S1: Today on Bold Steps, Mark Jobe shows us how to
S1: tear down the walls that separate us from God.
S2: One of the purposes in which Jesus came to fulfill
S2: the mission of His father was the purpose of tearing
S2: down walls. Jesus is a wall breaker, and if we
S2: are to be the people of God, we also need
S2: to learn what it means to tear down walls.
S1: Welcome to Bold Steps with Mark Jobe. Mark is president
S1: of Moody Bible Institute and the senior pastor of New
S1: Life Community Church in Chicago. I'm Wayne Shepherd. Have you
S1: ever felt like an outsider? Maybe you moved to a
S1: new neighborhood or started a new job. Maybe you're starting
S1: a new school. You may feel like you're on one
S1: side of a wall and everyone else is on the other. Mark,
S1: let's talk about that here today.
S2: Yeah, Wayne, there are walls that separate a lot of
S2: people in different ways. One of the most obvious wall
S2: is the one that separates man from God. And that
S2: has to come down first. But when that wall comes down,
S2: it actually leads to the tearing down of a lot
S2: of other walls around us Jew, Gentile, slave, free men, women,
S2: black and white, Hispanic, Asian God is a wall breaker.
S1: Well, let's see what the Scripture says about this in
S1: Ephesians chapter two with Mark. Now our message tearing down walls.
S1: Here's Mark job with bold steps.
S2: One of the tools used to tear down walls. It's
S2: called a sledgehammer. You know, walls are interesting, aren't they?
S2: We build walls normally for protection. We build walls because
S2: we want something kept out, and we build doors because
S2: we will. We want to allow something to come in.
S2: There's famous walls like East Germany from West Germany was
S2: divided by the Berlin Wall. One of the most famous
S2: walls was the. Or is the wall in China, the
S2: Great Wall of China? A year and a half ago,
S2: I was able to go to China for some studies
S2: that I was doing, and I actually was able to
S2: walk on the Great Wall of China. The Great Wall
S2: of China took 200 years to build. Hundreds of thousands
S2: of people worked on that great wall made out of
S2: mud and mud bricks. The wall of China is 6700
S2: miles long. And if you look at the terrain that
S2: it was built on. It's just incredible that without tools
S2: that we have in our modern day world, that they
S2: were able to create this incredible wall going up and
S2: down mountains that would span such a large a large cycle.
S2: In fact, it's the only man made edifice that is
S2: able to be seen from outer space with the naked eye.
S2: You know why the Emperor of China built the wall
S2: of China protection. He believed that there was going to
S2: be invasion from Genghis Khan, and that he needed to
S2: protect themselves from outside forces. And so he created this
S2: wall for protection. You and I have walls. Oh, they're
S2: not physical walls with bricks. But everybody has walls. Invisible walls.
S2: We put up walls towards people in our life that
S2: have hurt us, towards that family member that you just
S2: kind of can't stand. And so at a family gathering,
S2: you got that wall up. Oh yeah, you'll say hi,
S2: but you know, that wall is up. Hey, don't get
S2: too close because I know what happened last time. You
S2: get close. There's walls sometimes in marriages. I just prayed
S2: with a couple at our last service that is tearing
S2: down walls. Even in their own marriage. There's walls that
S2: we have in our life. Sometimes just. We put a
S2: barrier of walls around us because some people walk with
S2: a wall around them, thinking that if people really got
S2: to know you, they wouldn't like you. And so although
S2: you meet a lot of people, you keep people at
S2: a distance, never let anybody get too close because you
S2: feel if they really know the real me, they'll reject me.
S2: There's walls all around this place. The city of Chicago
S2: is known for some of its invisible walls. When I
S2: first came to Chicago, to the southwest side. People showed
S2: me a neighborhood and they said, you see this viaduct
S2: on this side of the viaduct? It's all white on
S2: that side of the viaduct. It's all black now. There's
S2: no sign that says whites only, no sign that says
S2: blacks only. But there's like this invisible wall. People know
S2: you don't live in that neighborhood and you don't live
S2: in that neighborhood. If you're this color, you don't live
S2: over here, that color. You don't live over there. It's
S2: an invisible wall of racial divide, but it's a wall nonetheless.
