What Did You Come To See?
What Did You Come Expecting? The Power of Faith in the Church
There's an intriguing question that challenges every person who walks through church doors on Sunday morning: What did you come expecting to see?
It's not a casual question. It's the kind that cuts through routine and religious habit to expose the condition of our hearts and the strength of our faith.
The Church Jesus Is Building
Jesus made a powerful declaration to Peter: "On this rock I shall build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." This institution called the church remains one of the most fascinating concepts in all of Scripture. It can be a source of our greatest joys and, admittedly, some of our deepest heartaches. Yet Jesus and the church cannot be separated—they are intrinsically connected.
The church today doesn't hold the same place of esteem in society that it once did. Even those who never attended church used to respect it. But times have changed. Church attendance has declined dramatically, especially after COVID-19, when many discovered the convenience of staying home in their pajamas to watch a service online. It eliminated the need to dress up, the pressure to give, and any expectation to serve.
But here's the reality: the Christian life is more than just a commitment to Christ—it includes a commitment to other Christians too. Our fellowship with one another is a direct derivative of our relationship with Christ.
The Early Church's Secret
In the book of Acts, we see the blueprint for what the church should look like. The early believers devoted themselves to four things: the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking bread together, and prayer. And what happened as a result?
"Awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles... And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved."
Day by day, people were being saved. Miracles were happening. Lives were being transformed. The church was alive, vibrant, and growing exponentially.
Now ask yourself: When was the last time you saw someone accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior? When was the last time you witnessed or participated in leading someone to Christ?
Coming With Expectation
The writer of Hebrews instructs believers: "Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near."
As the return of Christ approaches, we shouldn't be pulling away from gathering together—we should be drawing closer, more committed, more expectant.
So again, the question returns: What did you come expecting this morning?
Did you come to check a box, fulfilling a religious obligation? Did you come to hear the Word—and more importantly, do you intend to apply it? Did you come to worship the King of Kings and Lord of Lords? To encourage others? For fellowship with like-minded believers?
Jesus once asked a crowd about John the Baptist: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? A man dressed in soft clothing? A prophet?" Three times He asked them what they came to see.
The same question applies to us. If you aim at nothing, you'll hit it every time. Do we come into church expecting lives to be changed? Do we expect to hear from God in a way that transforms us? Do we come expecting to see someone saved or healed? Do we come expecting miracles?
The God Who Still Performs Miracles
Some believe that miracles and spiritual gifts ceased with the apostles or when the Bible was completed. But Scripture declares that God is "the same yesterday, today, and forever." He changes not.
The God who parted the Red Sea is the same God today. The God who healed the blind, the deaf, the lame, and the leper is still the same God. The God who raised Lazarus from the grave and conquered death through Jesus Christ is coming back for His church.
Consider the story of Lazarus. When Jesus finally arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had been dead for four days. Martha ran to meet Jesus and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you."
Even now. Even in the midst of death and disappointment, Martha believed God was able.
Before Jesus raised Lazarus, He said to Martha: "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"
If you believed, you would see the glory of God.
There's a direct correlation between our expectations and our faith. Martha believed, and she witnessed her brother walk out of that tomb alive.
The Contrast of Unbelief
Now contrast that with what happened in Jesus' hometown of Nazareth. Matthew 13:58 tells us, "And he did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief."
The same Jesus who raised the dead couldn't perform many miracles in His own hometown—not because He lacked power, but because the people lacked faith.
Time and again, when Jesus healed people, He didn't say, "I made you whole." He said, "Your faith has made you whole." The healing came forth when faith was present.
What Does the Church Look Like Today?
Ephesians 5 tells us that Christ gave Himself for the church "that He might present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish."
Is that what the church looks like today? Are we that spotless, radiant bride?
Many believers have become flippant or apathetic about church attendance. People have become more concerned about what gives them pleasure than what pleases the Lord. Sunday mornings find them camping, hiking, biking, fishing, or simply sleeping in—all activities that prioritize personal pleasure over corporate worship.
God doesn't want us miserable. He wants us to enjoy an abundant life. But He also calls us to take up our cross and follow Him. And bearing a cross is never easy.
You Are Important
Here's the truth that needs to sink deep into every believer's heart: You are important to the kingdom of God.
Your attendance matters. Your participation matters. Your example matters.
By your presence, you could be the key to somebody else's blessing. Your smile and encouraging word might be exactly what someone who had a horrific week needs to see. Your genuine worship might inspire someone else to pursue God more deeply. Your healing might demonstrate to others that God is not a respecter of persons—what He does for one, He can do for another.
It's not all dependent on God alone. He's waiting for us to believe. Jesus told Martha, "If you would just believe, you would see the glory of God."
If only we would believe—truly believe—we could see the glory of God.
So what did you come expecting? What are you believing for? The church of Jesus Christ should be alive, vibrant, expectant, and full of faith. We should come together believing that God will do mighty things, that lives will be changed, that healing will manifest, and that people will be saved.
