Young and Old

You’re never too old for the Lord to use. It is your experience of walking with Him that He wants to use to encourage the next generation. God uses blind, imperfect, old, tired people to further His kingdom.

You’re never too young for the Lord to use. It is your childlike faith that all believers are called to emulate. God uses immature, inexperienced, energetic children to further His kingdom.

In 1 Samuel 3 we read of an old, tired, blind man who has served as a priest to the Lord, God Almighty, and a young, obedient boy who serves alongside him, even while having never experienced the Lord’s presence for Himself.

God calls that young boy in the night. Three times he calls him, and Samuel doesn’t know it is the Lord. How could he? He’s never heard the Lord call him before. Three times Samuel presents himself to Eli, until Eli discerns it is the Lord Himself calling Samuel.

Samuel needed someone who had known the Lord and experienced Him in a way that he never had, to tell him when the Lord was speaking.

Eli needed to see the obedience of another child, so unlike the rebellion of his own sons, to show him his great sin and the mercy of an even greater God.

God used Eli’s experience and wisdom, despite his sin and the coming consequences, to point Samuel to the One who called.

The church needs older people to testify to God’s Word and power and mercy and faithfulness in the lives of younger believers. The church needs young people to serve and remind us of the joy and enthusiasm that we can find in Him. We need each other. We need one another to point us to the One who calls.

-Natalie Runyon

Just to know Him more.

A few years before God brought my family to be a part of The Bridge, Kim and I spent a great deal of time with a particular couple that had supported us in our church planting efforts.  Those dear friends brought steady encouragement by introducing us to the concept of the gospel cycle.  It all begins with knowing Jesus.  Then, as we truly know Jesus, we can’t help but love Him.  Then, as we love Him, we can’t help but respond by following Him.  In following Jesus, we continue to know and love Him and the cycle repeats itself.  The concept was revolutionary for my walk with Christ.  So much of my life had been driven by religious rituals and obligations in an attempt to be Christian.  But being Christian has everything to do with our relationship with Christ and so little to do with our own performance.  Even now, when I try to live for Jesus on my own volition, so much beside Christ Jesus can become my focus.  From personal experience, I’ve witnessed the amazing resolution and wonder of walking with and abiding in the presence of Jesus.  Oh that I would know Him still more!

As we look in on the characters of this chapter and what is to come soon after, each of their individual fates rests on one thing.  And that one thing is how they respond to a relationship with their Heavenly Father.  Some in this story will ignore Him and seek the desires of their flesh while others receive Him at His word and respond by seeking more of His will and way for their lives.   This passage does serve as a warning about the consequences of sin but even more as an invitation to experience the goodness of God through Jesus Messiah. 

How will you respond to God’s steadfast love in your life?  He invites us to receive it so that we will know Him in a way that will change us for our good and His glory.  Let us pray that God will crush our idols and make us quick to repent of our pride and self-righteousness.  May He turn our heart toward Jesus so that we will know, love, and follow Him with hearts set afire and minds made anew by His transforming presence and power. May the love of Christ overflow from us toward others.  And may our church family grow in favor with God and humanity for the glory and fame of our Rescuer & King Jesus!

Grateful and hopeful in Christ,

Jon

Bursting with GOD-news!

Hannah prayed:

        I'm bursting with GOD-news!

        I'm walking on air.

        I'm laughing at my rivals.

        I'm dancing my salvation.                               

1 Samuel 2:1 - The Message

Have you ever "prayed" like this?  My image of prayer and often my practice of prayer is "fold your hands, bow your heads, close your eyes."  I'm not saying that's necessarily wrong BUT it would be pretty tough to stay seated with hands folded and eyes closed when you are "bursting with GOD-news" and "walking on air" and "laughing at rivals" and "dancing salvation."  This prayer is full of joy and full of confidence.  It's almost like Hannah can't wait to pray and praise God.

Hannah looks to the LORD -

"There is none holy like the Lord:
  for there is none besides you;
  there is no rock like our God."    1 Samuel 2:2 (ESV)

Hannah looks to the LORD.  Hmmm.  Stop for a moment.  Where are you looking?  Where is your focus?  Where do you look when things are going well?  Where do you look when things are really bad?  Where do you look when you are stressed?

May we be those who look to the LORD.  And as we look to HIM may we "burst with GOD-news."

LORD, help us.

Perform this miracle in our hearts.

Lift our heads and open our eyes so we can see you.

See you Sunday,

Steven

Hannah's Pain

This week we are starting a new sermon series. We’ll be taking a look at the book of First Samuel. I enjoy these kinds of books in the bible because they read more like a story rather than a sermon, lecture or some other type of instruction. We will go to unique settings, meet a variety of characters, hear words spoken and sometimes even get to read what’s thought but not spoken. There will be obstacles to overcome, climaxes and crescendos reached, victory and defeat, love and loss, basically all of the good storyline kind of stuff that we so enjoy watching or reading about.

