Have you ever tried to restore something? Restoration is to bring things back to their original beauty and place of belonging in the world. I am not the most skilled builder, but I have restored many items with sufficient sentimental value with super glue, including those items that were a causality of young children’s activity. Some of the items you would never even know that they were ever dropped- or run through the spin cycle of the dryer.
To bring something back to its original state. There is something very appealing about restoration in our time today. Many homes in Irvington have gone through restoration to make them closer to the original beauty and style that they were built with.
Restoration also tends to include some modern infrastructure for improved heating and cooling efficiency. Often an older building has more character and beauty and enjoyment than newer buildings that are more concerned with saving money or cutting corners. And there is a spirit of joy in restoring what was almost lost, not giving up on it, putting blood sweat and tears into the project.
Here in the second Sunday of Advent, Restoration is illustrated as God’s plan from the beginning. We heard in the Introit: “Restore us O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved! We know this restoration involves more than what superglue can fix. It’s more than a face lift or a new finish of paint.
But just like the beloved home that is painstakingly preserved, just like teddy bear whose arm is carefully stitched back on- the beauty is in the eye of the beholder. God looked in love at the vine that came out of Egypt and once filled the land with deep root and blossom, the vine that turned bad and lost all its glory and beauty – and God sought to restore His people.
Even though the vine failed to produce good fruit, even though the people sinned and sought after false idols God set forth a righteous branch from the stump of Jesse. The righteousness of Jesus, the Lion of Judah was sufficient to make up for the unrighteousness of all people.
The Father set forth a master plan whereby the sin that runs as deep as every cell in our body could be cleansed. The plan was executed through His Son sent to die on the cross for us, so that we could be completely restored into the image of God as Adam and Eve were in the garden of Eden before the Fall.
We who have been born of water and the Spirit, Jesus looks at us in love and says: “behold I make all things new.” Without doubt we were worth restoring. There never was any question, from the beginning the Father was willing to pay the price in blood for our restoration.
Because of this great restoration, we have the promise of comfort, hope, and consolation. These are the messages from God the prophet Isaiah brings to us. Isaiah is proclaiming a redemption after destruction. As bad as things are or have been, something has changed in a wonderful way. “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfareis ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.”
The gospel is a double blessing, it is not just that our sins are forgiven and we are spared condemnation, but because of God’s Word, we are also brought beyond the limitations of our lives to the glory of God. “And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
We are restored and brought back to our original state and then some.
We know who was the voice crying in the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord- it is a particular person in history, John. John the Baptist is a figure of great importance. He is a figure of prophetic fulfillment. Jesus says Elijah has come, and he means John. Jesus described John as in a category above all other prophets: I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
Nobody born of woman is greater than John, and what does John say: “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.”
John, who is greater than all who are born of woman was born to point to the one who was born of the Spirit. His purpose was to stir up our hearts to repentance, to prepare the way for Jesus.
And although his message of repentance is stern and urgent, although elsewhere in the gospels he calls the Pharisees a brood of vipers and talks about the coming separation of the chaff and wheat where the chaff is burnt up with unquenchable fire, although John calls us to repent, his message is indeed one of hope as he is speaking tenderly about the restoration we have in Jesus.
John brings a message of sweet comfort, just as the prophet Isaiah foretold. Isaiah spoke words of comfort in chapter 40 after many chapters of warnings of destruction because of sin. The destruction was still to come for Jerusalem, in fact it was over 100 hundred years away. But even before the destruction happened in history, Isaiah already pronounced God’s Words of comfort. Their warfare has ended, their sin has been paid for.
God’s Word speaks comfort to us weary sinners troubled by the coming afflictions in our lives. We know the time will come when the warfare is over, when we will rejoice in our part in the blessing of God’s kingdom. When the warfare seems to fierce, we do well to stir up our hearts toward repentance to see that no affliction is greater than God’s love. To hear the sweeping truth about all of creation: “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God will stand forever.”
The result of this comfort from our God is that we have peace. “Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.”
We are waiting for the restoration of God’s Word to reach its completion. Right now many in our community and many in our congregation are troubled by the hardship current life circumstances bring. Many are not in a position where attending worship works for the health interest of themselves or family members.
Sometimes this can even be out of a matter of conscience of not wanting to bring illness to others. It is not just in this congregation, all of our sister congregations in this area report attendance is down considerably because of the virus.
People without spiritual backgrounds are likely to be even more afraid, as it is only for this life that they have hope, and the slightest hint of danger to life is hard to bear for those who do not know Christ as Savior.
Such people are in need of the comfort of God’s Word. That is why, even with public concern higher right now, we are still meeting for worship, still offering comfort to our community with a grief share opportunity starting today, and now also Christmas caroling in our church’s neighborhood.
When Isaiah was called into his prophetic role as recorded in chapter 6, he asked how long he was to continue preaching God’s Word. “Until cities lie waste without inhabitant, and houses without people and the land is a desolate waste.”
All through the stage of trials and tribulations this side of eternity the church will continue to point people to Jesus. Indeed we may face diseases and other trials in coming days more trying than what we face today.
Our task as God’s people is clear, to live as those who have received the perfect comfort and consolation of the good news. As we wait in faith and behold that our God comes to us in might.