{"id":10211,"date":"2016-01-11T16:17:17","date_gmt":"2016-01-11T20:17:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=10211"},"modified":"2016-02-02T11:21:03","modified_gmt":"2016-02-02T15:21:03","slug":"gods-bridge-over-troubled-water-11016","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=10211","title":{"rendered":"God&#8217;s Bridge Over Troubled Water (1\/10\/16)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">This message is the second in a three part series called &#8220;Three Men and a Baby.&#8221;\u00a0 The first part focused on the gift of Gold; of how the Wise Men challenged us to give our best.\u00a0 This second part focuses on the gift of Frankincense; of how Jesus is our great High Priest who bridges the wide gap between humanity and God.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em>Click the below &#8220;Play&#8221; button and scroll down to follow along (the recording is from the 9:30 service)&#8230;<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Note:\u00a0 Pastor Jim opens by inviting everyone to the Tuesday Night Series of studies.<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?page_id=122\" target=\"_blank\">Click Here<\/a><\/span> <em><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">for more info<\/span><\/em>.<\/p>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-10211-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Sermon-2016-01-10a_Gods-Bridge-Over-Troubled-Waters_by-Pastor-Jim-Bolton-6kbs-mono.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Sermon-2016-01-10a_Gods-Bridge-Over-Troubled-Waters_by-Pastor-Jim-Bolton-6kbs-mono.mp3\">https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Sermon-2016-01-10a_Gods-Bridge-Over-Troubled-Waters_by-Pastor-Jim-Bolton-6kbs-mono.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Our scripture reading was Leviticus 6:14-15 and Matthew 2:11-12.\u00a0 Open the drop down box to read along&#8230;<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<div class='et-learn-more clearfix'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class='heading-more'>Lev 6 and Matt 2<span class='et_learnmore_arrow'><span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class='learn-more-content'><p><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Lev 6:14-15<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>14 &#8216;This is the law of the grain offering: The sons of Aaron shall offer it on the altar before the Lord.<\/p>\n<p>15 He shall take from it his handful of the fine flour of the grain offering, with its oil, and all the frankincense which is on the grain offering, and shall burn it on the altar for a sweet aroma, as a memorial to the Lord.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\">================<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Matt 2:11-12<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.<\/p>\n<p>12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.<\/p>\n<p>NKJV<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #800000;\">Review from Part One&#8230;<\/span><\/h3>\n<div class='et-box et-warning'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class='et-box-content'><em><span style=\"color: #000080;\">One comedian observed:<\/span> <\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">&#8220;If it had been &#8216;Wise Women&#8217; instead of &#8216;Wise Men&#8217;, <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">They would have asked for directions<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">arrived on time<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">helped deliver the baby<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">cleaned the stable<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">made a casserole.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">And- Wise WOMEN would have brought practical gifts.\u00a0 Gifts from Babys-r-Us.\u00a0 Useful things like diapers, wipes, bibs and formula.&#8221;<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<p>Last week we began our three-week visit with the Wise Men&#8230;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"V3ZRJuP7L8\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=10040\">What Gift Shall I Bring? (1\/3\/16)<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);\" title=\"&#8220;What Gift Shall I Bring? (1\/3\/16)&#8221; &#8212; pitmanumc.org\" src=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=10040&#038;embed=true#?secret=KmvFCJrzda#?secret=V3ZRJuP7L8\" data-secret=\"V3ZRJuP7L8\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Where From?<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 We learned that they probably came from Persia (which is modern day Iran), traveled about 1000 miles on camel back to get to Bethlehem (which is about the distance from here to Chicago).<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">How Many?<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 We also learned that there were not just Three Wise Men (or &#8220;Magi&#8221;).\u00a0 Our Christmas Cards have picked up on the &#8220;Three Wise Men&#8221; image simply because the Bible says that there were three gifts.\u00a0 But more likely there were many people who made this journey from &#8220;the East.&#8221;\u00a0 They were prominent men of society.\u00a0 It has been speculated that they bought with them a full military escort along with their servants.\u00a0 The total party could have amounted to more than 300 people.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Why&#8217;d They Come?