This first week is all about a woman named Hannah. The side characters are Eli, the priest, Penninah, the other wife, Elkanah, who is Hannah’s husband, and eventually towards the end of the chapter, a miracle child named Samuel, who as you can guess, is going to become one of the main characters in this series.

The book starts with Hannah’s pain on full display. She and the rest of the family are going to the sanctuary for their yearly visit. Every year they go and every year it’s the same deal. We have no idea how long this has been going on, but year after year she is without a child. Her husband loves her dearly and tries to help her get over her pain by pointing out what she does have - his love. But it’s not enough for Hannah. The other wife, Penninah, has her own pain. Penninah has the children, but not the love of her husband. To make herself feel better, she taunts Hannah about not having children. I imagine this does little to ease Penninah’s heartbreak, but it’s definitely a common way to deal with pain. Then there is Eli, the priest. He sees Hannah in the sanctuary. Since she comes every year, I wonder if he remembers her or knows anything about her. (Probably not, since so many people come through, perhaps names and faces are hard to remember.) Regardless, when he is witness to Hannah’s deepest pain, he jumps to the conclusion that she is drunk and he even makes a public statement to her about this!

If you are human...than you know pain. I don’t think you can walk this earth without experiencing it sooner or later. Clearly, there are different degrees of pain. Pain that we know will pass or that has a reward is easier to handle than pain that we think might never end or have any reward. Just ask any woman who has given birth. Pain is involved, but most sign up willingly. On the other hand, there is pain that none of us want any part of, in fact, if we’re honest, we probably have fears that cause us great anxiety when we think about the possibilities that could happen at any moment to us or those we love.

In our church on any given Sunday, I think we would be surprised at how much pain is sitting in the pews. A few might give voice to the struggle. Some people’s pain is outwardly visible. But for many, the pain, the desperate kind of pain that Hannah is feeling in this chapter, is hidden within and is so deep, it’s hard to even put it into words.

Hannah prays with her lips moving, but no words coming out. The Holy Spirit intercedes for us when we have no words to pray. There exists a pain that is beyond expression. You know it. Maybe you’re in it right now.

Why in the previous years did God not answer her prayer? We have no idea. Why was He stirred to action at this precise time? It’s not because Hannah’s faith was so great. Honestly, she expresses quite a bit of doubt in her desperate prayer...some pretty major “ifs” about God. God seems to be able to look over her lack of faith.

Why is your pain still going on? Why is mine? I have no idea. What will be the precise time when God will intervene and take care of the situation? Hard to tell. Some things don’t seem to really see a miracle till the other side.

Hannah gets her miracle. Samuel arrives, she keeps her word to God by dedicating and literally giving him back to God as a young child. Chapter 2 has Hannah singing a God song of worship. Her heart is full and she has experienced God in a powerful way.

What if the miracle hadn’t come? I can’t help but wonder. Can we still sing a God song of worship even then? I don’t mean smooth over pain and deny it, or act like it doesn’t exist. What I do mean is - is Jesus enough? I think He is. I know He is. That’s the kind of thing that anchors our souls when the storms rage and pretty much needs to be decided upon before all hell breaks loose.

Let your desperate pain draw you to your knees. Talk honestly to God about it. You don’t have to conjure up anything religious. Cry...move your mouth without words coming out or whatever else you need to do to lay it down. Don’t concern yourself with those who want to make light of your pain, or those who are cruel to try to make themselves feel better. Don’t worry about judgement. People can think what they want. Just be real...lay it down and see what God will do. I think that’s the story of Hannah.

In her case...Samuel came along pretty quickly after, and even several more children! It’s hard to tell what that will look for you or me, but I do know we can trust God. He sees, He cares, and He is acting on our behalf...all the time.

Much love,

Ruth

Knowing and Honoring People

What do you say at the end of a long letter?  I don't know how long Paul thought before he wrapped up his letter to the Corinthian believers, but our final words are powerful.  I'm sitting in my office at church knowing in about eleven hours we say goodbye to 2019 and hello to 2020.  We are closing out a year.  Paul is closing a letter.  What does Paul focus on?  He focuses on PEOPLE.  He knows their names and he calls them by name:

Apollos, Stephanas, Fortunatus, Achaicus, Aquilla, Priscilla.

He exhorts the Corinthians to "give recognition to such people."

He tells the Corinthians that Aquilla and Priscilla send "hearty greetings in the Lord."

And then he instructs all of the Corinthians to "Greet one another with a holy kiss."

So...be prepared to kiss some people this coming Sunday!   (Just kidding.)

Paul has deep affection for these brothers and sisters, and he knows when we express outwardly what we feel inwardly, it blesses others. 

