He Bled Out!Sýnishorn

GET OVER THE WALLS! 

Jesus did not die so He could end up in a building; He died so that He could get out. If we confine Jesus within the church’s four walls, He is imprisoned. He never intended to be trapped in a building, but the modern church has trapped a big God in a small house! 

Why did Jesus die outside the camp? He loved Jerusalem, so much so that He wept for it. But when it was time for Him to die, He died outside Jerusalem. Jesus stepped outside the incarceration of religiosity so He could die for us. Religion will always incarcerate; relationship will always liberate. Jesus wrestled with the religious but was embraced by sinners, thus earning Him an indictment from His religion. Dying outside the camp was an indictment against the camp. He died to shatter the walls of religiosity and break the norms, routines, and rituals that kept others out.  

Jesus died outside the camp so that all humanity could have access. If He had remained within the walls and died, we would not be able to get in. He died outside the walls so that everyone, from the righteous to the heathen, could get to him. He bled out so everyone could come in! 

After dying outside the camp, Jesus went beyond the veil to become our Intercessor. Hebrews understood the meaning of “going beyond the veil.” To them, it represented the acts of the priest who stood in the gap for the unworthy — those who could not approach God face to face. The priest interpreted the language of the ungodly into terms that the God of All would accept. The priest was diverse enough to bring unity between God and humankind. The priest could relate to the sinner, yet speak the language of the King.  

If we are to be unified, we must appreciate diversity and accept the differences of others so we can intercede on their behalf. We must stand in the gap of those who otherwise would not have access to a God they do not know and have never met. We must get over the walls that divide us so we can come together, go into the world, and share the Gospel with every creature. Then whoever believes will be saved!