(This series of sermons is based on the work of Kevin Howard and Marvin Rosenthal in Feasts of the Lord, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, TN. 1997)
The Passover Seder's Symbolism
Last Sunday, we examined the Passover Seder (order of service) and its elements. Today, we shall look at the symbolism of Jesus Christ found in the Seder. Remember, this was the order of service in the day of Christ! There has not been a twisting or changing of facts to make it fit the life and death of Jesus Christ.
The Passover is a picture of the Messiah found in many passages in the Old Testament. The Lord spoke through the prophet Isaiah -- over 700 years before Jesus died on the cross -- of God’s ultimate fulfillment of Passover: Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins. Read with me the words of Isaiah 53:1-12.
[Isaiah 53]
1 Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.
3 He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
4 Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.
6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.
7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His generation, who considered That He was cut off out of the land of the living For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due?
9 His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.
10 But the Lord was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand.
11 As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors.
Seating & Lighting the Candles
The family unit receiving the Passover meal is seated around a table. This is a picture that everyone has equal access to the meal. It was the custom of the day for the children to eat after the parents—especially after the head of the household. Yet, at this meal, the youngest is seated in a place of honor on the leader’s right.
This is a picture of Jesus dying for all. Everyone has the opportunity to feast at God’s table and fellowship with God.
The mother of the household is the one who lights the candles to begin the Passover Seder. This is also a break in tradition. In the ancient Jewish home, the wife was not customarily allowed to initiate a religious observance—it was the father’s duty. The exception was Passover.
This, I believe, is a picture of the Virgin Mary. She was blessed by God and was the first to receive the news that Messiah, her Son, would be born. The candles symbolized light—from the star of Bethlehem to the glory of God shining from Jesus at the transfiguration—Jesus was God’s light in the darkness of this world. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.”
The First Cup—the Cup of Thanksgiving
If you will recall, there are 4 cups of wine taken during the Seder. These correspond to the four statements God made about Israel’s promised deliverance in Exodus 6:6-7:
“Say, therefore, to the sons of Israel, ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. Then I will take you for My people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.’”
The first cup corresponds to God’s saying, “I will bring you out.” Egypt is always a picture of sin in the Bible. This cup pictures that God calls each of us to leave our sin and turn to him. This picture is continued in the next element of the ceremony.
The Washing of Hands
As the first cup is a symbolism of God’s call, or the Spirit’s conviction, the washing of hands is a picture of repentance. This idea of ceremonial washing of the outside as a picture of a new direction in life on the inside can be seen in the ministry of John the Baptist. He was baptizing people as a sign of their repentance. Christians are baptized today as a symbol of Christ’s cleansing touch on their hearts.
The Green Vegetable
The green vegetable (Karpas) was eaten after it was dipped in salt water. The vegetable was green—a spring time vegetable. This pictures a new beginning--a new life. But that new life came with many tears. The Messiah shed his blood on the cross for our sins. It was physical, emotional, and spiritual agony that Jesus endured for each of us.
The Middle Matzah
Three matzahs (unleavened bread) are stacked on top of each other. They are placed in a linen bag (tash). The middle matzah is removed and broken in half. Half is replaced in the tash and the other half is wrapped in a linen napkin and hidden. The hidden half is called the afikomen.
The symbolism here is obvious. One rabbinic school of thought says the three matzahs symbolize the priests, the Levites, and the Israelites. Another rabbinic school of thought says they represent Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But no explanation is ever given why the Levites or Isaac must be broken.
As Christians, the symbolism is easy. The three matzahs represent the Trinity. They are One (in one bag), yet three. The middle matzah is a picture of Jesus Christ. He was broken, crucified, for us. The typical matzah has small holes in it and stripes on it from the grill it was baked on. Jesus was pierced for our transgressions and by His stripes (beatings with a whip) we are healed (Isaiah 53).
The Four Questions
The youngest person at the table recites four questions regarding the meaning of Passover (Ex. 12:26). Each of us must examine the death of Jesus and what it means. We must seek and inquire of God. Only when we understand that Jesus was the sacrifice for our sins will we accept and trust in Him as our Savior.
The Second Cup—the Cup of Freedom
The second cup is the one that emphasized God’s promise to “rescue you from bondage.” This is the cup of freedom. Christ’s death on the cross delivers us from the bondage of sin (Egypt).
As the cup is shared, the first half of the Hallel (praise) is recited. The Hallel is Psalms113-118. These are same Psalms chanted by the priests as the Passover lambs were publicly slain—again a picture of Jesus dying for our sins.
