Bridges: Lasting Bridges

Reflective Thoughts:

Have you ever finished a week and wondered “Did I do anything of significance this week?

• I mean, did I really make an impact on the world when tipped my barista 25% on Wednesday?
• Did I leave my mark on society when I complimented someone at the gym for hitting a PR?
• Did I change the world when I showered every day this week?

All of these things are positive and definitely make an impact in people's lives, but what are you really searching for on the quest for significant? Is it really one random act of kindness a day or is there something more?

How many of you want to live a life of meaning, purpose, and significance? Everyone right? It doesn’t matter if you’re a follower of Christ or an agnostic, everyone deep down has a desire to leave their mark and build something that lasts.

“He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also put eternity in their hearts,” - Ecclesiastes 3:11 CSB

I want to take steps in everlasting.

I want to build something that lasts.

I want to leave a legacy with forever in mind.

I want to live a life of eternal significance.

Q: Does this resonate with anyone else?

“Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts.” - Psalms 90:12 CSB

Quote: The wisest way to approach life is to remember the reality of death

Story: Death of Kobe, Gianna, and 7 other lives

Growing up, basketball was my life and dream. As a kid I would watch Michael Jordan and try to play just like him. As I grew older there was another legend that rose up and became and inspiration for me to follow. He had Jordan’s style but his own flair on the court. Kobe was not just a great ball player, he was a husband, father, class act, and incredible leader on and off the court. We honor his legacy and pray for his family. The night of his death I wrote this note on my phone “It’s a sobering reminder that life is a vapor and every moment matters. Heart broken and reflective tonight.”

Kobe was 41 years old and by all accounts was just getting started. The reality is that none of us know how much time we have left on this earth. “Lord teach us to number our days carefully…” When we act in wisdom then we prioritize the two things that last forever… the Word of God and the souls of people.

Title: Lasting Bridges

Big Idea: Forever starts now

Pray:

Main Points: Two Things Last Forever

1. The Word of God

   1. 24 For All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like a flower of the grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord endures forever. And this word is the gospel that was proclaimed to you.” - 1 Peter 1:24-25

   2. At Pinewood we believe that our opinions and feelings matter very little, but the Word of the Lord stands forever.

      1. We will not allow our emotions or intellect govern the Word, we let the Word govern every area of our lives.
      2. We believe that the Word of God is God’s Words over our lives. That it is not just a book of wisdom or a practical guide to life, but that it is infallible, inherent, and sacred words of God.
      3. “All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” - 2 Timothy 3:16-17 CSB
         3. The Word of God is…
      4. A sword for battle - “Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit—which is the word of God.” - Ephesians 6:17
      5. A light to guide us - “Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.” - Psalms 119:105
      6. Food that strengthens us - “Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word, so that you may grow up into your salvation,” - 1 Peter 2:2
      7. Living & effective - “For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” - Hebrews 4:12
      8. “The Word reveals God’s mind, so we should learn it; God’s heart, so we should love it; God’s will, so we should live it. Our whole being - mind, will, and heart - should be controlled by the Word of God.” - Dr. Warren Wiersbe
         4. Time spent in the Word is time well spent
      9. Story: A group of men and women are working through the bible in a year on the You Version App. This has been the most life giving thing for me in 2020. There hasn’t been a single day where I’ve thought “What a waste of time!” It’s been the exact opposite… “Wow, I needed that today. Whoa, God is good.”

      10. Put people around you that will challenge you in the Word.

          5. You are a bridge builder to the Word when you…

      11. Step out in faith to lead a Crew and bring people around community and the Word of God. Or when you invite your friends to your Crew! Shout out Crew week!

