Check your motivation—are you following Jesus for who He is or what you want Him to do for you?
• Revisit the four "reframing" verses this week and let them shape your view of God.
• If your faith feels off track, don’t hide—re-engage with God. He’s not surprised by your doubt or disillusionment.