Refreshing Restoration

The United Church of God presents Steve Myers with a sermon titled, Refreshing Restoration. It was recorded October 17, 2011, in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. But we all want to be healthy, don't we? We all want to be strong and invigorated, especially here at the feast. We want to be revitalized. Are you refreshed? Hopefully you are. There is a scripture over in Acts 3, verse 19 that talks specifically about that. Acts 3, verse 19, sometimes it's been called the pivotal scripture of the entire Bible. Acts 3, verse 19. You may even know most of it by heart.

Acts 3, verse 19. This pivotal scripture says, Repent therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

Now, as we consider this scripture, what does this little section of this very first sermon that was spoken when the church began in 31 A.D., what does that have to do with the feast? What are these times of refreshing? What about the times of restoration, of which Peter was speaking? What is that all about? Well, let's take a few minutes to examine Acts 3, verse 19, in the light of refreshing restoration. Refreshing restoration. Well, what is it that needs to be restored? Let's think about that second half of that passage, the restoration of all things. What needs to be restored? Well, if we think back when man was first created, God created mankind to have a relationship with him.

And so what was it like? It was perfect. When things began, it was wonderful. You could characterize it by love and peace and harmony and obedience to God's law. Remember what God said at the completion of his creation? He said it was very good. It was a wonderful thing, a fantastic thing. And yet it wasn't too long before something critical happened. What happened? Well, Satan deceived Eve and Adam.

Man's disobedience then led to the lack of peace. It ended peace. It ended harmony. It ended that right relationship that they initially had with God. And so the result was disobedience. The result was man being cut off from God's way. Remember what it says in Genesis 6.5? I won't turn there. But it talks about the tragic results of man's disobedience. Because ultimately, as time went on, it said the wickedness of man was great in the earth.

And it was so great that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Boy, what a difference from the way God created things, that ultimately it became evil continually. Sin and death began to reign. Through that one man, through Adam, sin and death began to reign. And it spread to all because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. And so when you think about Acts chapter 3 and verse 19, verse 21, where God talks about the times of restoration of all things, we can step back here at the feast and realize that God's plan is restoration.

Would that be fair to say that? That God's plan is to renew a relationship with man. God's plan is to repair what he initially created, to refurbish mankind, to refurbish the earth and restore it to what God originally intended. And that's what we're here for. We're symbolizing that here at the feast of tabernacles.

We're looking forward to the time that Christ will return and establish God's government right here on this earth. Satan will be banished because through sin and then death, that relationship with God has been destroyed. God's plan is restoration. And we can know that God's plan is restoration. Let's look at a couple of examples that point to the fact that God's plan is restoration. He gives us several physical examples and then he also points us forward. So let's think about that for a minute.

Think about the evidence of restoration. The first one is the example that probably comes to all of our minds when we come to the days of Unleavened Bread. The days of Unleavened Bread remind us that the Israelites were freed from captivity, from the captivity of Egypt, weren't they? And Israel was restored. That's number one. The Israelites were restored. We have that example of God restoring them to the promised land, to the land that he promised to Abraham, that before Joseph went down to Egypt, that's where they lived.

Look over at Exodus 6, verse 6. Exodus 6, verse 6 reminds us of the plan of God restoring his people because here we have the evidence that the Israelites were restored. Exodus 6, verse 6. Notice what God says to the Israelites here in Exodus 6. In verse 6, he says, therefore say to the children of Israel, I am the Lord. I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I will rescue you from their bondage.

I will redeem you with an outstretched arm, with great judgments. I will take you as my people, and I will be your God. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. So what was God doing? God was restoring those Israelites back to the Promised Land. He was rescuing them. He was redeeming them, it says in verse 6, restoring them, delivering them to serve God and not serve Pharaoh any longer. So God proved his plan physically right there with the Israelites, that they were restored to the land.

And what a wonderful restoration that was. Remember how they went into the Promised Land with a high hand? They crossed over the Jordan, and that river parted just like the Red Sea. It was a phenomenal experience. And under Joshua, were times ever better for the Israelites? What a restoration it was. Of course, one of the challenges then was Satan doesn't give up that easy, does he? He doesn't give up. And it wasn't that much farther down the road when the Israelites and then the Jews went into captivity.