S2: The thing about Jesus is that one of the purposes
S2: in which Jesus Came to fulfill the mission of his
S2: father was the purpose of tearing down walls. Jesus is
S2: a wall breaker, and if we are to be the
S2: people of God, we also need to learn what it
S2: means to tear down walls. That's what Ephesians chapter two
S2: is all about. It's really about tearing down walls. And
S2: I'm going to begin reading in verse 11 of Ephesians
S2: chapter two, as the apostle Paul talks to these folks
S2: about the walls that need to be torn down. If
S2: you're taking notes this morning, just write this down. Breaking
S2: down walls. What do you need to know about breaking
S2: down spiritual walls? The first thing you need to know
S2: is that the wall is a part of everybody's story
S2: at one time or another. Notice what Paul says. Therefore,
S2: remember that formerly you who are Gentiles, you know what
S2: a Gentile is? A Gentile is a non-Jewish person. So
S2: you who were Gentiles, a non-Jewish person by birth, you
S2: were called uncircumcised by those who called themselves the circumcision.
S2: Remember that at a time you were separate from Christ,
S2: excluded from the citizenship in Israel, foreigners to the covenant
S2: of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. Well,
S2: the Apostle Paul wants to remind these believers that he's
S2: talking to. He wants to remind them that at one
S2: time they were on listen, they were on the other
S2: side of the wall. All of us at one time
S2: have been outsiders. How about it? You say? Well, not me, pastor.
S2: And I'm like the ultimate popular insider. No no no no.
S2: You've been an outsider, too. Everybody's been an outsider at
S2: one time or another. Hey, when you transferred to the
S2: school in the middle of the school year, class had
S2: already started. Everybody knew where they were seated immediately at
S2: a lunch table. The clans and cliques all sat together.
S2: But there you were with your lunch tray. The new kid,
S2: the outsider wondering, should I sit at that table or
S2: that table? Will they accept me? Where do I belong
S2: and where do I fit in? Anybody know what I'm
S2: talking about? The outsider. Maybe you were new at that
S2: job and just hired. And when you got to that
S2: floor and all your coworkers were there, you knew you
S2: were the outsider. You knew that everybody had their friends
S2: and talked a certain language, and they knew the system.
S2: But you didn't know the system because you're what? You're
S2: the outsider. Or maybe you moved into that neighborhood and
S2: And everybody seems to have lived in that neighborhood forever.
S2: And everybody knows each other's kids and everybody knows each
S2: other's names. But you drive up and suddenly the conversation
S2: gets quiet and no one seems to acknowledge you. You see,
S2: you're a foreigner. You're an outsider. You don't belong. You're
S2: on the other side of the wall. There's nothing more
S2: intimidating than going to some events and walking in by yourself,
S2: and everybody's talking and cliques and groups of people. But
S2: there you are, not really knowing anybody in the room,
S2: feeling a little bit like, I don't want to just
S2: stand here and look dumb. The best thing to do
S2: in those situations get a cup of coffee. At least
S2: you are doing something. Something about just having something in
S2: your hand that feels like at least I'm not just
S2: standing there like this. I'm sipping my coffee. But there's
S2: something extremely intimidating about being in a place where you
S2: don't know people, and it doesn't seem like people want
S2: to know you because you're on the other side of
S2: the wall, the other side of the wall. You're the outsider,
S2: not the insider. Paul is talking to believers. He's talking
S2: to Christian, Gentile, non-Jewish people. And he's reminding them, never
S2: forget that at one time in your life, you also
S2: were on the other side of the wall. Never forget,
S2: now that you're an insider. Never forget what it felt
S2: like to be an outsider, because it wasn't that long
S2: ago that you were on the outside of the wall.
