Intro: Growing up liking to watch M*A*S*H – Going to Tokyo for some R & R
In the midst of all the power, there is another work that the Holy Spirit actively desires to do in our lives. He desires to provide us with a little R&R. . .and R. Not Rest and Relaxation, but Repentance and Refreshing. . .and Restoration.
With some Holy Spirit stigmas broken – we can now safely venture into the book of Acts.
- Set the stage of chapters 1 through 3:10
- Then Peter updates the crowd - Acts 3:11-18
- Today’s Key Passage - Verse 19 (read through verse 21)
Notice the progression in these verses.
- First, repent
- Second, be converted (it is an AND. . .two activities)
- In order that. . .So that. . .Third - sins can be forgiven
- Why? In order that. . .So that. . .times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.
Each even flows from the previous. Repentance, Conversion, Forgiveness, and times of Refreshing in the presence of the Lord.
What is the presence of the Lord? What is Emmanuel, God with us today? (The Holy Spirit)
You see, Jesus talked about the presence of the Lord, the arrival of the Holy Spirit prior to repentance. Remember what he said in John 16? Turn there with me, again, this has been our theme passage for this series, the Lost Truth of Easter. John 16:7 (read through verse 8)
When the Holy Spirit comes, prior to repentance, that arrival of the presence of the Lord brings conviction of sin, and personally, I have rarely found conviction, in and of itself, very refreshing.
But when in the presence of the Lord we move to repentance, and allow our heart to be converted to the will of the Holy Spirit, times of refreshing come upon us. And Peter tells us that those times of refreshing will lead to the sending of Jesus Christ (the second coming).
A little end times teaching here in the book of Acts. Look again at verse 21. How long must Jesus be in heaven? Verse 21 (read). Jesus will reside in heaven, there will be no second coming, until the restoration of all things which God spoke of through the prophets. Until everything has been restored, brought back to the place God intended from before all time.
Jesus himself spoke of this restoration in Matthew 17:11. The transfiguration has just taken place. Peter, James and John have just seen Moses and Elijah appear next to Jesus on the mountain. And as they are coming down the mountain, this whole episode has got their gears turning, and evokes the question from the disciples, “Why are the scribes teaching that Elijah must come first?” And Jesus answers, “Elijah does come, and he will restore all things.”
If you take a very literal view of the visions of Revelation, many believe that Elijah will be one of the two prophets sent to the Temple Mount to pronounce judgment. That he will return to earth as part of the restoration of all things. He didn’t die. He was swept away by a chariot of fire, and so very literal interpretations suggest that he will be physically involved in the restoration process.
The scribes had picked up the teaching from the prophet Malachi. In Malachi 4:5 it says, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”
So we have this prophecy, this declaration from Jesus, and now this teaching from Peter regarding a plan God has for restoration. Peter preaches that repentance leads to times of refreshing, which must take place until the restoration of all things, and Christ’ returns.
Stay with me now. That is what the Holy Spirit has for us in the here and now. A little R&R. . .and R. Times of refreshing and restoration, if we humbly repent.
Now, repentance is not a very attractive word in our society. Last Sunday night we explored some reasons people would shy away from prayers of confession and repentance. But it becomes a whole lot more attractive when we understand the refreshing and restoration it leads to.
You see, the world defines restoration as: bringing back to a former or original condition. Restoring furniture. Restoring an old home. Restoring a financial loss following an insurance claim or natural disaster.
But that is not a Biblical definition of restoration. The Biblical definition of restoration means to increase, multiple, or improve something so that after the restoration it is actually significantly better than it was before.
Example: Depreciation in an insurance claim – making whole versus making better
God’s definition of restoration is not making whole, it is making better. Improving. Bringing you into a state that is even better than prior to your loss.
Let’s look at this in God’s Word:
Exodus 22:1 (read). God’s economy is not man’s economy. So God attempted through the law to teach His economy. And His economy of restoration is not one for one, but restoring four or five fold. This was a law to teach God’s plan for restoration.
Job 42. Job 42, verses 10 & 12 (read). (Share my personal Job disclaimer) – However, this does reveal God’s heart of restoration. You can’t replace a human life, but God’s heart is so bent towards restoration in our lives, that He will multiple His favor in an attempt to help us see His heart for us.
One more. Mark 10. Mark 10:29 (read through verse 30). Jesus promises restoration. Godly restoration. He says, what you give up now, in this life. You will receive back 100 fold! 100 fold, plus eternal life. Trust me. . .whatever the equation is, A + eternal life = . Doesn’t matter what the A value is. Anything + eternal life = coming out ahead. Equals Godly restoration.
