The Bridge Church Sermons

When's the last time you got angry? Odds are, you have in the last 24 hours, over what someone else has said or done... or has not said or not done. Injustice, oppression, arguments... they all spur the human emotion we can't seem to escape: anger.In Ephesians 4:26-27, the Apostle Paul reminds us to not allow anger to have power over us. He says, “Be angry and do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.”While we all face anger, we are urged to be cautious and manage it with care. If we aren’t actively forgiving others and ourselves, we become enslaved to it,  unable to walk in the freedom our God not only wants for us, but has given to us.Are you controlling anger, or is anger controlling you?Support the show

When your alarm clock goes off in the morning, it signals a new day—time to get up and put on something new.The gospel works the same way. It's not just a book about things we can't do or a list of things we need to "put off"; more than that, it's a list of new things to "put on"—grace, love, forgiveness, and a new identity.In Ephesians 4:22-24 we are urged by the Apostle Paul to put off our old self and put on our new self. Sanctification—setting something apart to be used as the designer intended—is what we must chase after. We are no longer called to walk in our old ways, but to live in our new identities. Here's the question that we must ask ourselves today: am I set apart?Support the show

As Christians we don’t just GO to church—we ARE the church.Ephesians 4:16 says, “From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”We’ve all been give a specific gift and role to play in the redemptive work of God. Without unity and without coming together to work for His kingdom, we can ignore the calling we’ve been given by him. When we don’t unite in love, we can’t function properly as the body. Therefore, we have to be contributing to the work of God personally and consistently. Are you playing your part in the work of God?Support the show

Because of Jesus, we all have received an amazing inheritance of His love. However, many of us can live our entire lives never experiencing what has freely been given to us through Christ's sacrifice. How do we make sure we don't miss out on this amazing gift that's ours? We need to go after His truth's and wrestle with them because without Him, we will not be able to dwell in His love. We need God’s empowerment to experience, understand, and magnify the love of God everyday of our lives. His love is deep, wide, and never-ending. Do you know this kind of love? Don't miss out on what is already yours.Support the show

There is a beautiful mystery found through the Cross. A mystery of love, mercy, and kindness. A mystery of grace. Ephesians 3:6 says, "This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus."We have been adopted, made clean, and welcomed into God's family. The curtain has been torn, and the mystery has been made known. This is the gospel – a beautiful, astounding, counter-intuitive miracle and mystery.Support the show

Because of Jesus, we all have access to the Father. No matter our status, race, or history, Jesus has reconciled us through the Cross. He has torn down the final barrier. Why, then, do we  focus on our differences and forget about the reality that we are all the same: broken people in need of a Savior?It's not enough to not build barriers—as Christians, we're supposed to actively tear them down. Will you focus on the differences among the Body of Christ, or will you choose to tear the barriers of division down and rejoice over the work of Christ?Support the show

We all have one thing in common. Before Christ, we all by nature were children of wrath – prone to sin and spiritually dead. But God, being rich in mercy has freely rescued us from the grave and given us a new standing with Him through His son, Jesus.  Not because of what we've done, not because of our works, but all because of His love for us and His great mercy towards us. You were doomed, BUT GOD. Will you receive Him today?Support the show

Prayer is something we all are familiar with, but have you stopped to reflect recently on what you're praying for?In Ephesians 1:15-23, we are given a look into what the Apostle Paul prays for those in the church of Ephesus. He prays not for them to have a comfortable life, but for them to know God better. Our prayers are often quite different than his. We pray for God to bless us, for Him to remove our hardships, and for Him to help us... and while these are all good things to ask our Father for, our prayers should also reflect those of the Apostle Paul. We should ask the Lord for a greater understanding of who He is—asking this for ourselves and for others.What are you praying for?Support the show

It’s bad to get someone else’s identity wrong, but many of us are getting our own wrong. And you will live out what you believe about yourself, whether or not it’s not true.Ephesians acts like the "bio section" of the Bible, and in the first chapter, we are reminded that nothing is able to define us except for the one who made us... but what does God actually say? When we know who we are, we know what to do. So who do you think you are? Support the show

There's few things that are more unfulfilling than a lack of response. A message left on "read" or a joke ending without a laugh... without responses, we are left in awkward place. Do we ever do that to the Lord? Do we ever not respond to God?James 1:22 says, "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."As living sacrifices for the Lord, everything we do is an act of worship unto Him, responding in awe and wonder of who He is. We must not only be hearers but doers.Are you willing to respond to the Lord by giving your whole self to Him today?Support the show