Easter is a time to be “outside the gate” of religion and society. For me personally, it is not a time to be “in church.” While that is certainly a very appropriate way to celebrate Easter, it is not the primary place God has called me to. That’s because the first Easter events did not take place within the boundaries of social society. Nor did it take place within the gilded walls of religion. As the verse above clearly reveals, Good Friday and Easter took place “…outside the city gate.”
A close study of the Gospels clearly reveal that both Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection did not take place inside the precincts of the “Holy City” of Jerusalem. They took place in the unholy social and religious precincts “outside the camp…outside the city gate.” Both these events took place at a rugged and ugly place called “The Skull.” It doesn’t get more socially or religiously unacceptable than that! You were only taken there if you were a real outsider.
The geographical location of these first Easter events was a very specific fulfillment of prophecy and practice. With great specificity, God had instructed His people that the “sin offering” must be burned “... outside the camp” (EX. 29:14; Lev. 4:12; 9:11; 16:27). While the blood was to be sprinkled on the horns of the altar inside the Temple precincts, the body had a different destination. We read: “…the hide of the bull and all its flesh, as well as the head and legs, the inner parts…that is, all the rest of the bull…must be taken outside the camp…and burned” (Lev. 4:12). In perfect fulfillment of this Old Testament foreshadow, we are told that: “Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through His own blood.”
Note carefully also that the purpose for Christ suffering “outside the city gate” was so that He could “…make the people holy through His own blood.” So the total purpose for Christ’s death and resurrection was relational. It was so He could redeem a people for Himself and make them “holy.” The word “holy” means to “sanctify, set apart.” His death was so that He could open a way for a personal relationship with “outsiders” with the living God. The message of Easter is Good News precisely because through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus we “outsiders” were made “insiders” with God! That’s the kind of intimacy that Jesus provided for us with His Abba Father.
Later Peter would write that we are a “…chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession” (I Pet. 2:9). John saw a similar vision in his Revelation when he wrote that Jesus “…was slain, and with Your blood You purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation…to be a kingdom of priests to serve our God” (Rev. 5:9-10). Talk about becoming a real “insider!” It doesn’t get any better than that!
Both Bible and Christian history show that the vast majority of the people who are purchased by the blood of Christ from every “…tribe, language, people and nation” come from “outside the gate.” That’s why Paul reminded the saints at Corinth:
“Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He choose the lowly things and the despised things – and the things that art not – to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him” (I Cor. 1:26 -29).
So the vast majority of people who respond to God’s grace are always the “outsiders” – not the “insiders.” It is the low caste…no caste…out-caste that respond to Him the most readily – not the high caste. It was true in the First Century and it is still true in the Twenty-First century that the vast majority of first responders to the Gospel are from “outside” the religious, social, political and economic structures. It is those who have been broken and humbled through sins and failures like alcohol, drugs, sexual abuse, divorce and financial failure – who most readily repent. It is the “poor in spirit” – not those who perceive themselves as “rich in spirit,” who kneel at the foot of His cross “outside the city gates.” And all of this sovereign grace is “…so that no one may boast before Him.” So when God calls and uses the “outsiders” in society – just like me, He gets all the more glory!
Because of this verse about where Jesus suffered and died, it has been a life-long tradition for me each Easter to be somewhere outside the camp…outside the city…outside the church…outside the ‘in group’…outside my comfort zone – sharing the glorious message of the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. As a result, there have been very few Easters over the past 40 years of public ministry that I have not been somewhere preaching the Gospel to those who are on the “outside” of life. As I understand the New Testament, that’s what Easter is all about. That’s why I have a very low tolerance for Easter bunnies…Easter baskets…Easter candy…or Easter bonnets! Those are religious and cultural counterfeits for the real thing.
For those who know something about the history of NDI, you will remember that for many years we focused our Easter evangelism on the beaches where tens of thousands of high school and college students migrated (see pictures below). Those young people were there to celebrate anything and everything but the true meaning of Easter. They were on the beaches to “grab for gusto!” They were not there looking for Jesus. Those thousands of young people were there in the passionate pursuit of sun, sand, surf, suds and sex!
While the Grand Strands of North and South Carolina were some of the toughest mission fields we ever invaded – God always blessed our evangelistic efforts. Seeds were sown in “sandy soil” that was often soaked with suds! But the Word still took root and lives were transformed. Some were instantly changed right there on the beach where they prayed to receive Christ – in bathing suits and bikinis. Others did so much later when the Holy Spirit convicted them and brought them to repentance and salvation through the seeds that were sown when they were confrontation with the Gospel on the beach. Just as He promised, His Word never returned back to Him void or empty. It always changed lives one way or the other for time and eternity (Isa. 55:9-11).
If you will go to my personal web blog J.L.WIlliams.org and click on the top right button marked “Alumni,” you will see many more pictures from those exciting days of Easter ministry “outside the gate” on the beaches.
After those early musical ministry years of NDI, I have spent most of my Easters in some foreign country preaching Christ. This Easter will be no exception. I will be in Haiti for an exciting and diverse series of Easter Outreaches that will begin in the National Palace, or “Haiti White House.” Then there will be special Easter Sunrise Services in the down-town Champ-de-Mars Plaza in Port-au-Prince. It is sponsored by the 3 primary church alliances (CEEH, FEPH, HAVIDEC) and participated in by over 50 local churches. This will be followed by further Easter Services in Jacmel in the morning and finally one Sunday night in Verrettes in the Artibonite Valley. I will be the guest preacher at each of these events, interpreted by my long-time friend and partner, Pastor Chavannes Jeunes. So we will be “on the move” in the resurrection power of the Lord Jesus from Maundy Thursday to Easter evening!
In addition to preaching, we will be doing another series of Bible distributions to Government officials in 5 different departments, including all mayors in the Western region of Haiti. Again in partnership with Pastor Chavannes, we will be distributing thousands of French Bibles to these key government officials and workers.
His goal is to put a Bible in the hands of every government worker throughout all of Haiti – which is some 100,000 people! And we are well under way in reaching that goal.
We firmly believe that
only the Word of God can change Haiti! The Bible is clear that: “Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people” (Prov. 14:34). So only the applied Word of God can take Haiti from voodoo to Christ…from error to truth…from corruption to honesty…from deceit to integrity…from poverty to prosperity…from bondage to liberty!
Finally, I not only need your prayers for these Easter outreaches,
I also need your financial support. So I hope that many of you will send in as generous a gift as possible. You can either do so through the mail with one of our return envelops you have already received. Or you can do so more quickly by giving on line through your credit card. Either way,
I go by faith with the confidence of your spiritual and financial support.
With you “outside the gates” for the Lord Jesus,
PS: Be watching for a report with pictures soon after I return from Haiti on Easter Monday. I think you will be blessed and encouraged by seeing what your prayers and partnership made possible.
I am primarily an evangelist and teacher who travels around the world in apostolic ministry as God leads and enables me. In addition to preaching and teaching the Bible, I mentor our key partners to be more strategic and impactful for the Gospel in their countries and cultures, just as they continue to mentor me. I am relationally focused rather than program or project focused in ministry relationships and partnerships. 
