My friend Marilyn called the other day. Her adult son is scheduled to be interviewed for a church staff position and she had been prepping him. “It takes place at a lunch,” she said, “and that may not be the best venue for showing off Robert’s talents.”

She explained that Robert could stand some improvement in his eating habits. “I told him to eat slowly, to cut his meat into small portions, and not to talk with food in his mouth. Basic stuff like that.” Then she said, “It’s important that he not go there hungry and overeat, so I urged him to eat a little snack in advance. After all, this is one dining experience that is not about eating.”

I said, “That’s in the Bible. The part about not overeating at an important meal.”

“You’re kidding.” I assured her I wasn’t, although I could not recall the exact proverb that made the case.

Later that day, she texted me that she had located the verse. Proverbs 23:1-2 reads, “When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee. And put a knife to thy throat if thou be a man given to appetite.”

I can’t find anything in God’s Word cautioning us against parking our chewing gum underneath the dinner plate, but I’ve known at least one candidate for a church staff position who could have used the advice.

Anyone who spends regular time in God’s Word is constantly being surprised at what he finds there, how current is its counsel, and how practical its advice.

Take Luke chapter 17. I sat in church last Sunday prior to the sermon–someone else was to preach, so my mind was unencumbered–and was struck by how the various incidents in this chapter connect with each other, giving us a number of excellent insights on Christian living.

(Note: what follows works only if you first look up Luke 17, then read through verse 21.)

On the surface, that passage seems to be made up of unrelated bits of teaching: Jesus advises the disciples on how to treat a stumbling brother, He informs them that even mustard-seed faith can do wonders, He delivers a parable on how they should look upon themselves at the end of the day, and so forth.

A quick reading fails to see their inter-connectedness.

Then it occurred to me that this passage, all of it, is about expectations.

I. “What you may expect.” Luke 17:1-6

Verse one: “What you may expect of others.” You may expect your brother to stumble. He’s human, he is an imperfect sinner, and he’s going to fail. You do him no favor when you set him up to turn in a perfect product, make straight As, and never falter.

The question is what are you to do when someone around you stumbles?

Verse three: “What you should expect of yourself.” You are to rebuke him when he sins and forgive him when he repents. Furthermore, if that happens again and again, you are to forgive him repeatedly.

Verse five: “You may expect that to be difficult.” That’s why the disciples asked the Lord to increase their faith. They would need great faith to live up to such a standard. Jesus responds that even the smallest faith can do wonders.

II. “What you should not expect for yourself.” Luke 17:7-19

1) Do not expect ease. When your servant comes in from the field where he has labored all day, you do not let him take care of his needs first. You instruct him to change his clothes and prepare something for you, after which he can take care of himself. They–and we–are called “servants” for good reason.

2) Do not expect others to meet your needs. It would be nice for our employers–or in this case, masters–to always be tuned to our situation and sense what we need. That is not how things operate in the real world.

3) Do not expect to be appreciated. The master does not thank the slave because he did the things he was commanded, Jesus said.

In fact, the Lord says, after we have done our duties, we should say to ourselves, “I am only an unworthy slave. I have done only what I should have done.”

It’s important to note that Jesus did not say God feels this way about us or that we should treat others in this way. This is all about how we see ourselves and what we should expect of ourselves.

Expectations are like those roadside bombs our military in the Middle East are forever dealing with: they appear innocent, even attractive, but can explode without warning causing great damage to everyone within range.

Immediately following, we find the story of the ten lepers who were healed, with only one turning back to thank the Lord. And that one, incidentally, was a despised Samaritan.

While it’s true we must not expect to be appreciated for what we do, we should always expect to give thanks to the Lord for what He does. The fact that the one leper returning to thank Jesus was a Samaritan reminds us to “expect the unexpected.”

III. “What to Expect from God.” Luke 17:20-21

The disciples carried unrealistic expectations concerning how the Lord would bring His kingdom into view. Do not expect signs and wonders, Jesus cautioned them. “The Kingdom of God is (already) in your midst.” God is not sitting in Heaven waiting for conditions to suit Him; He is already at work among you, extending His reign.

Expect the Lord to be here, expect Him now. Expect yourself to give your all.

Throughout it all, direct any expectations for reward or appreciation toward the Lord Himself.

A Bible study technique that often works well for me works like this: when finding several seemingly-unconnected teachings and stories in the same passage one after another, I begin looking for the subject that binds them together. What do they have in common? Think of it as a transparent overlay with markings and insights from the Holy Spirit Himself, tying everything together.

I “expect” you have your own way of studying the Lord’s Word.