No Room for Ego

Imagine leaving the movie theater after seeing an enjoyable film. Walking out with your movie-going partner, you’ll probably discuss what you watched, that one amazing scene or how good the acting was. Even if the movie was excellent however, it’s easy for the conversation to shift to “if only they would have done that scene differently” or “I found that one character to be annoying.” How come it’s so easy to nitpick and criticize, even good things?! What if in these conversations we resisted that one critical comment and avoided the negative distraction?

When the stakes are higher, it’s often easier to criticize more and with more serious allegations. Think about the government, your boss, family members. In Ephesians 4 v3, Paul urges us to “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” What if in every conversation we committed to saying one fewer critical thing? Would your non-churchgoing friend notice you became a little more upbeat, would your spouse begin to feel some grace and patience in your marriage, perhaps your kids feel more love?

Sometimes we need to be critical to correct bad behavior, however if our comment isn’t constructive, let’s work on keeping it inside. I regret these comments when I make them, realizing it was me letting my ego get in the way, thinking I knew the superior alternative. However in verse 2, Paul writes “be completely humble and gentle, be patient, bearing with one another in love.” There is no room for ego in that verse, so let our gentleness and positivity be a witness to this world.

- Alex Pfister

PS: If you want a visual on how great our God is, please check out these newly released NASA pictures of our universe. The first image, “Webb’s First Deep Field”, is a breathtaking view of thousands of galaxies. It may look like half of the sky, but it actually covers a patch of sky approximately the size of a grain of sand held at arm’s length by someone on the ground!

https://www.nasa.gov/webbfirstimages

More Than Words

Actions speak louder than words.  Paul has written a lot of powerful words in his letter to the Ephesians, but he knows the mere words will not "get the job done."  He wants his brothers and sisters in Christ to experience the love of God found in Jesus.  So, he changes his posture - I bow my knees before the Father.  He asks that the Creator of the World drive home one simple, but life changing fact - Jesus loves you.  Paul prays that we may have power together with all the saints to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge.  Did you catch that?  Paul prays we may know a love that surpasses the ability to know.  Supernatural love.  Love that was displayed on the Cross for us and now promises to awaken us from the dead, open our blind eyes and seal us for Heaven.  

May what Paul prays become an experiential reality for us all each and every day and may we be a people who pray this prayer for each other!

See you Sunday,

Steven

Gallup Polls and Mystery

In the last two weeks, Gallup published two disconcerting polls. The first shows that a belief in God in America is the lowest since Gallup started its polling. Of great concern is the 18-24 age demographic's belief in God is much lower than any demographic age group. The second poll shows that the global’ s citizens are the unhappiest and most stressed since Gallup started polling the world's mood.

Do you think the combination of the lowest belief in God and the highest measure of unhappiness is related?

Why mention these two polls in reading Ephesians 3:1-13?

Paul mentions the mystery of Christ, and the mystery of God and His plan (‘this mysterious plan’ v.9) revealed to Paul to unite Jews and the Gentiles as one, to establish the Church (universal). At that time, an unheard and unimagined possibility. Through Jesus Christ and His creation, God intended for the Church to make God's divine wisdom and Christ's 'unsearchable riches' [v.8] made known to humanity. Bringing together sinners from all corners of the world into a heavenly community of believers to carry out this mystery.

However…

Our post-modern culture hates mystery.

In his From My Study blog, Philip Eaton posted "A Tear." He writes, "we've been told we can, we must, measure everything in order for it to be believable. This is what we call philosophical materialism. It's part of the coffee we drink, the air we breathe. Anything beyond what we can touch, smell, hear, see is deemed subjective, therefore not really real. Mystery becomes derogatory."

The Gallup poll on the rising popular belief that God is not self-evident indicates people think they can construct a life of significance without the divine. And to ignore and not engage this mystery Paul mentions. The presumption is there are alternatives to a transcendent God and the God-given plans Paul received and revealed during his ministry. The primary choice today has become the age of self-determination.

But…

Christ's death and resurrection accomplished God's plan. Unbelievers cannot understand the profound truths of this mystery that believers gain through the Holy Spirit. As a result of Christ's accomplishments and our union with Him, the body of believers, as one, are the vehicle to boldly carry out God's plan ‘to make all see.’ [v.9]. To enlighten unbelievers regarding Jesus Christ and his saving grace available to all. And in accepting Christ as one's Savior, all believers with courage and confidence; therefore, can come into God's presence.

