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Bridging the Gap
Ezekiel 22:30
EZEK.22:30 "I sought for a man that should
stand in the gap"
THERE IS A GAP BETWEEN: [examples]
A. Teens and Adults.
B. Communists and Capitalist.
C. Black and White.
D. Heaven and hell.
LUKE 16:30 "Between us and you there is a
great gulf fixed"
Spiritually there is a gap between man and
God, but…
1. THE GAP IS BRIDGED BY THE SAVIOR.
(JH.14:6 - ACTS 4:12)
John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh
unto the Father, but by me.
Acts 4:12
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under
heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
a. He is our mediator. (I TIM.2:5)
1 Timothy 2:5
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man
Christ Jesus;
b. He is our Advocate. (I JN.2:2)
1 John 2:2
And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for
the sins of the whole world.
c. He is our Intercessor.
(Heb.7:25)
Hebrews 7:25
Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God
by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
d. He is our High Priest.
(Heb.4:14)
Hebrews 4:14
Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the
heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
2. THE GAP IS BRIDGED BY SALVATION. (I PET.
2:5)
1 Peter 2:5
Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy
priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus
Christ.
a. We are branches grafted into vine.
(Jn.15:2)
John 15:2
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every
branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more
fruit.
b. We are members adopted into the body. (I
Cor.12:13)
1 Corinthians 12:13
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be
Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made
to drink into one Spirit.
c. We are children born into the family. (Jn
1:12)
John 1:12
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of
God, even to them that believe on his name:
d. We are sheep in God's flock. (Jn.10:27)
John 10:27
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
3. THE GAP IS BRIDGED BY SUBMISSION. (EPH.
4:13)
Ephesians 4:13
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son
of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness
of Christ:
a. Younger to submit to the elder.
(I Pet.5:5)
1 Peter 5:5
Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you
be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth
the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
b. Wives to submit to husbands.
(I Pet. 3:1, Eph. 5 says ‘to one another’)
1 Peter 3:1
Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if
any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the
conversation of the wives;
c. Servants to submit to Masters.
(Titus 2:9)
Titus 2:9
Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to
please them well in all things; not answering again;
d. Children to submit to parents.
(Eph. 6:1)
Ephesians 6:1
Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
e. Believers to submit to one
another (Eph.5:21)
Ephesians 5:21
Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
4. THE GAP IS BRIDGED BY SUFFERING.
A. The suffering of Christ. (I
Pet. 3:18)
1 Peter 3:18
For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that
he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by
the Spirit:
B. The suffering of Christians. (I
Pet. 4:12)
1 Peter 4:12
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try
you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
God is bringing things together and filling
in gaps in our lives!
5. THE GAP IS BRIDGED BY THE SCRIPTURES
(EPH. 4:11,12)
Ephesians 4:11-12
11 And he gave some, apostles;
and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the
saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of
Christ:
All ministers are to be perfecting the
saints, and filling in holes in lives!
6. THE GAP IS BRIDGED BY SUPPLICATION. (ACTS
2:1)
Acts 2:1
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord
in one place.
What were they doing? Praying!
7. THE GAP IS BRIDGED BY SOULWINNING. (James
5:20)
James 5:20
Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way
shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
8. THE GAP WILL BE BRIDGED BY THE SECOND
COMING.
(I Th.4:16-17; I Jn.3:2)
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
16 For the Lord himself shall
descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with
the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and
remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord
in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1 John 3:2
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we
shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for
we shall see him as he is.
Ill.—a father and his grown son were at
odds. They hadn’t spoken in years, and both remembered the last time they
did, and the harsh words that had been shared. The wife and mother of the 2
tried and tried to get them together, attempting to be a mediator and to
bridge the gap, but to no avail. They were proud and stubborn, and each
wanted the other to be the one to apologize. It took the hospital deathbed
on which she eventually would lie to even get them into the same room
together, but still they took turns spending time with her while ignoring
one another.
In her final moments as it was clear
she was taking her last breaths, the nurses insisted both men come to her
bedside for her dying wish. There they were on either side of that bed.
She asked each of them to take one of her hands. When they did she mustered
all the strength she could and raised both of them up and said, “Lord, I’m
ready to go home now.” Her eyes closed and her hands fell together across
her stomach.
Father and son stood there weeping,
realizing she was gone…then they realized their hands were also touching
each other. Right there they swallowed their pride and made things
right…the gap was finally taken up!
Let’s draw closer to one another, and to the
Lord and His cross which has bridged the gap between us and God…
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