Completely Restored (Luke 24:1-16)
Gary McManus, 04/05/2015Part of the Jesus Came to Restore series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
Easter Sunday; the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead
“More Than Completely Restored”
God’s Word uses the word restore several times:
Mark 3:5 (NIV): “ his hand was completely restored. “
Mark 8:25 (NIV)
“. . . his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. “
1 Peter 5:10(NIV)
“ And the God of all grace,. . . will himself restore you
and make you strong, firm and steadfast. “
Jesus came to restore us in all the ways
we need restoration (Acts 3:18-21, 1 Peter 5:10,
Mark 3:5, Galatians 6:1).
See also Isaiah 61:1-3 Isaiah 49:8-9, Jeremiah 31:31-34, Luke 19:8
The Bible = God’s instruction book. . .
but much more.
The Bible = God’s agenda book. . .
The Bible tells us what God is doing.
God intends to SAVE this world.
”We are either in the process of resisting God’s truth
or in the process of being shaped and molded by His truth.”
--Dr. Charles Stanley
Warren Wiersbe: “we don’t really need an
EXPLANATION from God, we need a revelation
from God. . .we need to see God’s view.”
What WAS God’s agenda?
(See Luke 19:42)
The Roman’s agenda would be broken.
Jesus brings the Kingdom of God.
Jeremiah 31:31-34; That’s God’s agenda.
That Holy Week long ago, even the disciples would have
to suffer terrible disappointment; a broken relationship
with Jesus, and grieve his death. Only then were
they restored by the risen Christ.
God has a plan. God has an agenda. We read some of it
in God’s Word. Let us get God’s perspective.
Faith is NOT resignation. Faith is active.
Faith is working with God’s agenda.
David Ring’s testimony:
No one knows why their plans, hopes, dreams,
and work DON’T WORK. David Ring asked the questions.
. . .Eventually, he stopped asking WHY and began asking
the question WHAT—“What, Lord, do you want me to do?”
”I am making all things new.”
--Revelation 21:5
Our God is the God of the surprise ending.
WE don’t decide the ending—God
in Christ decides the ending.
WE are either MOVING with what God is doing
or we are resisting what God is doing. (John 5:17)
“God is ready and eager to heal you and restore you.”
--Victor Marx
(See Romans 5:8)
Jesus was dead and sealed. . .officially sealed in his tomb.
Jesus was not only dead; Jesus was OFFICIALLY dead.
Jesus was dead by the action of Rome. Jesus’ death had been
witnessed and officially attested to by Roman officials.
But then what happened?
The seal was broken by a greater power. . .a power greater
than the Roman government broke the SEAL of the Roman
government. The Father God’s agenda triumphed.
No human agency. . .no earthly power
would stop the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
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