The question isn't whether God is able. The question is whether we believe He is.
There's an intriguing question that challenges every person who walks through church doors on Sunday morning: What did you come expecting to see?
It's not a casual question. It's the kind that cuts through routine and religious habit to expose the condition of our hearts and the strength of our faith.
The Church Jesus Is Building
Jesus made a powerful declaration to Peter: "On this rock I shall build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." This institution called the church remains one of the most fascinating concepts in all of Scripture. It can be a source of our greatest joys and, admittedly, some of our deepest heartaches. Yet Jesus and the church cannot be separated—they are intrinsically connected.
The church today doesn't hold the same place of esteem in society that it once did. Even those who never attended church used to respect it. But times have changed. Church attendance has declined dramatically, especially after COVID-19, when many discovered the convenience of staying home in their pajamas to watch a service online. It eliminated the need to dress up, the pressure to give, and any expectation to serve.
But here's the reality: the Christian life is more than just a commitment to Christ—it includes a commitment to other Christians too. Our fellowship with one another is a direct derivative of our relationship with Christ.
The Early Church's Secret
In the book of Acts, we see the blueprint for what the church should look like. The early believers devoted themselves to four things: the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking bread together, and prayer. And what happened as a result?
"Awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles... And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved."
Day by day, people were being saved. Miracles were happening. Lives were being transformed. The church was alive, vibrant, and growing exponentially.
Now ask yourself: When was the last time you saw someone accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior? When was the last time you witnessed or participated in leading someone to Christ?
Coming With Expectation
The writer of Hebrews instructs believers: "Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near."
As the return of Christ approaches, we shouldn't be pulling away from gathering together—we should be drawing closer, more committed, more expectant.
So again, the question returns: What did you come expecting this morning?
Did you come to check a box, fulfilling a religious obligation? Did you come to hear the Word—and more importantly, do you intend to apply it? Did you come to worship the King of Kings and Lord of Lords? To encourage others? For fellowship with like-minded believers?
Jesus once asked a crowd about John the Baptist: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? A man dressed in soft clothing? A prophet?" Three times He asked them what they came to see.
The same question applies to us. If you aim at nothing, you'll hit it every time. Do we come into church expecting lives to be changed? Do we expect to hear from God in a way that transforms us? Do we come expecting to see someone saved or healed? Do we come expecting miracles?
The God Who Still Performs Miracles
Some believe that miracles and spiritual gifts ceased with the apostles or when the Bible was completed. But Scripture declares that God is "the same yesterday, today, and forever." He changes not.
The God who parted the Red Sea is the same God today. The God who healed the blind, the deaf, the lame, and the leper is still the same God. The God who raised Lazarus from the grave and conquered death through Jesus Christ is coming back for His church.
Consider the story of Lazarus. When Jesus finally arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had been dead for four days. Martha ran to meet Jesus and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you."
Even now. Even in the midst of death and disappointment, Martha believed God was able.
Before Jesus raised Lazarus, He said to Martha: "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"
If you believed, you would see the glory of God.
There's a direct correlation between our expectations and our faith. Martha believed, and she witnessed her brother walk out of that tomb alive.
The Contrast of Unbelief
Now contrast that with what happened in Jesus' hometown of Nazareth. Matthew 13:58 tells us, "And he did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief."
The same Jesus who raised the dead couldn't perform many miracles in His own hometown—not because He lacked power, but because the people lacked faith.
Time and again, when Jesus healed people, He didn't say, "I made you whole." He said, "Your faith has made you whole." The healing came forth when faith was present.
What Does the Church Look Like Today?
Ephesians 5 tells us that Christ gave Himself for the church "that He might present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish."
Is that what the church looks like today? Are we that spotless, radiant bride?
Many believers have become flippant or apathetic about church attendance. People have become more concerned about what gives them pleasure than what pleases the Lord. Sunday mornings find them camping, hiking, biking, fishing, or simply sleeping in—all activities that prioritize personal pleasure over corporate worship.
God doesn't want us miserable. He wants us to enjoy an abundant life. But He also calls us to take up our cross and follow Him. And bearing a cross is never easy.
You Are Important
Here's the truth that needs to sink deep into every believer's heart: You are important to the kingdom of God.
Your attendance matters. Your participation matters. Your example matters.
By your presence, you could be the key to somebody else's blessing. Your smile and encouraging word might be exactly what someone who had a horrific week needs to see. Your genuine worship might inspire someone else to pursue God more deeply. Your healing might demonstrate to others that God is not a respecter of persons—what He does for one, He can do for another.
It's not all dependent on God alone. He's waiting for us to believe. Jesus told Martha, "If you would just believe, you would see the glory of God."
If only we would believe—truly believe—we could see the glory of God.
So what did you come expecting? What are you believing for? The church of Jesus Christ should be alive, vibrant, expectant, and full of faith. We should come together believing that God will do mighty things, that lives will be changed, that healing will manifest, and that people will be saved.
The question isn't whether God is able. The question is whether we believe He is.
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