Now, I want to caution myself from sounding too much like Joel Olsteen, but there is a Biblical precedent, which I don’t completely understand, but that suggests God is a God of restoration, and His definition of restoration is different than ours. It is greater. Increased. Improved upon. He wants to take that which has been lost, and restore it to an even greater state of being.
Almost too cliché, but look at the story of Joseph. Forsaken by his brothers. Falsely accused by pharaoh’s wife. Forgotten by the butler. But favored by God. Not restored to his previous existence in Canaan, but restored above and beyond that existence to a position of great wealth, success and influence.
Stop and Reflect – Do we really believe God desires to restore our lost “stuff” to a significantly greater place than it previously was?
My Life Examples:
- Restoration as Husband and Father following separation
- Financial restoration following bankruptcy
Ephesians 3:20 is often quoted, but I think it is rarely truly believed, “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us.” More abundantly that we can ask or think, according to the power in us. . .which is. . .the Holy Spirit.
Now, a word of caution. Because we are human, we are bent to attempt and bring about our own restoration. For example, if we suffer some form of financial loss in today’s society, what do we do? Sue. Sue the employer that wrongfully fired me. Sue the dealership that sold me the lemon vehicle. Or in the case of our very own Clays Mill Road body of Christ community just down the street, sue the church you bought the property from that you don’t think lived up to their end of the deal.
If we want to be restored, we take it in our own hands. Okay? You ready? Don’t miss this. True restoration comes at the hand of the Holy Spirit, and begins with repentance.
As you read through the prophets, you will hear the blasts of apostasy, and the chastisement of the people being proclaimed. And then you will read the promises of restoration. God will take away our iniquity. God will love us freely. God will bring forth righteousness.
And couched between these two events is always the same thing. . .repentance. Turn to God. Quit relying on our own works, our own power, our own efforts to bring about restoration. Turn to God, and receive times of refreshing in the presence of the Lord. Receive the restoration of the Holy Spirit.
(Time Check) There are three primary areas I believe God is moving with a desire to bring about restoration through the Holy Spirit.
First, in restoring intimacy with God. (Revelation 19:7-9: The bride imagery – marriage – intimacy)
And Revelation speaks of that fine linen of the bride being the righteous acts of the saints. That leads to the second act of restoration.
Restoring the righteous image of God through the church. When we look at the church today. Big “C”. The church. Do we see fine linen, clean and bright, righteous acts?
You don’t have to like me for saying it, or agree with me for that matter, but I don’t believe the church today is what God desires it to be. I think it is very far from it. But I do believe God still purposes and longs to restore the church into the righteous image for which He commissioned it.
Here’s a great Easter verse that ties directly to this, 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Christ, who knew no sin, became sin. Died on the cross. Why? So that we might become the righteousness of God. The bride of Christ. The restored church.
And third, I believe God is moving with restoration power through the Holy Spirit towards the restoration of the tabernacle of David.
Quick Snapshot – When David was able to establish the tabernacle in Jerusalem there was a revolutionary shift from the tabernacle of Moses, with the Most Holy Place and the ark of the covenant. Without violating the Mosaic law, David was able to build a spirit of intimacy between the people and the Lord. To bring worship down to a more personal level. That was the spirit of the tabernacle of David.
Today, I believe God wants to bring about a similar restoration. Moving away from legalism, judgmentalism, and condemnation, and turning a hurting world into the loving arms of God.
The restoration of the tabernacle of David is a sermon in itself. . .probably a series of sermons. . .that maybe we will get back to later this year.
Bibles down. Pens down. Hang in there with me a few more minutes. Look up here. Let’s ask ourselves the question, what does this mean for us?
Corporately, God desires that we repent, enter into times of refreshing, and experience as a church body, the restoration of our intimacy and righteousness found only in Him. That simple.
And yet a bit more complicated, because of what this mean for you, and for me?
You see, it all begins at an individual level. The body of Christ can not be intimate with Him, cannot be the righteousness of God collectively, unless at the individual level people are repenting, entering into times of refreshing, and experiencing the restoration power of the Holy Spirit in their individual lives.
The whole is greater than the sum of the parts, but the wholeness of the parts, leads to the wholeness of the body.
So there are three questions that as we go to prayer this morning, I would like each of us to ask ourselves.
- What do I need to repent of in my life?
- Where do I need to be refreshed?
- Where do I need to anticipate the Holy Spirit’s abundant restoration?