I see this at The Bridge on a daily basis.  I see people learning each other's names and stories and I am an eyewitness of strangers becoming friends and friends becoming family.  Thank you for the number of ways you are committed to "greeting one another with a holy kiss."  It "refreshes" my spirit and the spirit of many others.  But there are many others in our city/community who are still strangers.  What if 2020 is a year when our friendship circles expand?

I don't know if you are the kind of person who makes New Year's Resolutions, but what if in 2020 we focus even more on PEOPLE?  Let us resolve to know names and stories of others and celebrate them.  Our Lord Jesus made time for PEOPLE.  May it be so with us as well.

See you Sunday,

Steven Helfrich

The Dark Days

“The Dark Days”- that’s how we refer to a period of time in our family history. Our adopted kids had been home a short time and we were dealing with trauma and adjustment, the economy had tanked, Michael was unemployed, and we were both depressed.

We paid our mortgage with credit cards, humbly received food from local pantries, and had one barely functioning vehicle. The day of reckoning always comes, and it did for us as well. The credit cards were maxed, the vehicle broke down, and no job prospects were on the horizon. We had exhausted our resources.

One kind family at our church drove from Edwardsville to Roxana to take us to church in Edwardsville, and they brought two cars because we couldn’t all fit in one. This went on for a couple of months until the church fixed our vehicle. They also provided Christmas gifts for our kids that year.

Eventually the van broke down again, and a few days later another church- a church we didn’t attend- loaned us their passenger van. Within a few weeks, they voted to give us the van, and paid for the taxes and title transfer as well! Ultimately those dark days came to a close for us, but the compassion God gave me for others who are walking through poverty has not left me.

There is a stigma we experienced when we endured material poverty. It was a feeling of being powerless over our circumstances and ashamed that we could not provide for our own family. We assumed others thought poorly of us, and we were dehumanized by the process of receiving welfare benefits from the state. We battled feelings of worthlessness, as though our value was measured solely by what we were not able to contribute.

So, the way we were loved by the family of God during that season of life impacted our entire family. We will not forget the ways in which the Church showed up for us over and over, whether it was diapers on our porch or cash in the mailbox, gifts for our kids, help with transportation, help with employment, or simply encouragement and love. We were not forgotten.

“Now about the collection for the Lord’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.” 1 Corinthians 16:1-2

These two verses tucked away at the end of 1 Corinthians remind us that God does not forget the poor, despite how they may feel. He instructed Paul to tell the Corinthians to do the same thing He had told the church in Galatia to do- give, and specifically, give to help the impoverished members of the church in Jerusalem.

The holiday season has many calls for generosity and giving, for both the believer in Christ, and the world at large. God’s people, however, are called to live open handed all year long. On this coming Lord’s Day, and on those to follow, we should all be participating in giving according to the measure in which God has blessed us. If we have much or little, it is all from His hand. And as He has cared for us, He uses us to care for one another! May we give generously so that others may have their needs met, and may God be glorified in both our giving and in our receiving. 

-Natalie Runyon

Behold! I tell you a mystery.

“Behold! I tell you a mystery.  We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.  For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.”

1 Corinthians 15:51-52

 The Apostle Paul calls his audience to attention with these words as he details the miraculous mystery, resolution, and hope that the world can have in the resurrection of the dead.  This mystery had transformed Paul’s life and he believed it would do the same for his Corinthian church family.   

This mystery that Paul describes is truly an awe-inspiring transaction as we are reminded that our Heavenly Father has gifted us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ, and He will raise us to an imperishable body.  This gift is good news of great joy that transforms us to the core of our being when we receive it as fact and believe on it. 

This mystery has changed my life and so many more over the centuries.  This mystery that ends in victory for God’s people is still a gift that our Heavenly Father invites us to receive.  Part of the mystery is the power of the Gospel to free us from the curse and penalty of sin while empowering us to desire the things that our Heavenly Father desires for us and His world.  There is also mystery as to how the resurrection will happen. 

This mystery entails a radical change to come.  As Christians we’ve witnessed radical changes throughout our spiritual lives.  Change is part of our experience now, and there are greater changes to come regarding our mortal and immortal bodies.  Changes we have seen before should help us trust in those to come and allow us to rest in the work of our Heavenly Father to finish what He has started in us.

As I think about change during the Christmas time of year, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens often comes to mind.  That story is a favorite of mine because I so strongly identify with his character, Ebenezer Scrooge.  At times, I can be worse than Mr. Scrooge as I live callous with little regard for others.  To my despair, I’ve found no matter how hard I try to resolve my hard heart, I cannot produce the lasting change I need to overcome that sin in me.  But I rejoice in Jesus and the steadfast love shown through his life, death, resurrection and faithful presence.  By His life and work, I am transformed to love what God loves.  In the story, A Christmas Carol, there is a mysterious change that occurs in the life of Ebenezer Scrooge that inspires hope and joy that people can change. 

