Feb. 21, 2010

Restoration, Making Things New

SERMON STARTER

 

          This is the second Sunday of Lent. Lent is the six weeks before Easter when traditional Christian believers set aside time for deep reflection, introspection, self-examination and renewal. Last week I spoke on the subject of the overwhelming love of God. This week I am examining restoration and God’s promise that He is making all things new.

          We could all use a bit of restoration. Our energy levels wane as we age and muscles everywhere sag. The apostle Paul wrote, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” 2 Corinthians 4:16  Just because your physical muscles sag, your spiritual muscles (faith) don’t have to sag, too.

          Last week in a six day period, I did three funerals for the funeral home where I work part-time. Needless to say, I’ve been emotionally wiped out ever since. Public speaking, especially in the area of comforting the broken-hearted, is particularly draining. I almost need four hours of recovery time for every one hour I spend in a public service.

          Right now I could use some restoration. So could we all, however, our local weatherman says that another six days of snow and bad weather is coming. We are all looking forward to Spring and the end of snow shoveling and snow removal. God is reminding us in the two powerful texts in this sermon, God is making all things new. How we long for that renewing and refreshing.

 

Agape,

Pastor Phil  <><<

  

 

February 21, 2010

Pastor Phil Roland – Sheepfold Ministries

Restoration, Making Things New

Isaiah 16:21 – Revelation 21:1-7

“Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful." Rev. 21:5

 

RESTORATION:

“RESTORE” = Hebrew = SA-LAM = “Peace in all you do”

 "So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The crawling locust, The consuming locust, And the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you.” Joel 2:25,26

 

I.  GOD SENDS BOTH TRAGEDIES AND RESTORATION?

          A. Sowing and Reaping / Man’s Painful Consequences

                        1. God is not mocked – Galatians 6:7

                            “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man                                       sows, that he will also reap.”

                        2. “If I always do what I’ve always done,

                              I’ll always get what I’ve always got.”

            B. God sent Israel destruction, because they turned from Him

                        1. There is a way that SEEMS right to a man – Prov. 14:12

                           “There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of

                             death.”

                        2. Addict’s Self-Talk – “It seemed right to me so I. . .”

                                    a. Each person becomes their own God

                                    b. Each one writes their own Ten Commandments

 

II.  GOD SENDS HIS RESTORING POWER

          A. God doesn’t rescue us from our sinful consequences

                        1. No one gets a “Free Pass” – No “Get out of Jail Free Card”

                        2. Sin’s wages are expensive – Romans 6:23

                            “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in                                Christ Jesus our Lord.”

a. Charisma = Grace / Freely given gift

b. God's unearned gift of grace given to the undeserving

            B. He comes to us in the midst of our consequences with His Mercy

                        1. Christ died knowing your sin(s) - Romans 5:6-8

                           “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died

                             for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet

                             perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But

                             God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were

                             still sinners, Christ died for us.”

                        2. Physical consequences still demand payment

                        3. Spiritual consequences Nailed to the Cross – Col. 2:13-15

“And you, being dead in your trespasses. . . He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of

RESTORATION, MAKING THINGS NEW, cont.

 

requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.”

          C. God is in the Humanity Recycling Business – New lives for old

 

III.  WHEN GOD RESTORES YOU, DON’T LOOK BACK

“"Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old.” Isaiah 43:18

        A. Don’t Brood over Past History – God doesn’t – Hebrews 10:16,17

              "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the                 LORD: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write

                them," “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more."

1. Don’t brood over your past mistakes

2. Learn from them and go on

            B. The backward look can produce failure – Romans 7:18,19

                “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to

                  will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.

                  For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that

                  I practice.”

            C. Olympian Athletes Never look back

                        1. Press for the Victor’s Line – Philippians 3:13,14

                            “. . .one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and                                   reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward

                              the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

                        2. Athletes who make a mistake, get up and press on

            D. The crocuses will be pressing up from their sleep of death

                        1. It irresistibly pokes its head through the dirt

                        2. It forgets the killing frost that started it’s long slumber

                        3. It drinks of the Spring rains and warms in the melting sun

                        4. You are God’s bulbs of potential

 

IV.  GOD IS “MAKING NEW” YOUR FUTURE – Rev. 21:1-7

            A. God is making a New Earth and a New Heaven – v. 1

               “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the

                 first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.”

                        1. Earth as it was before the Fall of Adam

                        2. Earth as it was meant to be

                        3. Heaven as it was in the beginning w/o clouds, rain

                        4. Heaven as God created it

            B. The place of worship as it was in the beginning – v. 2a

                 “Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of                         heaven from God,”

                        1. Not a multi-million dollar extravagancy

                        2. Not something that moth and rust corrupt

                        3. Not a building that is designed and created w/human hands

            C. God will be in this place of Worship – v. 3

                 “And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle                        of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His                       people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.”

The Touch of the Master's Hand

Myra Brooks Welch

It was battered and scarred, And the auctioneer thought it Hardly worth his while To waste his time on the old violin, But he held it up with a smile. "What am I bid, good people", he cried, "Who starts the bidding for me?" "One dollar, one dollar, Do I hear two?" "Two dollars, who makes it three?" "Three dollars once, three dollars twice, going for three",

But, No, From the room far back a grey haired man Came forward and picked up the bow, Then wiping the dust from the old violin And tightening up the strings, He played a melody, pure and sweet, As sweet as the angel sings.

The music ceased and the auctioneer With a voice that was quiet and low, Said "What now am I bid for this old violin?" As he held it aloft with its' bow. "One thousand, one thousand, Do I hear two?" "Two thousand, Who makes it three?" "Three thousand once, three thousand twice, Going and gone", said he.

The audience cheered, But some of them cried, "We just don't understand." "What changed its' worth?" Swift came the reply. "The Touch of the Masters Hand."

And many a man with life out of tune, All battered with bourbon and gin, Is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd Much like that old violin. A mess of pottage, a glass of wine, A game and he travels on. He is going once, he is going twice, He is going and almost gone. But the Master comes, And the foolish crowd never can quite understand, The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought By the Touch of the Master's Hand.

          "The Master's Hand" was written by Myra Brooks Welch. She was called "The poet with the singing soul." Her's was a very musical family. As a young woman, Myra's special love was playing the organ.

          In 1921, she heard a speaker address a group of students. She said she became filled with light, and "Touch of the Master's Hand wrote itself in 30 minutes!" She sent it anonymously to her church news bulletin. She felt it was a gift from God, and didn't need her name on it. It's popularity spread like magic.

          Finally, several years later, the poem was read at a religious international convention - "author unknown." A young man stood up and said, "I know the author, and it's time the world did too. It was written by my mother, Myra Welch."

Then her name, as well her other beautiful works of poetry became known worldwide. All of her poetry told of the rejoicing she had in God's love.

          What the world did not see, was the woman who created these masterpieces: Myra in her wheelchair, battered and scarred from severe arthritis, which had taken away her ability to make music. Instead, her musical soul spoke through her poetry.

          She took one pencil in each of her badly deformed hands. Using the eraser end, she would slowly type the words, the joy of them outweighing the pain of her efforts. Her words, a joyous expression of the wonders of life, as seen by a singing soul that was touched by the Master's Hand.

          As a friend turned to leave her home, Myra patted the arm of her wheelchair and said, "And I thank God for this!" Imagine being grateful for a wheelchair! But her talent lay undiscovered prior to her wheelchair days. Rather than becoming bitter, she chose to let her handicap make her better, and a wonderful new door opened for her.