Well, God didn't give up on them, did he? If we fast forward a little bit to the times of the Babylonian captivity, the Jews had been carried off into Babylon. What had happened? Well, the temple had been destroyed. The people were carted off. Remember the story of Daniel and the lions dead? All that was over in Babylon. And so here were God's people, the Jewish people, in captivity in Babylon. But God didn't give up on his plan of restoration. So we have evidence of a second restoration, and that's where the Jews were restored from Babylon. Take a look over at Ezra, chapter 1, verse 2. We look over at Ezra, chapter 1, right at the very beginning of the book. We see something interesting recorded for us here, right at the very beginning of the book of Ezra.

Chapter 1, verse 2. I'll read this from the new century version. It might be a little bit different than your new King James or your King James. Here we find the evidence of restoration from God in Ezra, chapter 1, verse 2. It says this is what Cyrus, king of Persia, says.

He says, the Lord, the God of heaven, has given all the kingdoms of the earth to me.

So Cyrus was in charge as the Persian government overthrew the Babylonians, and it says he's appointed me to build a temple at Jerusalem in Judah. So as charge of all the Jews, here's the king now saying, you can go back. Verse 3, may God be with all of you who are his people. You are free to go to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, who is in Jerusalem. So after the Babylonian captivity, Cyrus gives the order, and they may go back. And what are they to do? They're to build the temple. To build the temple. That's also interesting to see in verse 4. It says, those who stay behind should support those who go. Gives those instructions to those who even stay behind. So imagine the temple in ruins and in need of restoration. And of course that tabernacle, representing rest, symbolizing peace, symbolizing God's government, symbolizing prosperity. You see, that was in contrast to the hardship that they had in captivity. The difficulties, the slavery, the ruin that their lives became. Because how could the Jews even worship God properly without the temple? It was impossible, wasn't it? In fact, it's impossible today for the Jews to really worship their God properly without the temple. It's not possible. It wasn't possible then. So they're sent back, and they are to restore the temple. Imagine your life in ruin and then having to restore things.

Reminding me of a plant I read about the other day. It's called the fireweed. Anyone ever heard of the fireweed? Maybe a few of you. It was really prominent in Alaska, Greenland, the Yukon, areas where it grows. But there's something very interesting about the fireweed.

It has the name fireweed because of what it does. After a forest fire, or if there's a fire on the plains that just destroys all the vegetation, guess what's the very first plant that begins to grow? It's the fireweed. The fireweed begins to grow. In fact, it's also called the bomb weed. Because during World War II, when bombs decimated the areas around those northern areas of the world, guess what was the first plant to begin to grow? In those craters of ash where those bombs had exploded, the fireweed would begin to sprout. And so it's called a restorative plant. A restorative plant. Because where it grows best, where it's most dense, is where it had previously been burned out, or other vegetation had been destroyed. So it sprouts up through the ashes. It sprouts up where fire has devastated the landscape. So imagine this amazing plant. The fireweed grows best where there's been destruction. The fireweed grows best where there's been chaos, where there's been havoc wreaked over the land. The fireweed is the weed that grows and flourishes. What a reminder of God's restorative power. What a reminder that God redeems not just the land that's burned out, but more importantly, He redeems us. He restores us. Anyone had a fire in their life this year? Anyone had destruction in their life this last year, since last feast? Maybe a little chaos, challenges, difficulties, trials?

I think probably all of us could put up our hand in one of those adjectives. There's been challenges, there's been difficulties, there's been trials, there's been destruction. And yet there's an important analogy here that we are the fireweed, aren't we? You know, through God's amazing restorative powers, He wants us to be that fireweed that will grow and flourish where there's been challenges, where there's been trials, where there's been destruction, where there's been difficulties, God, through His Holy Spirit, could cause us to flourish. Because we need restoration, don't we? Just like those Jews coming back from the Babylonian captivity, we need to rebuild the temple of God. And of course today, that's us. Because we've not only been ravished by these outside challenges, outside difficulties, challenges and trials in life, but you know there's also this inside problem that we all have. That's sin. Sin.