That kind of mysterious change is for you and me still today as we stare into this mystery of a risen Savior and the eternal life He gives.  Jesus was and is the guarantee of promises fulfilled by our Heavenly Father.  The same One who gave us life in this world will most assuredly lead us into everlasting life to come, to the praise of His glory! 

Over the coming weeks, as we reflect on the virgin birth of Emmanuel, may the mystery of this gift from God transform us for His glory.  May we be mystified by how great a benefactor we have in our Heavenly Father and worship Him with our devotion.  May we be moved to our core with a love for our world that reflects the love our dear Savior Jesus has for us.  And may we respond to this mystery that ends in a victory for us by loving each other and by being “…steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

Grateful and hopeful in Christ,

Jon

You Talking To Me?

“You foolish person!  What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.”   1 Corinthians 15:36 (ESV)

When I read a passage like this I typically find myself thinking, “Those poor ignorant, selfish, evil people, thank God I’m not” ... but this week I am.  Paul tells me I’m foolish not to recognize what is right in front of me.   Bodily resurrection is not the reanimation of dead corpses but rather the transformation of perishable bodies.  I don’t deny the bodily resurrection, but I often fail to recognize and appreciate the evidence of transformation and resurrection around me.  

The God that transforms seeds into plants and brings life to all creation certainly has the power to resurrect a body.  All who have accepted Christ as Lord show evidence of and have a desire to pursue this transformation.   God resurrected the life of a persecutor of Christians transforming him into an apostle and a prolific writer of much of the New Testament.  God chose a teenage girl and an infant born in a stable as the seeds for His redemptive plan to save the world.  

As I reflect on the inconceivable creativity and awesome glory of the works of the Lord, the evidence overwhelms.  Hallelujah! 

Merry Christmas Bridge Family!  

-Todd Plummer

Awakening

“Our culture understands heroism. But we don’t understand martyrs.” Taken from the book titled Jesus Freaks by dc Talk and The Voice of the Martyrs

When my two girls were in their middle school years somehow the idea came into my head that I wanted them to read the book ‘Jesus Freaks’. I wanted them to have a sense of what cost there can be in following Christ and how even unto death, even horrific death, staying with Christ is the most important thing in life.

Recently, my sister shared a video with me about the church in Iran. (It’s called ‘Sheep among Wolves’.) I had no idea what is going on there these days. I’m not a big news watcher. It just seems like continuous fighting and problems in the middle east, but the video I watched and the information I’ve read since then has given me cause to get excited and has also challenged me to rise to greater commitment to Jesus myself, here in America!

“Persecution threatened to wipe out Iran’s tiny church. Instead, the church in Iran has become the fastest growing in the world and it is influencing the region for Christ.” You won’t see that on the news!

“Despite continued hostility from the late 1970’s until now, Iranians have become the Muslim people most open to the gospel in the Middle East.”

“How did this happen? First, violence in the name of Islam has caused widespread disillusionment with the regime and led many Iranians to question their beliefs. Second, many Iranian Christians have continued to boldly and faithfully tell others about Christ, in the face of persecution. As a result, more Iranians have become Christians in the last 20 years than in the previous 13 centuries put together since Islam came to Iran! In 1979, there were an estimated 500 Christians from a Muslim background in Iran. Today, there are hundreds of thousands-some say more than 1 million.”

And get this… “the second fastest growing church today is in Afghanistan and Afghans are being reached in part by Iranians, since their languages are similar.”

So how does this apply to 1 Corinthians 15? Paul is talking to the church about the resurrection. He makes it clear that if the resurrection isn’t true than there is no point to even living out a Christian life. If it all ends at the cemetery...what’s the point?! He talks about the suffering he and others have gone through for the faith. Friends, there have been so many martyrs over the years for Jesus. People who could’ve simply denied the faith and lived, but chose not to, and died horrific deaths. Why would people do this if not for the hope of the resurrection?

We can either live for this world or for the next. We can’t do both. In America, it’s easy to forget this reality as we live for the most part in comfort. People who are being persecuted have no confusion on the issue. They’ve banked everything on the next. 

For the most part...the Iranian church of today is being led by women! Women who often have been raped and have seen and experienced horrific things and great loss. There is no central church leadership/denomination or even any church buildings to go to. It’s an underground thing, based solely on people sharing their testimony of what Jesus has done in their life. The women are gentle, filled with love and are experiencing healing through the power of forgiveness. They are risking everything, every day and have decided to be literally living sacrifices if necessary. Wow!