<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0 They were probably influenced by a number of people in the Old Testament, especially the prophet Daniel.\u00a0 Take a look at these verses&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<div class='et-tabs-container et_sliderfx_fade et_sliderauto_false et_sliderauto_speed_5000 et_slidertype_top_tabs'>\n\t\t\t\t<ul class='et-tabs-control'>\n\t\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\tDaniel\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\tEzra\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\tNumbers\n\t\t<\/a><\/li>\n\t\t<\/ul> <!-- .et-tabs-control --> \n\t\t<div class='et-tabs-content'>\n\t\t\t<div class='et-tabs-content-main-wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t<div class='et-tabs-content-wrapper'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Daniel 9:24-25<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 &#8220;Seventy &#8216;sevens&#8217; are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem <span style=\"background-color: #00ff00;\">until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes,<\/span> there will be seven &#8216;sevens,&#8217; and sixty-two &#8216;sevens.&#8217; It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble.\u00a0\u00a0 NIV\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\">Ezra 6:6-7<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 <span style=\"color: #000000;\">Now then, Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and you, their fellow officials of that province, <span style=\"background-color: #00ff00;\">stay away from there.\u00a0 Do not interfere with the work on this temple of God<\/span>. Let the governor of the Jews and the Jewish elders rebuild this house of God on its site.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0 NIV<\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">The Persians knew that God was up to something in Israel&#8230; <\/span><\/em>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Numbers 24:17<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 &#8220;<span style=\"color: #000000;\">I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000; background-color: #00ff00;\">A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth.<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0 NIV\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> <!-- .et-tabs-container -->\n<p>When the Israelites were taken captivity by the Babylonians (who were then conquered by the Medes and Persians), they took along with them these prophecies.\u00a0 The Persians (the forefathers of these &#8220;Wise Men&#8221;) were exposed to God&#8217;s special relationship with the Israelites, and they were aware that a King would come someday.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Wise Men &#8220;Got It.&#8221;<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 They knew that something really special was happening, so they made the journey to see for themselves.\u00a0 They came with a large caravan and they came with expensive gifts: Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh.\u00a0 Let&#8217;s find out more about Frankincense&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #800000;\">Frankincense<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-10217\" src=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Incense_-burn-1119244__180_400x300-300x224.jpg\" alt=\"Incense_ burn-1119244__180_400x300\" width=\"192\" height=\"143\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Incense_-burn-1119244__180_400x300-300x224.jpg 300w, https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Incense_-burn-1119244__180_400x300.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 192px) 100vw, 192px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>What is Frankincense? Resources like <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Frankincense\" target=\"_blank\">Wikipedia<\/a><\/span> (and other more &#8220;scholarly books&#8221;) can describe what it is.\u00a0 It is made from the sap of trees, which was highly valuable, and it was burned in worship to God in the Temple.\u00a0 But what does it mean?\u00a0 Why does the Bible mention is as a gift from &#8220;Wise Men&#8221;?<\/p>\n<p>Frankincense was used as an element of worship&#8230; it was lit and spread around the altar by the priests leading worship.\u00a0 You can see this in\u00a0 these Old Testament\u00a0 passages&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<div class='tabs-left et_sliderfx_fade et_sliderauto_false et_sliderauto_speed_5000 et_slidertype_left_tabs clearfix'>\n\t\t\t\t<div class='et_left_tabs_bg'><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<ul class='et-tabs-control'>\n\t\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\tExodus 30:34-38\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\tLeviticus 6:14-15\n\t\t<\/a><\/li>\n\t\t<\/ul> <!-- .et-tabs-control --> \n\t\t<div class='et-tabs-content'>\n\t\t\t<div class='et-tabs-content-main-wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t<div class='et-tabs-content-wrapper'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\tThen the Lord said to Moses, &#8220;Take fragrant spices \u2014 gum resin, onycha and galbanum \u2014 and pure frankincense, all in equal amounts, and make a fragrant blend of incense, the work of a perfumer. It is to be salted and pure and sacred. Grind some of it to powder and place it in front of the Testimony in the Tent of Meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you.<\/p>\n<p>Do not make any incense with this formula for yourselves; consider it holy to the Lord.