BRIDGES
Build A Bridge And Get Over It
April 14, 2013
Ed Young
Forgiveness is one of the crucial aspects of life. We all have a desire for it, and we all have a need for it. We want forgiveness from others, and we ask for forgiveness from God. But what do we do when it’s our turn to forgive?
In this message, Pastor Ed Young reveals four powerful, life-altering steps that lead to extending forgiveness to others. Because when someone has done us harm, that’s when it’s time for us to build a bridge and get over it.
Transcript
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Sometimes I watch late-night television, I know you do, too. Many times as I’m watching I will see these infomercials. Anybody here ever bought anything from an infomercial? Lift your hand, come on. We’re in church. At all of our campuses. Yeah. I bought something the other day that was pretty interesting. Have you seen this? The WAXVAC. I hate to confess this but I have more ear wax in my ears than anyone you’ve ever seen. In fact, my doctor has told me, he goes,
“Ed, I’ve been practicing medicine for decades. I’ve never seen anybody with the amount and the density and the quality of wax like you.” So I thought, I need one of these puppies. The WAXVAC. Well, I got it. You turn it on, put it in your ear… <whistling>… boom! Turn it off. Turn the light on and see how much wax you’ve vacuumed out of your ear. Here’s the problem. This thing’s a piece of crap. Because yeah, it might work in your ear. It might work in your baby’s ear. It might work in your cat’s ear. Not mine. I got some serious ear wax! I need like a vacuum cleaner situation. The WAXVAC. Pretty hilarious. They overpromise and under-deliver.
A lot of people do that, don’t they? Especially when it comes to selling things. Overpromise, under-deliver. Overpromise, under-deliver. Today’s subject matter… unforgiveness. Resentment. Bitterness. Holding a grudge. It overpromises and under-delivers.
Here’s the phrase that pays: Unforgiveness is unforgiving. Let me say it again. Unforgiveness is unforgiving. Unforgiveness is…. Yes it is.
I launched this series called Bridges several weeks ago. Session 1 I said, Cross that bridge when you come to it. That’s a bridge idiom, a bridge saying. And we basically unpack the fact that man has tried to build a bridge from his side to God’s side. We said that every world religion is basically a colossal human construction plan that tells you and me to put on our hard hats, our goggles, our Red Wings, our tool belts, and we maybe can build a bridge from our side to God’s side. By being philosophical, by being smart, by keeping our nose clean. But, on our best days our bridges are about this big compared to the bridge … THE bridge, of Biblical Christianity. Because Biblical Christianity separates itself from all the other world religions. Biblical Christianity is unlike the other faith systems because Biblical Christianity says God built the bridge. He built a bridge. Something we don’t deserve from his side, from the divine side, to the human side, thereby affording us the opportunity to cross the bridge. The bridge is a cross, and we have to cross the bridge. Jesus lived righteously. He died sacrificially. He rose bodily. He has given you and me the capacity and the choice. We either cross the bridge or not. The good news of Christianity is the bridge has been built! The other world religions, they don’t really have good news. Work harder. Tighten up your tool belt. Buy some more safety goggles. When those Red Wings wear out make sure to buy some Ostrich Red Wings. By another piece of machinery… it doesn’t get you to where you need to go. We’re made for the bridge. The cross is a bridge, we have a bridge to cross.