They Didn't Expect It

At the time of Jesus’ birth, the Jews had been looking for their Messiah for centuries.  They didn’t expect Him to be born in a stable to a common Jewish couple.  They didn’t expect Him to live in a sleepy little town like Nazareth.  The Jewish authorities looked for a coming King with royal pedigree born in a palace.  They didn’t expect the people to cling to Jesus as they did and to hang on His every word.  They didn’t expect for Jesus to be arrested so easily.  They looked for a confrontation during Jesus’ trial, but He spoke not a word.  They didn’t expect Jesus to die so easily.  He didn’t even put up a modest fight.  Jesus died like one of those little sacrificial lambs that they killed at the Temple.  But mostly, they never expected Jesus to rise from the dead.  But He did.  And they certainly didn’t expect His followers to give up everything that they had to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ around the world.  But they did.  Hey, are you a follower of Jesus?  Are you giving up anything for the cause of the Gospel of Christ?  Do you share the Good News of Salvation with others?  Think about it.  Paul said it best in I Corinthians 1:18 “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”