RESTORATION, GENEROSITY & CHRISTMAS

We talk a lot at Mountain View about the restoration of all things.  It’s one of our core values and the end toward which everything we do is moving.  You could say it is our ultimate goal.  It includes not just people’s “souls”, but their whole lives.  Neither is this restoration just about people.  It is about all things.

The term comes from the closing section of Peter’s Pentecost sermon in Acts 3:19-21:

“Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah. For he must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his holy prophets.”

According to Peter, turning from our sins to trust in Jesus has at least three benefits.

1. Our sins are wiped away.
2. We experience refreshment from the presence of the Lord.
3. Jesus will return to finish the restoration of all things.

This is the beginning, middle and end goal of your Christian life!  You are set free from the guilt and power of sin to ruin your life.  You receive the presence of God within you by his Spirit to refresh and restore you from within.  Then it works its way out into the whole world until it affects and infects all things with the glory and knowledge of God!  Ultimately, Jesus has to come back to finish it, but we get to represent him now as we carry his presence.

Generosity that Restores

Generosity is what happens when we want others to experience these same benefits.  If you have known the joy of sins wiped out and the refreshing presence of God you want to share it!  So we share the good news.  We give as we have freely received.  We invest in this restoration of everything with our time, talent and treasure.  When you invite people, serve and give to our church, you are sharing this gift.

Give the Gift of Restoration

You can give this gift of restoration this Christmas.  Take the time to invite someone to church so they can hear and respond to the message about Jesus.  Sign up to serve at one of our Christmas Eve Services so others can experience a time of God’s refreshing presence.  Give a year end gift to help us continue to bring the good news, the refreshment and the restoration to more and more people in 2018.

Click Here to Give Now or come to Christmas Eve prepared to give your best gift to Jesus.