Sermon Tone Analysis

Today we are starting a new series called Bridge Builders.

When you think of a bridge builder you think of someone that designed a structure to allow people access from one point to another.

Usually bridges are used to drive a car from one point to another.

One of the most famous bridges in the United States is the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, CA.

Joseph Strauss was the lead engineer for the Golden Gate Bridge.

It took four years to build the bridge.

The bridge weighs 840 million tons.

But we’re not here to talk about actual bridges.

We are here to talk about you and you being a Bridge Builder.

One of the most frightening words in the English Language is actually the word forgive.

Bridge Builders are people who are well acquainted with forgiveness because they are well aware of the forgiveness that God has offered them in Christ.

When you look at our world today, you see many people that seem to store up bitterness, hurt, unforgiveness, pain and I could go on and on.

The truth is our world needs Jesus and His message of forgiveness more than ever.

We all will need forgiveness at some point in our life.

Whether we have done someone wrong or someone has done us wrong.

And if you haven’t already the first step is to ask Jesus for forgiveness.

And begin today by making Him the Lord of your life.

There is a story about a boy who visits his grandparents and he gets his first slingshot.

He practices in the woods, but he never hits his target.

As he leaves his grandparent’s backyard, he sees a pet duck.

On an impulse, he takes aim and lets it fly.

The stone hits the duck, and it falls dead.

The boy panics.

Desperately, he hides the duck in the woodpile, only to look up to find his sister Sally saw the whole thing.

After lunch that day, Grandma says, “Sally, let’s wash the dishes.”

But Sally says, “Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen today.

Didn’t you Johnny?”

And she whispers to him, “Remember the duck!”

So Johnny does the dishes.

Later Grandpa asks if the children want to go fishing.

Grandma said, “I’m sorry, but I need Sally to help make supper.”

Sally smiles and says, “That’s all taken care of.

Johnny wants to do it.”

Again, Sally leans over and whispers to Johnny, “Remember the duck.”

Johnny stays while Sally goes fishing.

After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally’s, finally he can’t stand it.

Johnny confesses to his Grandma.

To his surprise, Grandma says, “I know Johnny,” giving him a hug.

“I was standing at the window and saw the whole thing.

Because I love you, I forgave you.

I wondered how long you would let Sally make a slave of you.”

The point of this story?

We’ve all wronged someone or been wronged in our lives.

In this story, Johnny took the path of hiding his wrongdoing rather than seeking forgiveness.

It eventually became a burden too large for him to handle on his own.

How could things be different in Johnny’s story if he’d simply asked for forgiveness right away?

How could things be different in your story if you were to ask for or show someone forgiveness today?

Remember, it’s not a matter of if, but when.

When will you need to be forgiven?

When will you need to show forgiveness to someone?

If you have your bibles, go with me to the book of Colossians.

It is one of Paul’s letters to one of the churches that he ministered to on one of his missionary journey’s.

Go to chapter 3.

The word bear in the Greek is Anecho which means to hold up or to endure.

Paul is telling us that we need to hold each other up and endure with one another if there is a grievance between us.

He also says that we must forgive one another, as Christ has forgiven us.

Then in verse 14 Paul adds a little word that all of us should us.

That word is love.

Each of us should show forgiveness in love.

One of the biggest reasons why we stop loving people is because we can’t forgive them.

Marital Infidelity is one of the leading causes of divorce.

According to a study from the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy, as many as 25% of married men and 15% of married woman have had extramarital affairs.

This causes hurt feelings, broken trust, and potentially irreconcilable differences.

I’m not saying that you don’t have the right to be angry or hurt or lose trust in the person not just in marriage but in any relationship, but if you let bitterness tear at you then you will not be able to move forward in your life.

So, how do we do this?

Before the Golden Gate Bridge was build in 1933.

They would use a ferry boat to move cars across the bay.

They would make several trips a day.

The one group of people that didn’t want the bridge was the ferry boat drives because it would cut into their business.

But finally they gave in and okayed the bridge to be built.

What is keeping you from building a bridge in your life.

Building Starts With Good Blueprints

Paul gives us a blueprint for the process of forgiveness.

Remember I said that the word bear in the Greek is Anecho which means to hold up or to endure with each other if there is a grievance or offense between you and someone else.

This is the place where so many of us jump ship.

It is so much easier to get rid of that person from our life.

It’s easier just to avoid a difficult relationship.

But thank goodness that is not the path that Jesus chose with all of us.

He did something different.

He became the ultimate sacrifice and went to the cross to bring forgiveness for us.

He’s not asking that of you.

He’s just asking you to forgive the person that has wronged you.

That doesn’t mean that you have to be there best friend.

It means that we treat each other like human beings.

Show kindness and forgiveness.

We can have different views in politics and still show love for one another.

We can have different views in religion and still have love for one another.

We can break up and go our separate ways show one another forgiveness and love each other.

The process of forgiveness can be a difficult thing to accomplish, but if we seek the right blueprint, as we move from our old life to a new life in Christ, we can take all our burdens and all our anxieties to the cross.

There is a freedom in forgiveness.

There is a joy in reconciliation.

Choose Forgiveness

Forgiveness is wonderful and just as it is wonderful, it is also true that resentment, bitterness, and unforgiveness are horrible ways to live.

Look at what Jesus says about unforgiveness.

If we choose not to forgive, and we choose to carry the burden, hold the grudge, then we won’t be forgiven by God.

Go to Luke 7:40-50

Jesus paints us a picture of forgiveness with this story.

Many of us can relate to the point of borrowing and lending.

How many times has someone wronged you and the first thing that comes to mind when you want to restore the relationship is, “Well, they owe me an apology.”

Think about your sins for a moment.