\u00a0 Whoever makes any like it to enjoy its fragrance must be cut off from his people.&#8221; NIV\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t&#8220;&#8216;These are the regulations for the grain offering: Aaron&#8217;s sons are to bring it before the Lord, in front of the altar. The priest is to take a handful of fine flour and oil, together with all the incense on the grain offering, and burn the memorial portion on the altar as an aroma pleasing to the Lord. NIV\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> <!-- .tabs-left -->\n<p>Incense also depicts prayer.\u00a0 Take a look at Revelation 8:3-4&#8230;<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><em><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel&#8217;s hand.<\/span><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 NIV<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>But these Wise Men understood who this Baby Jesus really was. They Got It.\u00a0 These Gentiles from far away understood that this Baby was the fulfillment of God&#8217;s promise, and so they brought gifts that pointed to the identity of this Baby.\u00a0 The Wise Men Got it&#8230; the religious leaders of Israel missed it.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #800000;\">Jesus is our High Priest<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The Gold pointed to Jesus&#8217; Kingship.\u00a0 And it probably also helped to fund Mary and Joseph&#8217;s flight with Jesus to Egypt to escape Herod.\u00a0 But the Wise Men also brought frankincense.\u00a0 This pointed out that they recognized Jesus as our High Priest.\u00a0 This gift affirms that Jesus is our priest.\u00a0 It affirms that He is the one through whom forgiveness comes.<\/p>\n<p>Frankincense symbolizes the following truths which were later explicitly described by the New Testament writers:<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<div class='tabs-left et_sliderfx_fade et_sliderauto_false et_sliderauto_speed_5000 et_slidertype_left_tabs clearfix'>\n\t\t\t\t<div class='et_left_tabs_bg'><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<ul class='et-tabs-control'>\n\t\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\tONLY NAME\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\tDON&#8217;T REJECT\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\tHE WILL SAVE\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\tGOTTA HAVE THE SON\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\tONE MEDIATOR\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\tONE LAMB\n\t\t<\/a><\/li>\n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\tONLY ESCAPE\n\t\t<\/a><\/li>\n\t\t<\/ul> <!-- .et-tabs-control --> \n\t\t<div class='et-tabs-content'>\n\t\t\t<div class='et-tabs-content-main-wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t<div class='et-tabs-content-wrapper'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Acts 4:12<\/span><\/strong> Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.&#8221;\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">John 3:36<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God&#8217;s wrath remains on him.&#8221;\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Matthew 1:21<\/span><\/strong> She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.&#8221;\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">1 John 5:11-12<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.\u00a0 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">1 Timothy 2:5-6<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,\u00a0 who gave himself as a ransom for all men \u2014 the testimony given in its proper time.\u00a0\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Revelation 7:9-10<\/span><\/strong> After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.\u00a0 And they cried out in a loud voice:<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.&#8221;\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Hebrews\u00a0 2:3-4<\/span><\/strong> How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him.\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> <!-- .tabs-left -->\n<p>Just as the Jews only had one High Priest at a time, God only has one High Priest throughout eternity.\u00a0 The High Priest is Jesus the Christ!<\/p>\n<p>And Jesus understood His unique role.\u00a0 Luke 2:41-49 tells of the time Jesus&#8217; parents took Him to Jerusalem for the Passover and then started on their way home before realizing Jesus wasn&#8217;t with them. The returned to Jerusalem to find Him teaching and\u00a0 learning from the Jewish teachers.\u00a0 Jesus responded- &#8220;<em><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Didn&#8217;t you know I had to be in my Father&#8217;s House?<\/span><\/em>&#8221;\u00a0 This 12 year old boy knew He had a unique role; to be in His Father&#8217;s House.\u00a0 He knew that He had to be in His Father&#8217;s Business of building a bridge to connect us to God.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #800000;\">Jesus Stands In the Gap<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The prophet Ezekiel (in Ezekiel 22:30-31) posed the following dilemma of God&#8217;s&#8230;<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><em><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">\u00a0&#8220;I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and <span style=\"background-color: #00ff00;\">stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land<\/span> so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.