We need to grow and flourish in spite of the sin that challenges us. As we turn to God and we repent and we change, we're to be like that fireweed and sprout up through the ashes of devastation and become a work of God. And you know, God is faithful that even though our life may be in ashes, through His Spirit we can grow and we can flourish. I mean, even imagine, as we have served God our entire life and our life fire begins to burn out, we look forward to the time when God will restore us in the Kingdom, don't we? We look forward to that time when we can be a spiritual fireweed and God will restore our lives. And we can count on it because He's given us evidence of restoration, hasn't He? He's shown us so clearly that He is the God of restoration. He's looking forward to the times of the restoration of all things. He restored the Israelites into the Promised Land. He brought the Jews back from the Babylonian captivity. And He looks forward to the time when Israel, spiritual Israel, will be restored. Look forward to the Kingdom of God. There's a great example of this over in Ezekiel chapter 36, verse 33. Let's notice this third example of the evidence of restoration, and that is the prophecy of the restoration of Israel. Now we're looking forward to the Kingdom of God when Jesus Christ will return. He's going to restore His people, Israel. He's going to bring them back to the Promised Land once again. These physical people will come back to Israel. And of course, we're going to be helping. Hopefully we'll be spirit at that time, reigning and ruling with Christ. And as He brings back His physical people, Ezekiel 36, verse 33 reminds us of this wonderful prophecy. So if you get beyond Jeremiah, if we get to the book of Ezekiel, before the book of Daniel, Ezekiel chapter 36, verse 33, it says, Thus says the Lord God, On the day I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will also enable you to dwell in the cities, and the ruins shall be rebuilt. We know the difficulties that are on the horizon. We know the destruction that is going to come upon the earth. We know the Great Tribulation and the difficulties that will happen. And if God doesn't step in, mankind would destroy itself, wouldn't it? But God's going to step in, and things are going to have to be rebuilt and restored. And so He says He's going to bring this physical people, these Israelites, back to Israel, and things will be restored. Verse 34, The desolate land shall be tilled, instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass by. Restoration. Verse 35, So they will say, This land was desolate, yet has become like the garden of Eden. Boy, that's a change, isn't it? It says, The wasted, desolate, ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited. Then the nations that are left all around you shall know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted what was desolate. I, the Lord, have spoken it, and I will do it.

You think God is looking forward to that time? When mankind will finally be under the government of God, Christ will have returned as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and God's government will be restored. What an amazing time we're picturing here at the feast that God will restore not only the land, not only those people, his Israelites back into the Promised Land, but He's going to restore relationships. He's going to restore the conditions that existed at the Garden of Eden before mankind's fall, before the time that sin separated man from God. So we're not talking about just a physical change here. We're going to have a part to play in a spiritual change, a change that will take place among those people who are alive. Those Israelites who are restored will become the shining example to all the nations around, as God initially intended for Israel. And what an exciting thing for you and I. We have the opportunity to be at the heart of that plan. Isn't that an amazing thing? You talk about restoration. You talk about God's plan. And God is so awesome that He wants to include us as a part of that restoration. It's an amazing thing when you begin to think about that. An amazing plan that God has to restore all things. Now that takes us back to Acts 3.19.

Acts 3.19, we saw in verse 21 about the restoration of all things. Remember verse 19 in Acts 3, it said, Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. Now that's different than the restoration. So here we have refreshing. Refreshing. I know many of us got here to Gatlinburg by driving. How many of you drove to the feast here? Okay, almost everybody it seems. Anyone fly here? Okay, we've got a few, oh actually quite a few of you flew at least nearby and then probably had to get a car and come over. It always seems that flying is an interesting experience. Any of you have an interesting experience flying here to the feast? Almost all the same people have their hand up. Well, I've heard about an interesting, talk about refreshing, they refresh these planes. They're supposed to refresh the planes after each flight. And one of the things they do to make sure the planes are ready to go is that the pilots are supposed to fill out what they call a gripe sheet. And this this sheet, gripe sheet, we'll get it right, and what they do is they fill out any of the problems that they may have had preparing for the flight, in flight, landing, all of those sorts of things. What they do is they're supposed to tell the mechanics, any of the issues, any of the problems that they encountered during the preparation, the takeoff, in flight, or during the landing that that need to be repaired. And so they're supposed to refresh their aircraft to make sure it's ready to go for that next flight. And so they need to correct any of those gripes that show up on that gripe sheet. And so someone sent me a list of these things that supposedly was a true list of gripes that the pilots had about their planes. And then, of course, on this gripe sheet, the engineers, the mechanics, are supposed to write the solution to those gripes. So whatever the problem was, those engineers are supposed to fix it and record what they did in order to solve that problem. So one gripe sheet went like this. The pilot wrote, Left inside main tire almost needs to be replaced.

