Restoration: Week 2 - Gentleness
Restoration
Week 2: Gentleness
Sunday, January 25th, 2026
Apostle Mike Herzog
I John 1:9-10
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
Jesus is our restorer. If we say we don’t need Him, we are wrong.
I Peter 5:8
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
It is easy to forget about how much mercy we have received when things are going well. The enemy is waiting for us to stumble. When we get caught in one of his traps, that doesn’t have to be the end. We can be restored. The biblical meaning of trespass is to be caught in willful disobedience of God’s law. Anyone who trespasses has made a bad choice.
Galatians 6:1-4
Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
People who need restoration are those caught in a trespass. Spiritual people handle sensitive issues and partner with God to do the work of restoration. They are not ones who gossip or are self-centered. We are called to lift each other up because we love God and should love our neighbor as ourselves. We examine our own work before the Lord. We should not compare ourselves to one another.
Galatians 5:22-26
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Paul reminded us that the restoration process requires gentleness and long-suffering. Instead of weakness or passivity, gentleness is the fruit of the Spirit—a humble, compassionate strength. It is strength to help others, showing kindness to those who have transgressed, and remaining composed under duress. Strength in long-suffering shows evidence the Lord is near because you cannot do so in your own strength. Someone who needs to be restored is someone who feels hopeless. Being kind to someone who is lashing out from the pain they are experiencing can cause the person stuck in trespass to change their ways.
Romans 12:21
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Love conquers all.
John 8:3-12
Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
The Pharisees weren’t concerned about her restoration. They only wanted to prove that they were more righteous. We are all guilty of sin. Jesus is not looking to shame or condemn us. He wants us to be restored and move forward. As spiritual people, we can do this for others as well.
Luke 7:36-47
Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.” And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” So he said, “Teacher, say it.” “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” Simon answered and said “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.
It is believed that the woman spoken of in John 8:3-12 is the same woman spoken of in Luke 7:36-50, Mary Magdalene. Because Jesus forgave her many sins, she poured her heart and soul out to Him to express gratitude. She then dedicated her life to Him as His disciple. Mary Magdalene was the first one He saw outside of His tomb when He rose again. Jesus restored her and put her in a better position than ever before.
Restoration through gentleness is about using the sword of the Spirit (God’s word) and slicing up the lies of the enemy to replace them with the truth that we have been redeemed through Jesus Christ.
Week 2: Gentleness
Sunday, January 25th, 2026
Apostle Mike Herzog
I John 1:9-10
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
Jesus is our restorer. If we say we don’t need Him, we are wrong.
I Peter 5:8
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
It is easy to forget about how much mercy we have received when things are going well. The enemy is waiting for us to stumble. When we get caught in one of his traps, that doesn’t have to be the end. We can be restored. The biblical meaning of trespass is to be caught in willful disobedience of God’s law. Anyone who trespasses has made a bad choice.
Galatians 6:1-4
Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
People who need restoration are those caught in a trespass. Spiritual people handle sensitive issues and partner with God to do the work of restoration. They are not ones who gossip or are self-centered. We are called to lift each other up because we love God and should love our neighbor as ourselves. We examine our own work before the Lord. We should not compare ourselves to one another.
Galatians 5:22-26
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Paul reminded us that the restoration process requires gentleness and long-suffering. Instead of weakness or passivity, gentleness is the fruit of the Spirit—a humble, compassionate strength. It is strength to help others, showing kindness to those who have transgressed, and remaining composed under duress. Strength in long-suffering shows evidence the Lord is near because you cannot do so in your own strength. Someone who needs to be restored is someone who feels hopeless. Being kind to someone who is lashing out from the pain they are experiencing can cause the person stuck in trespass to change their ways.
Romans 12:21
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Love conquers all.
John 8:3-12
Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
The Pharisees weren’t concerned about her restoration. They only wanted to prove that they were more righteous. We are all guilty of sin. Jesus is not looking to shame or condemn us. He wants us to be restored and move forward. As spiritual people, we can do this for others as well.
Luke 7:36-47
Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.” And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” So he said, “Teacher, say it.” “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” Simon answered and said “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.
It is believed that the woman spoken of in John 8:3-12 is the same woman spoken of in Luke 7:36-50, Mary Magdalene. Because Jesus forgave her many sins, she poured her heart and soul out to Him to express gratitude. She then dedicated her life to Him as His disciple. Mary Magdalene was the first one He saw outside of His tomb when He rose again. Jesus restored her and put her in a better position than ever before.
Restoration through gentleness is about using the sword of the Spirit (God’s word) and slicing up the lies of the enemy to replace them with the truth that we have been redeemed through Jesus Christ.
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