Instead of looking glumly at the Gallup polls, we need to see them as opportunities that await our courageous and confident witness and sharing the Gospel. After all, it's all part of God's mysterious plan revealed throughout the ages.

-Dan Nickel

A Dwelling Place for God

I remember a simple illustration used to describe the church when I was a kid.  In it one would hold their hands clasped together and start by saying, “Here is the church.”  Then pointing and joining their index fingers saying, “here is the steeple.”  Finally as the hands were turned to an open position the saying was “open the doors and see all the people.”  This childhood activity characterized the church as any building with a steeple and the people simply filled that building.  But is that an accurate illustration of the church described by Paul in the New Testament?  When you say church, how do you mean it? 

For years, I referred to church as the building where Christians would gather.  I held to a common misperception that a building was the house of God.  It’s still a common misperception about church buildings today.  But Scripture teaches us that the church is much more than a constructed facility.  The biblical description of the church is as a collective or body of people that follow Jesus together.  And rather than people filling the church, it is God’s Spirit that fills people to make them His church.  In our recent study of Acts, we saw actual descriptions of these churches in various cities and regions where the Spirit of God was at work filling people and bringing them together for His mission.  The descriptions of the church in Acts were primarily about the groups of people rather than the edifices where they gathered.   

In our text this week, Paul uses construction terminology when he says that Jesus is the cornerstone of the church.  Why use such terms if this is not about erecting buildings?  Such terminology is used because the church is contingent on the building work of God’s Spirit to bring people together to live on mission for the Kingdom of God.  Christ Jesus is at the heart of accomplishing this in His followers.  Let’s be clear, the church is not a building but rather people together in Christ. 

Following the course of Paul’s statements about the church in our text for this week, may we be a people that recognize our common fellowship in the supreme hope we have in Christ together.  Let us continue to be receptive and open to the work of God’s Spirit to build us together into a dwelling place for God.  May The Bridge Family be recognized by our community and world as people of God unified by His Holy Spirit.  And may our local expression of the New Testament church be a biblically faithful illustration to young and old alike by the grace and to the fame of our Heavenly Father.     

Grateful and hopeful in Christ,   

Jon 

Far Off to Brought Near

Have you ever been hopelessly lost before?  Have you ever feared for your life?  Have you ever been so desperate that you knew you had no chance of “saving yourself?”  If you have experienced this – how often to you remember it? 

Right after Paul reminds believers that we have been saved by grace through faith and it is a gift of God and now we are God’s workmanship/His masterpiece created to do good works Paul wants us to remember where we were and who we were before Christ intervened. 

There are five specific descriptions of separation in this passage:

1. We were separated from Christ – no Savior

2. We were alienated from the commonwealth of Israel – no community

3. We were strangers to the covenants – no promises

4. We were without hope – no hope

5. We were without God – no relationship with God

That’s not the kind of news that motivates you to “seize the day.”  Why would Paul exhort us to remember that is who we were?  Because of what comes next – when we were in this dismal state “but now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ” (2:13).

Jesus came to take us by the hand and draw us near so that we have a Savior, a community, eternal promises, a living hope and a life-giving relationship with God.  He himself is our peace – our Shalom. 

Are you able to remember who you were?  Are you able to see who you are now?  Are you looking to Jesus as your peace?  Don’t forget – He destroys what divides us and ALL OF US together have access in one Spirit to the Father (2:18).  Run to the Father.  Run to the Father together.

See you Sunday, 
Steven 

Works That Change the World

Faithfully, they prayed. Every day they prayed for their two kids, ten grandkids, fourteen great grandkids, and all the spouses that went with them. They prayed by name, specific requests, and wrote them down on a list kept in the Bible. Also on the list were missionaries, friends, and extended family. 

Persistently, she shared the gospel. From a broken home, she had come to know the Lord as a teen when her boyfriend and his parents brought her to church. Her deepest desire was for her brothers and sister to know Jesus too. For many years she told them of God’s goodness to no avail. She had nearly given up.

One evening, a miracle happened. A heart, once stone, began to soften. A child of wrath was made alive by Christ.

