Influence

 the shape of leadership

Jesus the Barrier Breaker

Christ’s example reveals that love overcomes labels

James T Bradford on January 16, 2018

bradfordjim

Pastors who are shepherding and serving people well these days are doing so in a politically polarized, morally relativized, media-dominated world. Disagreeing with people is often interpreted as hostility; preaching on sexual purity is increasingly being heard as hate speech; and accusations of discrimination seem to never end, no matter what we say or do.

Meanwhile, social media is redefining how we talk to one another. It is very easy for spiritual leaders to feel helplessly outshouted and outmuscled by the culture in general.

But here comes Jesus. Against a cultural backdrop of violence, political corruption, social injustice and pervasive demon worship, Jesus defiantly proclaimed, “I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18). Paul would later say, “the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world” (Colossians 1:6).

Person by person, day by day, Jesus is still pushing against the headwinds of prevailing culture — and winning.

I have come to appreciate Jesus as the ultimate Barrier Breaker. It starts with how Jesus values people over social norms or institutional stereotyping. He doesn’t label people, but He very personally loves and redeems them. He looks at every person through the lens of created dignity.

It is as if God has hung a sign around the neck of every human being: “Made in the image of God — handle with care!” This creation-centered dignity trumps preference, prejudice, politics, passion, position and power.

For example, “When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, ‘Will you give me a drink?’” (John 4:7). Here, Jesus broke at least four seemingly insurmountable barriers.

First, Jesus broke through the racial barrier. This is the barrier that the Samaritan woman initially reacted to: “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (John 4:9). Racial prejudice ran deep between Jews and Samaritans. Jesus’ Jewish listeners had nowhere to put the parable of the Good Samaritan, because the star of the story was, yes, a Samaritan.

Person by person, day by day, Jesus is still pushing against the headwinds of prevailing culture — and winning.

Jesus also broke through the gender barrier. This is what first shocked the disciples when they got back from their shopping trip. They were “surprised to find him talking with a woman.” (John 4:27). Jewish rabbis would pray, “I am thankful that I am neither a Gentile nor a woman.” They considered Samaritan women, in particular, to be unclean from birth.

Then Jesus broke through the religious barrier. Because the Samaritan religion was a contorted mix of Judaism and paganism, the Jews considered Samaritans little more than religious road kill. Differences in dearly held ceremonial traditions and doctrines, laced with religious hostility and unforgotten history, created barriers that most in Jesus’ time could not overcome.

Finally, Jesus broke through the moral barrier. “The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband” (John 4:18). She was a woman with a past, shamed by lust and relational failure. Yet here was Jesus, not even letting her lifestyle create a barrier to His living water.

The question is, “How did He do this?” Thankfully, the answer is not complicated. Jesus simply entered the woman's world, and He touched her heart. Entering her world was the unnatural thing to do. The racial, gender, religious and moral barriers were immense.

It would have been easier to label and accuse than to listen and engage. Entering the woman's world took time and courage, but Jesus did it.

Having entered the woman's world, Jesus then touched her heart. Beneath this lady’s promiscuous exterior was a heart that had been used and discarded by many different men. Now this man, Jesus, would change the rules of engagement and reach her soul. No barrier was too strong for that important work.

Jesus exposed the woman's secrets prophetically but handled her heart tenderly. Jesus loved someone incredibly different from himself, and in doing so left her reformed, not demeaned.

Followers of Jesus cannot take this lightly. As Creator God, Jesus imbedded immense value in every human being, and as Incarnate God, He pushed beyond reaction to redemption. Jesus came to bring life, not apply labels or play to culture. This is Jesus the Barrier Breaker.

This is also where the Holy Spirit does some of His best work through His shepherds. Messy and tiring as it may be, entering people’s worlds in Jesus’ name gives them access to life-giving truth and living water. And touching people’s hearts opens to them a whole new world of liberating, Jesus-centered grace and love. Those who pastor and lead well find themselves doing no less.

Breaking barriers and loving people still overpowers cultural headwinds and media hostility. All the while, Jesus works and loves through us, and builds His Church.

This article originally appeared in the Winter 2018 issue of Called to Serve, the Assemblies of God Ministers Letter.

RECOMMENDED ARTICLES
Don't miss an issue, subscribe today!

Trending Articles





Advertise   Privacy Policy   Terms   About Us   Submission Guidelines  

Influence Magazine & The Healthy Church Network
© 2024 Assemblies of God