***Pastor Search Update***
This Sunday August 4th at 10am
The Bridge Church Reno
The announcement you have all been waiting for is ready. We will give a major pastor search update this Sunday at The Bridge. Please make sure to be in person or online this Sunday to hear the news.
 
 
Annual Back to School Prayer Walk
August 7th Meet at 5pm Walk at 6pm
The Bridge Church Reno
Please consider joining us on the evening of August 7th at 5pm for our annual back to school prayer walk. We will send teams of 2-4 people out to several school campuses in our area to pray. We will pray for the students, teachers, and administrators for the upcoming 2024-2025 school year. This is a great opportunity to come together as a church and ask God to provide safety, wisdom, and his leading for the upcoming school year. We will meet in the church at 5pm and spend some time in prayer specifically for our new senior pastor. For the opportunites and changes we are expecting and a revival of passion for discipleship, service and being great ambassadors for Christ. Then we will send the teams out at 6pm.
Farewell Bruch for Pastor Darin and Becki


August 11th Worship service at 9:30am Farwell Bruch at 10:30am
The Bridge Church Spanish Springs
Pastor Darin Elquist has tendered his resignation and will be leaving The Bridge Spanish Springs on Sunday August 18th. Please joint them in celebrating his time there. There will be a farewell brunch at 10:30 on August 11th after service. Come for worship service at 9:30 and stay for the brunch at 10:30.


Kids Kingdom News
It is not too long before school starts. Summer really has gone by fast. Here are a couple of events we have planned before we head back to school. August 3rd-- Our Back to School Splash Party. We will be at Melio Gaspari Water Park from 1-3. Bring your Bathing suit, sunscreen and a towel. We will have snacks and water. The address is 7100 Pyramid Highway, Sparks. Hope to see everyone there. August 11th- We will have our "Moving on Up " Ceremony. It will be during our Kids Kingdom time. All students who will be moving up will receive a certificate . They will all start in their new classes on the 18th. We will serve a special snack after the program. We are still at "Camp Wannastay". We are learning about being a good leader and what makes a good leader. Hope to see all smiling faces on Sunday.

The Jewish leaders hate Jesus and want to see him killed and they don't care at all about how it gets done. They are totally corrupt and need to find a way to convince the Roman governor to execute Him.

Today’s scripture: John 18:19-24 and John 18:28-40
 
We left off last week where Jesus was alone with the 11 disciples where he prayed for them.  After that they go to the garden of Gethsemane where temple guards and Roman soldiers come to arrest him.  This was all set up by Judas.  The disciples run away and Jesus is taken in for questioning.
Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. Why question me? Ask those who heard me. John 18:19-21
 
The Jewish leaders are looking for evidence they can bring against him.  They are not in search of truth. They refuse to deal fairly with Jesus.
Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. John 18:28
 
These corrupt leaders have no problem condemning an innocent man to death, but they want to remain clean to eat the Passover meal.
This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die. John 18:32
 
Jesus has predicted that he would be “handed over to the gentiles” he also said he would be “lifted up”, a clear reference to crucifixion.  These two prophecies are coming to pass.
“You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” John 18:37
 
You yourself will have to make up your mind about what you believe about Jesus and truth. John uses the word “truth” 25 times in his gospel. 25 times.  It is an important concept in this book.
Jesus said the “truth can set you free.”  Jesus also said “I am the truth.”  The truth stood in front of Pilate, perhaps just inches away from the man, but Pilate didn’t recognize it.  

Do you recognize Jesus as truth?

With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. 39 But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?” 40 They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising. John 18:38b-40
 
The very person who is guilty and worthy of death will be set free and an innocent man will take his place and be executed. That is the gospel message.
Jesus was innocent of all charges.  He had the right AND the power to prevent his execution but willingly chose to lay his life down as a sacrifice for sin.

Discussion Questions
1 Have you ever been falsely accused of something?  Share that story.

2  What was the hardest time to tell the truth to someone?  Share that story.

3 Read John 18:19-24 What can we learn from these verses?  Why is Jesus being questioned? What is the motivation of the Jewish leaders at this point?

4  The Jewish leaders are afraid of Jesus’ authority and do not want to give him control.  What in your life makes it hard to give Jesus complete control.

4 Read John 18:28-32 Why did the Jewish leaders avoid ceremonial uncleanness?  Why would going inside the Governors house made them unclean?
 
5  What charges did the Jewish leaders bring to the Governor?  What was his response?

6  If it was illegal for the Jews to execute anyone than why were some people stoned for breaking the Jewish law?

7 Read John 18:33-40 What information is Pilate trying to get from Jesus?  What is he trying to determine?

8 Why wouldn’t Jesus directly answer the charges leveled against Him?  What kind of Kingdom is Christs?

9 In the end the Jews request that Barabbas be set free and that Jesus would be crucified.  A guilty man will walk free and an innocent man will die.  How does this coincide with the Gospel message?