Hebrews 13:13—14, “Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For we have here no continuing city, but we seek one to come.”
Jesus was taken outside the camp where He was tortured and murdered. He willingly endured that suffering, which you and I deserve, and the inspired writer of Hebrews looks us in the eye and says, “Let us go outside the camp to Him and bear the abuse He endured!” This is what it means to be a Christian. Jesus Himself said, “Whosoever will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Mark 8:34). Being a Christian means following Jesus, and following Jesus means going with Him to Calvary, outside the camp. Peter, who was an eyewitness to Calvary, said this (1 Pe. 1:21), “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps.” This sacrifice of suffering represents the priority of local and global evangelism, and it also represents the priority of resisting the incredible inertia of comfort and security. Oh, how we need to break outside of our comfortable camps and share in the abuse that Jesus endured as we share His Good News. Let’s go out in the darkness and let our light so shine before the lost and needy, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. We have received the power of the Holy Spirit to be witnesses, not only in our local “camp” but in all other camps as well. Let’s go.
