Worship on the Grounds and cookout
Sunday, May 26th @ 10:00a–1:00p
The Bridge Church Reno
To honor memorial day we will come together with the Spanish Springs campus and have our worship service outdoors on the patio.  Following the service we will have a delicious barbecue lunch and potluck. Hamburgers, hotdogs, Chicken, and drinks will be provided.   If your last name begins with A-H please bring a salad, if your last name begins with I-P please bring a side dish, if your last name begins with Q-Z please bring a dessert.  This is a great opportunity to invite friends and family and celebrate together.  Don’t come alone.

Photo Album Tribute for Bill and Kim
Now though the end of July
We would like to invite you to participate in helping us build a photo album tribute for Bill and Kim West.  If you would like to participate you can send us a digital picture of yourself or family with a greeting to Bill and Kim.  In the months ahead we will put this book together and send it to them.  You can send your photos to pics@thebridgereno.com
 
Bill and Kim retirement gift update
After 15 years of leading The Bridge a retirement gift of $10,000 was given to Bill and Kim before they left.  Contributions from the congregation towards the gift as of today are $4,368.  The remainder of that gift, plus the cost of the retirement party, was taken from the general fund.  If you would like to help us recuperate those costs we encourage you to give towards that.  Please indicate that on your gift.  Thank you.

God uses everyday people for extraordinary jobs.  We are in our second week of a seventeen week series on the Gospel of John and today we will look at how God used John the Baptist to announce the arrival of the messiah.

He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.” - John 1:20

• The authorities sent men to question John about who he was and why he was baptizing.
• Messianic expectations were high at the time.  Everyone was expecting a conquering king.  For some groups like the Zealots this was a positive thing.  Yet, for other groups like the Pharisees and Sadducees they were fearful of losing their positions of power and comfort.
• John tells these investigators he is not the messiah, or Elijah, or the prophet that Moses predicted.  They demand some sort of answer they can take back to the authorities who sent them.

John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’” - John 1:23

• They attack John for what he is doing.  Asking him why he is baptizing.  They most likely feel threatened by this.  But John does not want to make it about him.  He points them to Jesus.

“I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”  - John 1:26-27

• The next day John declares that Jesus is the one he has been talking about. 
• The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!  John 1:29
• He goes on to say that God himself has told him the Jesus is the chosen one.  And now John’s job is completed.  He must become a smaller part of the story and Jesus must take the larger roll.  John is excited about that and points his disciples to Jesus.
• In Lukes Gospel we see that John continued to preach and point people to Jesus. He ends up in prison for offending King Herod. And while he is in prison he begins to reflect and wonder why. If he has been obedient to his calling why he has ended up suffering.

John’s disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, he sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” - Luke 7:18-19

• Just a short time ago he said that God himself showed him that Jesus was the Christ.  Now he’s not so sure anymore.  He took his eyes of Jesus and turned them to his circumstances and began to doubt.

Remain faithful to your calling

• by keeping your eyes on Jesus 
• We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.
• Hebrews 12:2

Point people to Jesus