Buddy Greene - Jesus Has Left the Building Lyrics
Lyrics
There's a big crowd gathered at First Church
They're dressed up and lookin' so fine
They lean forward in their pews to hear the good news
And get a handle on God's design
But outside the need just keeps getting greater
In a sick old world, tired and sore
Back inside they give praise, but God must be amazed
When they don't look beyond that door. Because...
Jesus has left the building
He's back out on the street
He's busy dealing His mercy
To every hurting soul He meets.
He's out helping the homeless find shelter
He's out helping the jobless find work
He's donating His time to the feeble of mind
And for this some people think He's berserk
But He's just helping the helpless find justice
And mercy in a cold, cruel world
You see, His heart aches for all kinds of people
For every man, woman, boy, and girl
And that's why...
Chorus
He meets with His saints on Sunday
To remind us of all He has done
To save us from our place of suffering
To let us know He is the One
Who has shone His light into our darkness
And given us all of His blessings so we
Can be blessings to the ones
Who need to know God's only Son
Is in the business of setting people free. And, that's why..
Chorus
Back inside some people just keep on waiting
And prayin' that He would come down
But Jesus has left the building
He's out spreading His love all around.
Video
Buddy Greene "Jesus has left the building"
Meaning & Inspiration
Buddy Greene’s profound song, "Jesus Has Left the Building," released on November 15, 2008, serves as a compelling call to action for the contemporary church, a lyrical mirror reflecting a potential disconnect between comfortable worship and active, outward ministry. The song’s essence captures a critical truth: Jesus is not confined to sacred spaces but is actively engaged with a suffering world, and His followers are commissioned to join Him there. It challenges the notion that faith is solely an internal or institutional exercise, instead presenting it as a dynamic, compassionate force for transformation in the streets, among the marginalized.
The narrative unfolds by painting a familiar scene: a "big crowd gathered at First Church," people "dressed up and lookin' so fine," leaning forward to hear "good news" and "get a handle on God's design." This depiction isn't necessarily a condemnation of gathering for worship, but it immediately establishes a contrast with the world outside—a "sick old world, tired and sore," where "the need just keeps getting greater." The song gently questions whether God might be "amazed" when believers "don't look beyond that door," setting the stage for its central, provocative message. This poignant opening evokes passages like Matthew 23:27-28, where Jesus critiques outward religiosity that lacks inner substance or outward compassion, reminding us that true devotion extends beyond mere appearance.
The core declaration, "Jesus has left the building," is neither alarming nor accusatory; rather, it’s an empowering statement of truth. It suggests that Christ is not waiting passively for people to enter a specific structure. Instead, He is "back out on the street," actively "dealing His mercy to every hurting soul He meets." This imagery aligns perfectly with the earthly ministry of Jesus, who consistently went to the people, not just waited for them to come to Him. We see Him in the Gospels healing the sick (Matthew 4:23), feeding the hungry (Matthew 14:13-21), and associating with those considered outcasts (Luke 15:1-2). Greene’s portrayal extends this ministry to modern societal needs: Jesus is "out helping the homeless find shelter," "helping the jobless find work," and "donating His time to the feeble of mind." This echoes the mandate in Isaiah 61:1-2, which Jesus quoted in Luke 4:18-19, proclaiming good news to the poor, freedom for prisoners, and recovery of sight for the blind—a holistic ministry of liberation and restoration.
The song subtly acknowledges a potential resistance to this outward focus, noting that "for this some people think He's berserk." This line highlights how radical Christ’s compassion can seem to those accustomed to a more insulated faith. Yet, the song reaffirms His mission: "He's just helping the helpless find justice and mercy in a cold, cruel world," because "His heart aches for all kinds of people." This perspective is deeply rooted in Scripture, especially in passages like Matthew 25:35-40, where Jesus identifies Himself with the hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick, and imprisoned, declaring that whatever is done for "the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." It’s a powerful reminder that genuine faith manifests in tangible acts of love and service, not just spiritual sentiments.
The chorus serves as the congregational gathering point within the song's narrative: "He meets with His saints on Sunday to remind us of all He has done." This acknowledges the vital role of corporate worship and remembrance, but crucially, it links this remembrance to a purpose: "To save us from our place of suffering, to let us know He is the One Who has shone His light into our darkness and given us all of His blessings so we Can be blessings to the ones Who need to know God's only Son Is in the business of setting people free." Here, the song clearly articulates the transformational flow of grace: we receive blessings not for hoarding, but for sharing. Our salvation is not an end in itself but a catalyst for us to participate in God's ongoing work of liberation. This principle resonates with James 1:27, which defines true religion as looking after orphans and widows in their distress, and Galatians 6:10, which instructs believers to do good to everyone, particularly those in the family of faith.
The song concludes with a poignant observation: "Back inside some people just keep on waiting and prayin' that He would come down, but Jesus has left the building, He's out spreading His love all around." This final reflection underscores the song’s profound challenge. It's not about Jesus "coming down" into a static space; it’s about recognizing that He has already "left the building" and is actively at work in the world. His presence is manifested through His Spirit and, critically, through His followers. The song implores us to join Him, to move beyond the walls of comfort and embrace the messy, beautiful work of spreading love, justice, and mercy in every corner of creation. Buddy Greene's "Jesus Has Left the Building" is more than a song; it's an urgent, biblically grounded invitation for all who claim the name of Christ to step out and embody His compassion in a world desperately yearning for His touch, fulfilling the Great Commission not just with words, but with sacrificial, outward-focused lives.