Breaking Barriers – Message Introduction
Last Sunday in our message series “Basic Training” we talked about Building Disciples of Jesus Christ. Making disciples is an adventure for each and every believer. Jesus commanded all of His followers in the Great Commission to …
Matthew 28:19a (NIV) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations …
In this phrase we see two instructions. First of all we are to go. You can’t stay where you are at and make disciples. You have to go from your present situation in order to impact the lives of others. Secondly, Jesus calls us to make disciples of all nations. The words that Jesus spoke in the Great Commission were spoken to Jews, who had never been outside of Israel. Yet Jesus was calling them and us today to make disciples of every kind of person who lives in the face of this planet.
Today, my message is entitled “Breaking Barriers.” The Gospel, the good news of the kingdom of God, must break barriers in order to make disciples. If no barriers are broken, the Gospel will not spread. Jesus told the first disciples in …
Acts 1:8 (NIV) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
The power of the Holy Spirit came upon the first disciples where? In Jerusalem, a city they were all very familiar with. But Jesus did not indeed the good news of the Gospel to stay in Jerusalem. These first disciples were to be the catalysts to spread the Gospel, to Judea, Samaria and the very ends of the earth.
So, did the first disciples spread out immediately? No, they stayed in Jerusalem. They stayed, rather than going, until great persecution broke out at the martyrdom of Stephen. The persecution forced them out of Jerusalem. When they left Jerusalem, who did they share the good news with? They shared the Gospel with other Jews, just like themselves. Today, we’re going to see how God helped those early disciples break barriers to begin to reach the Gentiles of the world.
What about us today? There are barriers all around us that are stopping us from reaching people for Jesus. God wants to help us to go and break barriers in order to reach those we know, those in our region we don’t know and those around the world. What barriers prevent us from reaching out to others? Our fears, our stereotypes, our laziness, our lack of knowledge, our selfishness, wrong priorities, our habits and the list could go on and on?
Yet, God’s command to us, as well as the early believers was to “go and make disciples.” So, let’s see how God helped them break barriers.
Message Audio, Outline & Study Guide
Basic Training Message Series
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