My Grandparents prayed.

My Mom shared the gospel.

God worked.

My Aunt believed.

At the same time, her ex-husband heard the gospel, and by faith through grace, he too was saved. A family was transformed, and a marriage restored.

God doesn’t only save us from wrath. He saves us for a purpose. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

Mother Theresa said "We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love." Great or small, as long as we are on this earth, our God has good works uniquely prepared for each of us to walk in. And as we walk in them, God works through them, and others see him. My family is evidence of that. 

May we live each day, walking in the good works He has planned for us.

It just might change someone's world. 

-Natalie Runyon

My Mom, her sister, and (some of their many) kids and grandkids who came to faith. A legacy of God’s faithfulness and my Grandparent's prayers.

Before and After

Social media platforms and broadcast media outlets have a plethora of Before and After stories.  Television has entire channels dedicated to broadcasting the process of transformation.  I especially enjoy the television shows where they are working to revitalize an entire neighborhood, one house at a time.  The story usually begins with a dilapidated, maybe even condemned house in a neighborhood where most houses are in varying states of decay.  Throughout the show, viewers are shown all the blood, sweat and tears that is poured into the rotting structure.  There’s typically three distinct parts to these types of stories:  the before, the restoration process, and the after where the finished product is displayed.  I like to think of our verses this week as the best kind of Before and After story.  

Every Christ follower has a Before story.  The author of Ephesians explains our condition as: “dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.” (Ephesians 2:1 NLT) and our actions as “… following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. “(Ephesians 2:2-3b NLT).   We were much like the condemned house: full of decay.  The house with its leaky roof and broken windows did not have the means to protect itself from the effects of wind, rain or snow.  Likewise, we were ill-equipped to battle the “prince of the power of the air “. 

The restoration portion of the house story varies greatly from our restoration. The house takes time, money and talent by an owner and or a contractor.  Our transformation is all God’s doing. It's because of His mercy, grace and abundant love for us, even though we were dead in our sins, he saved us. (Ephesians 2:5-6 ESV) It’s not our blood, sweat and tears that transforms us, but a gift from God, “… not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”  (Ephesians 2:9 ESV)

The After segment in the TV show provides a tour of the home, evidence that it has been restored into something beautiful, now a beacon of light to other homeowners who want to invest in the neighborhood.  Our After is also meant to be an example to others.  Again, the author of these verses tells us God will “point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness towards us…” (Ephesians 2:7 NLT).  We were once like a dilapidated house but God transformed us into something useful in order that we may be the light that attracts others to His neighborhood. 

-Brenda Wooff

Matters of the Heart

Tintern Abbey was built in 1131 AD. During England's Henry VIII’s reign, he abolished the monasteries, leaving Tintern in ruins. Tintern is now a tourist attraction. The Abbey is without its roof or interior. However, its foundations and cathedral structure still stand where natural sunlight shines amongst the arch windows and columns, beautifully spraying prisms of light.

In the 1920s, as an atheist, CS Lewis finally intellectually arrived at a point where he was open to the Christian faith, but his heart was not there yet.

Lewis visited Tintern Abbey, and while he was standing under its arches, the sunlight shone through the arches onto the beautiful landscaped green grass. Then, suddenly, an inexpressible joy surged into his heart. Lewis finally got it. His heart was finally enlightened, and He discovered the essence of all of creation in Jesus Christ. Lewis became a believer.

In Ephesians 1:18-19, Paul prays about this very enlightenment and wisdom of the heart and imagination Lewis experienced: I pray that your hearts (one translation ‘the imagination’) will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him.

To understand the divine realities in our life, we cannot rely on intellect alone but also on the heart's affections. God's revelation through the Holy Spirit provides believers a deep, spiritual knowledge and wisdom that is not gained solely through knowledge and intellect. This revealed spiritual wisdom and knowledge open our hearts to God's divine power, His works of grace, and the movements of the soul we inherit as believers in Jesus Christ. This power raised Christ from the dead, and He now sits on the right hand in the heavenly realms placing all of creation, including the Church, under Him. [verses. 20-23]

Why is this revealed spiritual insight important regarding the matter of our hearts?