The mechanics replied and wrote on the gripe sheet, almost replaced left inside tire.

The pilot wrote, Number 3, engine seems to be missing. The mechanics wrote, Engine found on right wing after brief search. The pilots wrote, Evidence of a leak on right main landing gear. The mechanics wrote, Evidence removed. The pilots wrote, Dead bugs on windshield. The mechanics wrote, Live bugs on back order.

The pilots wrote, Aircraft handles funny.

Mechanics wrote, Airplane worn to straighten up, fly right, and be serious. The pilots wrote, There's a mouse in the cockpit.

Mechanics wrote, Cat installed.

The pilots wrote, Target radar hums.

The mechanics wrote, Reprogram target radar with lyrics. The pilots wrote, Noise coming from under instrument panel sounds like a little kid pounding on something with a hammer.

Mechanics wrote, Took hammer away from little kid.

I don't know if your job is like that, but sometimes you can even handle problems in a refreshing kind of a way. Is it possible to do that? These guys must have had a lot of fun on their jobs and hopefully they actually fixed it. I was told that this particular airline had not had any accidents in spite of the way that they handled these problems, but hopefully that is the case. But it is refreshing when you handle difficult situations in a fun way, in a positive way. And boy, is God going to handle things in a positive way. Is God looking forward to the times of refreshing? That passage there in Acts 3, 19, it's an interesting one because when he talks about the times, that's not talking about like time when you look at your watch or you get out your phone and you look at the time on your phone or your watch. That's talking about seasons, the seasons that God looks forward to seasons of refreshing, seasons of refreshing. And that word refreshing only shows up twice in your Bible. It's only two times in the Bible and it's interesting this particular one carries the meaning of being cooled off.

So this is a great one for us young people. I'll include myself in there. We all want to be cool, don't we? Well, this is talking about a right kind of cool. To be refreshed, to be cooled off, to be recovered or revived, that word can mean. God is looking forward to the seasons of refreshing, the seasons of being cooled and revived like you've got cold water splashed in your face and you wake up. That's kind of what God's referring to here. That kind of refreshing. Now, with that in mind, can you think of any seasons of refreshing? How about right now? How about right now? Here at the feast, the feast is a time of refreshing, isn't it? The feast is a time of refreshing. Think back to Leviticus 23. We know that passage lists all the holy days in the Sabbath as God's holy days, His time. What does it tell us to do at the feast? We're to be refreshed. We're to come here and rejoice before the Lord for seven days. That's a time of refreshing, isn't it? That's a time to be revived and have that cool water of the Word splashed in our face so that we're rejuvenated once again. There's a wonderful song in the Psalms, Psalm 84 verse 5. Turn over there if you would. Psalm 84 verse 5 refers to the feast. In fact, it refers to the time that this feast will ultimately be fulfilled.

Look at Psalm 84 verse 5.

The feast is that time of refreshing that may immediately come to mind when you think of the occasions or the seasons of refreshing. It is certainly a time to be rejuvenated and revived and reinvigorated and recharging our batteries. It is a season of refreshing. Psalm 84 verse 5, the New Living says, What joy for those whose strength comes from the Lord, who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. You know, the time of the Feast of Tabernacles was a pilgrimage where people would go to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast. This looks forward to that time, ultimately, when it will be fulfilled in the kingdom. Verse 6, when they walk through the valley of weeping, or the valley of bakah, the valley of weeping, we know the tribulation lies ahead, but beyond that valley of tribulation and trial, it says when they walk through it, when they get beyond it, what will it be like? It will be a place of refreshing springs, rejuvenating springs, the water that will restore and refresh and invigorate us and recharge us. That's just beyond the troubles. It goes on, the autumn rains will clothe it with blessings. They will continue to grow stronger, and each of them will appear before God in Jerusalem. So there's no doubt the feast, in fact, not just this feast, but all of God's holy days, the Sabbath as well, is a time of refreshing. Maybe that's the one that came to your mind. It's a second occasion of refreshing. We have the holy days, the Feast of Tabernacles and the rest of the holy days, but the Sabbath itself is a second occasion, a second season of refreshment. Isn't it?

