Church, I want to start this message off with a question for you. Have you ever anticipated something happening a certain way, only for it to happen differently? You had it all figured out, how it would go down, how things would play out. However, when the time came, it did not turn out as you expected.

When something like that happens to you, you are faced with a choice. Do you adjust your expectations… or do you walk away from what you see?

Have you ever felt empty inside, even when everything around you looks fine? You are going through the motions. You show up. You do what you are supposed to do. However, deep down, something feels missing. No energy. No passion. No hope.

Up until this point in Israel’s monarchy, as recorded in the book of 1 Sam, things had gone poorly. Saul had been rejected as king because of continual disobedience. Samuel mourned the rejection of Saul. God told Samuel to travel to Bethlehem, and there he was to anoint Israel’s next king from Jesse’s family.

The story contrasts human judgment with divine choice. Samuel looked at Jesse’s sons and figured the oldest son must be the pick. After all, Eliab looked the part. But God had other ideas. God gently rebuked Samuel with a principle that starts the Book of Samuel:
“For man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7.

We look to temporal things to provide us with peace and hope. Our careers, our security, our relationships, or our ability to control things give us peace of mind. But when life gets hard, many of these fall short and fail us. Where can we find true and lasting peace? Where can we experience real hope? This is the question Paul answers in Romans chapter 5.

Imagine walking in the dark with a flashlight. You cannot see the entire road. You can only see the next few steps. That is how God often leads His people.

The question is not whether we see the whole plan. The question is whether we will take the next step. When God says go, we go together.

Carren and I were ordained into ministry in 2005, one year after I graduated. They put their hands on us. They said prayers. In the company of friends and family, it was a vibrant celebration. It was like being on top of a mountain. However, there were no cars to drive us home after the service. We made our way back on foot for several miles. We asked each other along the way, "Has a difficult life just begun?" The long walk was as real as the celebration.

When Jesus hears the Father say, "This is my beloved Son," in Matthew 4:1–11, They take him into the wilderness. Testing comes after affirmation. Private struggle follows public blessing. That pattern is familiar to many of you. After your prayers were answered, you faced new difficulties. You have witnessed happiness cut short by a financial hardship, a loss, or a diagnosis. That’s a wilderness, and many people live there.

Last week we were called to action by the text from Isaiah.  And we discussed that sometimes that action is simply praying and waiting for God to reveal his plan.  With everything going on around us today, we should be in constant prayer for discernment and wisdom and for God to reveal his plan and vision for each of us, our families, our community and our churches. 

I believe that even though we are experiencing some financial challenges at the moment, that God has a plan for the Bethel Emmanuel Charge.  But, I also believe this is something that we as a congregation and a charge need to be praying about fervently.   Today is Transfiguration Sunday.  So let’s talk about that and how our texts today continue to encourage us and remind us that while God always answers prayer, sometimes we need to be patient while we are waiting for the answer to those prayers…..

This week, Isaiah calls us to action. Of course, the first action Isaiah calls us to is confession. As we near the season of Lent, confession is a meaningful practice for our communities to engage. As Isaiah models for us, we need to name our sin so that we know what to turn away from.   And then he calls us to action, with the need for a Fast.

This is a message we need today— whatever “today” you and we as a congregation are facing. Whatever “today” has gripped our community, our nation, our world. Too many of us say we don’t need the Hebrew scriptures anymore. We’ve got the gospels; we’ve got Jesus; that’s good enough.

But…

Most people spend their lives looking for things that they think will make them happy, like money, fame, power, or stability. Ads, social media, and even good advice often tell us that being ahead, being noticed, or staying in control is a blessing. The same assumption can be taken in church. We begin to judge how blessed we are by how many people show up each Sunday, how much money we collect as offerings, how visible we are, or how well things seem to be going. But a lot of people who get these things still feel restless, anxious, or spiritually empty.

In Matthew 5:13-20, Jesus doesn't talk to religious leaders. He talks to regular people who have decided to follow Him. That matters because what He says next is true for people like us. People who work on Mondays, raise kids, deal with stress, and try to live faithfully in a world that isn’t always easy.

In the Gospel of John 1:29, John the Baptist points away from himself and declares, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”

What does John mean?

This passage invites us to examine our own hearts and our lives together as a church. Where have we drawn lines that God didn't? Where has comfort taken the place of calling? Where has our familiarity with the witness held us back?

I recently watched a movie in which the spirit of an old king appears in a six-year-old child. That kid had all the knowledge, wisdom, skills, and powers of a great king. But to everyone else, he appeared to be a normal person. His family hated him, didn't get him, and ignored him, except for his grandmother. She was the only one who knew that this child was more than just a child. Something much bigger lived inside of him.

“Get up. Take what matters most. And go.” Not because He wants to unsettle us—but because He wants to save, protect, and prepare us.

As we get ready to receive the light, remember this: The same Christ who was born in Bethlehem will walk with us into tomorrow. The same grace that showed up on that holy night still teaches, heals, and changes lives.

We all have plans in place. Plans are like a map for life; they show us where we want to go and how we plan to get there. Plans are a good thing. The Bible even says that people die when they don't have a vision. God cares about vision. God values guidance.

But Advent reminds us of something deeper: God often interrupts our plans to bring His plans to fruition.

Church, when life doesn't make sense...When you can't handle your grief...When faith seems weak... Ask Jesus your questions. They don't scare him. He is the person you are looking for.

So the question today is easy: How do we prepare the way for the Lord in our own lives?

Beloved, people are very good at getting ready for things, especially when they know when and where they will happen. Students get ready for tests. People looking for work get ready for interviews. Families get ready when they know guests are coming. When we get ready, we always do our best. We choose the right clothes, practice the right words, arrive on time, and ensure we present our best selves.

Brothers and sisters in the Lord. Today is Christ the King Sunday. On this significant day, the Church Worldwide gathers to remember one who truly sits on the throne. Our world as we know it yearns for trustworthy leadership, compassionate leaders, just leadership, and the list goes on!

Our communities feel scattered, wounded, or disappointed by those who were supposed to care for them. The Scriptures we have read this morning, and I intended that we read them all today, speak one powerful truth: Christ is the Shepherd-King we have always needed, the One who reigns with justice, mercy, and sacrificial love.