\u00a0 <\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><em><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger, bringing down on their own heads all they have done, declares the Sovereign Lord.&#8221;<\/span> <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>There is a gap, a great divide between humanity and God.\u00a0 Sin has driven a wedge between us and God.\u00a0 It&#8217;s as if we&#8217;re standing on one side of a great rift and God is on the other.\u00a0 How can we cross over to God?\u00a0 How can this gap be <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-10242\" src=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Stand-in-Gap-236x118.jpg\" alt=\"Stand in Gap 236x118\" width=\"236\" height=\"118\" \/>bridged?<\/p>\n<p>It is bridged by our Great High Priest, Jesus!\u00a0 As our Priest, Jesus grew up and died on the cross for our sins.\u00a0 He reestablished the right relationship between God and humanity. In short, Jesus paid the debt we owed to God.\u00a0 He made it possible for God to see us as being without the guilt of sin!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><em><span style=\"color: #003300;\">If there wasn&#8217;t a sin problem, why did Jesus have to die???<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Jesus is the Bridge.\u00a0 He is fully divine and yet He was fully human.\u00a0 He knows about our problems; He experienced them Himself!\u00a0 He knows all about hunger, temptation, and even death.\u00a0 Because of His death on the cross,\u00a0 He can &#8220;Bridge the Gap&#8221; between humanity and God.\u00a0 You can&#8217;t separate Christmas from Easter!<\/p>\n<p>This is what is wrapped up in the Frankincense. Paul puts it straightforward when he writes his letter to the Colossians (2:6-15)&#8230;<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">6 And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him.\u00a0 Let your <span style=\"background-color: #00ff00;\">roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him<\/span>. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">8 Don&#8217;t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.\u00a0 <span style=\"background-color: #00ff00;\">For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body<\/span>.\u00a0 So you also are<span style=\"background-color: #00ff00;\"> complete through your union with Christ<\/span>, who is the head over every ruler and authority.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">11 When you came to Christ, you were &#8220;circumcised,&#8221; but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision\u2014the cutting away of your sinful nature.\u00a0 <span style=\"background-color: #00ff00;\">For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized.<\/span> And <span style=\"background-color: #00ff00;\">with him you were raised to new life<\/span> because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">13 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you <span style=\"background-color: #00ff00;\">alive with Christ<\/span>, for he forgave all our sins.\u00a0 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.\u00a0 In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span> NLT<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Jesus Christ is the true &#8220;Bridge across the Troubled Water&#8221; of your sin.\u00a0 He stands in the gap between you and God, and He&#8217;s the only one who can.<\/p>\n<p>Because Jesus is our High Priest, we don&#8217;t need to have the forgiveness of the human agent serving in the role of &#8220;priest&#8221;-\u00a0 we have been permitted to go straight to Him because He is our priest.\u00a0 This is what is meant in Hebrews 4:14-16&#8230;<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><em><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.\u00a0 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are \u2014 yet was without sin. <\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><em><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.<\/span><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 NIV<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #800000;\">Jesus is Our Bridge Builder<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The Latin word that we translate as &#8220;Priest&#8221; is &#8220;<strong><span style=\"color: #003300;\">PONTIFEX<\/span><\/strong>.&#8221;\u00a0 It&#8217;s notable that this word literally means &#8220;Bridge Builder&#8221;!\u00a0 The word we apply to Priest or even Pontiff means &#8220;Bridge.&#8221;\u00a0 A priest is a bridge between God and Man. But only our High Priest- Jesus- can bridge the gap between our sinfulness and God&#8217;s holiness.<\/p>\n<p>The Frankincense tells us that Jesus is the High Priest and that He alone can &#8220;Stand in the Gap&#8221; and be our &#8220;Bridge over Troubled Water.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>We noted earlier from 1 Timothy 2:5-6 that Jesus is our only MEDIATOR between us and God.\u00a0 But other passages say the same thing&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<div class='et-tabs-container et_sliderfx_fade et_sliderauto_false et_sliderauto_speed_5000 et_slidertype_top_tabs'>\n\t\t\t\t<ul class='et-tabs-control'>\n\t\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\tHEBREWS 12:24\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\t1 CORINTHIANS 8:6\n\t\t<\/a><\/li>\n\t\t<\/ul> <!-- .et-tabs-control --> \n\t\t<div class='et-tabs-content'>\n\t\t\t<div class='et-tabs-content-main-wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t<div class='et-tabs-content-wrapper'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<span style=\"color: #000000;\">But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect,<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">to <span style=\"background-color: #00ff00;\">Jesus the mediator<\/span> of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.