S2: It wasn't that long ago that you didn't really understand
S2: the things of God, that you didn't really have Christ,
S2: that you didn't understand his promises, that you were without
S2: the hope of God in the world. It wasn't long
S2: ago that people looked at you. There was a divide,
S2: by the way, between the Jews and the Gentiles. And
S2: in order to understand this, I have to give you
S2: a little bit of historical perspective. Of course, you know
S2: that Jesus was born a Jew, right? I know you've
S2: seen the paintings. He looks like a German with blue
S2: eyes and blond hair. But let me tell you, that's
S2: not what Jesus looked like. Oh, that's a medieval painting
S2: of Jesus. I can guarantee you Jesus wasn't white, blond
S2: and blue eyed. That wasn't Jesus. He was probably more
S2: than likely olive complected skin. Dark hair like you would
S2: find in a in a middle eastern culture, Jewish individual.
S2: And that's the image, really, of Jesus. He wasn't movie
S2: star looking either. The Bible says he had no stately
S2: form or majesty that we would gaze upon him. It
S2: wasn't like he was. Whoa! Here is the latest Jewish
S2: movie star either. He was just a normal, natural individual,
S2: physically speaking. But he was born of Jewish descent. You
S2: could trace his roots all the way back to the
S2: lineage of King David. And when Jesus was born, he
S2: never really traveled beyond 60 miles from his hometown. The
S2: 12 disciples that he chose were Jewish men. He ministered
S2: primarily in the context of Jewish people. Why? Not that
S2: Jesus wanted to exclude non-Jewish people, but he came unto
S2: his own, first of all, to give the message to them.
S2: And the Bible says, he came into his own, but
S2: his own received him not. And then to them he
S2: gave the right to become the sons of God, to whoever,
S2: whoever believed on him. So he came first of all
S2: to the Jewish people who were the chosen people of
S2: God from generations previous. Through Abraham. He came to the
S2: Jewish people and he gave them the first opportunity to
S2: respond to his message. But he always the gospel always
S2: came first to the Jew, but then it expanded to
S2: the non-Jewish, to the Gentile. And you have to understand
S2: that as you read the New Testament, because a lot
S2: of the writings of Paul are directed in that direction.
S1: We'll continue our message in just a moment here on
S1: Bold Steps with Mark Jobe. But first, Mark, if you'll
S1: permit me, I want to share something that's been weighing
S1: on my heart lately. I've been thinking about how throughout history,
S1: God has always raised up people who prioritized his mission,
S1: even during some very turbulent times. Whether it was the
S1: early church during persecution or believers during world wars, or
S1: missionaries in hostile territories, there have always been those who
S1: kept their focus on advancing the gospel despite everything happening
S1: around them, and we've got a lot happening around us
S1: right now.
S2: And Wayne, oftentimes it's in the midst of a lot
S2: of turbulence and turmoil that people start looking to the
S2: heavens in special ways. And I believe that we live
S2: in a moment like that. And I just want to
S2: say that as a pastor, I've been a pastor for
S2: over 30 some years in the city of Chicago. I
S2: have never seen the openness that I've seen. Now that's incredible.
S2: I'm having these conversations, especially with young people we've seen
S2: at our church. Over a thousand people come to Christ
S2: and get baptized in the last 24 months, mainly under
S2: the age of 35, many that had no religious background
S2: and are just hungry for God. And I think the
S2: turbulence of the world has caused them to say I
S2: need something. And many of us as believers, we're getting
S2: too distracted by what's happening and not focused enough on
S2: the gospel. And so I want to bring your attention
S2: back to the opportunities that you have around you. That's
S2: what Bold Steps is all about. Regardless of what's happening
S2: in our world, we believe that the greatest news that
S2: needs to be proclaimed is the good news that Jesus
S2: Christ is here. He's the Savior, and we do not
S2: want to miss this window of opportunity of so many
S2: people being open. So join us as we continue to boldly, passionately, powerfully,
S2: 24 hours a day through moody radio, proclaim the good
S2: news of Jesus.
S1: And at Moody, we're sending workers into that harvest, aren't we?