The Dipping of the Matzah
Remember that the matzah (unleavened bread) symbolizes sinlessness. Jesus was perfect, without sin. The bread was dipped in horseradish and haroset (apple mixture). The bitter herb of horseradish symbolizes the bitterness of His death. The apple mixture symbolizes the sweetness of God’s deliverance from sin.
The Dinner
The main part of the dinner was the lamb. God commanded that everyone eat the lamb. Each of us must receive Christ, the Passover Lamb, into our hearts.
The Afikomen
After the meal, the broken piece of matzah that was wrapped in a linen napkin and hidden (the afikomen) is searched for by the children. When it is found, shouts of joy are heard and the child who finds it receives a special prize or reward.
Do I really need to explain this? If the middle matzah is a picture of God’s Son who was broken (crucified) for us, the afikomen is a picture of Jesus’ body in the tomb. It was wrapped in linen and hidden in the earth. On the third day, He arose from the grave! This is pictured by the children finding the afikomen and returning it to the table. It is brought back into the circle of fellowship. Everyone then eats a piece of it. Again, all of us must come to Christ on our own. When we come to the Risen Savior, we all receive the great reward of Heaven and eternal life. It was here that Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper.
The Third Cup—the Cup of Redemption
This is the cup that corresponds to God’s statement, “I will redeem you.” To redeem means to “buy back.”
Remember, the first cup pictures the conviction of the Holy Spirit regarding our sin. The second cup pictures our turning from our sin, our repentance. This third cup pictures our realization that Christ died on the cross to redeem us from our master—sin and death.
The Fourth Cup—the Cup of Acceptance
The fourth cup quickly follows the third. The fourth cup is the one Jesus said to His disciples at the institution of the Lord’s Supper that He would not drink until the Kingdom of God was fulfilled. The fourth cup is called the Cup of Acceptance. The fourth statement from Exodus 6:7 is God’s promise, “I will take you as my people.” When we receive Christ as our Redeemer, we become a child of God.
John 1:12 says, But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.
The Closing Hymn
The last part of the service of was the singing of the latter half of the Hallel. Jesus sang Psalm 118:22-26 as He was leaving the Seder just a little while before His arrest and crucifixion. “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing; It is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. Save now, I pray, O Lord; O Lord, I pray, send now prosperity. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
Jesus was rejected by the majority of the nation. Yet, He is the Chief Cornerstone. He has ascended to heaven and will return one day. The nation of Israel will receive Him as Messiah on that day.
Conclusion
There is no question that Jesus is the Passover Lamb. Scripture records it. History echoes it. Yet one final Passover question remains, and it is the most important of all:
“Is He your Passover Lamb—have you placed your trust in the Messiah and His sacrifice as your only hope of heaven?”
Even as the ancient Israelite was required to individually apply the blood to his door; so, too, today men and women must individually make a decision concerning the Lamb of God. There is still no deliverance without the Lamb.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
The Feasts of the Lord #3: Passover - Part 2 (Exodus 12:21-28)
(This series of sermons is based on the work of Kevin Howard and Marvin Rosenthal in Feasts of the Lord, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, TN. 1997)
{Be sure to pick up the handout listing the seven feasts of the Lord on the little table in the foyer.}
Last Sunday I began our study of the Feast of Passover in Exodus 12. If you will recall, there was only one Passover when the Lord passed through the land of Egypt in judgment. Every observance since then has been a memorial commemorating that occasion. In Exodus 12:21-28 the Lord commanded the Jewish people to observe this feast as a memorial forever.
[Exodus 12:21-28]
21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go and take for yourselves lambs according to your families, and slay the Passover lamb.
22 “You shall take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood which is in the basin, and apply some of the blood that is in the basin to the lintel and the two doorposts; and none of you shall go outside the door of his house until morning.
23 “For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to come in to your houses to smite you.
24 “And you shall observe this event as an ordinance for you and your children forever.
25 “When you enter the land which the Lord will give you, as He has promised, you shall observe this rite.
26 “And when your children say to you, ‘What does this rite mean to you?’
27 you shall say, ‘It is a Passover sacrifice to the Lord who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but spared our homes.’ ” And the people bowed low and worshiped.
28 Then the sons of Israel went and did so; just as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.
God ordered in verse 25 that Passover was to be kept by a rite, or service. The service was to incorporate the lamb, matzah (unleavened bread), and bitter herbs. Verses 26-27 tell us the purpose of the service was to raise questions in the minds of the children so that the Exodus story could be rehearsed from generation to generation.
