Sunday Inspiration: Sunday, October 13, 2024
Still Building Bridges
Foundations of Bridge Building
If religion ever caused a clear division, the Jerusalem Temple is a good example. The Temple had several courtyards that surrounded the central Holy Place. The outermost area, the Court of the Gentiles, was where Gentile converts could enter the temple grounds. They could only go so far as the Beautiful Gate. It was through this gate that the ritually pure Jewish people could pass. This gate opened into the Court of Women, as close as faithful Jewish women could get to the Holy Place. Beyond that, there was a gate that only Jewish men could pass to enter the Courtyard of the Israelites. Within that area was a boundary only the priest could enter. Then, there were the doors to the Holy Place, where only certain assigned priests could pass to offer priestly sacrifices. Then the Holy of Holies was sectioned off by a heavy curtain and the only person that could enter was the High Priest. All these walls and barriers separated the people of God into different classes based on their authority and influence. Each had different levels of access to God.
These barriers were, as Paul described in Ephesians, “the hostility between” people. Years ago, archeologists excavating the original wall of the outermost courtyard revealed an inscription that read, “Whoever is captured past this point will have himself to blame for his subsequent death.” A Gentile background believer did not need a sign to know he risked death if he chose to go beyond where he was welcomed. A woman knew that death was a possibility if she went beyond the Court of Women. These religious barriers were guarded and enforced with violence, even hostility.
Fast forward to Jesus as he was hanging on the cross. In the very moment that Jesus breathed his last, the fancy curtain that kept everyone out of the Holy of Holies was torn from top to bottom. The scripture says the moment that Jesus gave up his spirit, “At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split” (Matthew 27:51). It was God’s way of saying, “Walls are not necessary. Division will not be the answer.”
The apostle Paul says it this way, “For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us” (Ephesians 2: 14).
Sin’s power to divide the world has come to an end in Jesus Christ. By his death on the cross, the old cultural markers of worth, status, and being in or out have been abolished. The gift of salvation offered by Jesus's work on the cross has called us out of our own illusions.
The apostle Paul tells the Gentile believers in Ephesus that they were once outsiders, excluded, lacking hope of a future, and alienated from God and God’s promises.
The only reason they were now included, belonged, and were part of God’s plan was that God took the initiative. Paul says, “Now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13).
The Ephesians needed to hear this story - the story of exclusion and becoming included - so that they wouldn’t begin to think that it was somehow their doing that they are now accepted. It was all God’s grace. Paul declares, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2: 8).
We need to hear this same message. We will be less likely to exclude others when we remember that we once were excluded.
The Gentile/Jew divide may be a long way off and not on our radar for consideration anymore. But there was a time when we didn’t belong. We were outsiders. Through Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, we have been brought near and invited to be included as participants in God’s kingdom. So, then, the Apostle Paul begins, “You are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God” (Ephesians 2:19). You belong. You are included. A new community has been formed, not built on social merit or cultural capital but simply on the grace of God. The invitation to be part of this community has been extended to all who will come. As we accept the gift of grace for ourselves, we need to be willing to accept it for others. Jesus broke through the wall of division and handed us the bricks to build the bridge of reconciliation.
As Paul looks out at this new reality, he says, “If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; look, new things have come into being! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5: 17 - 18).
The bridge of reconciliation begins by recognizing Jesus as the cornerstone. The foundation is on the testimony of those who have gone before, but the weight and length of the witness as it continues will be based on Jesus as the cornerstone.
The road we have walked in the past few years has been difficult. Like those living in the path of a hurricane, we have had bridges washed out from underneath us. Instead of rebuilding the bridges, people took the bricks and tried to build walls of division. We’ve faced the challenges of COVID-19, and we’ve wrestled with conflicts within the church. But today, I want to remind us of our mission—a mission that remains unchanged despite our challenges. Our mission at Gainesville First United Methodist Church is still to build bridges, not walls. We are called to be bridge-builders to Jesus Christ.
Have we experienced loss? Yes. Have we faced division? Yes. But I refuse to let us be defined by what has been lost or our disagreements. Instead, your clergy staff will continue to call us to a place where we are defined by the bridges we are still called to build. There is a hurting world out there looking for peace and hope, and we are still here to proclaim that Jesus Christ is the bridge to both.
During this recent hurricane relief, you collected enough items to pack a tractor-trailer and gave over $31,000.00 to UMCOR. We have participated in Habitat for Humanity builds (show picture) and hosted events for women and men in the church and community to grow closer to one another (show pictures). We have brought the community together through children’s activities (show picture) and student ministry activities (show picture). Our older adults are finding fellowship with one another (show picture).
