While Jesus' first mission was to the Jewish people, He consistently reached out to people of other ethnicities. He sought to transform His disciples' prejudice into compassionate love. Explore His stories to grow in the same.
Explore Jesus' love for the nations through the following Bible stories. Focus on His example and see how it can impact your life and those around you.
Enjoy this playlist, Jesus and the World Next Door, as Scott Griswold shares these stories in light of refugees, immigrants, international students, and others God has led to live next door to us.*
1. Why do you think the story says, "But He (Jesus) needed to go through Samaria"?
2. What did Jesus see that the disciples couldn't see when He said, "Lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!" (John 4:4, 15)?
3. If people followed Jesus' example in this story, how would it affect the way they treat foreigners, women, and those living in lifestyles that the Bible condemns?
1. Jesus said, "I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat" (Mark 8:2). What ethnic background were these people? (Find a hint in Mark 7:31).
2. Since they had already seen Jesus feed the 5,000, what kind of attitude do you think led the disciples to say, "How can one satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness?"
3. What ethnic groups do you think are being neglected by the church locally and globally? How might following Jesus' example in this story change us and our church in where we focus our programs?
1. What kind of changes did Jesus bring to this Gadarene, a foreigner so different from the Jews?
2. Why do you think Jesus did not invite this man to stay with him and instead said, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you"(verse 39)?
3. If we follow Jesus' example in this story, reaching out to foreigners living nearby, how might it impact unreached people groups back in their countries?
1. How do you think the Jews felt about having Roman soldiers around?
2. What was Jesus excited about as He talked about the heavenly banquet: "And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven"?
3. How could following Jesus' example help us in the fear or resentment that our people sometimes have towards foreigners?
1. In what ways were the Jews preventing God's purposes as Jesus stated them, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’?
2. What things in our church do you think get in the way of non-Christians learning about God?
3. It was risky for Jesus to take this stand. What risks are you willing to take to help those who have never had a chance to know God through Jesus?
1. Jesus knew He was about to be crucified when these Greeks came to see Him. What did He take time to share about with them?
2. What did Jesus promise would happen if the cross was lifted up?
3. Who comes across your path at work, school, stores, or in the neighborhood that has likely never heard clearly the story of Jesus' dying for our salvation?
1. How does this story show the continuing impact of the history between Jews and Canaanites?
2. What do you think Jesus was trying to accomplish in his apparently rude answer to this lady?
3. What can you learn from Jesus' faithfulness in helping anyone in need that will impact how you live this week?
What especially touches your heart about what Jesus experienced on the cross?
What do you think impressed the Roman soldier about Jesus so much that he said, "Truly this Man was the Son of God!"?
Knowing that Jesus died for the whole world, how does the cross affect you in your desire to help people of other religions know Him as Savior?
Go deeper in these stories and find other ones by using this personal or small group Bible study resource, My Favorite Missionary. *
*These resources were created while Scott Griswold was working with ASAP Ministries and are part of their project Reach the World Next Door.