God did not tell the Israelites everything that was to be included in the service, only that it was to be kept. Today, we will explore the traditional Passover Seder (order of service), and next Sunday we will examine the beautiful picture of Jesus that is presented to us.
Several centuries before Christ’s birth, the ritual Passover Seder (meaning order of service) emerged. It prescribed the traditional order of the Scripture readings, prayers, symbolic foods, and songs in the Passover service.
The basic order of the Passover Seder today is the same as in the days of Jesus. The service continued to be embellished with more songs and traditions up through the middle ages. Yet, when Jesus and the apostles met in the upper room on the night before the crucifixion, it was this very order of service that was followed.
As the Passover holiday grows near, painstaking preparation takes place within the observant Jewish home to rid it of all leavened bread and related products. Houses are scrubbed, pockets are turned inside out and laundered, cooking utensils are scalded, and everyday dinnerware and flatware are replaced with the finest Passover china, silver, and crystal.
If you think that our services are sometimes quite lengthy, the Passover service takes a number of hours. During the Seder, the Passover story unfolds through many prayers, songs, and narrative readings in the Haggadah (“the telling”; it is a book that relates the Passover story through readings, songs, and prayers). The Seder sometimes lasts until midnight, or even into the early hours of the morning.
The Special Seating Arrangements
As the family is seated, special seating arrangements are observed. The leader sits at the head of the dinner table. The youngest sits at his right side in order to fulfill a special role later in the Seder. To the left of the leader, a guest of honor is seated, or sometimes the place setting is reserved for the prophet Elijah.
The Lighting of the Passover Candles
The mother of the house ushers in the holiday by lighting the Passover candles. She then covers her eyes with her hands and recites a Hebrew blessing over the candles thanking God for the special occasion: “Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who has set us apart by His Word, and in whose Name we light the festival lights.”
The First Cup—the Cup of Thanksgiving
Wine is often a symbol of the joy of harvest; four cups of wine are shared during the Passover Seder to reflect the fourfold joyous promises of the Lord’s redemption.
The Lord used four promises regarding His deliverance from Egypt in Exodus 6:6-7: “Say, therefore, to the sons of Israel, ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. Then I will take you for My people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.’”
The four promises of God are:
*I will bring you out.
*I will deliver you from their bondage.
*I will also redeem you.
*I will take you for My people
To begin the service, the father (leader) pours the first cup of wine and asks everyone to rise from the table. The father then lifts his cup toward heaven and recites the Kiddush (“prayer of sanctification”) to set the day apart to God:
It was the Messiah, Jesus Christ, as the leader of the Seder service observed in the Upper Room, who said the Kiddush. Luke 22:17 says, “Then He took the cup, and gave thanks.”
The Washing of the Hands
The next part of the Seder is known as the “washing of the hands.” One of the family members brings a pitcher of water, a bowl, and a towel to each person at the table to wash his hands. This is a symbolic act of purification as they prepare to handle the food.
It was at this point that Jesus chose to teach the disciples an object lesson. Instead of just washing hands, John 13:4-5 tells us that Jesus “rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them off with the towel with which He was girded.”
Jesus was showing them that He was about to become the Suffering Servant of the Lord, and as such, He would be the One to cleanse not just their hands, but their even dirtier feet.
The Green Vegetable
After the hands are washed, the karpas (green vegetable) is dipped into salt water and eaten. The green vegetable is a reminder that Passover occurs in the springtime—the time of beginning. The salt water is a reminder of the tears of pain and suffering shed by the Jewish people in slavery.
The Middle Matzah
Three matzahs (unleavened bread loaves) are placed on top of each other and placed in a linen bag, called a matzah tash.
The leader removes the middle matzah from between the upper and lower matzah. He removes it from the bag and breaks it in half. Half is replaced in the bag, or tash. The other half is carefully wrapped in a linen napkin and hidden somewhere in the house while the children cover their eyes. It reappears later in the service to illustrate a very important truth.
The Four Questions
Next, the youngest child is called on to recite his diligently rehearsed part. The child asks the traditional Passover questions to fulfill Exodus 12:26: “When your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’” Beaming with joy and accomplishment the child will ask:
Often the youngest will recline upon the leader. This was the context of the Apostle John reclining upon Jesus at their Passover supper. John recorded, “Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of the disciples, whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23). This would indicate that John sat to the right of the Savior and was the youngest at the meal, a position consistent with early church tradition that John was the youngest apostle. John had the honor of asking the questions that night.