Christians from the Middle East see the United States as being under Satan’s lullaby. Look around and you’ll see it. Where is the urgency? Where is the power of Jesus on display? It’s worth pondering and examining our lives to see...is the power of Jesus, the hope of resurrection, changing anything in my day to day life? If not...why? It might be time to reexamine our world view. We need an awakening.

(The information that I have quoted is from the article “The Story of Iran’s Church in Two Sentences” by Mark Howard)

-Ruth Spencer

Effect

“But by the grace of God, I am who I am and His grace to me was not without effect”.

 1 Corinthians 15:10a

She said it was her life verse, and that without His grace she would be dead. Like countless others she had been ensnared by alcohol and drugs while numbing the pain of abuse. When you are lost in the deepest pit with no hope at all, and God finds you there with His love, it changes everything.

God’s grace is demonstrated to all of us the same way. Our hearts are set against the Creator of the universe and we rebel against the One to whom all things are in submission. Yet He did not pour His wrath out on us, but while we were still sinners, He sent His sinless Son to become sin for us and to surrender His life as a ransom for our own.

By the grace of God, we are who we are. We are a new creation, seen by our Father through the righteousness of Jesus. No longer are we enslaved to the prince of the power of the air, rather we are co-heirs with Christ. We are loved more than we can fathom. We are not alone, but adopted into His family. We have purpose, good works He has set us apart for. We have a hope and a future. Yes, He died, but He also rose and conquered death!

My friend knows in the deepest part of her being that every breath she breathes is a gift from God. It changes how she loves people and gives her a deep compassion for others.  It even enables her to forgive those who have wounded her. His grace to her was not without effect.

Has His great love pursued you? May your life forever reflect the effect of His grace given to you.

-Natalie Runyon

A Time to Speak and a Time to be Silent

A time to speak and a time to be silent (1 Corinthians 14:26-40)

There are some passages of Scripture on which I have much to say.  This is not one of them.  I’d prefer not to be the one writing this week’s email reflection.  But I was assigned this week and trust that it was by God’s providence. 

Paul’s words to the 1st century church in Corinth had to be hard for them to hear.  Paul instructs both men and women to be silent at times in order to honor God and demonstrate unified submission in their corporate worship gatherings.  This is still a difficult instruction to hear and apply to ourselves today.

But the same Spirit gives His word to all Christians.  Sometimes we are called to step out of the way and be silent to allow for someone else to share the Word of God.  At other times, someone else is called to step out of the way and be silent in order for us to share the Word of God. 

Jesus is the same, yesterday and today and forever!  As the Head of the body, Jesus personified sacrificial LOVE and prayed that His church would be one as He and the Father are one.  As Christians, we must find our way in Him and for His glory!  So I will speak His word at times when I don’t prefer to and I will be silent at other times when I prefer to speak.  Either action should be done in reverence and worship to Christ Jesus. 

Church – please pray for me in this and I will continue to pray for you in the same way.  May the world know that we are God’s children by the LOVE we have for one another and for our world!  And may we all bring glory to God as we offer ourselves as loving sacrifices for our Rescuer and King Jesus!

Grateful and hopeful in Christ,

Jon

Difficultly Simple

“Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.  For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit.  On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their up-building and encouragement and consolation”

  1 Corinthians 14:1-3 (ESV)

For me this week’s passage is both difficult and simple.  Some Christians (called continuationists) believe that the spiritual gifts of tongues and prophecy continue to this day.  Others (called cessationists) believe that gift of tongues and prophecy have ceased and were only poured out on select individuals for the purpose of authenticating that God was doing something new. 

Some believe that prophecy is the authoritative infallible message of God spoken only by select individuals.  Others believe prophecy also includes fallible non-authoritative messages from God spoken by many.  Both views believe that the Bible is complete and the Spirit of God is no longer inspiring people to write Scripture.

Some believe tongues to be limited to speaking in a human foreign language that is not known by the speaker.  Others believe that tongues include ecstatic words and private prayer languages only understood by the Holy Spirit.

The simple part we can all agree on is that we are to pursue love and earnestly desire spiritual gifts.  Using both our hearts and minds we are to love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts.  Spiritual gifts are not given for ourselves, but to build up others. 

Glorify Jesus.  Take time to eagerly desire the spiritual gifts and love others this week.

Todd

The Way of Love

We are bankrupt without love. It doesn’t matter what we say or do, accomplish or succeed at, without love, it’s all pointless. Even giving up our lives is without purpose unless it involves love. This is worth dwelling on...how much of our lives are we going through the motions and doing things that appear sacrificial and loving but are actually just a job or duty and done out of wrong motivations?

1 Cor. 13 is a remarkable chapter, one of the most recognizable portions of scripture that even people who are not in church would have heard of. 

