The Restoration of All Things

Introduction

We’ve traced the story of scripture from Genesis through the New Testament.

Where We’ve Been:

God created all things for his glory and for our good.

Man glorifies God by responding to his excellence with worship and obedience.

This obedience includes being fruitful and extending God’s glory throughout the world.

Sin is an intruder. When man sins, we rebel against God’s intent to be glorified.

From man’s initial “Fall” God has gone about restoring what was in the beginning.

He does this by dealing directly with one people who he formed to relate to specifically and intimately.

It is through this people, Israel, that God will redeem and restore the entire world.

This reaches its fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the son of God and the Messiah.

Jesus perfectly imaged God the Father and became the sacrifice for our sin on the cross and enabled us to be reconciled to God.

Jesus’ resurrection results in the “new creation” of those who believe.

We are spiritually raised to “new life”.

No longer separated by our rebellion, we now live to glorify God.

So, What’s Next?

Transition: We can wrap us this series by looking to the “end of the book” to see where we’re headed.

Gathering of All Things

Where are we going? What is God planning?

Ephesians 1:10 NKJV

that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.

Ephesians 1:10 NLT

And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth.

God has a determined time in the future where everything in creation will be gathered, “summed up”, in the person of Jesus.

This speaks to the eternal, universal reign of Christ.

Everything Jesus said and accomplished will come to pass.

We know Christ’s reign upon the earth is not yet realized, so we know this is a future event.

Restoration of All Things

Acts 3:19–21 NKJV

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.

This was Peter’s message after the healing of the lame man.

Peter is speaking of a future event when Jesus returns for the “restoration of all things”.

What are those things to be restored?

Everything ruined by sin and rebellion.

When we look at the world and see the brokenness, darkness, the pain, and futility, we can encouraged that Christ will restore all of this!

“Heaven must receive....”

I can just see Jesus at the portal of glory anticipating the day when the Father says so!

All Things New

Revelation 21:1–8 NKJV

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. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 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. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” 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.” And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

John’s revelation gives us a vivid description of what everything “gathered” and “restored” will look like!

And this is eternal!

The New King James Version Chapter 21

no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

We can only imagine what this will be like!

The New King James Version Chapter 21

5 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.”

Jesus will make “all things new”.

This word “new” means of another kind or condition.

All things must be fit for eternity.

Not prone to rust, decay, or death.

The “old condition” was due to the “curse of sin” and the consequences of man’s rebellion.

Final Words

The entire story of the Bible is bringing us to the final restoration and consummation of all things in Christ.

Through Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, God has “highly exalted him” and given him the authority to rule and reign forever.

Philippians 2:9–11 NLT

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Ephesians 1:21–23 NLT

Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.

All who have believed in God’s promise through Christ will experience his righteous reign forever.

This is our great hope and expectation!

When this life gets difficult and we are overwhelmed, have this hope.

It’s not over!

Illustration: Jojo Rabbit

The war is over.

The enemy is defeated.

We have peace.

“Let everything happen to you’

Beauty and the terror,

Just keep going,

No feeling is final.”

Rainer Maria Rilke

The best is yet to come!