The Second Cup—the Cup of Freedom
In response to the four questions, the second cup of wine is poured. A lengthy narrative recounting the Passover story begins. The story relates the whole panorama of the beginnings of the nation: the calling of Abraham in Ur; God’s promises to the patriarchs; the story of Joseph and his brothers; the enslavement of the Jewish nation; the deliverance brought at the hand of Moses; and the giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai.
As the ten plagues are described, a tiny bit of wine is poured out for each plague. This expresses the sorrow felt for the suffering of the Egyptians. As the Passover story unfolds, each element on the table is carefully explained and woven into the telling of the story.
Before the second cup of wine is taken, the first half of the praise psalms, known in Judaism as the Hallel (Psalm 113-118), is recited responsively. Hallel is a Hebrew word meaning “praise.” This word has made its way into many languages in the form of hallelujah (“praise Jehovah”).
According to the Talmud, which records ancient rabbinic commentary on Jewish practices, the Levites would chant this group of psalms while the Passover lambs for each family were being sacrificed.
The Dipping of the Matzah
In preparation for the meal, everyone present washes his hands a second time for ceremonial cleansing.
The upper matzah and the remainder of the middle matzah are broken into pieces and distributed to everyone. Each person must eat a piece of matzah dipped in horseradish and haroset (apple mixture). This is a reminder of the sweetness of God’s redemption in the midst of their bitter slavery. The leader will dip a piece of matzah and give it to the guest of honor seated to his left.
Each person then puts a filling of horseradish between two pieces of the matzah. This is called the “Hillel Sandwich.” It is named in honor of an ancient rabbi who was brilliant and highly revered. He taught that enough of the bitter herb should be eaten to bring tears to the eyes. In this way, each participant can identify with tears shed by their forefathers in Egyptian slavery.
It was this ritual which gave rise to another important event in the Last Supper. Jesus foretold that one of the disciples would betray Him (John 13:21-27). Peter motioned to John who was reclining against Jesus to inquire of whom this was spoken. Jesus replied that it would be the one to whom He gave a dipped piece of matzah. Jesus dipped the matzah and gave it to Judas Iscariot.
The Scripture is not specific as to the seating arrangement. Most likely, Judas was sitting to the left of the Lord in the seat of honor and naturally would have received the dipped matzah. Or, Jesus may have reached across the circle to begin with Judas first. However, if tradition was kept, everyone received a dipped piece of matzah that night. Perhaps this is why the disciples were still not clear as to who would be the betrayer. In either case, after this, Judas left the service and went out to finalize the betrayal. This ceremony occurred before the meal, and Judas was not present later when Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper after the dinner.
The Dinner
At last, it is time for the Passover dinner. In the day of Jesus, it would have consisted of roasted lamb, served with bitter herbs and matzah. Today, however, the meal is far more varied and sumptuous. Today’s typical Jewish Passover meal includes gefilte fish, matzah ball soup, glazed chicken, matzah nut stuffing, potato kugel, honeyed carrots, stewed fruit, and sponge cake. In observant Jewish homes of today, it is a meal fit for a king!
The Afikomen
After the meal, the children (or adults if no children are present) are sent out to find the broken half-matzah that was wrapped and hidden away. It is known as the afikomen. The children search high and low with great excitement. The one who finds it receives a special prize. The children shout with delight to announce when the treasured afikomen is found.
Each person eats a piece of the afikomen that is broken off. It is a reminder of the Passover lamb.
We don’t think about the apostles playing a game in searching for the afikomen which Jesus hid that night! Most likely, it was after the afikomen had been found, that Jesus said these words in Luke 22:19: “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
This was the first part of Jesus’ institution of the Lord’s Supper.
The Third Cup—the Cup of Redemption
Immediately after the afikomen has been eaten, the third cup of wine, called the Cup of Redemption, is poured and shared.
It was here in the Passover Seder that the Messiah instituted the second part of the Lord’s Supper. Luke 22:20 says, “And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, ‘This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.’”
It was the third cup or Cup of Redemption, that Jesus chose to be a reminder of His work on the cross.
Passover is closely associated with the fervent hope for the coming of the Messiah. After the third cup, a child is sent to the front door to open it and hopefully welcome in the prophet Elijah. It is hoped that the prophet will step through the doorway, drink his cup of wine, and announce the coming of the Messiah. This tradition is rooted in Malachi 4:5 which says, “I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.”