I think in the past, I’ve seen it as sort of a ‘to do list’, a ‘standard of excellence’ that I clearly don’t measure up to. I guess that would be one interpretation of it, but it’s not a helpful one for me. I think most of us already know we don’t measure up. We tend to already be harder on ourselves than God is. When I’m still and quiet and really listen, most of the time, I hear God reminding me of His love for me, His delight in me. 

I’ve heard people say to substitute your name in for the word ‘love’ in this chapter. 

Ruth never gives up.

Ruth cares more for others than for self.

Ruth doesn’t want what I don’t have.

And so on.

It’s definitely a way to show my inadequacy, but I’m already pretty aware of my failings. Jesus is the only one who loves in the way this chapter talks about. He is the Complete One. We are incomplete. When The Complete arrives...then and only then will we be complete too.

If instead I read the chapter with the word Jesus inserted for love and I actually live in the light of His great love for me, then and only then can I actually trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly and love extravagantly in my very real world today. (Faith, Hope and Love)

Jesus never gives up.

Jesus cares more for others than for self.

Jesus doesn’t want what he doesn’t have.

Jesus doesn’t strut.

Jesus doesn’t have a swelled head.

Jesus doesn’t force himself on others.

Jesus isn’t always ‘me first’.

Jesus doesn’t fly off the handle.

Jesus doesn’t keep score of the sins of others.

Jesus doesn’t revel when others grovel.

Jesus takes pleasure in the flowering of truth.

Jesus puts up with anything.

Jesus trusts God always.

Jesus always looks for the best.

Jesus never looks back but keeps going to the end.

Jesus never dies.

How does His great love change everything for you? How does His great love change our home life, our neighborhood, our church, our town, our nation, our world? It’s there...we’ve just got to grow in our awareness of it and really believe it.

-Ruth Spencer

More Than a Bucket of Parts

Remember Mr. Potato Head and his bucket of parts? You could create a seemingly normal spud, or you could mix up his parts and give him six ears and four feet (along with a mustache, of course). You could give the potato the correct body parts but put them all in the wrong places. He could glide along on his eyeballs and talk out of the top of his head, if you chose. The child had free reign over his design.

I’ve been guilty of wanting to do the same with the church. I’ve been passionate about adoption or missions, women’s ministry, or any number of good things, and felt the church might be better if everyone in the church was as zealous for those things as I was. I’ve served with the gifts God gave me while frustrated that not everyone was as organized as I was. I have been hurt when others didn’t come alongside of me when I led in ministry. There have even been times where I have damaged relationships because of my pride related to these things. Lord, forgive me! Church, forgive me!

“But God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as He wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.” 

1 Corinthians 12:18-20

The body of Christ is no potato head. The design of the body is not ours to choose. The function of each part has already been chosen, each one of us fashioned by God Himself for the good works He has planned for each of us individually, and for the Body corporately.

“But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.”

1 Corinthians 12:24b-26

Sometimes division in the body manifests itself blatantly and leads to broken fellowship within the church body. Other times, division is more subtle and happens in my own body as my heart is hardened and I won’t rejoice with another, nor will I be grieved by their suffering. When the Spirit shows me my sin, the proper response is always repentance and if possible, reconciliation.

“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”

1 Corinthians 12:27

Is Christ your Savior? If so, you are a part of the body of Christ. Your gifts are needed, and the place God has ordained for your gifts to be used is in and through the context of a local church. Just as God designed the body and all its parts to function together, He has also gifted each of His children to fill a certain role in His own body, working together in unity, for His glory and renown. May it be so at The Bridge. 

Gifts from God

When we celebrate our birthdays, most of us expect to receive gifts from the people near and dear to us.  It’s a common way for them to show their love to us.  As Christians, we are spiritually reborn into the Spirit of God.  We are given a new identity in Jesus and we are bonded to Him as spiritual family.  Because He loves us, God gives us spiritual gifts that signify we are his and empower us to live for His glory.   While gifts at a birthday celebration may be optional, spiritual gifts are vital tools for living as followers of Christ.  God is faithful to be present and provide what we need to make it in our lives as His church. 

So how familiar are you with your own spiritual gifts?  How well do you know the gifts of the church family around you?  Paul writes the words of chapter 12 so that the Christians then and now would not be uninformed. 

A few details to note about spiritual gifts…

-They come from God alone.

-They come in a variety.

-They are for serving the common good.

-They are given in portions.

-They are empowered by God’s Spirit.

-They are given as God wills.

While we have these gifts to serve others and advance God’s Kingdom, they also reveal God’s intimate love for each of us as His children.  Ultimately, the spiritual gifts in our lives remind us to trust in Christ and live together for His glory.

