“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
· He went “outside” to help
Ever since our goal as Christians has been to further the Gospel we have come under persecutions and difficulties right from the word go.
Good examples of this would be Stephen and Paul but they were not alone. Most of the early Church came under attack yet because they knew in their hearts that Jesus was the way, the truth, the light, they became living testimony to the power and truth of the Gospel.
You and I can expect some of the same. Are you prepared for it?
THE CITY THAT IS TO COME
Our ultimate hope in this life is the promise of the city to come – like Abraham we should be:
Looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. (Heb: 11:10)
Longing for a better country – a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. (Heb 11:16)
They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, (Rev 21: 3&4)
That’s the City we should be longing for with all our hearts: “The city that is to come” - the Holy City, the New Jerusalem. Praise God!
This is the reason we should be prepared to bear the disgrace. Our permanent hope is our new home to come. The promise we all share if we belong to the family of our Lord.
Finally I want to leave you with this daily reading that was the inspiration for this message from
"The Voice of the Lord" – a Messianic Jewish Daily Devotional:
Did you ever wonder why Messiah had to go outside the gate to be crucified? In ancient times, you would never bury someone inside a Jewish city nor carry out an execution inside its walls. Criminals had to be executed outside the city gates. This is one reason Messiah was crucified outside the walls of Jerusalem
But there’s another reason. God purposefully decided that this most important event would not take place in heaven, on a throne, in a Temple or inside the holy city; it would take place “outside the gate”. Why? Because Messiah came to earth to save those who are outside – outside the gates, outside his mercy, outside his holiness, outside his love. That’s everyone.
Therefore, if you are his disciple, you too must go outside the gate; you too must go to the sinners and to the rejected. Real love always steps outside the gate. This is why Messiah died outside the gate. Therefore, that is where you too must go. Go “out to the outcast, to the stranger, to the despised, and to the lepers of this world, for Messiah died outside the gate.
So, in the Kingdom of Heaven, going “out”, is the “in” thing to do.
Today I Will
… Go “outside the gate” with the love of Messiah
