Jesus is powerful... and He gives us power

Hello, Bridge Family! I hope you had a joyful Christmas. I can’t believe this is the last week of 2025. Looking at a picture of a kid dressed as a superhero on our Digin@home handout reminded me of wrestling with my three-year-old granddaughter, Kenna, during Thanksgiving. She loves the Disney show Spidey and His Amazing Friends, a Grade-school version of Spider-Man. When she wrestles, she flings her wrist, shoots her web, and makes sound effects, pretending to triumph as I struggle to break free of her web.
Our kids are fascinated by the idea of having superpowers. Don’t believe it? Look at the shows they enjoy most. However, I don’t think we adults are all that different. Just look at the most popular movies. Very few of them aren’t associated with X-Men, Marvel, DC Comics, or something in that genre. I believe these things are so popular regardless of age because we all long to have superpowers, or at least are, to some extent, fascinated by the possibility.
We need to capture that fascination and use it. Not only to strengthen our children’s walk, but also to strengthen our own. As adults, how many of us understand what Christ bestowed upon us to live as children of the Most High until His return? For each of us in Christ, receive(s) power when the Holy Spirit comes upon (us). So that we will be witnesses…to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8 NLT). Jesus gave us this incredible power, not to fly or spin webs, but to live out the will of the Father, not in our own strength but through His strength—the Power of the Holy Spirit.
Here are key points to share with your kids about the Holy Spirit. First, He is God, the third person of the Trinity, who fully dwells in each believer. No matter how lonely we feel, we are never alone because He is always with us. He knows our thoughts, so we can always come to Him. He helps us walk through our struggles, prays when we don’t know what to say, and prays for us and others. He helps us understand what is true, both from the Bible and in life’s situations. He will lead us as we grow to become what God has in store for us.
I think many people give up on God because they feel they never measure up to God’s will. They would be correct if they were trying in their own strength. This is true for our kids as well. Sadly, as they become adults, many will leave the church because they find it too hard to measure up. The sooner we can teach them about the Holy Spirit, about this incredible power that God has given them, the greater the chance they will walk in the Lord all the days of their lives.
I pray you all have a Happy New Year!
Remember, as long as your child is at home, you have a great chance to share the Bible. Together, explore its stories, discussing how they apply to daily life, and fostering deeper family conversations. This makes faith an exciting and meaningful journey. God bless, and I look forward to seeing your family on Sunday.
Pastor Bob