As a Christian, I am reminded all the time that I was not called to live for Jesus on my own and all alone.  Instead I am called to depend on Jesus for His leading and empowerment.  Likewise, I am also called to mutual dependence on His church as my spiritual family.  We are still given spiritual gifts today as marks of the power and presence of Christ Jesus with us.  And we also have spiritual gifts as a means for ministering the good news about Him.  When we think of spiritual gifts, may we see them as demonstrations of God’s grace among us and may we rejoice in our relationship together with Him.

Take a moment right now and reflect on how God has used spiritual gifts to bless you.  Ask God how you might use the gifts you’ve been given to bless others.  And let us rejoice in the Giver as we live out our spiritual gifts together for the glory of King Jesus!

Grateful and hopeful in Christ,

Jon

Come to the Table

“So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together.”

1 Corinthians 11:33 (NIV)

I’ll have to admit sharing a table at a restaurant with total strangers is not something I usually relish.  But sometimes it turns out to be a delightful experience.  I can remember one time we shared a table with a woman that started her career as a teacher in a one room schoolhouse and had taught for fifty years.  I can remember telling my wife who, at the time had been teaching for twenty-three years, “Just think Honey, in another twenty-seven years you can retire.”

When we’re sharing a table we often seek those with whom we are most comfortable, typically our family and friends.  We are most comfortable with those who think like us, and act like us, and look like us.  But our desire for comfort can cause division.

“So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat,”

1 Corinthians 11:20 (NIV)

The Lord’s Supper is intended to be a visible display of the unity of the church.  In Corinthian society, the host of a meal typically sat people according to their social status.  The more favored guests—those of the highest social standing—received the most prominent seats and the best food and drink.   Paul teaches us that the church body and the Lord’s Supper must be held to a higher standard. 

When we diminish or exclude other believers from the table we sin against Christ by not proclaiming His death. 

Jesus gave his life for all people.  Come to the table.

Todd

If you need a haircut...

I admit there are certain passages of scripture that seem really puzzling to me. Maybe it’s just a difference in culture and history. 1 Corinthians 11 is one of those. The verses spend what feels like an inordinate amount of time on hair and head coverings. This is the kind of thing that leads to all kinds of weird human behaviors and rules. When my mom was a college student...she literally felt compelled to get permission from her pastor to get a haircut! Wow...just wow!

This is also the kind of passage that can lead women and men to challenge each other about who is in charge and who has the right to lead and who is expected to submit. Another lovely subject area in present day terms...not.

I strongly doubt that the pastor is going to talk this week about the length of your hair or whether you wear a head covering or not. If you need a haircut...go get one! I think the point is far more about respecting authority and honoring God.

What does that look like in 2019? That’s what we need to ponder. 

Submission is not a word that any of us probably feel wonderful about. But the reality is...sometimes we lead and sometimes we submit, and we need to understand and accept the reality of how that process works.

Growing up in the church...I’m sure I developed a bit of a negative response to this whole thing because of the man-made rules that were made to keep certain people in their place. We have to be able to recognize what matters to God and what doesn’t. From everything I read and have experienced in my own life I know the heart issue of surrendering to Jesus and making Him the Lord of my life is what matters. 

Get that right and everything else will fall into place just fine.

-Ruth Spencer

I googled it.

“How do Americans make decisions”?

“Americans are not making decisions by consulting clergy”, I am informed by the first site.  Not even those who attend church weekly, and not even when making major life decisions, do Americans consult their Pastors.  Who do we go to? Where are we finding the information we need to make potentially life-altering decisions?

Google.

The first century Christians in Corinth obviously did not have Google, so when faced with the decision of whether or not to eat meat that had previously been sacrificed to idols while dining in the home of an unbeliever, how did they make a choice? This is a very specific scenario, one that the average American will likely never find him or herself in, but with Paul’s directive to the church at Corinth, the church of God in all places and times may find a better filter for decision making than Google or the mores of the surrounding culture.

“Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God”.           

  (1 Corinthians 10:31)

-Does this action I am about to take bring God glory? This question presupposes that I am well enough acquainted with the Lord as He has revealed Himself in the Bible to know whether an action will glorify Him or not. Am I? (Note: don’t Google “how to bring God glory”, it’s not that helpful. I checked.)

“Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God—even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.” (1 Corinthians 10: 32-33)

-Am I making a decision that is in my own best interest or the best interest of others? This standard sounds decidedly un-American. I’m an American. I am not certain I know how to make a decision that is not in my best interest. Lord, teach me how to think about the interests of others over myself, and give me a heart that desires to seek the good of others so that they may know You, even when it costs me greatly!

“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1)

-Is the choice I am about to make in accord with Scripture? Do I know what Scripture says on this matter? Am I committed to following the example of Christ even if it is at odds with what my heart wants?  Am I willing to allow the Word of God to shape my mind and influence my choices? Lord, give me a hunger for Your Word and a passion for Your glory!