The term 'Heart' has many uses in Scripture, but its essential meaning refers to the person's deepest core — the deepest organizing center of one's life and what you rely on and lean on. The heart is a fundamental yet sometimes hidden foundation at the deepest recesses and absolute center of a person from which springs forth genuine, real feelings, authentic thoughts, values, and taking on life. The heart is the most profound aspect of one's soul and inner self.1

In The Abolition of Man, CS Lewis famously termed "Men Without Chests," meaning instead of ignoring the matters of the heart, we are to feel what is good and true with our hearts and apprehend it with our minds as logical and reasonable.

Our soul uses both our mind and our heart's deepest intuition. Thus Paul's timeless counsel that God’s peace will “guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 4:7

With our hearts anchored in this spiritual wisdom, power, and divine insight, we should not be dazzled by the human and material experiences, all temporary but the illuminated and eternal hope of the transcendent glory that awaits those who are believers in Jesus Christ. Where our heart possesses "a presence that disturbs me with the joy of elevated thoughts."2

-Dan Nickel

1 Paraphrase of JP Moreland’s thoughts in Finding Quiet

2 William Wordsworth’s poem “Lines Written a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey.” Wordsworth wrote the poem upon seeing Tintern Abby.

Thankful For Your Faith

A few Sundays ago, I had the opportunity to serve communion to my Bridge Church Family.

I was excited to be part of the experience and thought to myself, “I’ve got this!” All I had to do was stand before you and pass out bread, right?

But as the service started, I began to feel hopelessness. I was thinking about my friends and family as they struggle with health, loss, grief, and debts. I began to deeply question suffering and the purpose of it all.  

Feeling dismayed, I prayed to God that I would see life, hope and joy in times of such suffering. “God help me stand before the Church in communion with you and help me with my brokenness.” Just as I finished my prayer it was time to go down for Communion.

I stood, a little shaky inside, pushing my pain aside with my brightest smile and preparing myself to offer the bread of Christ’s broken body to my church family. As each of you walked forward, I felt God lean in and say, “This Nikki, this is why. “

As each of you stepped forward to communion with Christ Jesus, my heart overflowed with something. It was something I, of many words, could not put words to.  My tears overflowed and I saw you, and I loved you for the love you have for Christ. For your faith in the Lord Jesus, I am thankful. Your faith reminded me though my heart breaks, that there is joy in this life. There is a purpose, and that purpose is to believe and have faith in Jesus; to love God with all our hearts and love our neighbors as ourselves.

Thank you, my Bridge Church Family, for allowing me to serve you and showing me what faith in Christ is and all the love that goes with it. I pray on the days when the sorrow cuts deep we remember the sweet communion we share and the beautiful love of Christ Jesus!  

-Nikki Fiedler

The Guarantee of our Inheritance

What do you plan to inherit in this life?  Who would it be from that you would inherit such things?  An inheritance is a provision that some have the privilege to look forward to in this life.  It is usually a sign of a special familial position to the one who provides the inheritance.  The provision of an inheritance and plan to receive it can offer a measure of hope long before it is fully acquired.   

Our text this week speaks of the inheritance we have with God in Christ Jesus.  The Bible tells us that those who trust in Jesus as their Redeemer are co-heirs with Him.  This inheritance is greater than anything we could ever imagine from a worldly point of view.  It’s a sign of the fact that God created us to with Him as part of His family.  Jesus gave His life on a cross so that His followers could be benefactors in God’s glorious plan for His family. 

Through faith in Jesus as the Christ, we receive a seal for this promised inheritance from God to come.  The seal we are given is His Holy Spirit in us.  The Holy Spirit of God in us is our assurance that we are part of His family and partakers in the inheritance He promises to those that belong to Him.  All of this is so that God will be greatly praised for His amazing love and steadfast care!  This truth is a call to worship God today for all He has done IN CHRIST. 

May we find an anchor for our souls in the living hope we have through His Holy Spirit in us today and evermore.  May we look forward to the greater things to come in Christ and the inheritance He has prepared for His people.  May these things bring good news for today that will sustain our souls amid suffering and temptation and lead us to trust in Jesus more.  Let us be always ready and primed to share this good news of eternal life in Christ Jesus that is available to whoever believes IN HIM! 

Grateful and hopeful in Christ,   

Jon 

Do You Need a Pick-Me-Up?

