Faith in Action: Becoming a Bridge to Jesus
Recently there have been two passages that have been on my heart. Both point to the exciting invitation we each have to be a bridge for someone to encounter Jesus.
Let’s look at four friends in Mark 2 and the Samaritan woman in John 4.
Building a Bridge Through Faith: The Four Friends in Mark 2
In Mark chapter 2, Jesus was preaching in someone’s house to a large crowd. The house was so crowded that a man who was paralyzed and his four friends couldn’t get in.
But that didn’t stop their dedication.
They weren’t going to settle for defeat from this obstacle. They decided to lower the man through the roof.
Mark 2:1-5 tells us,
And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”
The key verse I want to highlight here is verse 5:
When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”
When Jesus saw the faith of the man’s friends, He gave the man a miracle!
But that’s not all.
Addressing Controversy: The Bridge to Jesus’ Authority
There was a controversy going on between Jesus and the religious leaders who questioned Jesus’ authority to do these things. These Pharisees were always accusing Jesus and trying to trap Him in His words.
Jesus used this man’s miracle as a demonstration to everyone of His authority from the Father to not only heal, but forgive sins as well.
Mark 2:10-12 says,
“But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
This man became a testimony not only of Jesus’ power, but of His authority as well. His miracle was a rebuke to the devil who was using the Pharisees to accuse and undermine Christ’s identity and authority from God the Father.
But remember, all this comes back to the faith of the four friends who wouldn’t take “no” for an answer. They were determined to break through every obstacle in order to bring their friend to Jesus.
Imagine if the friends became so discouraged by the crowd that they didn’t bother to invent an alternative solution to bring the man before Jesus.
They chose to be a bridge to the man’s miracle and his testimony of the validity of Jesus’ authority to save and heal.
Building a Bridge Through Testimony: The Samaritan Woman in John 4
In John chapter 4, Jesus broke cultural norms by going out of His way to meet a Samaritan woman (often called “the woman at the well”).
He revealed Himself to her as the Messiah, and then she immediately testified to her city.
She didn’t keep her encounter with Jesus to herself.
Look at her zeal in John 4:28-30:
The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” Then they went out of the city and came to Him.
She didn’t hide anymore. She didn’t stay in the place of shame society had placed upon her because of her past, ethnicity, or gender.
Instead, she defied the odds by boldly sharing her encounter with Jesus with her entire city!
She chose to be a bridge for others to meet Jesus, and the next thing she knows, the city is coming out to meet Him.
And look what happened as a result.
John 4:39 tells us,
And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.”
Amazing! Many of the Samaritans believed in Jesus because of her testimony.
But it doesn’t stop there. Let’s read what happens next in John 4:40-42:
So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. And many more believed because of His own word. Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.”
The woman’s testimony was the first step to bringing the entire city to Jesus. Her words were the preparation for the multiplication of salvation which can only be achieved through Jesus’ grace.
She started with many, but the Lord took it to many more.
She was the bridge, the preparation for the entire city to literally receive Jesus!
Preparing the Way: The Power of Personal Testimony as a Bridge
Consider this: Jesus could have immediately gone directly into the city Himself, but He let the woman’s testimony prepare the way. He waited until He was welcome.
Her testimony stirred a hunger within the people to invite Jesus to stay with them, so He responded to their desire for Him by staying there two days. His presence caused a harvest of salvation through the increase that only His grace could bring, as grace is connected to increase and abundance.
You too can be a bridge to Jesus! Let these stories inspire you to bring others to Jesus through your prayers, encouragement, evangelism, and any way you can.