The Christmas Bridge

The Chinese government has started work on a bridge to link Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau with a 50 klm six-lane roadway. It will be the longest bridge ever.

Bridges make connections.
God’s action in sending his Son Jesus into the world can be seen as the greatest act of bridge–building ever undertaken. The result is a connection between heaven and earth - an infinite spiritual distance.

The Bible puts it in the language of Jesus being a mediator or middleman: For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (1 Tim 1:5). A mediator reconciles parties who were estranged from each other and that is what Jesus does. He is the one who made peace by his blood and thus reconciled former enemies (Col 1:20-22).

Brides need connections.
Bridges make connections but also depend on them. For this reason the Christian church has long followed the Bible to insist that Jesus is both God and man (eg 1 Jn 4:1-3, 9). In the early centuries, theologians had to insist on the full humanity of Jesus to counter view that he lacked a connection side on the human side of the bridge. In later days, the divinity of Jesus had to be defended to establish the God-ward side of the connection.

Bridges have builders
The bridge was built from heaven to earth and not from both sides. God sent his son. We did not ask for him and even rejected him when he came (Lke 20:1-15). God does not help those who help themselves. Instead he helps those who reject his help and are unable to help themselves. God built the bridge.

Bridges cost plenty.
The new Chinese bridge will cost about RMB73 billion. Hopefully, it will be built without loss of life in workplace accidents. The bridge from heaven to earth was built at the immense cost of the one and only Son of God being sent to die as a necessary part of the construction process (Jn 12:23-27).

Bridges are there to be used.
It will be amazing if the new Chinese bridge is built then remains empty. It’s there to enable people and goods to connect from one side to another.

Likewise with Jesus. God chose to save, who to save and how to save. He then gives us a very real human responsibility. Jesus commands us to repent and believe the gospel (Mrk 1:15).When we do this, he is our bridge to life. Let’s do that and cross to the other side.