Do you need a "pick-me-up"?  Read Ephesians 1:7-10. These verses are so rich, so encouraging and full of everything we need: redemption, forgiveness and grace. Short on time? Read the following: “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us,” (Ephesians 1:7-8a ESV). 

I have memory leaks. I always remember that Jesus died on the cross for me, that His blood was shed for me, that he paid the price for my sins. But, sometimes I’ll forget the extent, the fullness of His grace. I decided to do some research on the word lavished. According to the Oxford dictionary, lavished means “bestow something in generous or extravagant quantities”. Interestingly, one of the origins of the word lavish comes from the French word “laver” which means to wash. I continued my research by checking the synonyms for lavish: openhanded, unsparing, bountiful and heap (www.Thesaurus.com).  My research provided me with multiple ways to think about and hopefully remember Paul’s words: 

• Jesus is waiting, open handed to wash us clean every day!

• We are unsparingly, heaped with His grace!

• Grace is not dispensed in small doses. Redemption and grace are continually being repeated, occurring again and again.

Our passage this week should be read, reflected upon and shared. When you or a loved one needs a little "pick-me-up" read Ephesians 1:7-10.

-Brenda Wooff

Given, Not Earned

This week’s four verses are light in length but heavy in message. Paul uses phrases like “blessed us”, “chose us”, “in love”, and “freely given” to describe how God views and loves us. While God certainly loves us today, Paul emphasizes how He’s loved us always, long before the world was created!

In this love though, there is a desire by God for how we live our lives, “to be holy and blameless.” Thankfully, next Paul writes how we are adopted through Jesus Christ, no doubt knowing on any given day we’re neither holy or blameless on our own, but only through Jesus’ shed blood on the cross.

A reminder in these verses is that God's salvation is given, not earned, and we should not have pride in our salvation. It was freely given to all through Jesus, as humans we must acknowledge and accept this gift. Because of this grace, Paul urges us to praise God and if we can continually have that praising mindset and soft heart, how we live our lives will more align with God’s desires.

-Alex Pfister

Heavenly Blessings for Faithful Sojourners

Paul wrote Ephesians, likely a circular letter (routed to other churches) to the church of Ephesus, while in a Rome prison awaiting trial. He wrote the letter around AD 60, towards the end of Paul’s life

Ephesus was a leading center in the Roman Empire with major trade routes and home to one of the Wonders of Ancient Civilization — the Temple of the Greek goddess Artemis that towered over the bay entry for ships. Against a cultural environment rife with paganism, perversion, sorcerers, and precious metal idol makers, Paul emphasizes the universal church of Jews and Gentiles by salvation through Jesus Christ in the letter’s first three verses.

Paul expresses his wish for grace —God's unmerited favor — and peace from God and our Lord Jesus Christ while also showing an equal relational state between God and Christ. The peace Paul refers to for the believers is not a sense of quiet like a home with a TV turned off, social media devices put away or sitting in the woods reading a book. The peace Paul meant is a depth of contentment — a settled soul.

In Ephesians 1:3, Paul writes, “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.”

It reminds us that while we live in the fleshy/material world where the emphasis is a horizontal vision, our spiritual blessings that captivate and settle our soul are vertical, whose genesis is the heavenly realms. Why? Because as believers, we are united in Jesus Christ. In other words, while living an earthy life, we are to live with an upward heavenly vision where every spiritual enrichment provided to believers rests in Jesus Christ. This visionary and spiritual awareness should dictate our paths in life on this earth.

During our early morning walk, Cindy mentioned it was getting lighter each morning, making it easier for us to see what had been walking in the dark for months. I was mulling over this devotion and the emphasis on spiritual blessings and a vertical vision sourced from the heavenly realms when Cindy’s mention of light led me to search for a Leo Tolstoy reflection in his book A Confession. The famous Russian writer wrote it while he struggled with his current path in life, depression, and a search for God.

