Bridge Church Vancouver

WHEN I NAMED THE BRIDGE, I LIKED IT FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS, BUT I STRUGGLED WITH IT FOR ONE SIGNIFICANT REASON -

BRIDGES ARE INANIMATE OBJECTS - I WANTED SOMETHING THAT SIGNIFIED LIFE, SHOWED MOVEMENT - BECAUSE THOSE ARE ESSENTIAL ASPECTS OF WHAT IT MEANS TO EXPERIENCE GOD AND LIVE IN HIS KINGDOM. 

THE LAST SEVERALWEEKS WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT LUKE 10:25  -  

AND THIS MORNING WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO CONSIDER THIS IMPORTANT MESSAGE THAT JESUS HAD FOR HIS FOLLOWERS 

LOVING YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF. 

GO to your neighbor  

SEE YOUR NEIGHBOR DIFFERENTLY 

CONNECT THE PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL WORLDS WITH YOUR NEIGHBOR

      DO THINGS FOR DIFFERENT REASONS

      DO THINGS WITH DIFFERENT METHODS  

STAY FOCUSED ON LIFE  

DO NOT LOOK AT THE BRIDGE AS ONLY AN ORGANIZATION

BUT A LIVING, BREATHING, MOVING  

For sometime now I have been asking our Bridge Team a number of questions, 

"If Jesus Kingdom were to come to Kitsilano - what would it look like?" and "Where would The Bride be in that picture?" 

those are not easy questions - because they are very risky questions. 

We can say "because The Bridge is in Kitsilano we have answered the question, because Chirstians live in Kitsilano then God's kingdom is here 

But when Jesus spoke of the Kingdom - he was not referring to a geographic place, but a different way of living.  When He taught the Sermon on the Mount, he was teaching Kingdom truths of a different way of relating.  When He taught the Kingdom parables, they were stories of a different way of living.  God's way of living,  

Can we say that Kitsilano is different than other parts of our city because of the influence of the Kingdom that people are encountering when they are here.  

Could you say that your community, be it the Co-op you live in or place you work or play is different from other Co-ops or workplaces because of the effects of the Kingdom, I know some of us could say yes... 

Jesus sent out his followers into the world to advance His kingdom and bring life, restore, heal, free, cleanse - bring life 

Can you see where sin is sucking life away from people, like a cancer.  Can you identify sin, evil at work in the lives of people, chewing away at their hopes? 

Heb 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. 

We are afraid of being judgemental towards people.  Aren't you glad your doctor is judgemental when it comes to problems that arise in our physical bodies. 

Not everyone will do this, not every spiritually minded person is motivated to bring life 

Luke 9:51 - 61   

Some ‘spiritually minded' individuals when called to follow Jesus to proclaim a different way of living found in the Kingdom, to bring healing, hope, help to people, they have other more pressing matters on their minds.   

But then Luke 10

He appointed people - chose them, gave them authority and said "Go" - go where I send you, go where I am going... 

Begin to See the world from a kingdom mindset -

The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few - I am not sending many of you out, the job is bigger than you are, and you are going to be dependent upon me, but GO 

You are going to be vulnerable, like sheep walking into a pack of wolves, but go

This is not a suicide mission - even if you think it looks like it, because I have given you abilities and authority to deal with the risks and dangers, so go... 

Justin and I have been watching Band of Brothers - the story of 101 Airborn - Ez company who had it anything but easy.  They consistently were on the front lines of WWII, many were injured, many died, each of them knew they had a job to do that was bigger than themselves, the hardest, most difficult thing any of them had ever done.  None of them wanted to die, though some did, but they were protecting freedom, restoring life, for thousands if not millions of people.   

Jesus told them what to do as they went

1 - rely on God - v4

2 - identify yourself as a person of God - v5

3 - assess the environment - is it favorable or hostile to the kingdom of God - v6, 7

      - look for places to bring life - v7-8

4 - bring healing, help, freedom, life to people - v 9

5 - connect the healing to the life of God so they can do the same v9-10

6 - don't get caught up in the methods but stay focused on the mission - bringing life v20 

He has given us a different way to see the world - v21-24 

Luke illustrates this for us with a parable that Jesus told - Good Samaritan - v25-37

And in the story of Mary & Martha - we are going to look at these in the next weeks. 

Love your neighbor as yourself - IS Advancing the Kingdom of Jesus wherever, everywhere, He has placed you.  Making a difference in the lives of others. Bringing help, justice, healing to those who have been hurt, that life has dealt harshly with. 

No one likes to be taken advantage of or hurt or have injustices done to them, I don't, I am inclined to do the things that I have to do to not be taken advantage of, to not be hurt.  This is one way I love myself, to care for the well being of myself - healthy people do these sorts of things,   

Jesus calls us to do these things for others too.  He appoints us, empowers us with His authority, and makes us instruments he can use to love lives.  When someone is sick, hurting, disadvantaged, to bring life.  And to look at others with that perspective  -  Where has Jesus sent me to bring life, who around me does He want to use me to bring healing.  Think about that question while you listen to this song --    

"Lord Make Me an Instrument" 

Jonathan experienced that question this week, if you want to know about it ask him.  

Jesus method of sending out his disciples to heal, forgive, cleanse lepers, cast out demons, -

To restore hope, health, help people experience freedom from demons that hold them bondage is a pattern of maturing his followers.  He did it several times, to model it, then he left to return to our Father he said "Go, make disciples..."   

Who is Jesus sending you to?

To whom are you to bring healing, help, hope? 

When you do that, you will see Jesus' Kingdom advancing - like a movement, like a force that is unstoppable.  Some today say Jesus they are for, but organized religion they have no use for, - here is the answer to that - move - go -  

And when you come here it is to worship the God you have seen move in and through you.  You come find encouragement to keep moving, training to deal with the challenges,

But go - bring healing to someone today, connect the physical situations to the spiritual realities - "the kingdom of God is near you" - you can say that to someone.  Go and stay focused on Life - the life that is within you, the life that you have to give away.  GO!