Look over to Hebrews chapter 4 verse 8. Let's remind ourselves of the significance of the Sabbath when it comes to being rejuvenated, when it comes to being renewed and revived. The Sabbath is our weekly stop that reminds us of the millennium. It should remind us of God's plan. It should remind us of the refreshment that we get from the Word of God and living His way.

Remember Hebrews chapter 4 verse 8? It's that reminder that we keep the Sabbath, and that's never been done away. There's an important significance to God's holy Sabbath, and we don't forget it. We remember the Sabbath to keep it holy. So over in Hebrews chapter 4 verse 8, it reminds us, for if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoke later about another day. So it wasn't over just because the Israelites came into the Promised Land. It says verse 9, so then a Sabbath rest still remains for the people of God. There is a sabbatism, a keeping of the Sabbath today that remains for the people of God. For those who enter God's rest also cease from their labors, as God did from His. So we don't work on the Sabbath. Remember the creation of the Sabbath. Remember those seven days of creation or re-creation. And that's an important aspect to remember when we think about these seasons of refreshing. The Sabbath restores us from a week of work, doesn't it? It refocuses our attention on God's way. If we started to get off during the week, that seventh day pulls us right back and rejuvenates our way of thinking. In fact, it's an amazing thing, the Sabbath, isn't it? Talk about a refreshing day of the week. He says in verse 11, Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest, that rest of the Sabbath, and ultimately the rest in the kingdom of God, so that no one may fall short through such disobedience as theirs. I'm always amazed when I think of this particular passage. You think of it in terms of being renewed and revitalized, getting those batteries charged up on a weekly basis. You can't help but think back to Exodus. Remember Exodus 31, 17? You know it, you don't have to turn there. God said the Sabbath was a sign between God and His people, and He said it wasn't just for that day, He said it was forever. It was a sign forever, and God inspired probably Moses to record for us on the seventh day He rested. And what does it say God did on that seventh day?

It says He rested and was refreshed.

Remember that back there in Exodus 31, 17? God rested and was refreshed. Oh, God didn't need physical refreshment. You know, He took a sense of accomplishment in that plan that He had in mind for so long that He was looking forward to the time that all things would be fulfilled, all things would be refreshed ultimately in His Kingdom. And so He looked forward, and the Sabbath is one of those seasons He's given us to be refreshed.

Now there's a third refreshment, another season of refreshing. Maybe this one came to your mind. Another season of refreshing is when we come to baptism. When we repent and we come to baptism, it is a time of refreshing, isn't it? Remember Acts 3, 19? What does it say? It said, repent and be converted. Well, if we look back to that time when we entered that water and our sin was washed away and we stood up, we in a sense were resurrected to a new life. We could point to that and say, I was converted then. Now God was working with us probably long before that, but we could point to that event as our conversion. Now we know that was just the start of that conversion because it is a process. It's going to continue on to the time Christ returns. But that conversion, that baptism, that repentance that it took to come to baptism is a time of refreshing. God reminds us of that over in Titus 3, verse 4. Titus 3, verse 4 is certainly a reminder that it wasn't us that brought us to that point. It wasn't through our own good. It wasn't through our own doing. It wasn't through our own way of thinking. It wasn't finding the right church. Titus 3, verse 4 reminds us what it took for us to come to repentance and baptism. What did it take? It's Titus 3, verse 4 says, when the kindness and love of God our Savior.

