PSALM 126:1-6 – THE MINISTRY OF RESTORATION

INTRODUCTION:

This psalm seems to have been composed soon after the return from the Babylonian Captivity and you can see the context in Ezra 3:9-14.

When the Jews found themselves outside Babylon, actually on their way home to Jerusalem, they “were like them that dream;” they were lifted up to such ecstasy that they could not believe it was a solid fact; they

would not have been surprised if they had awoke to find themselves again in the hands of the heathen. It was too good to be believed, too great a blessing to be realized; it was the surpassing mercy of God, his crowning

work of pity and of love. We have, therefore a picture of the ministry of restoration in the church today.

I – HE THAT GOETH FORTH

MATTHEW 10:1-8

A – V1 – The Church must be called (Church means called out)

B – V5 – The Church must be sent (Church is sent to the lost)

C – V7 – The Church must have a message (Church must present love and restoration)

D – V8 – The Church must have the answer (heal, cleanse, raise, cast out, freely received freely give)

E – He that goeth forth must go (Jesus did not say invite them to come but go get them)

II – AND WEEPETH

WEEPING EXPRESSES COMPASSION

Luke 19:39-42  And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out. And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace!

WEEPING ENACTS CONVICTION

Luke 22:60-62  And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew. And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

WEEPING ENCOMPASSES LOVE

John 11:33-36  When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!

WEEPING ENCOURAGES GODLY DIRECTION

Jer 31:9-10  They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn. Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.

WEEPING ENCOUNTERS A GODLY COVENANT

Jer 50:4-5  In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping: they shall go, and seek the LORD their God. They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten.

 III BEARING PRECIOUS SEED

THE SEED IS BOTH THE WORK AND WORD OF GOD

Mat 13:24 - The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

Luke 8:11  Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

THE SEED IS BOTH THE BODY AND SPIRIT OF GOD

1 John 1:1-3  That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

John 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

THE SEED IS BOTH THE GIVER AND KEEPER OF LIFE

1 Pet 1:23  Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

 1 John 3:9-10  Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

THE SEED IS BOTH SCATTERED AND GATHERED

John 12:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

Acts 8:1  And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

Acts 8:4  Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

 IV SHALL DOUBTLESS COME AGIN WITH REJOICING

DOUBTLESS COME AGIN BECAUSE OF GRACE

2 Cor 9:8-11  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;) Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.

 DOUBTLESS COME AGIN BECAUSE OF INCREASE

1 Cor 3:6-9  I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.

DOUBLESS COME AGIN BECAUSE OF PROSPERITY

Isa 55:8-11  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

V BRINGING HIS SHEAVES WITH HIM

THE LORD WILL FEED UNTIL WE FIND

Ezek 34:11  For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.

Ezek 34:15-16  I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD. I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.

THE CHURCH WILL FIND WHERE THE LORD FEEDS

Luke 15:4-7  What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

CONCLUSION:

During World War II in the North Atlantic six pilots left the aircraft carrier to scout out enemy submarines. While out the captain issued an all lights out alarm. At one push of a button every light on the ship was out.

The pilots started home and knew the ship was there somewhere but could not find it without the lights. They radioed the ship saying “give us light we coming home.” Radio operator radioed back “orders are blackout” can’t give you light. Another pilot picked up his radio and said, “just give us some light and we will make it home.” The answer was black out – no light. A third pilot  pleaded just give us one light and we’ll land.

There was only silence as the operator turned off the switch the brave pilots went down in the cold dark Atlantic waters and into eternity because no one could give them light.

Are you a light or is your life in blackout when it comes to telling people about the Lord?