Tolstoy wrote, “Live to seek God, and life will not be without Him. And stronger than ever rose up life within and around me, and the light that then shone never left me again.” 1

A vision of eternal light Dante also saw when he poetically arrives in Paradise — the Heavenly Realms:

O grace abounding, by which I have dared

To fix my eyes through the eternal Light

Within that Light a person is so changed

It is impossible to give consent

Ever to turn from it to other sight 2

Paul had this eternal Light of Christ in mind, which lit his heart and flooded his soul with blessings and contentment writing his greetings of encouragement while reflecting on his dangerous and riotous but miraculous times in Ephesus. Encouraging words Paul knew believers would read while living in a pagan culture under the shadow of a Temple to a venerated Greek goddess who didn't bestow spiritual blessings. They are words of encouragement for us too as a reminder to give praise for our spiritual blessings and not abandon being united in Christ when faced with living in a culture increasingly agnostic to the Christian faith.

-Dan Nickel

1 Leo Tolstoy, A Confession [London: Walter Scott, 1887], Kindle 834-837. 2 Dante, Paradiso (Canto 33, Lines 97-102

Bought and Paid For

When I started out my college career in Radio Broadcasting, I wanted to be an investigative reporter. My goal was to dig until I uncovered the true story. A sure path that will lead you to the truth beneath any story is to “follow the money”. When I read any news headline I tend to look for where the money is coming from, who is paying for the messages while asking the who, what, when, where, why and how questions.   

While reading Matthew 28, it was no surprise to me verses 11-15 stood out. Jesus’ disciples stole his body was a paid for story in attempts to bury the other story being told that day. A monetary transaction between chief priests and some guards that were posted at Jesus’ tomb.

Just before the chief priests handed over money to the soldiers, there was another transaction made. It was not an exchange of money but a life that was given so all debts could be paid in full, with no condemnation made to the debtor.  The sum of money paid to the soldiers in attempts to squash the enormity of Jesus, was futile.

The Son of God gave his life willingly, so that the many sins of this world would be forgiven, and a great multitude of many nations will be waving palm branches in their hands crying out salvation. That story could not be buried in a tomb or buried with money. For Jesus has authority over life and death.

Two transactions, one made to hide the first. Which is greater?

Jesus said, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

He Lives- Alfred H. Ackley

Verse 1
I serve a risen Savior,
He’s in the world today;
I know that He is living,
Whatever men may say;
I see His hand of mercy,
I hear His voice of cheer,
And just the time I need Him
He’s always near

Chorus
He lives, He lives,
Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me
Along life’s narrow way.
He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives:
He lives within my heart.

Verse 2
In all the world around me,
I see His loving care,
And tho my heart grows weary
I never will despair;
I know that He is leading
thru all the stormy blast,
The day of His appearing
will come at last

Chorus

Verse 3
Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian,
Lift up your voice and sing
Eternal hallelujahs to
Jesus Christ the King!
The hope of all who seek Him,
The help of all who find,
None other is so loving,
So good and kind.

Chorus

-Nikki Fielder

The Faith of Children

"And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant, and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, “‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise’?”

Matthew 21: 14-16

I asked some of our Bridge kids what they loved about Jesus. Here are their responses.

“He is amazing!”

-Brooklyn, 8

“Jesus is always nice and He loves us, and He died on the cross for our sins!”

-Emilia, 7

“I love Jesus because he’s the true God.”-

Sophie, 10

“I love that Jesus died on the cross to pay for my sins, and I’m thankful to God for my whole family.”

-Theo, 5

“What Theo said.”

-Vincent, 3

“Because he loves everybody...even my Moose and Blankie.

-Henry, 6

“He made stuffed animals.”

-Grace, 7- (who loves animals, but is allergic to them, and is thankful God made a substitute for her.)

“He died for us, and he came down for us. I’m thankful he made everything for us, like my Mimi, my friends, my family, my room….everything.”

-Avery, 5

“I am thankful to God for my parents, my family, my friends, my teachers. I love that Jesus died on the cross for our sins.”

-Alex, 7

“He gave me Mom and Dad.”

-Boston, 5

“I’m thankful to God for letting Jesus die on the cross for our sins. “- Billie, 9

“He gives me clothes and he gives me strength (flexes muscles). I am grateful for my mommy. “

-Willow, 3

“He died for our sins. I’m thankful to God that I’m alive.”

- Wren, 7

“He died on the cross for us."

-Jessa, 7

“He gave us animals too!"

-Emery, 8

“Jesus cares about us and he loves everyone”.

-Ian, 12

I’m thankful for Thanksgiving and my birthday party.”

-Mabel, 8

“Easter. And I have one thing to say about Jesus. He died on the cross so we could live and our sins would leave.”

