MINISTRY OF RESTORATION
Gal. 6:1-2
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR: THE TAILGATER
1. A stressed-out man on a busy street was tailgating a woman. Suddenly, the light turned yellow just in front of her. She did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though she could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.
2. The tailgating man hit the roof and the horn, screaming in frustration as he missed his chance to get through the intersection on her bumper.
3. As he was still in mid-rant, he heard a tap on the window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer.
4. The police officer ordered the man to exit the car with his hands up. He was searched, handcuffed, and placed him in the back seat of the patrol car.
5. After almost thirty minutes of interaction on his radio and in-car computer, the officer let the man out and released him.
6. He said, “I’m sorry for this mistake. I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the lady in front of you and cussing a blue streak at her. I noticed the ‘Choose Life’ license plate holder, the ‘What Would Jesus Do?’ bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Fish emblem on the trunk. So naturally, I assumed you had stolen the car.”
B. TEXT
“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, you who are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering yourself, lest you also be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Gal. 6:1-2
C. THESIS
1. We're going to look at the Ministry of restoration, the Manner of restoration, and the Motive of restoration.
2. The title of this message is (surprise!) "The Ministry of Restoration."
I. THE MINISTRY OF RESTORATION
A. MEANING OF “RESTORE”
1. This same Greek word is used in:
a. Matthew 4:21 of "repairing nets."
b. Liddell and Scott say, "setting a broken limb."
2. ILLUSTRATION
a. A boy fell from a tree. He broke his elbow and it was an ugly compound fracture, with the bone protruding from the skin.
b. A man came along. 3 approaches:
1). He Could have lectured him, "Boy, you should not have climbed that tree and gotten out on that limb." [There's a time for that, but not now. First fix the bone!]
2). "This is none of my business; this isn't my boy, property, or tree." [But Jesus doesn't do that. He sets the bone first.]
3). We should help the boy as Jesus would.
B. “OVERTAKEN”: NIV -"caught in a sin"
1. Sometimes even the most unexpected people will make mistakes!
2. ILLUS.: True story from Reader’s Digest
a. “My flight was delayed in Houston. Since the gate was needed for another flight, our aircraft was backed away from the terminal, and we were directed to a new gate.
b. We all found the new gate, only to discover a third gate had been designated for our plane.
c. Finally, everyone got on board the right plane, and the flight attendant announced: "We apologize for the gate change. This flight is going to Washington DC. If your destination is not Washington DC, you should deplane at this time.”
d. A moment later a red-faced pilot emerged from the cockpit, carrying his bags. "Sorry," he said, "wrong plane!"
3. Do Christians make mistakes? Even sin? What should we do when Christians fail? Even God's people can be overtaken by a fault. The Bible shows its heroes, warts and all.
4. Examples of those restored:
a. Moses -- was a great man, yet there was a time that he 1). Ran from God, 2). Murdered, 3). Was on the backside of the desert 40 years.
b. David -- fell into a trap. Entangled in lust, murder and shame. But Nathan restored him in a spirit of meekness.
c. Woman caught in Adultery; Mary Magdalene; or the Woman at the Well.
d. Peter -- who cursed, swore, denied Jesus 3x. Probably some unbelievers said, "Yes! Look at Peter ‘the Rock!’ What a joke! I had my suspicions all along." But he became the Apostle of Pentecost.
e. John Mark – 1). He became a turncoat and quit the Ministry. 2). But thank God there was a Barnabas who restored him. Now there’s a Book of Mark. 3). Paul refused to take Mark along, but later said he was "profitable" for the ministry.
C. ONLY QUALIFICATION
1. "You who are spiritual."
2. We should all be ‘restorers.’
II. THE MANNER OF RESTORATION
A. GENTLY (Meekness)
1. When a person is broken, you must handle them gently.
2. ILLUSTRATION: Two girls were talking about a moral difficulty. One commented, "If I got in trouble, the people at church would be the last ones I'd want to know." It shouldn't be that way. We should be the first ones that they’d go to.
B. HUMBLY
1. Reason? "Lest you also be tempted."
2. The fact is, you may someday be the person who has fallen, and you may need reconciliation/ restoration.
3. You may say, "I'll never fall!" But Paul said, "Wherefore let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall" 1 Cor. 10:12. “Pride goes before a fall."
4. Sin is a built-in weakness. All it needs is an opportunity. "Watch out!" Be merciful now because tomorrow YOU may need mercy.
C. SYMPATHETICALLY
1. Verse 2: "Bear one another's burdens..."
2. "Burdens" = oppressive weights. It also describes the load in a soldier's backpack. You can't transfer it. No one can repent for you, pray for you, win souls for you.
3. A "Burden" brought on by sin. Guilty conscience.
a. Psalm 51 -- David's knew he had shamefully failed God. The devil whispered, "God is through with you!"
b. Moses, David, Peter, John Mark -- all heard these words! But the devil is a liar!
c. When Israel rejected God’s leadership and wanted a king, God rebuked them for their departure, but said, “You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart” 1 Sam. 12:20.
d. This verse has always encouraged me that even if I failed, God still wants me to serve Him.
III. THE MOTIVE OF RESTORATION
A. LOVE
1. Vs. 2. What is the "Law of Christ?" "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
2. “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” Eph. 4:32. Esp. members of the Body of Christ.
3. Every broken brother is a wound in my own life.
B. HOW SOON RESTORED?
1. CHS was asked, "When can a Christian who has fallen be used again?"
2. He answered, "When that person’s repentance is as notorious as his sin."
CONCLUSION
A. FINAL THOUGHTS
1. A "moment" (single mistake) is not the measure of a man or woman.
2. Just because we stumble doesn't mean God is finished with us. If God only gave us one chance, most of us would be "out."
3. Mending takes time.
4. If every broken Christian in our community were restored, think how many would fill the churches!
5. Someone needs your Ministry of restoration.
B. ILLUSTRATION
1. A member of a church board fell into sin. The pastor called together the other board members, and with love and compassion he told them the sad story.
2. Then he asked them this question: "If you had been tempted as our brother was, what would you have done?"
3. The first man, confidence of his ability to withstand temptation, said, "I'm sure I would’ve never given in to that sin." Several others made the same statement.
4. Finally the last member of the board, a man deeply respected, said, "Pastor, I feel that if I had been tempted as he was, I would’ve probably fallen even lower." There was silence.
5. Then the pastor said, "You’re the one I want to go with me to talk to our erring brother and try to restore him to fellowship." [Because he would be so forgiving.]
C. THE CALL
1. Some of you are the ones who've stumbled, made mistakes, and failed. Others have judged you, hurt you.
2. Some of you feel like God is finished with you; that He won’t use you -- you'll never measure up.
3. It's a lie from the pits of hell! God wants you to be restored tonight! COME! "Restore” is a command.
4. Do you know someone who's away from God and needs to be restored? Will you go and do your duty with them? Restore them; "set the broken limb."
