The Bridge Church Sermons

Presence > PresentsIt's a simple equation.On the first Christmas, the greatest present came in the form of God's presence. Lying in a manger, God took on the form of a human, humbled and obedient, so that we might experience the greatest love the world would ever know.Isn't love the point of every good gift? The first Christmas would argue so. What would it look like to give more than presents this Christmas?Support the show

It is estimated that Americans will spend more than $4.5 billion on Christmas this year. This time of year is naturally riddled with a wanting for more things, and it shadows the actual longing of our souls. Here’s the truth: What is temporary can never satisfy an eternal longing. But you don’t have to keep drinking from wells that still leave you thirsty. 1. Jesus is a planned presence2. Jesus is a satisfying presence3. Jesus is a timely presenceSupport the show

At the end of the Old Testament, the promise of a Messiah is prophesied. What came next? Approximately 400 years of silence. Centuries passed, waiting for the coming of this promised Messiah. Life went on… as did the longing for this promised hope of a King. And then, one day, an angel appears to Mary. The news she receives is unexpected, even daunting. Yet we read her response, described in one word as worship. As we begin this series of Advent Conspiracy, our prayer is to celebrate Christmas differently—to not miss the meaning of Christmas in the busyness or chaos “the holidays” can bring. Instead, let’s lean into worship the way we see the original witnesses of Christmas Day did. Let’s worship fully, knowing that the King has come and is coming again.Support the show

When the disciples could ask Jesus to teach them anything, they asked this: “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1). Here’s why: Prayer is a declaration of war on this self-centered, self-sufficient, short-term kind of living. Prayer is the spinal column of your walk with God, deeply and inextricably connected to the way you walk. When you think about the rhythms of your life, is prayer a priority? Have you prayed to ask God for your needs? For repentance? For your loved ones or your enemies? When you pray, you have the full attention of God, but first you have to know the power for the soul that lies in prayer.Take up the challenge to rethink prayer, and stop 3x a day to sit, talk with, and listen to your Father.Support the show

There is an empire that is ruling the world. And in case you’ve never been told, there are times when resistance is a good thing. And here’s why: the world is full of things that get in the way of our view of God. In order to receive from God, we need to be willing to resist our false ideas of God. God is not after creating convenience for us, and we need to resist the thought that God is not moved by our need. We are not the owners of God’s resources, as much as we think it depends on us, and we have to resist when we think God has cheated us. But if we let the world speak more into our schedules, our beliefs, our character even… resisting these thoughts will become harder and harder. This week, we have two more challenges for growing resistance: turning our phones off for one hour a week, and fasting from something for an entire day a week. Let’s decrease distraction. Let’s focus on how God provides, again and again. Be a part of the resistance.Support the show

We live in a culture where busyness is glorified. The more you do, the more accomplished you are. We've turned rest into something we feel guilty about, or we allow it to convince us that we are lazy. We can so easily fail to be satisfied with what we have and have been given.However, here's the truth about who we are: We are finite beings who aren't created to carry the weight of it all. In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus invites us to rest by saying, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” You weren't created for a life you don't have time for. Pause, slow down, and begin to establish healthy rhythms.Do you know what your rule of life is?View the full Spanish transcript, "El Daño En La Prisa", – https://bit.ly/ElDañoEnLaPrisaSupport the show

The things we do in life always do something to us.From simple things such as how much sleep we get each night to how often we look at our phones, everything we do plays a part into the person we are and who we are becoming. A question to ask ourselves then is, "What are the habits that I've been allowing to shape who I am?"There is a concept called The Rule of Life. We all have a rule of life, whether we know it or not, and as Christians, here is what that should look like: an intentional, conscious plan to keep God at the center of everything we do. Here's why.In John 15 we are reminded through the words of Jesus that we are to abide in Him, because apart from Him, we can do nothing. Our habits should be rooted in Him alone.When we abide in Jesus, we are able to become like Him for the sake of the world. Our lives begin to form around Him, and through this, we're able to reflect the light of our Savior to a dark world around us. The habits we create impact who we are and who we're becoming. What is your rule of life?For additional resources on how to create healthy rhythms in your life, visit bridge.tv/rhythms.For a full Spanish transcript of this message click here: https://bit.ly/ReglaDeLaVidaSupport the show

You’re just too young.You’re just too old.  We've heard these phrases before.It’s quite simple for us to fall into a mindset of being too early or too late to do accomplish something in life. Often times we feel this way when it comes to serving God and His kingdom. However, we see countless times in scripture that regardless of how other view you or think about you, God has called and equipped you to be an example for His kingdom. Regardless of your age, experience, or history, we are all works in progress called to set an example in speech, love, conduct, faith, and purity. When the world glorifies a finished project, God loves the work in progress... and we're still all works in progress. God wants to use you right where you are right now. What can you do to set an example for the next generations to come through the way you live?#TheBridgeChurch #NextGenSunday #WorkInProgress #NextGen #TheGarden #YoungAdultsSupport the show

When's the last time you've argued about something?Maybe it was over where to eat out, over the thermostat temperature, or which sports team is better. But we know that not all conflict is this simple.We all have and will face arguments and disagreements that will leave us feeling exposed and angry, but the real test comes with how we respond in these moments of conflict. Often times we want to be slow to hear and quick to speak and anger. We become satisfied with false resolution and peace and we fight in a way that is beneficial for our own good and not others.But what if we were called not to shrink away from conflict but to approach it with a godly mindset? What if we were to fight cleanly to win the relationship and not the argument?As Christians, we are to be peace makers. Not peace keepers. Are you willing to fight cleanly when faced with disagreement?Support the show

Have you ever had a set of expectations for someone or something that were not met?Whether that be a friend letting you down or an event not going as planned, our expectations often fall short of what we hoped for.But why are we often left disappointed by others and even by God at times?Many times our expectations are unspoken of and simply out-of-line with God’s plans for us. We need our expectations to be clarified and we must be willing to be open-handed with any expectations we might have. God doesn’t always meet our expectations, but He’ll reorient them to be more beautiful and perfect than what we desired. Are you willing to let go and surrender your expectations to God today?#TheBridgeChurch #ClarifyingExpectations #HR #Sermon #RelationshipsSupport the show