Even after the resurrection of Jesus, the disciples kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” (Acts 1:6b, NLT) They were still expecting something that simply wasn’t going to happen. Why are our expectations so often in stark contrast to our experiences within the Kingdom of God? Jesus has given some pretty clear promises through his life and word — so why are they so hard for us to figure out and apply to our lives? Perhaps a fresh look at the trial, torture, execution and resurrection of Jesus will help us cast a new vision of what life can be, should be, and what we can expect.