The Restoration

Most people reading this article already know the story well. God gave Adam and Eve perfection. They chose self over obedience, and the world was plunged into rebellion, chaos, pain, despair, illness, and more. God taught us through Israel that He is holy and righteous, and that we are not. And so, as Paul put it in Romans 8, all of creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth.
I love the imagery Paul uses. Childbirth is at once one of the most painful, torturous things to endure and one of the most beautiful scenes to unfold. The experience is horrible, but the result is amazing new life. And that is what God has been working out through the ages. Our lives can be difficult, messy, and downright horrible at times. But out of the messiness of our broken world, God is bringing about the most beautiful thing. It is restoration.
God is restoring us to the state he intended all along - perfection in his presence for eternity. As Paul continues in Romans 8:24, “we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies” (ESV). Our bodies will be restored. Our minds will be restored. Every damaged or broken part of our being, mentally, physically, or emotionally, will be restored to perfection. Paul says it is in this hope that we are saved.
Easter is our biggest holiday because the Easter story provides that hope. When we could not do enough to achieve righteousness, God sent his only son to be righteous on our behalf. When we could not pay enough to atone for our sins, Jesus paid the price with his own life. When we could not muster the strength to defeat death and the grave, God raised Jesus from death to life - the resurrection that paves the way for all who believe in him.
We don’t have to be good enough. We don’t have to pay the debt. We don’t have to be strong enough. Jesus became all those things for us. Now we only have to believe in Jesus Christ for our salvation. That is a story most of us know well, but it is also still the most powerful story ever told.
Easter can easily get muddied up, between bunnies and chocolate, dresses and hats, hunting eggs, and even fancy church services. It is a great time to invite someone to church, and a great time for churches to do special things. But amid all of this, I hope we are telling ourselves, telling one another, and telling those visitors the story of restoration.
When I think about Paul’s illustration of birth pains, I think of that moment in most couples’ experience when the soon-to-be mother looks at her husband and says, “It’s time!” She knows that new life is imminent, and so they grab their pre-packed bag, jump in the car and rush to the hospital.
If, as Paul said, all of creation has been groaning in the pains of childbirth since the fall of man, I think the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, our Messiah, seems like the moment when God said: “It’s time.” And from that moment, we should be doing everything we can to prepare with urgency - like the parents on their way to the hospital. Our hope is on the horizon. That new birth is coming.
Let’s approach this Easter with urgency. It is not just about the pageants and the songs and the food and the family gatherings. It is about the promised restoration of all things. God has called us to invite those around us to participate in this restoration. The best Easter celebration cannot compare to the celebration that is coming!

​Praise God, and Happy Easter!

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kevin Stone has been in full or part-time ministry for over 30 years. Before accepting the position of President, he spent 12 years as the full-time Pastor of Worship at Crosspoint Bible Church in Omaha, NE - one of our FEBC churches.