That's what it took, didn't it? It took God to open our minds to His truth, the kindness, the love of God toward us. That's what it took for us to come to repentance and come to baptism. He says, verse 5, it wasn't by anything we did, not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to His mercy. So here we've got those big three. Kindness, love, and mercy. All of God calling us and drawing us to His way. That's what brought us to God through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. That's what did it. He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior. He poured out His Spirit. He regenerated us. He restored us to a right relationship with Him, to a relationship that He had with Adam and Eve at the very beginning. That's what God wants with us, and He wants to continue to renew us, continue to change us into a Christ-like human being. That's what God wants. So we've got to change our perspective. We've got to continue to change our way of thinking, don't we? That repentance and baptism just began that journey. And so God wants to continue to refresh us as we continue to change, as we continue to repent when we fall. And so I think of the feast, the Sabbath, baptism and repentance are opportunities that God gives us to refocus. He wants us to be rejuvenated. He wants us to have that perspective that I need to change, and I need to continue to repent, and I need to be more Christ-like more than ever before. And so He reminds us that He's there. He wants us to continue to grow and change. Oftentimes at the feast we become so busy. We have so many people we want to see and spend time with, so many activities to do. I suppose in one way the feast is almost a microcosm of life, because we get back home and we've got all the challenges of life once we get back. All the things we have to do, you know, that big pile of mail that's going to be waiting for you, all the hours will be bills. They're still piling up even though we're gone. We get back, we get drawn with so many different challenges, so many things that try to pull us away, and we've got to get refocused on God's way. And oftentimes you may think of your life like a giant cabinet. Our life, in a way, if you think about it, is like a giant cabinet, isn't it? And our life is consistent with all these different drawers that are in that cabinet or that chest. And you have this drawer over here, and that's my father drawer, because I'm a father, and when I need to do fatherly things, I get that drawer and open it up and get out all the fatherly attributes that I need. Or maybe I've got this one over here is my husband drawer. I've got to pull that one out and use that responsibility and take care of those things. And over here I've got my job drawer, and I've got to take care of those kinds of things. Or you may have your wife drawer, or your parent drawer, or your mom drawer, whatever it may be. Our drawers of life are all those responsibilities that we have to have. As students, you've got your student drawer, your homework drawer, and my chore drawer, and all those kinds of things that we have to take care of with our life. And so you may envision your life as this giant cabinet. Now over here on this one side, do we have our God drawer? Or we have our Sabbath drawer over here, our spiritual drawer over here? Is there a problem if we think like that?

Now do we have our God drawer? Or what does God want? Is there a problem with thinking in those terms? Now certainly we've got to take care of all those responsibilities that we have in life, whether it's a husband or a father or a wife or a mother or a student or homework or all those that we've got to take care of those kinds of things. But when it comes to our spiritual life, God has to be the cabinet. He's got to be the cabinet that every one of our drawers fit into. If God isn't the cabinet in our life, we've missed it. All of our other responsibilities have to come in the framework of our spiritual life because God is not simply looking forward to a good position in our life. Well, if I make him the top drawer in my life? No, that's not good enough. God doesn't just want to be a part of our life. God should be our life, shouldn't He? God should be our life. So there's a difficult question that we each have to answer.

Does God have a place in our life?

Or is He first place? It can't be just a place.

God has to be first place. And there's a huge difference, isn't there? A huge difference in that. Matthew 6, 33 says, seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Our life has to be framed within God, doesn't it? We're to put on Christ our purpose. This time of refreshment of baptism and conversion, repentance, is to be changed into new creations. Be like Christ. Remember that passage that says, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation? All the old has passed away, and all has become new. That's our goal. That's what we're seeking. God wants us to have those times of refreshing that we can come before Him, die to our old selves, and put on the new. Live as a new creation in Christ. And you know that is not an easy thing. That is not a cheap thing. That's something that's going to cost us. It's going to cost us our life. The life we may have wanted. The old life we used to live. Our old ambitions. Our old goals. We're going to have to throw that out the window and live as creations in Christ. Our example? What did it cost Christ?

What did it cost God the Father? You see, it cost the Father His Son. It cost Christ His life. So is any less expected of us?

We're to be new creations in Christ. And so Christianity cannot be a cheap thing. Galatians 2, 20 says, I am crucified with Christ. That's not just a nice little saying. We are, to put to death, the old man, to be crucified with Christ. And I no longer live, but it's Christ in me who lives. That's the kind of refreshment that God is looking forward to in our lives. That we can be refreshed through God's Holy Spirit and put on Christ. Put off self and put on Christ. Because what a reminder it is. There's a fourth season that I wrote down, and that is the whole new covenant. God's plan for mankind is a time of refreshing. The plan, that agreement, that covenant, that new covenant is a time, a season of refreshing. And God is looking forward when all mankind will have that opportunity to be refreshed in His way of thinking. You probably know where that's listed over in Jeremiah 31, 31. Jeremiah 31, 31 talks about the new covenant. Let's notice what it says there, because it certainly talks about the time of renewal, the time to be reinvigorated and energized and restored and refreshed and have that enthusiasm for God's way rekindled and replenished. But He talks about it in a new way, not just a physical way written on two tablets of stone, but He talks about the new covenant. Look at this season that He talks about, Jeremiah 31, 31. It says, the time is coming, the season, that time God's looking for, it says, declares the Lord when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand and led them out of Egypt. You see, that was the covenant on stone. You see, this is something different. This is a time, He says, that's new. It's different. He says, this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. Look what He'll do. I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be my people.

