The Story of the Bridges – May 12, 2023

Read: John 14:1-11

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 14:6

The Story of the Bridges

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

There was a bridge. It reached from Human Mountain to God’s Mountain. People who walked on this bridge could be with God.

Two hikers walked part of the way and then chopped the bridge down. It swung back to Human Mountain. Now it hangs there, attached to the top of the mountain but dangling down the side toward the canyon. All the hikers of the world still want to cross to the other mountain to be with God, but they can’t build another bridge. They can’t secure it to God’s Mountain from where they are.

A builder came and strung a second bridge starting at God’s Mountain and reaching all the way to Human Mountain. Everyone who crosses that bridge is with God.

But some hikers still want to use the old bridge. They climb it, but it only leads down Human Mountain to the canyon. Other hikers want to build their own bridges. They begin the bridges on their mountain. They try many materials, but always have the same problem. They have a starting place, but everything they build goes down the side of the mountain toward the canyon and hangs next to the broken bridge.

But everyone who walks across the second bridge get to be with God forever.

Now let’s read this story another way:

The two hikers were Adam and Eve. When God created them, they were going to live perfectly and be with God forever.

When they sinned, they broke that plan for all humans. It is impossible to live without sinning, so it is impossible to get to God by being perfect.

Along came Jesus. He made a new way. He lived the perfect life that had been broken and paid for all the destruction of our sins. Now there is a new bridge to God—trusting in Jesus.

Some people still try to get to God by doing good things, but they can’t do it perfectly, so it doesn’t work. It just leads them down to the canyon of hell. Some try to build their own ways. These are called false religions and false gods. Those religions start with humans and don’t reach to the true God. Like the broken bridge, they just take people down to hell.

But everyone who trusts the bridge Jesus built—Jesus’ perfect life and death-payment on the cross—will be with God forever in heaven. They cross right over death into eternal life.

Closing Prayer:

Jesus, you built a bridge to God the Father when you lived perfectly and died instead of me. Keep my feet securely fixed on that bridge and take me by that bridge to heaven. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

• Can anyone be perfect enough to please God?
• What (or Who) is the only way we can get to God?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

• Get a clean piece of paper and draw a picture that illustrates today’s devotion.
• How did Jesus build the bridge between us and God?

Questions for Middle School and Above

• Why does our human nature like to believe we are the ones who earn heaven?
• How do people sometimes try to cross with one foot on the bridge Jesus built and one foot on another bridge? How safe is that?