The Passover

Mark 14.12-17

[This Sunday is the Passover.  Easter celebrations rarely line up with Passover anymore.  Our secular world celebrates Easter and we preach on the resurrection in an evangelistic manner on that weekend because it is likely that lost souls will be present.  However, the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord is better remembered and celebrated on Passover.  Hence, today we remember the physical resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ from a spiritually mature point of view.  Therefore, we will be reminded of the Passover and how it is linked to the gospel of our Lord, the Promises accompanying the Passover and the Gospel of our Lord, and the Praise associated with the Passover and the Gospel of our Lord.] 

A.     The Passover and the Gospel [– Most Christian know that the Passover is associate with the Old Testament account of God delivering Israel from their bondage in Egypt through Moses.  In the Exodus account of the Passover we find that there was,] 

1.      A Specific Savior (Exodus 12.13; John 1.29) [– God sent Moses to lead Israel out of bondage.  God told Moses that Pharaoh would not let the people go right away.  It would take a mighty hand and the power of God to deliver Israel from Egypt.  After ten plagues Pharaoh would finally drive the people of Israel out of Egypt.  The last plague was the required death of all the first born in Egypt, but a deliverance was provided for all who would hear and heed God.]   

[This deliverance was not only good for the Jews, but it was good for everyone who would respond in obedience to God.  Everyone who would hear God was to take a Lamb sacrifice it and strike its blood on the door post of their house.  If  they obeyed then God said,] 

[Exodus 12:13 ¹³ And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.]

[The Token of the Blood – The blood on the door posts would serve as a token or sign that those harbored inside had heard and heeded God.  As a result God would Passover that house and would not require the penalty of the first born inside.]

[The specific savior required in the Passover was the lamb that was sacrificed.  It took both the sacrifice and the striking of the door posts to find the needed redemption.]

[In our text, Jesus has gathered His disciples together to celebrate and remember the Passover and what it meant for Israel.  Jesus is also pointing toward a new kind of Passover.  The Passover that the exodus Passover typified in that the eternal Passover would be won through the propitiatory work of our Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary’s Cross.  Hence, Jesus is referred to by John the Baptist as,]

[John 1:29  . . .  the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.]

[The Eternal Lamb of God - Jesus is our Passover lamb and it is His precious blood that provides our redemption.  The Lord Jesus Christ became the eternal sacrifice that the yearly Pascal Lamb points toward.  We no longer sacrifice a lamb once a year because Jesus’ sacrifice became the everlasting sacrifice for all our sins.] 

[Hebrews 9:11-12 ¹¹ But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; ¹² Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.]

[Jesus is our eternal Passover Lamb.] 

2.      A Supernatural Salvation (John 14.6; Acts 4.10-12) [– Through the Passover we come to realize that any lasting deliverance in this mortal and corrupt world must be a supernatural deliverance.  The people of Israel were helpless to deliver themselves from Egypt and Pharaoh.  It took a deliverer far greater than themselves to win their liberty.  It took Moses supported by the powerful hand of God to win their deliverance.]   

[Even after Moses came and after the first couple of decrees of Pharaoh the leaders and people of Israel asked Moses to stop and just leave (Exodus 5.20-23).  It is often easier to just leave things alone, leave things as they are, for things almost always get worse before they get better. But there was only one road to deliverance available and only God could provide all that was required.  The choice was simple, remain in slavery and bondage in Egypt, or receive God’s promises and supernatural salvation.] 

[Israel in Egypt reminds us of people in our wayward and wicked world today.  Our world is clearly corrupt and offers nothing but the hope of despair and death to come.  But a supernatural deliverance has been provided.  Jesus said,] 

[John 14:6 ⁶ Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. ]

[Acts 4:10-12 ¹⁰ Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. ¹¹ This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. ¹² Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. ]

[It’s Your Choice - People in our world need a deliverance from the bondage and condemnation of sin in their lives.  People cannot save themselves, instead they need a supernatural deliverance from God.  God has provided that deliverance for them through the Lord Jesus Christ.   But just as with Israel in Egypt, God will not force you to be saved.  Only those who would strike the blood of the Passover lamb on their door post received God’s deliverance.  Only those in our day who will strike the door posts of their heart with the blood of Jesus Christ will be saved today.]

[It’s not enough the get a lamb and kill it, the people of Israel had to take the blood of that lamb and place it on the door posts of their homes.  This token or sign would be a public and obvious demonstration that they were trusting God to keep His Word in the coming judgment and in their redemption.  Have you accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your only hope for salvation, have you spiritually struck the door posts of your life with His precious blood by accepting Him as your personal Lord and Savior.]   

[The salvation of the Passover was a Supernatural Salvation gained through obedience to Almighty God, the salvation of the New Testament is also a supernatural salvation gained through obedience to Almighty God.  You must be born again by accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior.] 

3.      A Significant  Sacrifice (1 Pete 1.18-19; John 3.16)– The fact is that a significant sacrifice was necessary in the Passover.  A life was lost for a life to be saved.  In the case of the Passover it was the sacrifice of a lamb.  Then every year following the Passover when Israel would remember the Passover another lam b was slain for every family in Israel.  That is a significant sacrifice.  There was a price to be paid for Israel’s release and liberty. 

