The Greatest Story Ever ToldSample

Act 4: Restoration 

“Hope is the belief that your future can be brighter and better than the past and that you actually have a role to play in making it happen.” – Chan Hellman

In the beginning, God created everything: the heavens, Earth, and humanity. Then, we rebelled against God, but Jesus redeemed us on the cross. Now, God is restoring all things. 

God’s story didn’t end with Jesus’ death and resurrection. The story of the Bible doesn’t end when we all die and go to Heaven. 

One of the biggest misconceptions about Christianity today is the idea that the Christian story goes like this: “We’re all sinners in need of a savior. Jesus came to save us from our sins. If you believe in Jesus, then you will go to heaven when you die.” 

That version of the story only includes Acts 1 and 2! It’s just Rebellion and Redemption. That story skips the beginning and misses the ending! 

The story begins with a good Creation and ends with all things being made new. A New Creation. Where Heaven and Earth are one. Where human beings are reunited with each other and with God. Where death, evil, sin, and shame are defeated once and for all.

Jesus didn’t just die on the cross so we could get a ticket to heaven. Jesus died on the cross so we could be forgiven of our sins, reconciled with God, and restored to our original purpose of stewarding creation on God’s behalf. Jesus is inviting us to get our original jobs back. 

And we have work to do. Our job is to be the Church. What does it mean to be the Church? It means participating in the restoration of creation. We have been chosen to help bring heaven to Earth. Our story isn’t a story that throws out the old and brings in the new. Our story is the story of God using broken and messed up creatures to put back together a broken and messed up creation. 

We’re living in the in-between. Remember, God is always working in the in-between. He’s working in us and He wants to work through us—as we look toward the time when He once again becomes king and His Kingdom is fully established on Earth as it is in heaven. There will come a day when all things will be made new. 

This is the story of God and the story of us. A story of a loving three-and-one God creating everything and calling it good. A story of humanity rebelling against God. God, as an act of love, dying for humans so they could have life with Him. People being redeemed and invited back into God’s grand plans for creation. Plans of restoration. 

This is our story. 

The Greatest Story Ever Told. 

So, will you play your part?