an agent of restoration

I’ve been reading All Things New by Pete Hughes. While a required reading for our church small group, it’s been enlightening.

When God himself says that he doing a new thing, and when He declares he is making all things new, the language is important.

The word for “new” here is not brand new, never been seen before. It’s actually more like new, as though it’s something that has been restored to its original design.

Back to Eden

Jesus came to restore.

Yes, he came to once and for all defeat sin and death, but he came to do more than that. He came to show us what it looks like to bring the kingdom of God near — on earth as it is in heaven. He gave us the blueprint for restoring the earth back to its original design.

To serve the poor, to heal the sick, help the blind see, free the oppressed, liberate those in captivity, intercede with prayer, and bring the good news to those far from God.

We often think “only Jesus could do that because he’s 100% God.” The healing, the miracles, the resurrection. But we also know, the same power that dwells in us is the power that raised Christ from the dead. 

When He gave his disciples the Holy Spirit, He gave them the ability to BE Jesus to the world, to be an agent of restoration, to continue the restoration that Jesus began.

Paul’s words come to mind from Galations 2:20 — “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me”

Paul in Romans 6 shows us that our bodies, once ruled by sin, have died with Christ and have been made new in His resurrection. We now live a new live.

So what?

Death no longer has mastery over us. One day, the kingdom of God will come in full. Until then, our role on earth is to actively participate in the story — to actively participate in the restoring of earth as God intended.

Here’s to being an agent of restoration. Here’s to not waiting for His kingdom to come to start bringing the kingdom near.

Cheers,

Luke Mangan