So it's not on tablets of stone, but it's on our hearts. We're talking about a spiritual thing here. If we fast forward to the New Testament, remember the time of the Passover? Remember the Passover? You could just write down 1 Corinthians 11.25. We read this at the Passover, almost every year. Because when Christ instituted the Passover, the New Testament Passover, remember what He said about the cup, about the wine. He said, this cup is the new covenant in my blood. He was referring back here to Jeremiah 31.31. Not a covenant written on stone, but an agreement, a contract written on our hearts. It was made possible because of the blood of Jesus Christ and it was a new covenant, a new covenant. It's interesting if you were to look up that word in Jeremiah, in Hebrew, the new thing is a fresh thing, a new thing. Very similar in the New Testament, 1 Corinthians 11, that new that Christ talked about, a fresh thing, something different, something unprecedented. It's amazing how that ties into the refreshment. It's a new thing, a different thing. The new covenant was something that was renewing, renewed God's original intention of His covenant, but made it a spiritual thing, renewed with the spiritual intent of the law. And it reminds us where to be renewed, where to be transformed by God's Spirit. And so He refreshes His people through a fresh covenant. And that's just the opposite of what most religions say about God's covenant. Because this is something that's not stale. It shows us how to apply God's law, that there is a spiritual intent to the way of God. So it's not just killing, it's even being angry with your brother. And Christ came to show the spiritual intent of the law. He didn't do away with it. So it's not stale, it's not worn out, it's not done away with. It applies to modern life today.

It's new, and it's fresh, and it's meaningful, and it's significant, and it brings us closer to God. No wonder He put it this way over in Isaiah 40, verse 20. Notice Isaiah 40, verse 20. We'll go to verse 28. Isaiah 40, verse 28.

He gets to tie in this time of refreshing of the new covenant to what we're rehearsing today. Notice Isaiah 40, verse 28.

Begins, Have you not known? Have you not heard the everlasting God, the Lord, the creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, and those who have no might, He increases strength.

Anyone feel tired? We're past the midpoint of the feast. Anyone feel they need to be rejuvenated? Boy, I am oftentimes glad of this passage, that God increases our strength. He gives power when we feel weak. He says, even, verse 30, the youth shall faint and be weary. Looking forward to the difficult times ahead. It says, young men shall utterly fall. When we count on our own strength, our own power, where does that get us?

He says, it's not going to get you very far. But He reminds us, verse 31, those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall be refreshed and revitalized and energized and rejuvenated. And it's not of our own doing, it's of God's doing, because we're waiting on God. We're looking to God for that strength, for that renewal, for that rejuvenation. We know if we counted on ourselves, it wasn't going to happen. So then He says, the results of that, when we look to God, we wait on Him, we put our faith and our trust in Him. It says, awesome results occur. Look at it. It says, they shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint. Boy, what an amazing time that will be, when ultimately we can be spirit beings. And in fact, we don't have to wait. He says, this is possible even now. It's possible even now. If you think about the example He uses here of an eagle. I saw one of these specials, these National Geographic specials on eagles. It had talked about what they did when a storm was coming. When a storm is on the way, there's some way that an eagle can sense that. And as the storm approaches, you know what an eagle begins to do before it actually breaks? Before the storm hits, the eagle begins to set its wings and it begins to rise up, higher and higher and higher, and it becomes lifted above the storm. Now, it doesn't escape the storm. Here's that storm blasting away below, and yet that eagle has risen above the storm. The storm is still there and it is raging below. And yet, here's that eagle soaring above the storm. And as I think about that in terms of this particular passage, the eagle rides on the winds that bring the storm and flies above it. God uses that example, I think, to tell us how we should face the storms of life. You know, what's your storm?

What are the storms that you face? Maybe it's sickness. There are those that are sick among us. Very sick. Life-threatening sickness. We face tragedy. We face difficulties. We face failure. We face disappointment.

And the list of storms could go on and on, couldn't they? How do we face those storms? Do we face them as a potential time of refreshing?

