STEPPING OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE YIELDS POSITIVE RESULTS

Stepping out of your comfort zone is no joke! It is not easy! And for sure it is not comfortable. But it yields positive results. What can we expect when we step out of our comfort zone?

In this series of lessons, we look at the love of God and his plan (his mission) to bridge the gap between us and him. We look at his mission to bring us back into a relationship with him. In bridging the gap between us and Him, He calls for us to become His disciples and members of his family. Becoming God’s disciples and fulfilling his mission, plan, and purpose for us at times may feel uncomfortable.

This discomfort has been the experience of many in the past. How did they respond, and what were the results? God has a mission and a plan that involves you. In this series, we look at God’s call for us to get out of our comfort zone and partner with him in fulfilling his mission (his plan and purpose).

Review our past and present videos at SabbathSchoolDaily.com or visit my YouTube Channel, Sabbath School by Dr. Brenda Ware Davis

You also may obtain the study guide for this series at Sabbath.School or ssnet.org

Let Us Inviting God’s Presence:

Holy Father, give us the courage to step out of our comfort zone. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

God’s Mission, My Mission

(Lesson 3)

‘God’s Call to Mission

Part 5 of 6

Becoming a Blessing to the Whole World

Historically speaking, hardship and difficulties are what has caused many to move out of their comfort zone to accomplish great work.

For instance, Acts 9:1-4 lets us know that it was persecution that caused the early church, called Christians, to step out of their comfort zone, leave Jerusalem, and travel beyond the comforts of homes and surrounding areas. Acts 8:1–4 says:

1 Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial and made great lamentation over him.

3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.

4 Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. (Acts 8:1-4)

Until this time, the early church was mostly in Jerusalem (or in the Jewish territory and among the Jewish people). Then, everything changed when the Jews in Jerusalem started persecuting Jesus’ followers. Saul, a devout Jew, and a Pharisee, was actively involved in this persecution of the followers of Jesus.

Consequently, Jesus’ followers (the Christians) left Jerusalem and were scattered all over the lands of Judea and Samaria. In Acts 1:8, Jesus told his disciples his followers:

‘You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria’ ” (NIV). 

In Acts 8:4, we find that what Jesus told them happened just as He said,

“those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went” (Acts 8:4 NIV).

Even after the followers of Jesus, the Christian church, were being pushed beyond Jerusalem because of religious persecution, the believers in Christ continued to share the Good News about Jesus with the Jews and neighbors of the Jewish people in other cities.

Acts 11:19 tells us that the disciples of Christ went as far as Phoenicia (modern-day Lebanon) and Cyprus.

19 Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only. (Acts 11:19)

However, at this stage, they didn’t share the message about Jesus to anyone else except other Jews.

The disciples of Jesus and the other early Christians only intended for the Jews to accept Christ. It was not their intent to share the News about Jesus with the Gentiles (the non-Jews). They still had very narrow views of what God’s plan was for his church and humanity in general.

Peter, a disciple of Christ, was one of the leaders of the early church. Peter was opposed to sharing the Good News about Jesus with non-Jews, even after Paul started to do so.

As a matter of fact, Peter was known as the preacher to the circumcised (the Jews), and Paul was known as the preacher to the uncircumcised (the non-Jews or Gentiles).

Notice what it says in Galatians 2:8 about Peter.

8 (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles), (Galatians 2:8). (Split)

Early on, Peter didn’t even want to be seen with non-Jews. See what it says in

Galatians 2:11-12 about what Peter did in Antioch

11 Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed;

12 for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. (Galatians 2:11, 12). (Split)

Peter had a prejudice problem!

But God transforms hearts. God moved Peter out of his comfort zone. After a heart change, Peter started to learn what the Good News of Jesus Christ was really all about. He also began to see that Jesus didn’t die to save only the Jews. He died to save everyone on the earth who believed in Him. 

Read Acts 10:9–15, 28, 29.  What message is the Lord trying to teach Peter? Know that it was not about eating clean and unclean meats. In fact, Acts 10:9-15 was designed to teach Peter that God sees all people, regardless of their race, ethnicity, culture, gender, or national origin, as equal. 

9 The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour.

10 Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance (Split(

11 and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth.

12 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air.

13 And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.”

14 But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.”

15 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.”

Acts 10:28-29

28 Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

29 Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?” (Acts 10:28-29) (Split)

This instruction given to Peter is not limited to him; it applies to us all.  God expects us to get out of our comfort zone when it has to do with people.  He wants us to see all people as equal. Thus, our mission, God’s purpose for us, is not limited to a specific group of people or a specific region. However, know your limitations; God has given us a formula for getting out of our comfort zone and reaching others. Continue to Part 6 of this video:

God’s Mission, My Mission

(Lesson 3)

‘God’s Call to Mission

Part 6 of 6

In fulfilling the mission God has for us, we are called to step out of our comfort zone. But are we expected to move off the shore and directly into the extreme deep?

Jesus, in Acts 1:8, presents some important principles as measures to take when we are doing the work that God has ordained us to do, and that is fulfilling his mission of sharing the good news about the salvation of Jesus Christ.

Acts 1:8 says:

8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

Jesus here provides an essential principle for taking the steps to move out of our comfort zone. He shared these important principles with His disciples (His followers) before He went back to heaven.

The principles he provides show us the measures we should take as his followers when we share the Good News, the gospel of Jesus Christ, with others.

Let me point out that sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ is not necessarily about telling people how wrong or bad they are. In most cases, they know that! It is, instead, about sharing Jesus as expressed in the Three Angels’ Messages in Revelation 14:6–12. Take time to read, understand, and meditate on the messages provided by these three angels.

Jesus, however, gives us two principles in Acts 1:8 that can help us be a part of fulfilling God’s mission for humanity.

First, Jesus told His followers, “ ‘You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem’ ” (NIV).

So, we are His witnesses. Thus, he expects us to testify, that is, share the Good News about Jesus in the place where we live. This place may include our home, our church, our neighborhood, and our community.

In other words, God expects us to share the Good News about Jesus where we are. We are to be witnesses first where we are. We are to witness to the people who are nearest to us. These people may include your close or extended family, church members, coworkers, neighbors, and people in your community. 

The point is that we should begin where we are and move on from there as the Lord leads us. So, no, in most cases, God does not call us to move from the shore to deep waters. He bids us begin where we are, then move out into the deep.

Next, Jesus tells His disciples in Act 1:8 to move out into the deep.  He tells them to be his witness “ ‘in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth’ ” (Acts 1:8, NIV)

Again, Jesus announces that He wants His followers to testify about him to people from other cultures and regions. This involves crossing cultural boundaries. In other words, beginning from where we are, we may be called to move to other areas to reach out to different races, social, ethnic, and religious groups.

Thus, it is our duty to move out of our comfort zone to reach those different from us so that they might have the privilege of hearing the Good News about Jesus.

So, for next week, here is your challenge.

Challenge #1: Make a list of people groups in your community. What special needs do these groups have? Think of ways you, your church, or your social group can help meet the need.

For those ready to move out into the deep (Split)

Challenge #2: Pray for an opportunity to help people, near and far away, perhaps from another culture, ethnicity, or even country who have special needs.

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