S2: We are. And so excited about that as well. Uh,
S2: we're sending people focused on the gospel. Bold steps, as
S2: you know, is making sure that we include a call
S2: to the gospel on a regular basis. And so excited
S2: to see people coming to Jesus.
S1: Well, you who are listening can invest your resources in
S1: sharing God's life changing truth. To make a gift, simply
S1: go online to Bold Steps org or our phone number
S1: is 800. That's (800) 356-6639. And your partnership makes an eternal
S1: difference and will send you, by request, a special bold
S1: step gift as a token of our appreciation. We'll talk
S1: more about that gift later in today's message, but consider
S1: partnering with bold steps. Now back to the message. Here
S1: again is Mark.
S2: Now, what you may not understand is that there was
S2: an extreme bias, prejudice and racial divide between Jews and non-Jews.
S2: In fact, if you read some of the Jewish literature
S2: of the time, some of the Jewish writers of the
S2: time indicated that God had created Gentiles for the sole
S2: purpose of fueling the fires of hell. It was unlawful
S2: for a Jew to help a Gentile woman give birth
S2: for the this, for simply the fact that he would
S2: be helping another Gentile into the world. In the days
S2: of Jesus, a Jewish man would pray this prayer in
S2: the synagogue. He would say, thank you, Lord, that you
S2: did not, that I was not born a Gentile. And
S2: thank you, Lord, that I was not born a woman,
S2: because there was extreme bias towards women as well in
S2: the days of Jesus. If you went to the temple,
S2: even the temple itself showed that there was division. The
S2: temple had the Holy of Holies. The Holy of Holies
S2: was a place divided by a curtain, a heavy curtain.
S2: Behind that heavy curtain in the Holy of Holies area
S2: was the Ark of the covenant that had the tablets
S2: of the Ten Commandments and a few other artifacts that
S2: had been part of Israel's history, and it was a
S2: sacred place, a place which was considered the place where
S2: God would dwell in a manifest, special way. Only the
S2: high priest would allow to go into the Holy of
S2: Holies once a year on the Day of Atonement. Before
S2: he went into the Holy of Holies, he had to
S2: sacrifice and make sure that he was cleansed. He wore robes,
S2: and at the bottom of that robe there were little bells.
S2: The bells would indicate movement. As he moved around. People
S2: knew that he was busy. About once he went behind
S2: the curtain, you could hear the bells moving as he
S2: went about his sacrificial duties, but they also would tie
S2: a rope around his ankle, just in case he had
S2: not done everything right, and he was struck dead by
S2: the power of God, and no one could go in
S2: to retrieve the body. They had a rope around the
S2: ankle so that they could drag the body out in
S2: case God struck him dead. I mean, not a job
S2: that everybody would want. Definitely discouraged church attendance nowadays, right?
S2: But outside of that court, the Holy of holies. And
S2: there was another court. It was a court of men,
S2: Jewish men. Only Jewish men were allowed to go into
S2: that court of men. They were permitted to go into
S2: that court and further away from the Holy of Holies.
S2: Then there was the court of women. Jewish women were
S2: allowed to enter into that court, but not into the
S2: court of men and not into the Holy of Holies.
S2: And then further out, way out here there was the
S2: court of Gentiles. If you were a non-Jewish person, you
S2: were only allowed into the court of Gentiles, not into
S2: the court of women, not in the court of men,
S2: not into the Holy of Holies. You were way out
S2: there in the court of Gentiles, if you so happen
S2: to be someone that said, I want to get closer
S2: to the Holy of Holies, but yet I'm Gentile, and
S2: you would go into the court of women or go
S2: into the court of men. Jewish law prescribed that you
S2: would be executed for violating that law.
S1: You're listening to Bold Steps, the Bible teaching of Mark job.
S1: Today's message is titled Tearing Down Walls, and you can
S1: hear part two of the message on Friday's program. So
S1: listen in then. In the meantime, we encourage you to
S1: visit our website and check out all the special resources
S1: and opportunities we have available by going to Bold Steps
S1: dot one. Resource we really encourage you to check out
S1: is this month's exclusive Bold Step gift and to tell
S1: us more about the book. We've got the authors right here,
S1: Aaron and Jason Davis, to speak with us.
