Bridges: Building Bridges Part 1

Generosity Challenge: Raised $25,000.

Welcome to Pinewood Church! We’re so glad that you made the decision to start this new year with us. New year new you! Everyone’s crushing those new year goals, not resolutions, because apparently that’s not cool right now. I believe in you and have no doubt you will succeed and finish your 2020 strong!

A few weeks ago we talked about setting a theme for your year. How many people set a theme? Themes are a big deal. They set the overarching vision for how you will set priorities, make goals, and create sustainable rhythms for this season of your life. I set a personal theme for my life for 2020, we set a family these as well, but we also set a yearly theme for our church.

Over the next several weeks we’re going to unpack the theme for our church and how I believe it will set the trajectory for how we pray, plan, and the decisions we make in 2020. Are you ready for the 2020 Pinewood Church theme??? THE THEME FOR 2020 is “Build A Bridge”. When I say “Build A” you say “Bridge”. (2X)

Question: What is God calling you to build in 2020? Where is God calling you to go in 2020? Who is God calling you to influence in 2020?

I like these questions better than “What do I want to do?”, “Where do I want to go?”, “Who do I want to influence?” I have found it to be true in my life, that when I depend on God for guidance and direction, then I know everything is going to be alright. God’s plan for my life is much better than my plan.

“A person’s heart plans his way,

but the Lord determines his steps.” - Proverbs 16:9 CSB

Determining God’s “calling” on our lives can be a challenge. There seems to be a gap between where we are and where we feel God is calling us to go. There’s also this tension in the Christian life between our efforts and God’s sovereignty. Is this my plan or God’s calling? Is this my effort or God’s favor? Is this my process or God’s purpose? Ahhh!?!? The pressure!

Personal Story: I’ve actually been wrestling with this reality in my own life. I want to be a high achiever. I want to be considered healthy and athletic, successful, high capacity, well read… etc. This passion often leads to a disciplined and driven life, but it can also create a false sense of self worth, exhaustion, and anxiety if left unchecked. Here are some simple self evaluation questions…

“You can be doing all the right things, in the wrong direction.”

Question: Am I seeking God in prayer first? Am I depending on Him for the results? Am I giving Him credit for all the good things in my life? If we’re going to be a people of purpose, then I believe we have to be striving for something bigger than ourselves.

Let’s talk about the gap for a minute… the gap between where you are and where God is calling you to go. A bridge is a simple, yet profound physical example of what this often looks like in our lives.

Pictures of bridges: Show on screen

Purpose of a bridge: “A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle, such as a body of water, valley, or road, without closing the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, usually something that can be detrimental to cross otherwise.”

The bridge represents your journey to God’s calling on your life. The bridge represents the people God is calling you to influence in 2020. The bridge represents a cause God is calling you to engage with in 2020.

The series we’re starting the new you off with is titled Bridges: And we’re going to unpack the different types of bridges we encounter on our journey towards God’s calling on our lives.

Passage: Nehemiah 1:1-4 CSB

During the month of Chislev in the twentieth year, when I was in the fortress city of Susa, 2 Hanani, one of my brothers, arrived with men from Judah, and I questioned them about Jerusalem and the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile. 3 They said to me, “The remnant in the province, who survived the exile, are in great trouble and disgrace. Jerusalem’s wall has been broken down, and its gates have been burned.” 4 When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for a number of days, fasting and praying before the God of the heavens.

Pray:

Background:

Nehemiah was a cupbearer to the King of Persia. He was also a Jew and the Jews are currently in exile. Meaning that he is a slave to the King. He hears word about his people in distress. The walls are rotted and torn down and they are left defenceless. Nehemiah was not weeping for the broken walls, but for the brokenness of the people. He felt compassion for their welfare and this news led Nehemiah to both deep sadness and courageous action.

I want to first look at the response of Nehemiah… he mourned, prayed, and fasted.

Question: What is your first response when you feel a burden for something or someone?

Title: Building Bridges Part 1

Big Idea: From where you are to where God is calling you to go

Main Points: Pray First!

1. Prayer without a burden
   1. “When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for a number of days, fasting and praying before the God of the heavens.” - Nehemiah 1:4
   2. Question: What breaks your heart? Who do you have a burden to reach? When was the last time you wept for a people or an injustice in the world?
   3. People or Cause (Write on whiteboard)
      1. People - Family, gym friends, co-workers, waiter at The Buff, barista at Boxcar, homeless, children, sick in the hospital, etc
      2. Cause - human trafficking, foster care, adoption, the poor, the depressed, the lonely, clean water, sustainable farming, etc.

