Tearing down the wall of racism, prejudice and cultural differences.
One of the most famous speeches of all-time was given by United States President Ronald Reagan at the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin, Germany June 12th, 1987. President Reagan was addressing the separation of East and West Berlin by a concrete wall built after World War II in 1947. He viewed that wall as a man-made structure that represented a relic of the Cold War that separated, not just the residents of East and West Berlin but liberty for all. As he stood at the forbidden entrance to East Berlin he said to the leader of the Communist Soviet Union, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” Shortly after that Germans gathered by the thousands with sledgehammers and knocked down portions of a wall that had separated the city for an entire generation. They had done what a generation of people thought impossible. I have a piece of the Berlin wall in my office reminding me that it is possible to break down the walls that hinder God’s people from taking the Gospel of the Kingdom into all the world.
The first apostolic church was birthed in a city divided by racism, prejudice and cultural differences. The model for apostolic ministries that transition into the new apostolic ministry revolution will be full of believers that conquer these enemies. Prejudice is a preconceived and usually unfavorable idea or opinion of others. It leads to hatred and intolerance of other races or cultures. As we continue our shift into apostolic ministry let’s travel over to Antioch and look at the formulation of the first New Testament apostolic ministry.
Now some of those believers who fled the religious persecution in Jerusalem came to the city of Antioch. scri pture says “Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen traveled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the Word to none but unto the Jews only” (Acts 11:19). Antioch was about three hundred miles north of Jerusalem. At its height it probably had a population of half a million people and was the third largest city in the Roman Empire. The only two other cities that were larger were Rome and Alexandria in Egypt. Antioch was a cosmopolitan city, rich with splendors from around the world and full of many cultures. Antioch can be likened to a gateway city that was definitely appropriate for launching an apostolic ministry. It was also a city with a large Jewish population and was divided by the stone walls of racial separation into four quadrants, Greek, Syrian, African and Jewish. Antioch is known today as Antakiya in Turkey, a town of thirty-five thousand people, mostly Muslim.
THE TIPPING POINT: BREAKING DOWN CULTURAL PREJUDICES
In the beginning the immigrant believers from Jerusalem preached Jesus “unto the Jews only.” But one day something historic happened, men of Cyprus and Cyrene (Cyrene is modern Libya in North Africa) began to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom to Gentiles. This was unheard of indeed! Gentiles were unclean and considered outside the covenant blessings of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Preaching to Gentiles before the resurrection of Jesus had never been done before. scri pture says, “And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus” (Acts 11:20). This reveals a pattern among revolutionary believers, they are not afraid to do what has not been done before and they broke down the walls of ethnic and cultural prejudice.
About the same time the Apostle Peter was sent by the angel of the Lord to the home of Cornelius a Roman military man of the Italian band and a Gentile. Peter’s message was filled with breakthrough revelation to Cornelius’ household. He said, “Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him” (Acts 10:34-35). With Peter’s visit, Cornelius’ entire household received Christ as their savior and became the first Gentile believers. “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days” (Acts 10:44-48). Here we see the prophetic fulfillment of these verses,
“Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles” (Isaiah 42:1).
“From the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts” (Malachi 1:11).
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These Bible verses should be good news and encouragement for those of you who have a heart for the hardened European countries like Italy. God sent his apostle Peter to a Gentile Italian household and poured out his Holy Ghost power. He will do it again. Notice too the astonished Jewish brethren that were with Peter at this meeting, they saw the Holy Spirit poured out on these Gentiles and heard them speak in unknown tongues. There was no forbidding of them to be baptized in water as taught by Jesus for those who received Him (Matthew 28:19). Here again we witness the Gospel of our Lord breaking down the racial prejudices that so often divide us. The Holy Spirit is not racist. He is no respecter of persons.
FACING PREJUDICE AND ETHNIC DIVISION
The city of Antioch was also experiencing something powerful. God was birthing a New Testament apostolic church. As the believers preached to the Gentiles in the city, faith began to rise giving way to conviction of sin, repentance and salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. “For the hand of the Lord was upon them and a great number believed and turned unto the Lord” (Acts 11:21). It is awesome to see what faithful believers can do when they obey the Great Commission. “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).
The Antioch believers saw the ethnic division in their town as a barrier that had to be overcome. Antioch’s town was made up of Greeks, Syrians, Africans and Jews. Preaching the Gospel broke down these powerful walls of cultural separation. The apostolic model of governing ministries will be full of believers that conquer their own prejudices first and then help others get free too. Prejudice is a preconceived and usually unfavorable idea or opinion of others. It leads to a hatred and intolerance of other races and cultures.
Jesus told his disciples that they would have to face their prejudices and witness to Samaria before going to the Uttermost. The Jews and the Samaritans were at odds with one another. The Samaritans’ dissension was to claim Mount Gerizim as the true place of worship while the Jews chose Mount Zion in Jerusalem. This caused a great division and an extreme prejudice among both groups. We cannot reach our goal of preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the nations of the world until we conquer our own prejudice and breakdown the walls that divide us. There can be no room in our hearts for this type of division. scri pture declares,
“For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:14-22).
MODELING THE WAY INTO BREAKTHROUGH
Apostolic ministries are multiethnic. To transition into the new apostolic ministry revolution apostolic leaders are responsible to model the way against the barriers of racism. The leadership in the Antioch church was multi-ethnic and a pattern for apostolic ministries to follow today. In order to reach every culture in our cities we have to do...Keep Reading, Next Page>>
© by Jonas Clark
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