Many believe that Elijah will be one of the two messianic witnesses mentioned in Revelation 11 since one of them will perform the miracles of Elijah. Although the Scripture teaches that Elijah will return in the future, it does not name the two witnesses, and one cannot be absolutely dogmatic about their identification.
The Fourth Cup—the Cup of Acceptance
The fourth cup of wine, called the Cup of Acceptance, or Cup of Praise, is poured and taken. It was this cup that the Messiah said He would not drink until He drank it with the disciples in the Kingdom. Jesus said in Matthew 26:29, “But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”
Jesus knew that the hour of His acceptance by His Jewish nation was yet future—at His second coming. His joy would not be full until then.
The Closing Hymn
At the conclusion of the service, a hymn is usually sung or recited. This was also the tradition in the day of Jesus. Matthew 26:30 states, “And when they had sung a hymn, they went out.” Perhaps since Matthew was writing to a Jewish audience, he knew that they would know the name of the hymn since, by tradition, every Seder ends with the latter half of the Hallel (Psalm 115-118).
Conclusion
I want you to note that just hours before Jesus was betrayed and went to the cross, at the end of the Passover seder, He sang the prophetic words of Psalm 118:22-26: “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing; It is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. Save now, I pray, O Lord; O Lord, I pray, send now prosperity. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
The Messiah sang these words just hours before He fulfilled them in becoming the stone that was rejected by the religious leaders.
How utterly tragic that the majority of the Jewish nation did not realize the truth of this Psalm, that the Messiah would first be rejected and suffer before He would reign on David’s throne. How doubly tragic, since Psalm 118 was a messianic psalm sung to Jesus proclaiming Him the Messiah at His so-called triumphal entry.
Don’t make the same mistake and reject Jesus! He is the Messiah who gave His life on the cross to save you from your sins. Come to Him now!
{Be sure to pick up the handout listing the seven feasts of the Lord on the little table in the foyer.}
Last Sunday I began our study of the Feast of Passover in Exodus 12. If you will recall, there was only one Passover when the Lord passed through the land of Egypt in judgment. Every observance since then has been a memorial commemorating that occasion. In Exodus 12:21-28 the Lord commanded the Jewish people to observe this feast as a memorial forever.
[Exodus 12:21-28]
21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go and take for yourselves lambs according to your families, and slay the Passover lamb.
22 “You shall take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood which is in the basin, and apply some of the blood that is in the basin to the lintel and the two doorposts; and none of you shall go outside the door of his house until morning.
23 “For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to come in to your houses to smite you.
24 “And you shall observe this event as an ordinance for you and your children forever.
25 “When you enter the land which the Lord will give you, as He has promised, you shall observe this rite.
26 “And when your children say to you, ‘What does this rite mean to you?’
27 you shall say, ‘It is a Passover sacrifice to the Lord who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but spared our homes.’ ” And the people bowed low and worshiped.
28 Then the sons of Israel went and did so; just as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.
God ordered in verse 25 that Passover was to be kept by a rite, or service. The service was to incorporate the lamb, matzah (unleavened bread), and bitter herbs. Verses 26-27 tell us the purpose of the service was to raise questions in the minds of the children so that the Exodus story could be rehearsed from generation to generation.
God did not tell the Israelites everything that was to be included in the service, only that it was to be kept. Today, we will explore the traditional Passover Seder (order of service), and next Sunday we will examine the beautiful picture of Jesus that is presented to us.
Several centuries before Christ’s birth, the ritual Passover Seder (meaning order of service) emerged. It prescribed the traditional order of the Scripture readings, prayers, symbolic foods, and songs in the Passover service.
The basic order of the Passover Seder today is the same as in the days of Jesus. The service continued to be embellished with more songs and traditions up through the middle ages. Yet, when Jesus and the apostles met in the upper room on the night before the crucifixion, it was this very order of service that was followed.
As the Passover holiday grows near, painstaking preparation takes place within the observant Jewish home to rid it of all leavened bread and related products. Houses are scrubbed, pockets are turned inside out and laundered, cooking utensils are scalded, and everyday dinnerware and flatware are replaced with the finest Passover china, silver, and crystal.
If you think that our services are sometimes quite lengthy, the Passover service takes a number of hours. During the Seder, the Passover story unfolds through many prayers, songs, and narrative readings in the Haggadah (“the telling”; it is a book that relates the Passover story through readings, songs, and prayers). The Seder sometimes lasts until midnight, or even into the early hours of the morning.
