This Week
Announcements
TIME TO UPDATE YOUR INFORMATION IN OUR BRIDGE COMMUNITY
Now through January 31st
Every year we ask members to update the information through our church database, Bridge Community. Please follow this link: https://thebridgereno.com/community. This is where you will access your giving records for 2021. If you need any help logging in, we have a tutorial prepared for you at https://thebridgereno.com/help.
ANNUAL CELEBRATION
Sunday, January 30
Our Annual Celebration will be Sunday, January 30th. This is our annual get-together to review 2021, reflect on our Mission & Vision, and vote on the 2022 Budget and Board of Trustees. Final details and information for the meeting will be coming next Sunday.
SUPPORT OUR MISSION
You can support our mission using the Give Button in our App or online at https://thebridgereno.com/giving
Now through January 31st
Every year we ask members to update the information through our church database, Bridge Community. Please follow this link: https://thebridgereno.com/community. This is where you will access your giving records for 2021. If you need any help logging in, we have a tutorial prepared for you at https://thebridgereno.com/help.
ANNUAL CELEBRATION
Sunday, January 30
Our Annual Celebration will be Sunday, January 30th. This is our annual get-together to review 2021, reflect on our Mission & Vision, and vote on the 2022 Budget and Board of Trustees. Final details and information for the meeting will be coming next Sunday.
SUPPORT OUR MISSION
You can support our mission using the Give Button in our App or online at https://thebridgereno.com/giving
Message Notes
This Is Us:
Deep Compassion
Pastor Phil Burdoin
January 9, 2022
Why do we exist?
The Bridge Church exists to build bridges for people to come to Jesus and grow in His grace.
What is our vision?
The Bridge Church will be highly valued by the unchurched
for its commitment to its neighborhood, community, and world.
Beyond those two things, we have a set of Core Values. They are:
We will focus on Deep Compassion this morning.
Deep compassion is in short supply these days. It’s not always easy to have compassion on people, and it often comes down to whether or not we feel like the person deserves compassion. We generally feel more compassionate towards people we feel deserve it.
But at The Bridge, we believe that God loves every person and matters deeply to Him. We are therefore committed to loving all people as He does. We want to reach the people that no one else is reaching. Compassion is not something we only show when we think it’s needed or deserved. Being compassionate at all times with all people is part of our lives as followers of Christ. So how do we learn to do that?
Scripture for this morning:
Colossians 3:1-14
1. Compassion grows when your hearts and minds are in the right place
If your heart and mind are always on the things of this earth, you’re going to find it hard to be compassionate.
2. Compassion grows when we understand our new identity
3. Compassion grows when we value what Jesus did for us
4. Compassion grows when we receive it ourselves.
God is generous with compassion to us; we need to be generous with compassion to others
Application for this morning:
Being compassionate is not optional for us
We cannot choose when and where we will not have deep compassion. We must choose to make it a way of life and not an action that we sometimes practice.
Deep compassion will always cost something
If we are going to make deep compassion a way of life, we must also realize it will cost us. It will cost time, and it will cost money, it will cost being uncomfortable, it might even cost our safety at times. It cost Jesus His life.
Deep compassion will lead people to Jesus
Ever wonder how the church grew from a handful of under-educated fishermen in Jerusalem to thousands in the Roman empire, to millions around the globe? They valued deep compassion.
January 9, 2022
Why do we exist?
The Bridge Church exists to build bridges for people to come to Jesus and grow in His grace.
What is our vision?
The Bridge Church will be highly valued by the unchurched
for its commitment to its neighborhood, community, and world.
Beyond those two things, we have a set of Core Values. They are:
- Deep Compassion
- Cultivated Relationships
- Useful Service
- Bold Action
- Authentic Living
- Radical Generosity
We will focus on Deep Compassion this morning.
Deep compassion is in short supply these days. It’s not always easy to have compassion on people, and it often comes down to whether or not we feel like the person deserves compassion. We generally feel more compassionate towards people we feel deserve it.
But at The Bridge, we believe that God loves every person and matters deeply to Him. We are therefore committed to loving all people as He does. We want to reach the people that no one else is reaching. Compassion is not something we only show when we think it’s needed or deserved. Being compassionate at all times with all people is part of our lives as followers of Christ. So how do we learn to do that?
Scripture for this morning:
Colossians 3:1-14
1. Compassion grows when your hearts and minds are in the right place
Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
(Colossians 3:1-2)
If your heart and mind are always on the things of this earth, you’re going to find it hard to be compassionate.
2. Compassion grows when we understand our new identity
Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
(Colossians 3:11)
3. Compassion grows when we value what Jesus did for us
Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
(Romans 5:7-8)
4. Compassion grows when we receive it ourselves.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
(2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
God is generous with compassion to us; we need to be generous with compassion to others
Application for this morning:
Being compassionate is not optional for us
We cannot choose when and where we will not have deep compassion. We must choose to make it a way of life and not an action that we sometimes practice.
Deep compassion will always cost something
If we are going to make deep compassion a way of life, we must also realize it will cost us. It will cost time, and it will cost money, it will cost being uncomfortable, it might even cost our safety at times. It cost Jesus His life.
Deep compassion will lead people to Jesus
Ever wonder how the church grew from a handful of under-educated fishermen in Jerusalem to thousands in the Roman empire, to millions around the globe? They valued deep compassion.
Small Groups Talk About It
Watch the Message Summary:
1. How would you define “deep compassion?”
2. Share a story of a time that you saw “deep compassion” in action. How did this experience make you feel?
3. When you see someone in need, what is your first reaction?
4. Read Colossians 3:1-3: What does it look like to set your hearts and minds on things above. How does that help you grow compassion in your life?
5. What does it mean that “your life is now hidden with Christ?”
6. Read Colossians 3:9-10: What does Paul mean when he says “being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator?”
7. How does your life reflect “being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator?”
8. Read Colossians 3:11-12: Why does showing partiality make it difficult to practice deep compassion?
9. Who do you find it difficult to show compassion to? Why?
10. How can practicing “deep compassion” lead more of your friends, neighbors, and coworkers to Jesus
11. Pray together in your group, specifically for the people you find it difficult to show compassion to
God is generous with compassion to us; we need to be generous with compassion to others.
2. Share a story of a time that you saw “deep compassion” in action. How did this experience make you feel?
3. When you see someone in need, what is your first reaction?
4. Read Colossians 3:1-3: What does it look like to set your hearts and minds on things above. How does that help you grow compassion in your life?
5. What does it mean that “your life is now hidden with Christ?”
6. Read Colossians 3:9-10: What does Paul mean when he says “being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator?”
7. How does your life reflect “being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator?”
8. Read Colossians 3:11-12: Why does showing partiality make it difficult to practice deep compassion?
9. Who do you find it difficult to show compassion to? Why?
10. How can practicing “deep compassion” lead more of your friends, neighbors, and coworkers to Jesus
11. Pray together in your group, specifically for the people you find it difficult to show compassion to
God is generous with compassion to us; we need to be generous with compassion to others.