Sermon Central
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Restoration Project
Contributed by Gene Escoe on May 9, 2011 (message contributor)
Summary: How do we restore a brother who how has fallen away.
Restoration Project
INTRODUCTION:
Stool Video - The Christian struggles with giving control to JC and finally takes it back.
So where does she go now? What will she do now? Things could go really well or really bad. A lot of it may depend on how her Christian friends react.
Will they gossip and run her name in the mud?
Will they help her excuse her sin and say others are just being judgmental who say anything ?
Will they join her in her choice to continue to “play church” or walk away from the church?
Will they join her in griping about the Sunday School lessons or sermons that God sends to her to convict her/them of what they are doing?
Will they simply give up on her and just walk away?
Lots of people like to restore things. Some people like to restore furniture. Some people restore old art. Some restore houses. We had a friend when we lived in Wylie that liked to restore old farms: repair the land, rebuild ponds, replace fences, rebuild the old barns, restore the houses. He did some amazing work. Lots of people like to restore THINGS; maybe your one of those people. There is just something amazing about taking something that is broken and worthless and turning it into something of value.
I like to restore or fix up old cars. I have been involved in a few of these projects. I can’t explain it, but there is a real satisfaction when a project goes well. There is also a heartbreak when things don’t. For example, the VW bug we had when we got here. We tried and tried to fix the car up: cleaned out the interior, replaced the engine, put in a new clutch, replaced the tires, polished the chrome, etc. However, over time we realized that this particular car just didn’t want to stay together. It was frustrating. We sold it to someone else who needed a parts car.
On the other hand, my race car has been fun to take from something someone simply threw parts at without regard for what it could be and slowly turn this car into something that we have had a lot of fun with.
There are all kinds of restoration projects out there for people to pour themselves into. That’s what I want to talk about today. . Jesus Christ believes in restoration projects. You see we are all restoration projects with different levels of needs. JC came to restore everyone of us. The key is whether we will be like the Bug I had where no matter how many parts JC throws at you will you refuse to be restored, or will you be like most of the other projects I have been involved with where with a little work and a lot of love things turned out really well. It’s really up to you.
This morning Paul explains what to do when a fellow Believer fails. Paul explains to us how to restore a believer back to good standing with JC. We all know countless numbers of people who have “fallen away” because they mistakenly think they have:
1. done too much to come back
2. Gotten their feelings hurt about something to the point they don’t want anything to do with JC.
3. Etc.
(Read the scripture reference.)
I. Paul uses an imperative when he says “Restore!”, not should restore.
II. Restoring someone takes a certain amount of Spiritual maturity.
A. Be humble and check yourself, but don’t use your immaturity as an excuse to do nothing.
B. If you are mature enough then act.
C. If you are not then find someone who is mature enough.
III. Treat them like family.
A. Recognize they are a brother/sister, not a “loser” or lesser person.
B. Restore them with gentleness, humility and courtesy.
C. Recognize the danger of the sin they are in:
1. These people are caught in this, like a fish in a net.
2. Be humble and recognize this sin can get you caught also by it’s net.
D.
IV. Helping carry this person’s sin burden to The Cross is fulfilling the Law of JC.
Vs. 2
CONCLUSION:
This morning as we opened this sermon with a video, could you relate to Kathleen? Did you say to yourself “hey that’s me”? Maybe today you are the one that needs to be restored, need to open yourself up to JC’s restoring touch. If so then I want you to know that there is hope for you. I know you may be feeling hopeless because that’s where Satan wants you to be. I would encourage you to come forward during our invitation time. Let’s talk about how much JC loves you and wants to restore things.
