Going Outside

“AND SO JESUS ALSO SUFFERED OUTSIDE THE CITY GATE TO MAKE THE PEOPLE HOLY THROUGH HIS OWN BLOOD. LET US, THEN, GO TO HIM OUTSIDE THE CAMP, BEARING THE DISGRACE HE BORE. FOR HERE WE DO NOT HAVE AN ENDURING CITY, BUT WE ARE LOOKING FOR THE CITY THAT IS TO COME.”

GOING OUTSIDE

If you or I need some food in order to feed that need we would go to the shops or to a take-away. Maybe we would go to a restaurant but in order to achieve our aim in some way we would need to step “outside”.

What if you need some new clothes? Unless you want to take a chance on the quality of your new garment through a catalogue, can I suggest that you would probably need to go “outside” to the shops and select your fashionable wear?

When we want to visit someone it is necessary to leave our place of sanctuary and venture “outside” in order to complete that task.

Whenever we want to achieve anything that is important to us we have to step “outside” of ourselves to be able to get anything done.

JESUS – THE GOSPEL

The most important event in history happened outside the gate. The Saviour came and was hung on a tree for each one of us - so that we can enjoy the eternal city that is to come. Through his shedding of blood, to each of us who confess his name:

YET TO ALL WHO RECEIVED HIM, TO THOSE WHO BELIEVED IN HIS NAME HE GAVE THE THEM THE RIGHT TO BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD (John 1:12)

JESUS OUR EXAMPLE

Jesus is our example of going outside of the comfort zone. Through out the New Testament we see how He would touch those who were excluded. Often they would seek Him out because they knew He was different and would not turn them away.

Not all are called to go to foreign parts to demonstrate their love of the Gospel. Many are called to demonstrate that love right were they are, in many cases this is the harder of the two choices.

We often find it easier to express the love of Christ to strangers but we sometimes find difficult when we are faced by family and friends totally opposed to our beliefs. I think most of us feel that way.

Jesus faced the same reaction – His own family once came to take him home because they did not understand Him or His message. Most of the religious people of the day were totally opposed to Him and His message.

Yet those who society rejected and had cast “outside” were the ones who were reachable and more often than not where Jesus could be found. Amongst the Lepers for example or socialising daring to drink wine with Tax collectors and Prostitutes.

I think that the message is to on occasion to step outside of our comfort zone and be adventurous in our attempts to further the gospel of Christ.

“LET US THEN GO TO HIM (JESUS) OUTSIDE THE CAMP”

How do we do that – go to Jesus outside?

Jesus says in Mathew’s gospel Chapter 25 verses 37 to 40:

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?”

“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it for me.”

Jackie Pullinger went to the walled city in Hong Kong - to the “outsiders” who lived there illegally – the criminals, the drug addicts, and the hopeless. And rejected. It was to these people who lived on the outside that God sent her to show them His love, His concern for them and His amazing power to save them out of their pitiful hopelessness and poverty.

· She did what she could

· She went “outside” to help

Rob Parsons wrote about who did not think she could do anything important like speaking at the front of Church (!!!) But she noticed a tramp when she was out shopping and felt so concerned for him she went back to sew a button on his coat.

· She did what she could

· She went “outside” to help

BEARING THE DISGRACE

You probably already know going outside is not going to be easy but consider the following:

“I would rather live in a rescue shop within a yard of Hell than within the sound of Church Bells” said C T Studd.

· He did what he could