BREAKING

BARRIERS
Breaking the Barriers of Me

Warm Up
1. Are you a confrontational person? Why or why not?
2. Share a story of you have an argument with someone over
petty things, what happened?

And he went up on the mountain and called to him

those whom he desired, and they came to him. And he
appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that
they might be with him and he might send them out to
preach and have authority to cast out demons.
- Mark 3:13-14
In our series break, we have been talking about “BREAKING BAR-
RIERS”. These barriers are prevailing mindsets that hinder us be-
lievers to living out the mission that the Lord Jesus called us to
take on.

Most of the time, these prevailing wrong mindsets are mindsets

that have been part of our lives and we are unwilling to let go. It
is always easier to remain in status quo but this isn’t the desire of
God for us as we say we have been made new in Jesus Christ.

Today, let’s dig deeper on how the twelve disciples themselves

faced their redefined realities in Jesus.

REDEFINED PREFERENCES
14 And he appointed twelve (whom he also
named apostles) so that they might be with him
and he might send them out to preach 15 and
have authority to cast out demons.
- Mark 3:14

The verse could be read as a straight forward narrative of Jesus

appointing his twelve disciples. As we understand what is hap-
pening deeper, we need to realise that this appointment of
Jesus, their teacher and Lord meant that the disciples had to
follow along with other people who had different backgrounds
and lifestyle than theirs.

Peter might not have much of a problem serving and leading

alongside a fellow fisherman like his brother Andrew or even
James and John but it’s a different story to minister alongside a
tax-collector named Matthew (whom their society considered
as an outcast for being a traitor to their nation).

As we follow Jesus Christ even today, we are still to follow along

with people that we don’t necessarily like or whose preferenc-
es are far different from ours. What do you think is the greater
reason why we can follow along with other people who profess
that they love and follow Jesus?

BREAKING BARRIERS| VICTORY LA TRINIDAD

REDEFINED PURPOSE
And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will
make you fishers of men.” - Matthew 4:19

…teaching them to observe all that I have

commanded you. And behold, I am with you
always, to the end of the age.” - Matthew 28:20

When Jesus called the disciples to follow Him, He was inviting When we see the lost as people
them to a new way of living.Fishing was the job that the fish- that God cares for, how will it
ermen only knew and so with the others with their respective change how we relate to them?
background but now Jesus calls them to follow Him and fish for
people.

“Follow me” is a familiar invitation for rabbis / teachers to use

during that day and age. Following a rabbi meant that the dis-
ciples / followers would follow a rabbi so closely and that they
would also be teaching others of what what they would learn.

From their individual backgrounds, the disciples were then in-

vited to be on board to teach others about this new rabbi that
they also understood as the Christ or anointed one. Following
Jesus changed the lives of the disciples forever and they were
enabled by Jesus to lead and form the first century church. What does it mean for you to get
out of your “status quo” so that
We might find ourselves in different seasons of life but do these you can share your faith with
varying season really diminish Jesus’ call to teach others about others?
him? As modern day followers of Jesus, what do you think is our
purpose?

REDEFINED PERSPECTIVE ON PEOPLE

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for

them, because they were harassed and helpless,
like sheep without a shepherd.
- Matthew 9:36

A new commandment I give to you, that you

love one another: just as I have loved you, you
also are to love one another. By this all people
will know that you are my disciples, if you have
love for one another.”
- John 13:34, 35
To “fish for men” requires a perspective shift. We often times
hear people say that because of their personalities they can
easily get a long with others or on the flip side completely hard
to relate with others. Name one person you can pray for
to get to know Christ? Believe for
If this is our basis of sharing Jesus to others, this would mean that an opportunity to share the gospel
extroverts will never share the good news. In the scripture, we with that person.
can see that as lost people, Jesus wants to seek us, He has great
compassion for us and He desires to restore us in our relationship
with the Father.

In other words, Jesus wants us to share the good news to others

because He has compassion for every lost soul. He also desires
us to love and care for each other because every disciple is a
person He cares for and loves. When we truly see the value of
other people in the lens of God’s eyes, then can grow in under-
standing and living out what it means love our neighbours as we
love ourselves.

BREAKING BARRIERS| VICTORY LA TRINIDAD