- Genevieve, 5

How about you, Bridge Family? What cause do you have to praise Jesus?

I will confess, even as I asked the kids to share their answers, I felt a bit jaded. Faith can sure seem simple and sweet for children. The concerns of this world and the complexity of life sometimes make this question harder to answer as adults. But as I thought about it, my heart began to soften. I hope as we enter into this Holy Week, you will take some time to reflect on what Christ has done for you, and that as you do, your heart will be filled with the faith of a child.

“I love Jesus because he first loved me. He is gentle and kindhearted. Even when I’m not. Even when I doubt. Even when I’m angry with life, or with him. He never leaves me or forsakes me.”

-Natalie, 42

Able and Willing

“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”

Jesus - do you see me?

Jesus - will you help me?

Have you ever echoed these words?

When we face a storm - an illness, a job loss, a divorce, the death of a loved one, mental illness, war - it is natural to be overwhelmed.  The wind and waves are too much for us.  As Christians we have been told that our God is all powerful.  Most of us believe God is able to calm the storm, but we may struggle to believe He is willing.

So when the disciples wake Jesus up and ask him, “Do you not care that we are perishing?” I think it stings the heart of our Savior.  He cares.  He cares more deeply than we could ever imagine.  And He shows the depth of His care in His words and actions.

Jesus doesn’t rebuke the disciples for their doubt initially.  Jesus directs His attention to the thing that threatens them - “He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet!  Be still!”  Our Savior is still doing this today.  Can you hear His words to the things that threaten you?  Peace!  Be still!

“And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.”  Not just a calm, but a great calm.  It sounds similar to a “peace that passes all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).

Then only after Jesus has proven He cares and calmed the storm does He ask His disciples, “Why are you so afraid?  Do you still have no faith?”

Then they were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this?  Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Who is this who cares about us?  Who is this who is not only able, but also willing to rescue and save and heal and help us?  Who is this who went to the Cross and died in our place?  Who is this who rose from the dead and promises us even death will not separate us from Him?  Who is this who even now lives to pray for us?

He is Jesus!  And when it feels like He is sleeping don’t hesitate to “wake Him up.”  He cares for you.  When He feels far away, call on Him.  He is in the “boat” of your life and He is still in the business of calming storms.

See you Sunday, 

Steven

What If?

Our journey through the book of Acts has come to an end but my head is filled with questions.  What if?

What if I were willing to forgive those who hurt me, like Stephen forgives those who were stoning him?

What if I were fearless like Philip and willing to share the Good News of Jesus with people who are foreign to me?

What if I could encourage new believers like John?

What if I were bold like Peter?

What if I could sell a valuable commodity to support the spread of the Gospel like Barnabas?

What if I were willing to sacrifice my physical safety?

I’m familiar with Matthew 19:26b that says “… with God all things are possible.” and “…everything is possible for him who believes.” (Mark 9:13b NIV). But do I live, like Paul, really believing that: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me”? (Philippians 4:13 NIV)? Unfortunately, no. Too often I shop at the store of the enemy, buying his lies: “You’re not good enough.” However, throughout the Bible we’ve been shown that God can use whom he chooses: men, women, children, liars, adulteresses and murderers.  I’m a non-confrontational, risk-averse introvert so it’s not likely I will be as fearless as Philip or Paul, or bold like Peter. But who knows? Who would have ever believed that a former persecutor of Christians with a strong personality would endure beatings, trials, shipwrecks, and imprisonments for the name of Jesus?  

What if we had Isaiah’s mind set: “Here I am! Send me.” (Isaiah 6:8 NIV)?  There’s a verse I love in Matt Redman’s song “Send me Lord”  that says: “Let my life be the evidence, every breath be the evidence”. I pray that each of us can continue the wok that started in the book of Acts.

-Brenda Wooff        

A Warm Welcome

This week’s scripture reading has an emphasis on warm welcomes. On four separate occasions Paul and his crew are warmly welcomed as they advance on their trip to Rome. The different welcoming parties consist of culturally different islanders, Roman officials, and Roman Christian believers. Given the attitude many communities, often of the same background as Paul, greeted Paul with when he arrived at the edge of town, I imagine Paul’s human emotions were relieved and ecstatic at this hospitality.

