Bridging The Gap

When I pastored in western Kentucky, the Eggner Ferry Bridge on Highway 68, which spanned Kentucky Lake, was hit by a barge and collapsed. This was a major route from Cadiz over “The Land between the Lakes” into Murray. People regularly traveled to Murray for doctor visits; and people worked in Murray and students drove there to attend classes at Murray State University. After that incidence, many people had to drive an extra hour, or not go at all.

This really upset a lot of people; but if being cut off from a major city by a bridge collapse upset some people, then consider being separated from God and heaven. There are millions of people across the world who, when they die, will be unable to cross over into eternal life, all because they are stuck on the wrong side of the river of eternity. However, there is hope; as God has made a bridge through His Son, Jesus Christ.

In Hebrews we read of Jesus that “He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, called by God as High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek” (5:9-10). Jesus Christ is our great High Priest who atoned for our sins by way of the cross; offering up a spotless Lamb without blemish (Himself) that all who obey Him will receive forgiveness of sin, salvation, and eternal life. As High Priest, Jesus satisfied the official requirement that would place us in right standing with God; thus bridging the gap between God and human beings.

In Latin the word for “priest” is pontifex, meaning, “bridge builder,”(1) and it originates with the official title given to bridge builders in ancient Rome. The Emperor himself was called “Pontifiex Maximus,” and he was believed to have supernatural power to bridge impossible spans. The Catholic Church later assigned this to the Pope, because he was seen as a bridge builder to God.(2) In English, we know this word by the familiar title “pontiff.”

I am here to tell you today that Jesus Christ is the one and true Pontifex Maximus. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 9:16), far surpassing any earthly ruler or church leader in the power to reach across impossible distances. He spanned the expanse between heaven and hell to make a bridge whereby lost sinners could confess His name and cross safely into heaven’s glory; and I wish to share with you this morning why we all need help from the master bridge builder, Jesus Christ.

Man’s Problem - Sin, Separation and Death (v. 22)

22 Yes, his soul draws near the Pit, and his life to the executioners.

What Elihu declared to Job can be said of all human beings. We are all drawing near to the pit and the executioners. We are all drawing closer to death each and every day; and this is the result of our separation from God, which occurred shortly after the creation of this world.

Genesis says that in the beginning God created mankind in His likeness (2:26-27) – the image of holiness and perfection. We were created to commune with God in the Garden of Eden, and worship Him forever and ever (3:8); but all of that changed when Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit, committing the very first sin in human history (3:1-6); and thereby, cutting themselves off from the Garden and the source of eternal life. Genesis 3:24 says, “So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.”

Mankind was cut off from the presence of the Lord, thus losing all fellowship with Him. Isaiah 59:2 tells us, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.” The consequence of sin is separation from God and forfeiture of our access to the tree of life. Without the tree of life, we are destined to die; and Romans 6:23 accurately says, “The wages of sin is death.”

Life is still found in the presence of God (Revelation 22:1-2); but what we need to realize is that since the time of Adam and Eve, all mankind has been separated from God’s presence, for we are each born into sin. Romans 3:10 says, “There is none righteous, no, not one.” And Romans 3:23 declares, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” When God looks at human beings today, we are no longer seen as perfect as we once were in the Garden of Eden. We are now imperfect, unholy, and unrighteous because of our disobedience; because we have chosen to live for ourselves instead of the Lord. This rebellion is called sin, and sin leads to eternal death and separation from God’s presence.