Likewise there was a significant price to be paid for our deliverance from sin.  The price necessary for our redemption was the death of our Lord Jesus Christ upon Calvary’s Cross and the application of His precious blood on our behalf.  Jesus is our eternal Passover Lamb.  The Bible reminds us, 

1 Peter 1:18-19 ¹⁸ Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; ¹⁹ But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

God gave the very best that heaven had to offer to redeem us from the bondage we were in to sin.

 John 3:16 ¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

It is through the significant sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ and His cleansing blood that we find our eternal liberty.  Praise God. 

B.     The Promises and the Gospel [– Through the annual celebration of the Passover feast the Jews are not only reminded of the great deliverance that God had given Israel, but they were also reminded of the incredible promises that accompanied their deliverance.  God promised to not only lead them out of Egypt but to also lead them into the Promised Land.  God promised to pour His bountiful blessings upon them.  Every year in the Passover celebration the Jews were reminded of these bountiful blessings.]  God told Israel that there was: 

1.      The Reward for Obedience (Deut 7.12-26; Psalm 1.1-3) [– Obedience toward God is the road to success, spiritual strength, and satisfaction in life.  There are supernatural bestowals for obeying God.  Consider:] 

[Deuteronomy 7:12 ¹² Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers: ]

a.       [God will bless your posterity and your prosperity – God promises to pour out His stability upon all that you do.  He will bless the labor of your hands and will protect your family.]

[Deuteronomy 7:13 ¹³ And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee.]

[Psalms 1:1-3 ¹ Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. ² But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. ³ And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. ]

b.      [God will help your infirmities – God promises to give you health and to protect you from the diseases that are afflicting those around your.  Granted every one must eventually die, if the Lord tarries His coming.  But there are absolute deliverances promised by God upon those who will love God and strive diligently to live for God.] 

[Deuteronomy 7:15 ¹⁵ And the LORD will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee. ]

c.       [God will deliver the land to you – God has promised to deliver the land into the hand of those who will obey Him.] 

[Deuteronomy 7:16 ¹⁶ And thou shalt consume all the people which the LORD thy God shall deliver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon them: neither shalt thou serve their gods; for that will be a snare unto thee. ]

[Deuteronomy 7:20 ²⁰ Moreover the LORD thy God will send the hornet among them, until they that are left, and hide themselves from thee, be destroyed. ]

[Someone might ask, “But wait a minute preacher, look at the diseases all over America.  There is cancer, aides, hepatitis, all kinds of diseases.  Where are these blessing that God has promised?”]

2.      The Result of Rebellion (Deut 8.11-20; 28.15-68; John 15.10) [– A failure to love and obey God will produce the exact opposite result.  The affect of God’s blessings and prosperity will lead people to think more of themselves than they ought.] 

[Deuteronomy 8:11-20 ¹¹ Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: ¹² Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; ¹³ And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; ¹⁴ Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; . . .  ¹⁸ But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. ¹⁹ And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. ²⁰ As the nations which the LORD destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the LORD your God. ]

[Deuteronomy 28:15-20 ¹⁵ But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: ¹⁶ Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field. ¹⁷ Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store. ¹⁸ Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. ¹⁹ Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out. ²⁰ The LORD shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me. ]

[Righteousness prevails ]

[Rebellion assails] 

[Someone might say, but preacher these passages in Deuteronomy are all Old Testament and do not pertain to us in the New Testament.  ] 

[Jesus Said,] 

[John 15:10 ¹⁰ If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. ]

[If your think that you can live in open sin and rebellion against God and not receive His chastisement and judgment then you demonstrate your foolishness and hard heartedness.] 

3.      The Renewal of our Relationship (1 John 1.9-2.1; 1 Pet 1.15-16; 2.9; Titus 2.14; 1 John 3.7) [– what do we need to do with our sin and about the sinfulness of our nation?] 

[1 John 1:9-2:3 ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. ¹ My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: ² And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. ³ And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. ]

[Repent is the word we need to hear in America.  Turn from your wicked and rebellious ways.  ] 

a.       [God’s people should be holy people (1 Pet 1.15-16).  ]

b.      [God’s people should be peculiar people (1 Pet 2.9)]

c.       [God’s people should be pure people (Titus 2.14)]

d.      [God’s people should be righteous people (1 John 3.7)] 

[There is the curse of sickness and disease all across America.  There is the stench of death and corruption all across America.  There is the boldness of our enemies toward America all across our world.  Why?  Because America and the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ in America is prosperous, proud, and presumptuous toward God And God’s Word is knocking on our door.] 

[Christians arise, repent, and pray and cry for America and for the Church in America.] 

C.     The Praise and the Gospel [– There is a cause for great rejoicing in the gospel.  If born again Christians will turn to God with all of their hearts, will dedicate themselves to the things of God, and will seek God’s blessings, God’s way, then God’s showers of blessing will be poured out upon them again.] 

1.      God honors those who honor Him (Matt 7.11)  [- Our heavenly father wants to give good things to His children.  ] 

[Matthew 7:11 ¹¹ If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? ]

[Which raises two questions:] 

a.       [Are you God’s child?] 

b.      [Are you living a life that your Heavenly Father can bless?]

CrossRoads Baptist Church, April 20, 2008