Hebrews 13:2 reads “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” If opening your door to a stranger from a far off land feels overwhelming, perhaps consider inviting a neighbor or checking in with an out-of-touch friend. Given the last two years, they may even feel like a stranger.

-Alex Pfister

Impossible Odds

“This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

Paul’s journey in Acts 27 from Caesarea to Rome involves two ships, many stops, and a Nor’easter.

I’ve seen enough episodes of Deadliest Catch to know how dangerous the seas can be. The fisherman onboard the ships highlighted in that documentary are equipped with technology of today, and still the rough dynamics of the weather at sea take ships and lives to a watery grave on the sea floor. Many ships and their sailors never to be found or recovered again. Not only was Paul caught in a deadliest storm, but he was also a prisoner surrounded by his captives. No high-tech navigation systems, and the stars were not seen nor was the sun for days. None aboard listening to his urgent counsel regarding safe passage in the late September voyage.

Tossed and turned by the waves, tackle and cargo cast overboard - including their small boat. Running out of food with the ship being driven by the wind and waves as it runs aground and the only way to safe land is to swim or drift in on planks. Soldiers planning to kill prisoners, so they don’t escape by jumping overboard. Yet Paul, hungry and slowly recovering from a beating his body will never fully heal from, urges the men to keep up their courage for no life will be lost, only the ship will succumb to the storm. Paul knows God will be seen in this voyage and has faith he will reach his destination - for in the storm an Angel of God stood before him telling him not to be afraid and to stand before Caesar.

Paul knew a journey to Rome from Caesarea was no easy trip when he asked to appeal to Caesar. He chose the impossible odds; he chose to stay the course of his faith even if it meant death at sea.

There will be times in our walk with Christ where the odds will be stacked against us, darkness all around us and in that moment may we stay the course of our faith. So that, in our weakness, He is made strong. So that, those who witness will say, "Only God could have saved them!" So that, they will see Jesus in our trials. May we encourage others not to lose faith, to stay the course and be steadfast in their faith. For what is freedom on earth if it ends in eternal prison?
~Nikki Fiedler

A Clear Statement On One Page

Many years ago, a friend who was a Regional Manager for a large automobile company shared a video with me of a business consultant’s speech to a large gathering of the car company’s management. In the speech, the consultant shared a story about a request by an international automobile company for him to give the car company guidance on how to gain a competitive advantage. The consultant put together a large binder with 200 pages of fine linen paper and gave it to the executive team. Every page in the binder was left blank except for one page. Page 25 of the binder contained a one-line typed message: IT IS NOT A PLEASANT BUYING EXPERIENCE.

This blank pages binder story came to mind when one verse captured my attention while reading Paul’s defense speech to King Agrippa and Festus in Acts 25:13 to 26:32. Paul summarized when he persecuted Christians thinking he understood God and His plan. Paul also related additional details about his conversion experience in Acts 9 that dramatically changed his life. Paul recounted the story of his encounter with Jesus and shared the clear Gospel statement Christ declared to Paul [26:18].

Suppose we are tasked to give a written report to explain the Gospel. Like the auto consultant’s approach, a binder that is attention-grabbing is made with blank pages. Hundreds of empty pages except for one page, which contains the clear statement about the Gospel:

TO OPEN THEIR EYES, IN ORDER TO TURN THEM FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT, AND FROM THE POWER OF SATAN TO GOD, THAT THEY MAY RECEIVE FORGIVENESS OF SINS AND AN INHERITANCE AMONG THOSE WHO ARE SANCTIFIED[1] BY FAITH IN ME

Salvation is offered to all of humanity spoken from the mouth of Jesus Christ.

Like the story of his encounter with Jesus, Paul later recounted when his life was at risk. We are also tasked to be witnesses to the marvelous grace of Jesus Christ and what the Gospel can do each in person’s life:

1.         Darkness in Our Life is Vanquished

2.         The Power of Satan is Defeated

3.         Sins are Forgiven

4.         Our Lost Inheritance is Restored[2]

It is the promise of the Good News.

-Dan Nickel

[1] Sanctified — God transforms a person from sin to set apart for God’s use and purpose

[2]William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: A Complete Bible Commentary in One Volume [Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, Inc., 1995], 1660. Commentary on Acts 26:1