      12. Show up to church at 12:30 to load in so that the community can come experience the Word of God and worship to God.
      13. Ask your coworker out to coffee and find out where they are in life and with their relationship to God
      14. Walk across the street and talk to your neighbors about their family and jobs.
      15. Say yes to go through Growth Track so that you can learn about our beliefs and understand your purpose.
      16. Serve in PNWD Kids and start teaching the next generation about what it means to be a Christ follower
      17. Post on your social what God is doing in your life
      18. C’mon somebody! Who wants to be a bridge builder in 2020? Somebody say “I am a bridge builder”
          6. The lasting bridge is the Word and the bullseye is obedience.
      19. The Scriptures teach us to know the Word, meditate on the Word, memorize the Word, and teach the Word, but unfortunately we often skip over the most important command found in the Great Commission.
      20. “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” - Matthew 28:19-20 NLT
      21. The Souls of People
          1. Believers
      22. “22 Since you have purified yourselves by your obedience to the truth, so that you show sincere brotherly love for each other, from a pure heart love one another constantly, 23 because you have been born again—not of perishable seed but of imperishable—through the living and enduring word of God.” 1 Peter 1:22-23 CSB
      23. Souls of other believers
          1. This should be the most compelling force for why people flood into this church. “I’ve never seen a group of people love each other more than the people at Pinewood love each other.”
          2. C’mon Church! In what ways are you demonstrating the love of Christ to other believers in our church? Showing up in the hard times, celebrating together on the mountain tops, listening more than talking, honoring more than gossiping, loving more than criticizing.
          3. Let’s not make it complicated.
      24. Souls of the Local Church
          1. In 2020 we’re going to build bridges with the believers in Boulder. Love is our motivation and unity is our mark!
          2. Bring them in, show up for them, and collaborate together! (Write down and say together)
          3. Inviting all local churches to join in our prayer nights, love boulder events, and Her Nights. We’re reaching out them them, not expecting them to come to us.
          4. Going to them on May 3rd. We’re calling it Capital “C” Sunday. We’re going to attend local evangelical churches in Boulder and love on their team, pray over their space, worship with everything we got, and honor the Pastors.
          5. We’re working on ways we can collaborate together. We have our second Boulder Pastors retreat this Spring and we’re praying together, dreaming together, and creatively finding ways to serve and work together to advance the Kingdom in Boulder.
          6. A united church is an unstoppable church!
      25. Everyone say “I’m a bridge builder” This is not only the job of the pastor, this is the job of the body of Christ. We need you! Connect with other believers in the city. Serve them, bless them, and honor them.
      26. We should be known for fighting for each other, not with each other! Unity is the dream in 2020!!!
      27. The Souls of Your Kids
          1. “I’m a bridge builder in my home”
          2. Q: Anyone ever have that thought “What am I doing with my life?” I’m pretty sure everyone feels this the second they engage with social media. I had one of those moments this past week…
          3. This week I was watching my kids and I came across a post from a pastor that I follow. Powerful post. He shared this story about how he held a home church service where his kids chose the songs, there was a sermon, and full blown revival. Needless to say I was inspired, That night I attempted this revival service as I put the kids to bed. Let’s just say it was not a post worthy experience. If we’re being honest, this is what our attempts to significance looks like. It’s messy, often times last minute, and rarely looks instagram worthy. But I believe that’s the beauty of it.
          4. Non-believers
      28. “5 Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.” - Colossians 4:5-6
      29. Q: Are we going to be known for what we are against or what we’re for? Are we going to be known for our fighting or forging?!
      30. Acts wisely
          1. We can either build lasting bridges or lasting barriers.
          2. Before posting or responding to anyone on social media ask “Is this wise?” or “Does this glorify God?”
          3. If we can seek wisdom and act wisely, then that means that we can have a tendency to live foolishly as well.
      31. Make the most of the time
          1. How do I make the most of my time? Make a note of your priorities. What you priorities will ultimately govern your time, energy, and finances.
          2. If you prioritize bridges of eternal significance then you will be making the most of your time. If you prioritize bridges of temporary value then you will not be making the most of your time.
      32. Our words should be salty. Put some salt on it!
          1. Encouragement > Criticism
          2. Humility > Arogance
          3. Serving > Being Served
          4. Character > Skills
          5. Kindness > Harshness
          6. Authentic > Fake
          7. Grateful > Entitled
          8. Positive > Negative
          9. Relationship > Religion
          10. Build up > Tear Down
          11. Respect > Contempt
          12. Love > Hate
          13. The bridge is the souls of people and the bullseye is love.
      33. “Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.” - 1 Corinthians 13:13 NLT

2. At The Center Is Jesus

   1. The Word Became Flesh
      1. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” - John 1:14 CSB
   2. Love Revealed In Jesus
      1. “God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his one and only Son into the world so that we might live through him. 10 Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another.” - 1 John 4:9-11 CSB
   3. The Creed
      1. Jesus is our message, our life. This is His Church. Built on love and full of faith. We are here to serve and not be served. We are grateful, expectant, and ready. To God be the Glory forever and ever, Amen!
      2. Every message, every truth, every motivation, is all about Jesus! Every initiative, every location, every project, is all about Jesus! He is at the center of our lives and this church! He is the cornerstone, the foundation, the protector and sustainer.

Closing:

“Only one life to live, will soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last.” - missionary CT Studd

Communion: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 CSB

1. The Bread
   1. “23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.””
   2. EX: The bread symbolizes Christ body which was broken for you and I. In taking the bread we remember that he was bruised, beaten, and hung on a cross for our sins.
2. The Cup
   1. “25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”
   2. EX: The cup symbolizes Christ blood which was poured out for us. It’s through His blood that was poured out that we are made clean and our sins are washed white as snow.
3. Self-Examination
   1. “27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sin against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself; in this way let him eat the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.”
   2. EX: This is not merely a religious ceremony, but a time to examine our sins in response to His sacrifice. As we confess, reflect, and receive the elements, we are proclaiming the Lord’s death until He returns. This is for followers of Christ as an act of obedience and worship to our Lord's commands.