Jesus Walks—Are You coming? Jesus Is Greater SeriesSample

Outside the Camp  

Thoughts on the Word

Outside the camp.

This was the place where the wicked died. It was a place where unclean things were thrown and burned. This was the place where the lepers and other unclean people lived. It is not the place for the King of kings and Lord of lords to be sent. Yet, Jesus died outside the walls of Jerusalem. It was a place of rejection by man—but it was a place of sanctification for God’s people. That is how man treated Jesus—they killed Him outside the walls of Jerusalem like He was an unclean criminal whose death had to happen outside the city walls.

Here, the people who followed Jesus were being treated exactly the same. The Jewish people rejected them like they rejected Jesus. They excluded them from the temple like they were unclean people. They harassed and mocked them like they were criminals and lepers. They chased them away - just like they drove Jesus outside the walls of Jerusalem to die. 

Let us be willing to go outside and bear the same shame that Jesus bore. It is a garment that is blessed!

Prayer

Father, I do not like being treated like a criminal or someone worthy of judgment—still, if I have to bear this reproach because I love Jesus, then it is a great shame to bear willingly. I love Jesus that much. To join Him in the shame that He bore is no great dishonor—it is a great privilege. So I ask that You give me the grace to bear any injustice with the same grace that Jesus did. In Jesus' name, Amen.