S2: Jason, you mentioned in your book Lies Boys believe that
S2: one of the most harmful lies that boys can fall
S2: for is that reading the Bible just isn't for me.
S2: And in an age of declining Biblical literacy. How can
S2: parents help their sons develop a love for God's Word
S2: and really want to read it?
S3: I think that you're right on and it is a
S3: real issue. But an exciting thing is that searches for
S3: Bible related content, uh, have skyrocketed over the last several months.
S3: So I think there's a resurgence of interest in things
S3: of Scripture. But, uh, when we're dealing specifically with young men,
S3: I think that, yeah, it can be daunting, especially if
S3: they just randomly open up their Bible. And it's a,
S3: you know, numbers and they're just reading these chains of content. Uh,
S3: and that's important content, but it's probably more appropriate for
S3: somebody that has a better grasp on the full scripture.
S3: So where I think families should start is with something
S3: simple like lies, boys believe something to spark an interest
S3: in Scripture and then challenging their their son. Hey, did
S3: you read the Bible today? Did you? Can you tell
S3: me about an adventure that Jesus had? Or tell me
S3: about a challenge that Jesus faced? Tell me what the
S3: disciples were up to and make it relatable to story
S3: instead of just facts and figures and boys will relate
S3: more to the story, especially when it involves adventure or
S3: challenges and overcoming those challenges.
S4: And if I could just talk to the mom or
S4: the grandma listening, it looks different for our husbands and
S4: our sons than it does for us. Uh, for me,
S4: it's a quiet morning with my Bible open and a
S4: cup of coffee nearby. I gather with a group of
S4: women in a circle every week, and for a long
S4: time I had that expectation for Jason, my husband and
S4: my sons. And it looks different for them. Jason and
S4: I teach boys and girls Sunday school, so he teaches
S4: the boys. I teach the girls. We're on the same hallway,
S4: and the girls literally are sitting quietly in a circle
S4: with their Bibles open, reading the verses out loud, and
S4: we can hear the boys all the way down the hall.
S4: I don't know what they're doing, but they're they're loud.
S1: And Jason.
S4: Jason's taught me that it's important that those boys love
S4: church and that they walk out of Sunday school going,
S4: that was a great time. And they're getting the Bible,
S4: but it looks different than it does for us. And
S4: that's part of celebrating the differences between boys and girls.
S4: And so I just think as moms, we can sometimes
S4: have an expectation that our sons interactions with the word
S4: will be quiet and they will exegete with us and
S4: they will want to dialogue. And that just isn't always
S4: how it happens. And they should have the freedom to
S4: explore the word in the ways that are meaningful to them.
S2: Yeah, and I love that you're pointing out the differences
S2: with how boys and girls typically learn. There's always exceptions
S2: to that. But thank you so much. This is a
S2: great resource. I'm encouraged by the way, Jason, you mentioned
S2: that there's an uptick in biblical literacy. They say 22%
S2: sales of Bibles have gone up. And I'm also encouraged
S2: that we live in a season where there's an upsurge
S2: also in young men going to church, and I do
S2: think that some of it has to do with the
S2: lies that they've been raised with, and they're looking for truth.
S3: Absolutely. They'll find it in Scripture. They'll find that truth.
S2: So let's get them started. Young lies, Boys Believe by
S2: Aaron and Jason. Thank you for this tool. I think
S2: it's going to be a blessing to a lot of families.
S1: And we will send you a copy when you give
S1: a gift of any amount to support this ministry, just
S1: call 800 D.L. Moody. Again, that's (800) 356-6639 or donate online
S1: and request the book when you go to boldsystems.org. If
S1: it's easier, you can send your donation and request for
S1: the book in the mail. Our address is simply bold.
S1: Steps 820 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 606 ten. And
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S1: we'll see you back here tomorrow for part two of
S1: Mark's message on tearing down walls. That's coming up Friday
S1: here on Bold Steps with Mark Jobe. Bold steps is
S1: a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.