Our name | Mission | Vision | Leaders Ministries | Schedule | Directions | Contact Home   Gateway Church gathers for worship Sundays at 10:30 a.m. Location: 6425 Jefferson Rd. (Hwy. 129) in Athens, Georgia. For directions, click here. Ministry of the Word: Recent sermons Our quarterly e-magazine Gateway Today For the Gateway family Pastor Jerry's Weekly E-Mail A GATEWAY SERMON SUMMARY AUDIO Expectation and disappointment Gene Acuff Gateway Church, Athens GA January 18, 2004 Main Scripture text: Colossians 1:15-20 (The Message). All of us live in expectancy about certain things -- a significant event, a new job, a holiday, a wedding, a birth. After the thing occurs, however, we often feel a sense of letdown. Think of all the expectation leading up to the first Christmas! But when it was over, the shepherds left, the Wise Men departed, the angels were heard no more. Jesus grew up living in the aftermath of an incredible series of events. Then, as far as we know, He settled into the relatively normal life a Jewish boy growing up in Nazareth. But during those years, He set the right priority. He spent time in the Word and made the Father's business His top concern. Still, He moved closer and closer to the ultimate disappointment, or so it seemed. What began with angels appearing in the heavens at His birth would end in death by crucifixion. But the disappointment would not be final. After Jesus' death and burial, there came the resurrection! What this says to us is: the disappointments and letdowns of this life are not the end of the story. Because of Jesus Christ, our lives won't end in disappointment but in victory! This life goes by so fast. Jesus rose again so you and I could one day trade our mortality for immortality. Someday, our disappointments will be forgotten when we gather at the great love feast around the throne of God. Lord Jesus, help us to know that tomorrow is going to be all right, because of what you accomplished for us on that great yesterday! Supporting texts: Deuteronomy 6:6-9 | Luke 2:46-49 | Luke 4:17-19 | Matthew 16:21 | 1 Corinthians 15:51-54 | Revelation 19:9 A mp3 audio file of this sermon is here. (Download to a PC by right clicking on the link and choosing "Save Target As." Mac users: click, hold, and choose "Download Link to Disk." Depending on your connection speed, the file may take several minutes to download.) An audio tape of the sermon summarized above is available free of charge (U.S. requests only). Request a tape by calling or writing the Gateway Church office. Please specify tape number 040118a: Expectation and Disappointment. To the Gateway Church home page How to contact us