While the world may be changing, our mission remains the same. We are still called to be a source of hope in this community. The church is the people of God on mission, and we are still on mission. Church, we are still building bridges. And with your financial commitment in 2025, we will build even more bridges. As long as we are here, we will continue to build bridges—bridges of reconciliation, bridges of hope, and bridges of love. Our mission is rooted in Jesus Christ, the one who is our peace and has destroyed the barriers between us and brought us near to God. So, let us keep building those bridges. Let us not grow weary in doing good. Let us continue to extend the grace and love of Christ to all who need it. We are still building bridges.
I recently read the story of John and Denise Knight. As they happily anticipated the birth of their first child, they discovered that he would be born without eyes. Their child would also have other serious issues. Two months after the birth of their son, John looked down at his baby with tubes and sensors attached to his little body, and he told God, “You are mean. You are wicked. You are cruel.” John and Denise quit going to church.
But one couple from their church, Karl and Gerilyn, refused to give up on them. They didn’t guilt-trip John and Denise for not going, and they didn’t try to pressure them spiritually. They kept showing up with a loaf of fresh bread or a basket of soap and shampoo. John said it was like Karl and Gerilyn were saying, “We notice you. We see you. We know you are hurting. We are here for you.” Based on Karl and Gerilyn’s persistent love, John and Denise finally returned to their local church.
I refuse to let anger or pain have the final word. I will not let division be the defining mark of the Christian life as it is lived out at Gainesville First United Methodist Church. My commitment written on this card will signify my commitment to still building bridges. I pray it will be for you as well. The work of reconciliation, hope, and love never stops. And neither should we. Jesus never stopped building a bridge to us; we are called to do the same for others.
Today, we are reminded of the incredible grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who tore down every wall that once separated us from God and from one another. In Him, there is no more division, no more hostility—only peace. Through His sacrifice on the cross, we who were once far off have been brought near by His blood.
Jesus has extended an invitation to all of us, an invitation to belong, to be reconciled, and to be part of His new creation. He is the bridge to hope, peace, and eternal life, and He calls each of us to take that step of faith, crossing over from exclusion into the embrace of His love.
If you feel distant today, uncertain, or burdened by the divisions in this world or even within yourself, know that Jesus has already made the way for you. The walls have been torn down, and you are invited to step forward to claim your place in the household of God.
This is not by your own works or merit but by the grace of God. All you need to do is say "yes" to His invitation, and you will no longer be a stranger or an outsider—you will be a beloved child of God, a part of His family.
As we sing the closing hymn, I invite you to come forward today if you are ready to profess your faith in Jesus Christ, the One who reconciles and restores. Accept the gift of grace, step into the new life He offers, and be part of this community of faith, this household of God, where we are no longer defined by what divides us but by the love that unites us. Jesus is our bridge to God.
Pastor Jamey
(Click Here to Watch the Worship Service from Gainesville First United Methodist Church, Gainesville, Georgia)
Questions to Consider:
What are some barriers—whether personal, relational, or societal—that you feel need to be broken down in your life or community? How can we actively participate in that reconciliation?
Can you share a time when persistence in reaching out to someone made a difference? How can we be persistent in love without being overwhelming or intrusive?
How can small, everyday gestures in our lives help build bridges with others? What small acts of love can we start practicing more intentionally?
Prayer:
Thank You, Lord, for Jesus, who broke through the walls of division, handed us the bricks of love, and showed us how to build bridges. Where once we were excluded, You have brought us near. We acknowledge that it was not by our own doing but by Your mercy, sacrifice, and grace that we now belong to Your family.
As we dedicate ourselves to this mission, we also dedicate the gifts of our time, talents, and resources to the work of Your kingdom. Use us, Lord, to bring light into dark places, heal divisions, and offer hope where it is most needed. May our lives reflect the love and unity that Jesus died to bring about.
Let our church be a beacon of hope and a place where all are welcomed, embraced, and loved through the power of Jesus Christ.
We pray all this in the name of Jesus, our cornerstone and the one who has reconciled us to You. Amen.
Benediction:
As you go from this place, may the peace of Christ, who has torn down every dividing wall, go with you. May His grace lead you to build bridges of reconciliation, hope, and love wherever you go. May the Spirit of God empower you to be bold bridge-builders, bringing healing to a divided world. Let your lives be a testimony to the grace that has brought us near and the love that never stops reaching out in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Ways To Serve
Saturday, November 2 / 10-2 PM / GFUMC
This fall, Gainesville First is offering monthly service opportunities for our congregation. We intentionally want to build bridges from our congregation into the community! Register for an opportunity to join a meal packaging experience in the movement to end hunger.