\u00a0<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<span style=\"color: #000000;\">&#8230;yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and <span style=\"background-color: #00ff00;\">there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ<\/span>, through whom <span style=\"background-color: #00ff00;\">all<\/span> things came and through whom we live.<\/span> NIV\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> <!-- .et-tabs-container -->\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>A mediator is always someone in the middle, bridging a gap, trying to connect two or more parties to one another.\u00a0 For us to approach God, we may not need an earthly priest or a church.\u00a0 But we absolutely do need Jesus to be our mediator. There&#8217;s a huge gap that only He can bridge&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<div class='tabs-left et_sliderfx_fade et_sliderauto_false et_sliderauto_speed_5001 et_slidertype_left_tabs clearfix'>\n\t\t\t\t<div class='et_left_tabs_bg'><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<ul class='et-tabs-control'>\n\t\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\tRomans 3:23\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\tEcclesiastes 7:20\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\t1 John 1:8-10\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\tRomans 5:2\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\tHebrews 10:19-22\n\t\t<\/a><\/li>\n\t\t<\/ul> <!-- .et-tabs-control --> \n\t\t<div class='et-tabs-content'>\n\t\t\t<div class='et-tabs-content-main-wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t<div class='et-tabs-content-wrapper'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\tfor all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\tThere is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins.\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.<\/p>\n<p>9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.<\/p>\n<p>10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,<\/p>\n<p>2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.\n\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,\u00a0 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body,<\/p>\n<p>21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.\u00a0\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> <!-- .tabs-left -->\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #800000;\">Jesus&#8217; Church is the Construction Crew<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>There is a huge gap between us and God.\u00a0 Only Jesus can make sinful us acceptable to Holy God. Our good deeds can&#8217;t bridge the gap; only God&#8217;s grace through Jesus can do that.<\/p>\n<p>But, God wants us to deliver the Bridge to the Gap!\u00a0 He wants us to serves as priests for the Priest.\u00a0 Consider these verses&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<div class='et-tabs-container et_sliderfx_fade et_sliderauto_false et_sliderauto_speed_5000 et_slidertype_top_tabs'>\n\t\t\t\t<ul class='et-tabs-control'>\n\t\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\t1 Peter 2:5-9\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\tIsaiah 61:6\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\tExodus 19:6\n\t\t<\/a><\/li>\n\t\t<\/ul> <!-- .et-tabs-control --> \n\t\t<div class='et-tabs-content'>\n\t\t\t<div class='et-tabs-content-main-wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t<div class='et-tabs-content-wrapper'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.\u00a0 For in Scripture it says: &#8220;See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, &#8220;The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone,&#8221;and, &#8220;A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.&#8221; They stumble because they disobey the message \u2014 which is also what they were destined for.<\/p>\n<p>9 <span style=\"background-color: #00ff00;\">But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood<\/span>, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.\n\t\t<\/div><\/p>\n\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\tAnd you will be called <span style=\"background-color: #00ff00;\">priests of the Lord<\/span>, you will be named <span style=\"background-color: #00ff00;\">ministers of our God<\/span>. You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast.\n\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\tAlthough the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a <span style=\"background-color: #00ff00;\">kingdom of priests<\/span> and a holy nation.&#8217; (Ex 19:5-6)\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> <!-- .et-tabs-container -->\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Martin Luther<\/span><\/strong>, the Protestant Reformer,\u00a0 taught this Biblical concept, much to the consternation of the religious authorities of his day.\u00a0 Luther wrote:\u00a0 &#8220;<strong><em><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Therefore, we are all priests, as many of us as are Christians.<\/span><\/em><\/strong>&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Luther called all Christians to live a life of being a &#8220;pontifex,&#8221; or God&#8217;s &#8220;Bridge Over Troubled Water&#8221; to a sinful, lost, and hurting world.