Jesus Is the Bridge Ministries

Last Saturday night, I could not sleep. I tossed and turned and tightly shut my eyes to only….blink…..blink…..blink wide open again. Finally, after hours of this frustration, I got up and lay on the couch. It seemed like I’d just closed my eyes when…

“Wake up, sleepy head,” my husband Marty sat beside me, shaking me gently.

Before I could wipe the sleep from my eyes, he thrust a hot mug of coffee into my hands. “I’d really like to go to first service today,” he informed me. “We only have a half hour to get ready.”

To say that I’m not a morning person is an understatement. Pile a sleepless night onto that and I’m downright vile! As I got up, joint by joint, my coffee grew cold. Now, only 15 minutes remained on the clock.

As I dressed, brushed my hair and teeth, I grumbled and mumbled with an attitude not at all one of gratitude. Blackly I thought, “I bet the Pastor preaches from his favorite Book, Luke, today.” Brush, grumble, mumble. “Wouldn’t it be refreshing to hear from Daniel?” Brush, grumble, mumble. “Even better,” I Grinched, “wouldn’t it be great to hear from (GASP!) Revelations?” Mid-stroke with the hairbrush, I sighed. “At the very least, I would love a lesson from my favorite Book, John.”

While we rushed out the door and sped to church, I knew my attitude was despicable, to my husband, to myself, but most importantly, to God. “I’m sorry, Lord. Please lift this black cloud off me and return your JOY to me,” I prayed.

We got to church right before the opening hymn, so I didn’t even glance at the program the usher gave me on the way in. After the first hymn, the Pastor opened with the Old Testament lesson…from the Book of Daniel: “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshipped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed (Daniel 7:13, 14).”

I smiled. “Thank you, Lord,” I thought.

After more singing, the Pastor gave the Sermon text….from Revelation! I gasped! “Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty (Revelation 1:4b-8).”

Thinking God was done chastising me, I listened intently to the sermon. The central theme was one I particularly needed to hear that morning: we need to put God first, all day, every day. I certainly was not putting God first that day. I was being spoiled and selfish, not rejoicing the Lord for His goodness and mercy one bit! I thanked God for knowing my heart and talking to me anyway. But God was not done yet. The Gospel reading? From John: “Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of Jews?”

“Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”

“Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”

Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

“You are a king, then!” said Pilate.

Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me” (John 18:33-37).”

Jesus, our King, sacrificed much to save us. He came down from His throne, enduring not only the physical pain, but also the heavy pain of everyone’s sin, from Adam and Eve to those yet to come. Because He suffered what we deserve, we are free: Free from the guilty burden of our sin; free to enjoy a personal and interactive relationship with Jesus; free to welcome the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Hallelujah!

“God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets. Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises (Psalm 47:5,6).”

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