230528 Communion: Restoration

The Gift

One of the greatest gifts that accompanies Communion is Restoration (BEWARE THAT YOU DO NOT MAKE THIS A WORKS SALVATION RIGHTEOUSNESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Revel and Retell

But before we go to the table I invite you to open your Bibles to Ephesians chapter 2. I just want to enjoy this passage because it is so good. In Ephesians 2 we see our helpless estate and then we see what God did to restore us. Let’s see what good God hath wrought.

Why Is Restoration Needed? - We have been openly hostile to God through our sins, as part of the domain of darkness and were unable to do anything about it

Ephesians 2.1-3 “And you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience, among whom we all also formerly conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.”

Why Is Restoration Needed? - We have been openly hostile to God through our sins, we were once a part of the domain of darkness and were unable to do anything about it and if we left off here we would be so hopeless, pitiful but no, But God!!! Look at verse 4

Who Restores? - Only God can grant restoration

Ephesians 2.4-5 “But God, being rich in mercy because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—”

Who Restores? - Only God can grant restoration. Because He is lavish in forgiveness, because He is rich in mercy, because He has an unimaginably great love toward spiritually dead antagonists He saved us. He united us with Christ! He saved us by His unimaginably great grace. Oh do not miss that this is all from Him!

Why Are We Restored? - Christ unites those who repent and believe with Him through His death, burial and resurrection

Ephesians 2.6-7 “and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

Why Are We Restored? - Christ unites those who repent and believe with Him through His death, burial and resurrection. God did not stop our sinful condition alone, He united us with Christ, He raised us up with Him. He promoted us to be joint heirs with Christ on the throne so that so that He can demonstrate just how truly gracious He is. Oh that is what we celebrate during the ordinance of Communion. This is what we celebrate each Lord’s day. The unimaginable grace of God’s kindness toward sinners.

How Are We Restored? - Through Christ’s Atoning Work and by the Belief Which He Graciously Gives

Ephesians 2.8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, so that no one may boast.”

Restoration Described

Restoration is, “The returning of something or someone to their original state.” Does that word original have a ring to it? When I hear the word “original” I think “original sin.” That sin that from the beginning has distorted and perverted all of humanity. Marring our imageness our Imago Dei - Our Image of God.

Restoration Exalted

If restoration is, “the returning of someone to their original state,” what state is that? Oh, it is something so good, something we desperately desire and above all when we come to the Lord’s table. PROFOUND Restoration returns us to the state of right relationship with our Creator. Because of what Christ did for us, we have the ultimate cause to rejoice! To praise Him for what was accomplished on the Cross, when He cried, “It is finished!” We are restored through repentance and belief in Jesus Christ’s atoning work on our behalf and we celebrate that by partaking of this ordinance which He commanded.

How Are We Restored? - Through Christ’s Atoning Work and by the Belief Which He Graciously Gives

Before we come to the table though we must address what Christ calls us to address before we come to the table. He tells us to examine ourselves. He tells us to judge ourselves. To look at ourselves and see ourselves as destitute and needy. To examine whether we have truly set aside sin and lawlessness. To see if we are truly and wholly His. Last week, I mentioned that we ought not come to the table unless we had reconciled with our brothers and sisters in the Lord. If there is an ongoing un-reconciled unforgiven sin please do not partake of the elements. We must treat Yahweh as holy and take His word seriously. It is no shame to remember if a brother or sister has something against you and to delay communion until you are reconciled Matthew 5 talks about that. First be reconciled to your brother and then come, enjoy the meal prepared for you.

Let’s go to prayer and examine ourselves.

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Restoration is followed by Gratitude, Peace and Joy

Revelation 4.9 “And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever,”

Revelation 7.12 “saying, “Amen, the blessing and the glory and the wisdom and the thanksgiving and the honor and the power and the strength, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.””

Restoration is Dependent upon and follows

openness

truthful communication

forgiveness

good will

Obedience to God

Sacrificial Love

Restoration accompanies repentance, an agreeing with a sin’s

Restoration requires that all aggrieved parties both direct and indirect be confronted

The great responsibility of restoration is understanding our own need to be forgiven

Restoration refuses to fall to the temptation that we are owed payback, we have rights, they deserve to be humiliated, ashamed

Communion is only possible if all parties are restored to fellowship

Are we fully reconciled to Christ, is there indwelling persistent sin that is unaddressed? Have we failed to forgive as Christ forgives? What are we entitled to?