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #993300;\">John Wesley<\/span><\/strong>, the founder of Methodism, took Luther&#8217;s Priesthood of Believers and important step further in the late 1700s, empowering his Methodists to assume an active ministry in the Church.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #800000;\">What About Us???<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>When you&#8217;ve come to Jesus by faith as the Wise Men did, you begin to act like someone who&#8217;s in love.\u00a0 You bring gifts, you read each other&#8217;s letters, emails, and texts&#8230; you can&#8217;t wait to get back together with the one you love.<\/p>\n<p>The frankincense invites us to be priests together, as we walk in step in the unity of the Body of Christ.\u00a0 We are invited by the Holy Spirit to participate with God and to be Bridge Builders.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Who do we know who is separated from God?\u00a0\u00a0 <strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Show them the Bridge.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Who do we know that needs to know that God loves them?\u00a0 <strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Show them the Bridge.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Who do we know who needs a God who wants a relationship with them?\u00a0 <strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Show them the Bridge.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #800000;\">\u00a0Quiz Time!<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><em><span style=\"color: #000080;\">As you reflect on what you&#8217;ve just heard\/read, give this quiz a try.\u00a0 If you don&#8217;t understand an answer (or if you disagree with the &#8220;correct&#8221; answer, post a comment)&#8230;<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<div id='quizArea'>\n<script type='text\/javascript'>\njQuery(document).ready(function($) {\n$( function($){\nvar quiz = {\nmultiList:\n[{ ques: 'What is humanity&#8217;s Troubled Water?',\nans: 'The great divide between Man and God, caused by sin',\nansSel: [ 'Pain and Discord',  'Death' ] },\n{ ques: 'Who or what is the Bridge over this Troubled Water?',\nans: 'Jesus, our Great High Priest',\nansSel: [ 'Righteousness, our resistance to Sin',  'The Church, the community of believers' ] },\n{ ques: 'Who is called to be God&#8217;s Priests and to bring the Bridge of Jesus to a needy world?',\nans: 'Lay people',\nansSel: [ 'The government',  'The clergy' ] },\n{ ques: '1 John 1:8-10 says:\u00a0\u00a0 &#8220;If we claim to be without ___, we deceive ourselves and the ____ is not in us.&#8221;',\nans: 'Sin, Truth',\nansSel: [ 'God, Grace',  'Jesus, Power' ] },\n{ ques: 'According to 1 Peter 2:9, the Church is a____.',\nans: 'royal priesthood.',\nansSel: [ 'broken staff.',  'country club.' ] }]\n};\nvar options = {\ntitle: 'God&#8217;s Bridge Over Troubled Water',\nhelp: 'Select the correct answer and click Check.',\nshowAns: false,\nshowAnsInfo: false,\nallRandom: false,\nshowFeedback: false,\nrandom: false\n};\nvar lang = {\nquiz : { tfEqual:'' }\n};\n$( '#quizArea' ).jQuizMe( quiz, options, lang );\n$( \".q-innerArea\" ).css( {\"backgroundColor\": \"#EECCAA\", \"color\": \"#222222\"} );\n$( \".quiz-el\" ).css( {\"backgroundColor\": \"#776655\", \"color\": \"#222222\"} );\n$( \".q-ques\" ).css( {\"backgroundColor\": \"#EEEEEE\", \"color\": \"#222222\"} );\n$( \".q-ansSel\" ).css( {\"backgroundColor\": \"#EEEEEE\", \"color\": \"#222222\"} );\n$( \".q-result\" ).css( {\"backgroundColor\": \"#EEEEEE\", \"color\": \"#222222\"} );\n});\n}(jQuery))\n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #003300; font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>+\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"> +<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 +\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">+<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 +\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">+<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 +<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Click this button to view other sermons:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <a href='https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?cat=50' class='icon-button download-icon'><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Sermon Archive<\/span><span class='et-icon'><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This message is the second in a three part series called &#8220;Three Men and a Baby.&#8221;\u00a0 The first part focused on the gift of Gold; of how the Wise Men challenged us to give our best.\u00a0 This second part focuses on the gift of Frankincense; of how Jesus is our great High Priest who bridges [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5360,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[50],"tags":[86,149],"class_list":["post-10211","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sermons","tag-salvation","tag-sin"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10211","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10211"}],"version-history":[{"count":38,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10211\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10252,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10211\/revisions\/10252"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5360"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10211"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10211"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10211"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}