Jesus Is the Invitation for Restoration. Your Life and eternal destination rely on how you define who Jesus is. Jesus is an invitation to become transformed. Matthew 16:13-15 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” I believe Jesus is this transforming,restoring bridge. Our life’s calling is to restore, rebuild, and renew. 2 Corinthians 13:11 11 Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Jesus loves us exactly the way we are, and too much to let us stay there. This takes surrendering from us to allow Jesus to transform us as he restores us. Joel 2:25 I will restore to you the year that the swarming locust has eaten,the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you. I know that Jesus can restore by bringing long term gains even if we experience short term loss. AIM FOR RESTORATION 2 Kings 8:1-2 Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, “Arise, and depart with your household, and sojourn wherever you can, for the LORD has called for a famine, and it will come upon the land for seven years.” 2 So the woman arose and did according to the word of the man of God. She went with her household and sojourned in the land of the Philistines for seven years. 2 Kings 4:8-10 8 One day Elisha went on to Shunem, where a wealthy woman lived, who urged him to eat some food. So whenever he passed that way, he would turn in there to eat food. 9 And she said to her husband, “Behold now, I know that this is a holy man of God who is continually passing our way. 10 Let us make a small room on the roof with walls and put there for him a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp, so that whenever he comes to us, he can go in there.” 2 Kings 4:18-20 18 When the child had grown, he went out one day to his father among the reapers. 19 And he said to his father, “Oh, my head, my head!” The father said to his servant, “Carry him to his mother.” 20 And when he had lifted him and brought him to his mother, the child sat on her lap till noon, and then he died. 2 Kings 8:1-2 Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, “Arise, and depart with your household, and sojourn wherever you can, for the LORD has called for a famine, and it will come upon the land for seven years.” 2 So the woman arose and did according to the word of the man of God. She went with her household and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years. 2 Kings 8:3-6 3 And at the end of the seven years, when the woman returned from the land of the Philistines, she went to appeal to the king for her house and her land. 4 Now the king was talking with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, “Tell me all the great things that Elisha has done.” 5 And while he was telling the king how Elisha had restored the dead to life, behold, the woman whose son he had restored to life appealed to the king for her house and her land. And Gehazi said, “My lord, O king, here is the woman, and here is her son whom Elisha restored to life.” 6 And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So, the king appointed an official for her, saying, “Restore all that was hers, together with all the produce of the fields from the day that she left the land until now.” What are the things that this Shunamite woman did to receive access to the King? Make room Settle it – It is well Survive the season – Counted down the 7 yrs. Put in remembrance of God's Goodness – Get in the right atmosphere. John 21:3-10 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.4 Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” 6 He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. 7 That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. 8 The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards[a] off.9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” Greek word: APOKATHISTEMI = to recreate (to return to the original state) In Peter's moment of loss and pain, Jesus recreates the moment he called him to “follow me”. Jesus recreates the Salvation moment of connection with Peter to show that he’s not too far gone. Jesus took Peter to this place- not to shame him, but to remove the shame from his past. Psalm 51:12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and uphold me with a willing spirit. We need to know that we will have these “even though” moments and realize that we are still being led on this path of righteousness. Get to the place where your testimony becomes predictable. JESUS STILL RESTORES TODAY! Psalm 23:3-4 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows.6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. ● It declares that He restores our souls. ● It declares that He will restore and increase my capacity. ● It declares that He will restore goodness and mercy and it will pursue us.