Breaking Out - Leadership, by Lon Alderman

Acts 10:27-29
Talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. He said to them: "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection...

Peter took the message of Jesus to the Gentiles. This act, which defied Jewish law, breached the "siege-wall" surrounding the Hebrews. Previously, the early Christ-followers held the Gospel of Jesus within the Jewish community. Peter went where no Jew had gone. He took the message of Christ outside the faith community. He led!

Acts 13:46-47
Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: "We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. For this is what the Lord has commanded us:
" 'I have made you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'"

The breach in the siege-wall created by Peter's leadership became a pathway for Paul. Paul stepped through the breach and took the message of Christ to the Gentiles with tremendous zeal. Paul led, too!

Breaking out of the self-siege requires sustained, courageous, and zealous leadership.

Break out!
Lon