¡§Go to Him outside the camp¡¨ Hebs 13:7-14 WBC 17/8/03pm
I¡¦ve got a strong word for you, tonight.
- what¡¦s its context?
- Hebrews: letter to Jews who were in danger of reneging their faith. Going back. Reverting to Judaism.
o Because of pressure, persecution and disappointment
The first thing I want to draw from the author¡¦s words is:
1 THE BLOOD
These guys were persecuted¡K chucked out of the synagogue. Out of their cities, even
The author encourages them- you¡¦re in good company. That¡¦s where Jesus ended up
- ¡¥on the green hill far away, outside the city wall¡¦
- Golgotha. The place of the skull
Don¡¦t go back to Judaism for Salvation. Run to Him, outside the city wall¡K outside Judaism¡K the established religion
- run to Him for the blood that cleanses you. For ¡¥sanctification¡¦
Here¡¦s the background:
in the days of the tabernacle (sojourning days, Moses days 1400BC) and the temple (Solomon¡¦s days onwards 950BC)
- sin had to be seen to be dealt with. It mattered (it matters!)
- the seeker of atonement would bring an animal
o would identify with that animal
- animal slain (wages of sin is death)
- blood taken into God¡¦s presence (MHP)
o no forgiveness without shedding of blood
- bodies rejected, burnt outside camp/city
o smouldering heap. Gehenna? Place of rejection
That was the old way of doing things. Jesus had brought in the new way
- offered the perfect sacrifice, once and for all
- done away with sacrifice
- done away with the ¡¥old covenant¡¦
- > BY HIS BLOOD
Much of the ¡¥old guard¡¦¡K the Jews¡K rejected this new means
- in fact, Jesus was such an offence to them they treated Him, His body, like something unclean and crucified Him outside the city wall
Folks: THAT¡¦S where forgiveness, grace and sanctification is found!
- it come from outside the camp. It comes from Jesus
And THAT is where we must run. Not to works, deeds, rituals to:
- save us, sanctify or satisfy us. But to HIM
o in all of this JESUS is the aim, target, goal. The one
He is the ONE to meet our needs for forgiveness, freedom from guilt and shame
Illustr: We¡¦re used to the concept of running to Him, going to Him for forgiveness. But there¡¦s more. Alan/New Wine about Don Williams:
- we are good at seeing Jesus as Saviour¡K. From guilt. One off. Cleansing of sins. Present it to people as though that should ¡¥sort everything out¡¦
- but there¡¦s more. At the fall ¡V there was not only sin that needed to be dealt with, and it¡¦s guilt. But also the SHAME.
o Sin/guilt has to do with what we do (or have done)
o Shame has to do with who we are¡K how we feel about ourselves. Self-image.
„X Addicts would have a ¡¥sponsor¡¦ who they could go to for help with the ongoing addiction they have to things they have propped their life up with because of this shame¡K brokenness
Don Williams was saying- we need to not only run to Him for Salvation¡K sanctification¡K the dealing with guilt
- but also run to him as a sponsor. Our ONGOING help. Our EVERYTHING
I must admit- I often find it hard to see Jesus as my first line of help, sponsorship- the one to run to
- and we mustn¡¦t be like that. If we profess to follow Christ, trust him (be ¡¥spiritual¡¦) we must show it by
- not running as the world does, (into the camp, the city, our familiar, treasured or security things)
- running to Him
Outside the camp is where the BLOOD is.
The second thing I want to say is- very often- that is where the blessing is, as well
2 THE BOX
We need to think about the blood¡K but also, if you like, think outside the box
- here¡K and to Judaism¡K what was good and God came from an unexpected source, unusual source- from outside the camp
This is not a criticism of church
- I won¡¦t join that (current trend)
- Some see this as an invocation to go ¡¥outside the church¡¦
o Whereas that is exactly where the church WAS in those days ¡V outside the city wall and synagogue. Rejected
o Lots here about: remembering leaders, imitating them, not getting carried off by strange teachings
„X How can those things happen unless part of the body of believers
But I am making the point that we so easily become a monument that boxes God in.
- keep Him and us within the confines of these walls
o these walls = what we feel happy with, theologically or practically
It¡¦s not that god doesn¡¦t WANT to come inside the walls- he does- but we keep reinforcing them! We won¡¦t let Him!
