A Bridge on Good Friday

A Bridge on Good Friday

Colossians 1:15-20 

Kim, thank you for asking me to be a guest blogger on CoziNest.   I am honored by your invitation.

A bridge provides a pathway over an obstacle such as a river, chasm, road, etc. It makes a way where there was previously none. The bridges of my childhood rest within the pastoral landscape of Blount County, AL. Some are over a hundred years old. Simple in their beauty and practical in function, they have withstood weather, weight, and time.

Bridge

I remember taking a deep breath of faith (and holding it) as my parents rolled the weight of the family car onto the bridge. I doubted its strength to uphold us until we passed through.

Bridge Interior.jpg

There is another remarkable bridge. This one spans eternity.  It is the bridge of two boards and three nails. It connects God to man. God is holy. The chasm which separates us is sin and its curse. Sin has been described as missing the mark of God’s holiness. The Bible tells us there must be a blood sacrifice for cleansing of sin. The ability to cleanse is a property of blood (Hebrews 9).

Yet, God loves us. His desire is to dwell/tabernacle among us. (Gen. 3:8; Exodus 25:8; John 1:1, 14; John 3:16-17; I Cor. 1:9) In the Old Testament it was through the tabernacle. In the New Testament it is through his son, Jesus. He is the Word become flesh. He sent his son to walk the earth as a man. So, as a man, he could be the sacrifice to redeem all of mankind once and for all. The bridge used was two boards and three nails.

The Law requires justice. Mercy freely gives what we do not deserve and cannot earn. The boards were assembled to form a cross. The three nails were used to bind Jesus to the cross. They were the size and length of railroad spikes.  The spine of the cross could be likened to the justice of God. It is fixed and immovable. The spine is also its’ stabilizing and strongest portion. It must be to bear the load of that which is laid upon it. Jesus was bearing the weight of the world in the form of our sin and its’ curse. Jesus’ feet were nailed to this portion. The t-bar of the cross represents mercy. His outstretched arms spanned its width as each hand was impaled to it.

 

Cross

Jesus hung there beaten and bloodied beyond human recognition. Suspended on that cross, he became the bridge to God. As we see our need to be redeemed and cleansed by his blood; we come into relationship with the One, True, and Living God by rolling the weight of our sin onto him through faith. We receive His forgiveness and new life. (1Corinthians 5:17)

He didn’t remain in the grave, however. If he had our redemption would have been incomplete.  Sunday is coming…!

~DPH~

DPH and I went to High School together, danced on our school dance line together and worshipped our Lord together. While, I haven’t seen her since those days, she has always been one of my favorite people. I am honored to have her share this post with my readers on this holy day.

 

 

 


[i] Paul Lawler, Pastor of Christ Church United Methodist Church, Birmingham, AL.

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