"Help, I've Fallen & I Can't Get Up."

Title: “Help, I’ve Fallen & I Can’t Get Up”

Maybe you remember the commercial that was on television years ago with the Elderly Woman that is Laying on the floor shouting, “Help me, I’ve fallen & I can’t get up!”

There were people all over the country repeating this phrase in a Joking manner saying, “Help me, I’ve fallen & I can’t get up.”

But the bottom line is when we fall it isn’t a Joking Matter. And there are times that we Fall in our Spiritual Walk & we can’t get up by Ourselves!

This morning I want to Talk to you about the Ministry of Restoring the Fallen Brother. God help us to be a Church that reaches out to the Hurting!

A pastor a few years ago became involved in Adultery. As a result, his marriage went on the Rocks & his Ministry was destroyed. Since he was a Strong Christian Leader in the Community, it had devastating results.

His Sin, not only affected him & his family, but his church Splintered in a dozen Fragments. Hurting confused people were Scattered all over the City.

A 1 1/2 years after this event happened this fallen pastor called another pastor in this same city & said, “Would you mind if my wife & I came to your Church this morning?”

The pastor said, “Why would you ever call me & ask me that question? Of course we wouldn’t mind if you came to Church.” The Fallen pastor said, “You know this is my second wife & I’m divorced from my first wife. Are you aware of this?”

The Pastor said, “I am well aware of your Situation.” The fallen pastor said, “We’ve been trying for eight months now to find a place of worship. The Last time that we tried was a month ago. We were asked from the Pulpit to Leave.”

He went on to say, “We’ve been met at the door of other churches by pastor’s who heard that we were coming. They asked us not to come in. They said that it would cause too much Trouble.”

The fallen pastor said, “Frankly, I don’t think that we could handle it again if we were asked to asked to Leave. My wife is close to a Nervous Breakdown.”

He said, “I know that you have a Video for Overflow Crowds. If you want you can put us in a Room where no one will see us & Let us Watch the Service. We just need to be in Church!

The pastor said, “Listen friend, you be at Church & I will Welcome you at the Front Door.”

This fallen pastor came to this church & they Extended to him Christian Fellowship & God did a Cleansing & a Healing. This brother was Restored only because God used this Church to Love, Accept & Forgive him.

If the Church is going to be the Force for God in this Hurting & Confused world that it needs to be, it must Learn to Love People, Accept them & Forgive Them.

Please hear me so you don’t misunderstand me. I’m not saying that we have to Condone their Lifestyle, but we need to Love them where they are at!

Jesus looked at the woman that was caught in the Act of Adultery & said, “I don’t Condemn you----but now go & sin no more.”

There will be times that we see a Brother Fall. But I pray that instead of Judging our Brother or Condemning him for Falling, that we would Learn how to Pick Him Up.

This is what Jesus would want us to do!

John 13: 34-35

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

“By this all will know that you are My Disciples, if you have Love for one another.”

Over the next few moments, I want to talk to you about the Power of Restoration. I thank God that we serve a God who is in the Business of Restoration.

-He doesn’t give up on us because we Fail.

-He doesn’t stop Loving us when we’re Down.

-He doesn’t Condemn us for our Failures.

-But He wants to Restore Us.

-In Spite of Our Failures He Loves Us!

-He’s in the Restoration Business!

Psalms 23: 3

“He Restores my Soul; He Leads me in the path of righteousness for His Name’s sake.”

Psalms 51: 12

“Restore to me the joy of Your Salvation, And uphold me by Your Generous Spirit.”

Lamentations 3: 22-23

“Through the Lord’s Mercies we are not Consumed, Because His Compassions fail not.

“They are new Every Morning Great is your Faithfulness.”

I. The Bible Is Filled With Story After Story About God’s Restoration.

1. The Story of David & Bathsheba.