I think God wants us to rearrange our thinking to realize, like an eagle, God can help us to soar above those difficulties, above the storms of life. In fact, in this passage, the way it's worded here, those that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. That isn't a question. That isn't, oh, I'm wondering if this is possible. It's almost written like it's a commandment, that we shall, if we're waiting, if we're hoping, if we're looking to God and we've got a relationship with Him, God says the amazing results is that we can, through His power, soar above the storms of life. It's through the power of God. We have that amazing opportunity that the feast reminds us of those opportunities, doesn't it? When we renew our strength in God, when we look that much closer to Him, I mean, don't we remember that opportunity that we're going to live and reign and rule with Christ for a thousand years in the millennium? What an awesome opportunity we'll have! And we're reminded of that here at the feast. We have an amazing calling. So we cannot come to the feast and allow those worldly attitudes, those worldly storms to invade us here and bring in that same self-centeredness, bring in that same tired outlook. The feast has to rejuvenate us and motivate us to have a fresh outlook, an outlook that's enabled through the Holy Spirit of God. In fact, that's part of our calling, isn't it? Part of our calling. I mean, there's an amazing passage in the Bible that gives people a name who do that very thing. The people who come, not only at the feast but throughout their life, who dedicate their lives to serve God, dedicate their lives to help others, dedicate their lives to allowing God to rule in their life. God has a special name for those individuals. It's found just a little bit further here in Isaiah. Isaiah 58, verse 12. Look at this remarkable name God gives His people.

Isaiah 58, verse 12. As we look forward to our responsibilities in the Kingdom, we rededicate our lives here at the feast to follow God that much more closely, to serve Him and serve His people. Isaiah 58, verse 12 tells us the name of those individuals who do that very thing. It says, those from among you shall build the old waste places. You know, and some of that is our lives. Through God's Holy Spirit, our life can be rebuilt. It says, you shall raise up the foundations of many generations. That's looking forward to the Kingdom. We'll build those waste places. We'll raise the foundations of the generations. And what's that name? What does He call those of us who will do those things? You shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in. God gives His people a very special name. And He's called us now at this special time as His chosen people, set apart, sanctified, redeemed by Christ. And we can begin to do those things now. We will have a part to play, not only in the future, to restore and refresh, but we have that opportunity now to serve God and His people. So if God was to give us a name right now, what would it be? Would it be the repairer of the breach? Or would it be the complainer in the breach? Would it be the restorer of streets to dwell in? Or the ones who have damaged the streets?

You see, God looks forward to this amazing time and wants to use us in His plan to be restorers, to be repairers, to be the ones that make things right.

And so the feast reminds us we have a part to play in refreshing restoration.

So remember God's refreshing restoration. The times of the restoration of all things. That time is coming. That time is coming. And just like Israel coming into the Promised Land, just like the Jews returning from Babylon, Jesus Christ will return and establish the kingdom of God. God's government will rule the earth. There will be right relationships. There will be healthy relationships. And we'll have a part to play in repairing the breach. It will be a season of refreshing. And we can refresh now, here at the Feast of Tabernacles. All of God's feasts, the Sabbath, our baptismal covenant, our daily repentance reminds us of a time of refreshing. The new covenant itself. We are the sons and daughters of God. So think refreshing restoration. And it reminds me of responsibility, as well. Maybe a third are. Refreshing restoration should remind us of responsibility. Never miss an opportunity to be refreshed. Don't miss the Sabbath. Don't miss getting together with the brethren. Don't miss those opportunities. Make the most of every opportunity to be refreshed and reshaped and rejuvenated and refashioned to be more like Christ. Allow God, allow him to mold us and shape us through his word. If we miss a service, we miss that opportunity. If we miss daily Bible study, we miss that opportunity to have God talk to us and reshape us and rejuvenate us and restore us. Never miss that opportunity. We can be molded and formed and reshaped by God. So let's be dedicated never to miss that opportunity. And so as we focus now on this future that God has in mind, let's not forget the fantastic calling that he's given us. Let's allow this feast to rejuvenate us. Let's pray daily that God will continue to send times and seasons of refreshing. Let's not be dragged down to the level of this world, but let's have a renewed perspective. This is just temporary around us. Trials, troubles, difficulties. God wants to refresh our perspective, so let's be dedicated to live more like Christ, more than ever before. And let's continue to strive and reach forward to what lies ahead. We can look forward to the time when our Father will say, Behold, I make all things new.