What happens in the church is- something ¡¥renewing¡¦ happens
- Movement> mechanism > monument
o Every movement does the same!
„X That is why we have to be constantly renewed
Much creative influence comes from ¡¥outside the camp¡¦
- those on the fringe. A bit radical!
- Because they¡¦re not frightened to ¡¥think outside the box¡¦
o WE can be so easily frightened of anything new, challenging¡K slightly unorthodox (to us!)
What am I saying?
- we read all these books of heroes of old¡K but if many of us really knew their doctrines/experiences we¡¦d think twice!
o Me: throwing down Watchman Nee book
o Smith Wigglesworth- a nutter?
o John Wesley- cast lots re marrying
o CT Studd- heroin addict?
o Dorothy Kerrin (founder of Burrswood)- vision of Mary
„X (no! An angel/messenger would have to have wings!- well show me from the Bible!)
Now- listen- DON¡¦T be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings!
- but DO be open to God! That¡¦s what these people were
- ARE you actually open to God speaking to you in ANY way
- or must it always be ¡¥within the comfort of the camp¡¦?!
Outside the camp is where the blood flows¡K and with it the water from His side. Outside the camp¡K box¡K is creativity¡K spontaneity¡K renewal¡K revival. THE LORD
- you can¡¦t box Him in!
So- with regard to these creative influences from outside the camp
- take the best, reject the rest, and bring them into the city¡K the New Jerusalem.
o (this is something the Bp Ch has always done best)
o give these things stability, but not stagnation
- just drop the bits that, to you, aren¡¦t mainstream.
STOP BEING FRIGHTENED AND HAVING A ¡¥FORTRESS¡¦ MENTALITY , all the time!
- God is bigger than all this!!
Illustr: some are confused about Nigeria. ¡¥Surely it¡¦s ALL of God or NOTHING?¡¦. Shows a lack of understanding of
- the workings of God
- people¡K who God works through
o it¡¦s always a mixture!
- That¡¦s why- must be HONEST about things but OPEN
Get out of the box! Let God out of the box! Think outside the box!
3 THE BANISHED
So- the blood is outside the camp¡K the blessings are, too (outside the box)¡K what else is out there?
Or should I say- who else?
- = the ¡¥banished¡¦. The rejected
- cf ¡¥Ben Hur¡¦- that¡¦s where the lepers are
Again- maybe this is one reason we are reluctant to go there
- inside is security. Okay it may be boring- but at least it¡¦s familiar, and we¡¦re with a nice crowd of people¡K and no-one is rejecting me
- outside is where the outcasts are
And, as I started off this sermon, Jesus says
- ¡¥are you rejected on account of me¡¦?
- then come outside the camp. Bear the pain I did. Come and join me in the place of blessing
I just wonder if we ¡¥fit in¡¦ too much.
- (by the way I don¡¦t agree with being an aggravation for Jesus)
- but maybe we are just too concerned with playing safe. Not looking out of place, or radical, or zealous
- frightened of being laughed at. Losing our good name
Jesus says- come and be a Jerk for me! A jerk for Jesus!
- it¡¦s okay to be a Jesus freak!
It is true to say we will never quite fit into that camp¡K city¡K because (v14) ¡¥HERE we do not have an enduring city¡¦ (ie a home¡¦
- but we are looking for the city that is to come
o our eyes are on Jesus and heaven.
Outside the camp is where Jesus is¡K and also all the other outcasts. The banned. The broken. Those whom life has dealt a blow, or leprosy, to. Those who people have rejected
- and we are to go to them. Follow Jesus to them
Outside the camp are those who are not religious
- and we are to go to THEM.
- Illustr: Mike Pillavachi. Castle. Drawbridge. Go and capture once each, and take them back to be with us
No! We are to be a people¡K. Church¡K. Without walls
And here¡¦s a big challenge, tonight.
- maybe God is calling you to always run to Jesus
- maybe God is calling you to think outside the box. Be more open
- Maybe God is telling you not to worry about looking a fool, reject, for Him
- Maybe God is telling you to be led to the lost
But maybe it¡¦s even more radical than that
- think outside the box. Go outside it. Leave this place of comfort and go to the lost in an other part of this world. The banished. The broken
o Illustr: Victor. SO qualified. Strong man. Redundant 4 times. ¡¥I know a place, organisation, that needs someone like you. Iraq¡¦
Where is God calling you to, tonight?