Church, Google has its place, but only Jesus has the words of eternal life. May we increasingly look to Him for all of life’s answers, as the Spirit of God conforms us to the image of the risen Christ.

-Natalie Runyon

The Way of Escape

The Way of Escape (1 Corinthians 10:1-22)

After speaking extensively about the pitfalls of idolatry, the Apostle Paul states, “Therefore, let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.”  Paul has just referenced the Old Testament Israelites that were laid waste in the wilderness for sinful practices related to their idol making hearts.  And the scariest thing about it is that all of this idolatry was done in the direct face of God’s glorious presence and provision among those dear people.  Paul is warning his “beloved” in Corinth to take that Old Testament example very seriously and flee from their own 1st century idolatry.  They had heard the message of the gospel and believed, but continued to wrestle with following Jesus or their own selfish ambitions.

Does any of this feel familiar? How serious do you take your sin?  How serious do you take Christ Jesus as your rescue and source of life? Sin is the most dangerous thing in the world because it convinces us that we don’t need God.  And choosing sin has destructive consequences.  Jesus wants to save us from our sin and daily free us to live in His will.

As a kid, I used to try walking the length of the swimming pool from one end to the other starting in the shallow end.  Everything went smoothly until I started to slope into the deep end of the pool.  At that point, I would begin floating up and flailing about trying to stay grounded on the bottom of the pool.  I’ve tried the same thing at the beach and it was impossible for me because I was no match for the force of the water and waves.  Sin is a force that we cannot overcome on our own power. Sin deceives us to think we have everything under our control when it’s more like trying to do that pool trick in the deepest and most violent part of the ocean in the midst of a storm while being completely unaware of the danger surrounding us.  Sin will leave us flailing about out of control in a destructive mode that we can’t even see for ourselves.

The hope that Paul offers to the Christians in Corinth is still for us today as he reminds in verse 13 that “God is faithful”.  And that while temptation is common to every human being, God “will provide the way of escape, that you would be able to endure it”  without falling into sin.  Jesus tells us in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.  I came that they may have life and have it more abundantly.” And in John 14:6, He says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the father except through me.”  As Christians, Jesus is not only our Savior but also our Standing before God.  To think any other way is to believe that we stand on our own and that is the start of making idols of ourselves.

How seriously you take your sin will likely determine how seriously you consider your need for a Savior.  In Christ, as our Rock, we have the way of escape and a secure foundation.

May we fix our eyes on Jesus today and trust Him for everything because He is the rock of our salvation and source for living.  May we find our way in Him alone.  Let us pray for one another to find our ultimate security in Jesus as THE Rock & Rescue.

Grateful and hopeful in Christ,

Jon

Run to Win

Read this slowly:

19-23 Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, the defeated, the demoralized—whoever. I didn’t take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ—but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I’ve become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn’t just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!

24-25 You’ve all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s gold eternally.

26-27 I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No sloppy living for me! I’m staying alert and in top condition. I’m not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself.

1 Corinthians 9:19-27 (The Message)

These four things stood out to me:

1. I kept my bearings in Christ - but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view.

Jesus did this.  He kept His bearings in His Heavenly Father, but He became both God and Man so that He would experience things from our point of view.  Who is it that you think you can't understand?  Have you imagined what it would be like to walk a day in their shoes?  Are you willing to walk a day in their shoes?  

2.  I didn't just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it.

Are you experiencing the Good News you share with others?  Have you decided to "taste and see that the Lord is good"? (Psalm 34:8).  Our faith is not just intellectual.  It is meant to be experiential.  Peace that passes all understanding (Phil. 4:7).  A joy unspeakable and full of glory (1 Peter).  A living hope (1 Peter 1:3).  A love that will not let me go.  We are invited to know these things in our mind, but also experience them in our lives.  So...how do we experience this?

3. Everyone runs; one wins.  Run to win.

There is a big difference between being a spectator and a participant.  And there is a big difference between going for a leisurely jog and running with the aim to win.  Athletes who run to win train.  They are careful about what they eat and drink, how much sleep they get, how often they train.  They mentally prepare.  And as Christians we are called to do the same.  We have a call to "train" - to pray, to worship, to read the Word, to fellowship with others, to share our faith in word and deed.  Peace and joy and hope and love are gifts from our Heavenly Father, but we experience them more fully when we are training to run to win.  And it is a lot easier to train with a team than by yourself.

4. I’m not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself.

Missing out myself...makes me wonder what I have missed that God has handed to me because I am not training to run to win.  But every day His mercies are new, and He reminds me even when I fail and miss out that there is One who came, and He ran to win. (Hebrews 12:1-3)

May we be those who know in our head and experience in our lives the Gospel.

May we be those who love people enough to see things from their point of view.

May we train in a way that causes us to run to win.

May we look to the One who already won guaranteeing our victory!

See you Sunday,

Steven