Introduction: The Broken Bridge

Imagine a deep, wide canyon. On one side stands a person, and on the other side stands another. A powerful earthquake—a moment of sin, a painful conflict, a harsh word—has shattered the bridge that once connected them. Now there’s just a chasm of bitterness, silence, and distance between them. They can see each other, but they can’t get to each other.

The world would tell them to just stay on their own side. “You’re better off,” it says. “Protect yourself. Don’t risk getting hurt again.”

But God looks at that broken bridge and gives His people a different command. He doesn’t just call us to stare across the canyon. He hands us the tools, the lumber, and the nails, and He tells us to get to work. He calls us to be bridge-builders.

Devotional

Listen to me, church. This is one of the most important verses for understanding our mission on earth. Notice the two parts. First, God, through Christ, reconciled us to Himself. When we were on one side of the canyon, separated from Him by our sin, He didn’t wait for us to build the bridge. He crossed the chasm. He did the impossible work. He reconciled us. That’s the Gospel.

But He didn’t stop there. The second part of that verse is a command that should shake us to our core. He then turned around and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. He made us the construction crew. It’s not an option. It’s not a suggestion for pastors or super-spiritual people. It is the ministry of every single person who has been reconciled to God.

This is extreme. This is radical. This means that when a relationship in the church is broken, it is our job to actively pursue peace. Reconciliation isn’t just saying, “I forgive you.” It’s the hard, messy, often painful work of rebuilding the bridge. It’s initiating the conversation. It’s humbly listening to the other person’s side. It’s seeking to understand, not just to be understood.

Let’s be real honest. This is not our natural response. Our natural response is to protect our pride, to prove we were right, and to wait for the other person to make the first move. But that is not the Gospel. The Gospel is moving first. The Gospel is absorbing the cost. The Gospel is building a bridge to someone who doesn’t deserve it, because Christ built a bridge to us when we didn’t deserve it.

This is the fruit of a victorious community. It’s a family that doesn’t just let broken relationships fester. It’s a family of courageous, humble bridge-builders.