   4. “A person without a burden is like a bridge without a destination.”

      1. How are you going to reach a people that you aren’t first broken over? Or better yet, why would you reach a people you’re not broken over?

         5. “A burden is often a catalyst for a breakthrough in your life.”

      2. You will be surprised the initiative that you gain when your heart breaks for people. It becomes all you can think about. You’re leveraging your time, energy, and connections to make an impact.

         6. If you want to live with a purpose, then get a burden for something bigger than yourself.

      3. “What bothers you could be your burden.”

      4. “What annoys you might be what you’re anointed for.”

         7. Complain or be the solution

      5. Nehemiah didn’t have a title or position, he was not a pastor or prophet, but he had a burden and a vision. He was a person that was overcome with compassion for the broken and hurting in Jerusalem.

      6. He didn’t weep and then say “I wish someone would go and rebuild that wall.” Or “I can’t believe the walls are in ruin. Why are those people so lazy.” No! Nehemiah chose to be the solution instead of the critic.

         8. Anyone can be a critic, but it takes sacrifice and initiative to be the solution.

      7. Examples: inside the church, outside the church, in our city, around the world

      8. Question: What’s your tendency when you see a problem or feel frustrated?
      9. Complaining is not a calling!
      10. Are you going to choose to be a bridge. Are you going to be the one to stand in the gap? Are you going to be like Nehemiah and say “I’ll take this one! This burdens on me!”
      11. We’re going to be a church that doesn’t look away from the broken, we don’t walk away from the broken, but we run to the lost!
      12. A burden without prayer
          1. “let your eyes be open and your ears be attentive to hear your servant’s prayer that I now pray to you day and night for your servants, the Israelites.” - Nehemiah 1:6
          2. A burden without prayer is a passion without power
          3. A burden without prayer is a journey without divine direction
          4. “Anything that doesn’t first start with prayer and fasting is flaude from the beginning.” - James Forlines
          5. “We believe that God can do more in a second of prayer than what we can do in a lifetime of our own efforts.” If you truly believe that, then shouldn’t everything we do first begin with prayer?!
          6. Application: 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting
          7. “The biggest weapons we have is prayer, fasting, and worship.” - Shodankeh Johnson

      13. Prayer and burden without action

          1. “During the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was set before him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had never been sad in his presence, 2 so the king said to me, “Why are you sad, when you aren’t sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart.” I was overwhelmed with fear 3 and replied to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should I not be sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” 4 Then the king asked me, “What is your request?” So I prayed to the God of the heavens 5 and answered the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor with you, send me to Judah and to the city where my ancestors are buried, so that I may rebuild it.” 6 The king, with the queen seated beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you return?” So I gave him a definite time, and it pleased the king to send me.” - Nehemiah 2:1-6
          2. Prayer and a burden without action make you a spectator. Prayer, a burden, and action makes you a contributor.
          3. Build A Bride

      14. Build a bridge in your home

      15. Build a bridge with other churches
      16. Build a bridge with the poor
      17. Build a bridge with the broken
      18. Build a bridge with the outcast
      19. Build a bridge with the politicians
      20. Build a bridge in the schools
      21. Build a bridge in your work

      22. Build a bridge and point people to Jesus.

          4. Don’t wait for someone else to build the bridge, pick up a hammer. Gather the resources. Recruit a team and pick up your stones.

      23. We’re not called to be passive in our purpose! There’s a sense of urgency around us all.

          5. Build a bridge that will last for generations. Build a bridge that will lead to salvation. Build a bridge that will leverage your influence. Build a bridge that will lift above the raging water! Build a bridge that rises above what others thought possible.
          6. A bridge is not built on the efforts of a few, but the sacrifice of many. A bridge is not build on the resources of a few, but the sacrifice of many. A bridge is not built on the giftings of a few, but the body as a whole. A lasting bridge is not build on the efforts of humanity, but the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
          7. Build a bridge that both the Religious and Secular don’t understand. Build a bridge that evokes friendly fire and enemy engagement.
          8. A bridge doesn’t have to be big to be significant. It doesn’t have to be long to be efficient. It doesn’t have to be tall to be effective. It doesn’t have to be pretty to be useful. It just has to be trustworthy!

Closing: