Building bridges

Darren Pepper

Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

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Welcome TKC Reading

We start by taking a moments rest before we read

Psalm 57 CSB

For the choir director: “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David. When he fled before Saul into the cave. 1 Be gracious to me, God, be gracious to me, for I take refuge in you. I will seek refuge in the shadow of your wings until danger passes. 2 I call to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me. 3 He reaches down from heaven and saves me, challenging the one who tramples me. Selah God sends his faithful love and truth. 4 I am surrounded by lions; I lie down among devouring lions— people whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords. 5 God, be exalted above the heavens; let your glory be over the whole earth. 6 They prepared a net for my steps; I was despondent. They dug a pit ahead of me, but they fell into it! Selah 7 My heart is confident, God, my heart is confident. I will sing; I will sing praises. 8 Wake up, my soul! Wake up, harp and lyre! I will wake up the dawn. 9 I will praise you, Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. 10 For your faithful love is as high as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches the clouds. 11 God, be exalted above the heavens; let your glory be over the whole earth.

The focus of todays reflection is building bridges.

During these Covid times the concept of building bridges or links with people has been less than simple.

On one hand it has been increasingly hard to build or even maintain some links with those it became difficult to see, or communicate with. Fellowship in its physical sense was not possible in the way it was previously. I don’t just mean church fellowship but rather the simple acts of sitting having coffee with someone, unexpectedly bumping into an acquaintance and spending more time than you can really afford chatting or even just being with people. The spontaneity of connection has been lost. Replaced with planned zoom calls or engaging with what were communal acts individually.

It is not a totally bad picture thought. Through this time we have had the change to build bridges with people we would have never thought of before. Strangers engaging with recorded services. The chance to speak to the most lonley and isolated on the phone and the close relationship many of us have formed with the tesco or amazon delivery driver.

Building bridges with a range of people that we would not ordinarily get to speak to is at the heart of spreading the good news.

Jesus built bridges with those of every back ground. We are called to do the same.

Have you noticed though unlike Jesus we often find it hard to go beyond the bridge building to the point where we tell the good news. Sometimes it doesn’t seem the right time, sometimes we decide they are not interested, often we are afraid or embarrassed or don’t want to spoil a good relationship by mentioning something both parties may not agree on.

The thing is though when an engineer builds a bridge over a stretch of water it is built to cross. Bridges are not built so that people can stand on each end watching each other. Bridges are build so that we can move from the place we are to engage with what is on the other side.

The same is true of the relational bridges we build into our communities. We build them so we can cross over and live our lives with those we are trying to reach. After all Jesus ate dinner and chatted with tax collectors and prostitutes, He touched the untouchable, gave advice to the rich and rulers. He wept with the grieving and comforted a woman at her point of greatest shame.

And with all of them he was him self, he didn’t hide what he was or water down his message, he did however shape it to be focused on those he was with.

The challenge for us in the 21st century is to buld bridges, live our lives with those around us without watering down the message we are commissioned to carry. I appreciate that this is not easy but is is some thing we must surly try.

In some ways I am comforted that it is God the saves and you and I are only charged with pointigng other to Him, and prayer is part of this.

As we pray for people to find faith in Jesus, we are aware of how difficult it is these days to talk to them about the things of God. Even to mention God in some settings can be really difficult. In such contexts, and in our families, we are left with modes of evangelism such as: the witness of our lives, our hospitality, the offer of prayer and the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

All are powerful, but what sets the offer of prayer apart from the others is that it creates a bridge between the non-believer and God, rather than between non-believer and believer.

To offer a non-believer the gift of prayer is to turn attention away from ourselves and towards God.

Perhaps strangely, non-believers still regularly accept our offer to pray for them. We who believe pray in trust and hope, having the confidence that God will act. Those who do not believe are more likely to regard prayer as a wish, a cry of last resort.

The striking thing about the whole of Psalm 57 is that it addresses a number of difficult situations with confidence of God’s love and action.

The writer names the situations and cries out, but later in the psalm we hear the words of trust, that great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. In your prayers today, use this psalm as if you were the other person, standing in their shoes, expressing their needs and cries to God for them.

Praying for our five.

Come, Holy Spirit, and complete your work of grace in me; Enable to recognise that you are working in them already.

A Prayer for Boldness Righteous Savior, as I look out over these villages and the city, I see so many who are lost and afraid. And yet in my own strength, I know that there is nothing I can do. I am shy. I am timid. Father, increase my faith. Give me the boldness I need to fill this place with the glorious hope of eternal life in Your Son, Jesus

A Prayer to Not Be Ashamed Merciful and Forgiving Lord, You bought me with a price, and I know that You love me. Jesus, You stood before the Father on my behalf and were not ashamed. Give me the courage not to be ashamed of Your gospel, but to proclaim it with all boldness as often as I can. Your word is truth, Lord. I will not be ashamed.

A Prayer for Fruitfulness Heavenly Father, I pray that as the seeds of the gospel are scattered and planted today, that they would land on good soil. Make them bear fruit, Father. Scare away the crows. Enrich the rocky soil. Strangle the weeds. Instead, give us rich, healthy soil ready to receive the seeds of the gospel.

A Prayer for Salvation Precious Holy Spirit, I know that unless You build the house, my labor is in vain. I could share the gospel a thousand times today, Holy Spirit, and yet, unless You come in power and do the mighty work of salvation, no one will believe. Holy Spirit, come. Save the lost and hurting who hear the gospel today.

A Prayer for Thanksgiving O Jehovah, my God, who am I that You are mindful of me? I am but a breath, yet You choose to do the awesome work of evangelism through us. You could do this work on Your own, and yet in Your infinite grace, You include each of us. God, You are good. I praise Your name for Your goodness and for giving us the chance to share Your love today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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