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Lesson 8 for August 22, 20

Jesus planned to establish a strong mission base among the Jews

before reaching other cultures. Nevertheless, He didnt miss any
chance to help non-Jews. He even trained foreigners so they could
be missionaries among their
people.BROKEN
BARRIERS
DOWN

The Roman
centurions servant
(Matthew 8:5-13).

The Samaritan
woman (John 4:4-

The daughter of the

Canaanite woman
(Matthew 15:21-28).

TRAINING
MISSIONARIES

The bedeviled
Gadarene (Mark

The Samaritan
leper
(Luke 17:11-19).

The Greeks who

sought Jesus

THE CENTURIONS SERVANT

(Matthew 8:5-13; Luke 7:1-10)
And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the worldfrom
east and westand sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the
Kingdom of Heaven. (Matthew 8:11)

What do we know about that Roman centurion?

1. He was kind-hearted. He didnt
request anything for himself but
for his servant (Matthew 8:5-6;
Luke 7:2-3)
2. He had a good relationship with
the Jewish leaders. He even built a
synagogue (Luke 7:3-5)
3. He knew that Jewish tradition
didnt allow Jews to enter a
Gentiles house (Matthew 8:8).
4. He had a strong faith in Jesus
What did Jesus taught about the
(Matthew 8:10).
centurions
Jesus pointed
out that thefaith?
centurion was a
prototype of the great day when people
from all over the world would join the

THE CANAANITE
WOMAN

Jesus told her, First I

should feed
the childrenmy
(Matthew
15:21-28; Mark 7:24-29)
own family, the Jews. It
isnt right to take food from
the children and throw it to
the dogs. (Mark 7:27)

She begs for the crumbs that fall from the

Masters table. If she may have the
privilege of a dog, she is willing to be
regarded as a dog. She has no national or
religious prejudice or pride to influence her
course, and she immediately acknowledges
Jesus as the Redeemer, and as being able to
do all that she asks of Him.
The Saviour is satisfied. He has tested her
faith in Him. By His dealings with her, He
has shown that she who has been regarded
as an outcast from Israel is no longer an
alien, but a child in Gods household.
E.G.W. (The Desire of Ages, cp. 43, pg. 401)

THE SAMARITAN LEPER

(Luke 17:11-19)

Jesus asked, Didnt I heal ten

men? Where are the other nine?
Has no one returned to give glory to
God except this foreigner?
(Luke 17:17-18)

Adversities may break down

intercultural barriers. Those lepers
were united in their illness; their
racial differences didnt matter
anymore.
They put their faith in Jesus first; He
was the Master that could heal
them.
The Jews thought the foreigner
was less worthy to be healed, but
he was the only one who showed
appreciation to Jesus.

THE SAMARITAN WOMAN

(John 4:4-42)
Then they said to the woman, Now we believe, not just
because of what you told us, but because we have heard him
ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the
world. (John 4:42)

Jesus stepped outside the

bounds of tradition. Both
the Samaritan woman and
the disciples were
1. The Samaritan woman was
surprised.

surprised at Jesus asking

her for water
(John 4:9).
2. The disciples were
surprised at Jesus talking
Jesus
understood
difference between human tradition
to a woman
alone the
(John
and
divine commandments. He didnt care about breaking
4:27).

cultural traditions to reach that foreign woman.

That woman became the first native missionary among her

THE BEDEVILED
GADARENE
(Mark 5:1-20; Matthew
8:28-34; Luke 8:26-39)
But Jesus said, No, go home to your
family, and tell them everything the
Lord has done for you and how merciful
he has been. (Mark 5:19)

The region of the Gadarenes was

an area at the eastern side of the
Sea of Galilee. It was part of the
Roman province of Judaea, but
the natives followed Greek
customs (the even raised pigs).
The economic loss from Jesus
miracle closed the doors of the
Gadarenes to the Gospel in that
Nevertheless, Jesus made the bedeviled
region.
man a missionary so he could preach where
Jesus and His disciples couldnt.
People are usually more receptive to those

THE GREEKS
(John 12:20-32)

And when I am lifted up from the

earth, I will draw everyone to myself.
(John 12:32)

When those Greeks sought

Jesus, they looked for a man
close to their culture: Philip.
Non-native missionaries must
know all the local customs so
they can preach the Gospel
more effectively. Then the
Good News will be more easily
understood.
Jesus used the visit of the
Greeks to explain the universal

These men came from the West to find

the Saviour at the close of His life, as the
wise men had come from the East at the
beginning. At the time of Christs birth the
Jewish people were so engrossed with their
own ambitious plans that they knew not of
His advent. The magi from a heathen land
came to the manger with their gifts, to
worship the Saviour. So these Greeks,
representing the nations, tribes, and
peoples of the world, came to see Jesus. So
the people of all lands and all ages would
be drawn by the Saviours cross.
E.G.W. (The Desire of Ages, cp. 68, pg. 621)