The Special Seating Arrangements
As the family is seated, special seating arrangements are observed. The leader sits at the head of the dinner table. The youngest sits at his right side in order to fulfill a special role later in the Seder. To the left of the leader, a guest of honor is seated, or sometimes the place setting is reserved for the prophet Elijah.
The Lighting of the Passover Candles
The mother of the house ushers in the holiday by lighting the Passover candles. She then covers her eyes with her hands and recites a Hebrew blessing over the candles thanking God for the special occasion: “Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who has set us apart by His Word, and in whose Name we light the festival lights.”
The First Cup—the Cup of Thanksgiving
Wine is often a symbol of the joy of harvest; four cups of wine are shared during the Passover Seder to reflect the fourfold joyous promises of the Lord’s redemption.
The Lord used four promises regarding His deliverance from Egypt in Exodus 6:6-7: “Say, therefore, to the sons of Israel, ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. Then I will take you for My people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.’”
The four promises of God are:
*I will bring you out.
*I will deliver you from their bondage.
*I will also redeem you.
*I will take you for My people
To begin the service, the father (leader) pours the first cup of wine and asks everyone to rise from the table. The father then lifts his cup toward heaven and recites the Kiddush (“prayer of sanctification”) to set the day apart to God:
Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, Who createst the fruit of the vine. Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, Who hast chosen us for Thy service from among the nations…Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, Who hast kept us in life, Who hast preserved us, and hast enabled us to reach this season.
It was the Messiah, Jesus Christ, as the leader of the Seder service observed in the Upper Room, who said the Kiddush. Luke 22:17 says, “Then He took the cup, and gave thanks.”
The Washing of the Hands
The next part of the Seder is known as the “washing of the hands.” One of the family members brings a pitcher of water, a bowl, and a towel to each person at the table to wash his hands. This is a symbolic act of purification as they prepare to handle the food.
It was at this point that Jesus chose to teach the disciples an object lesson. Instead of just washing hands, John 13:4-5 tells us that Jesus “rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them off with the towel with which He was girded.”
Jesus was showing them that He was about to become the Suffering Servant of the Lord, and as such, He would be the One to cleanse not just their hands, but their even dirtier feet.
The Green Vegetable
After the hands are washed, the karpas (green vegetable) is dipped into salt water and eaten. The green vegetable is a reminder that Passover occurs in the springtime—the time of beginning. The salt water is a reminder of the tears of pain and suffering shed by the Jewish people in slavery.
The Middle Matzah
Three matzahs (unleavened bread loaves) are placed on top of each other and placed in a linen bag, called a matzah tash.
The leader removes the middle matzah from between the upper and lower matzah. He removes it from the bag and breaks it in half. Half is replaced in the bag, or tash. The other half is carefully wrapped in a linen napkin and hidden somewhere in the house while the children cover their eyes. It reappears later in the service to illustrate a very important truth.
The Four Questions
Next, the youngest child is called on to recite his diligently rehearsed part. The child asks the traditional Passover questions to fulfill Exodus 12:26: “When your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’” Beaming with joy and accomplishment the child will ask:
Why is this night different from all other nights? On all other nights, we eat either leavened or unleavened bread, but on this night, only unleavened bread? On all other nights, we eat all kinds of herbs, but on this night, only bitter herbs? On all other nights, we do not dip even once, but on this night, we dip twice? On all other nights, we eat either sitting or reclining, but on this night, we eat reclining?
Often the youngest will recline upon the leader. This was the context of the Apostle John reclining upon Jesus at their Passover supper. John recorded, “Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of the disciples, whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23). This would indicate that John sat to the right of the Savior and was the youngest at the meal, a position consistent with early church tradition that John was the youngest apostle. John had the honor of asking the questions that night.
The Second Cup—the Cup of Freedom
In response to the four questions, the second cup of wine is poured. A lengthy narrative recounting the Passover story begins. The story relates the whole panorama of the beginnings of the nation: the calling of Abraham in Ur; God’s promises to the patriarchs; the story of Joseph and his brothers; the enslavement of the Jewish nation; the deliverance brought at the hand of Moses; and the giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai.
As the ten plagues are described, a tiny bit of wine is poured out for each plague. This expresses the sorrow felt for the suffering of the Egyptians. As the Passover story unfolds, each element on the table is carefully explained and woven into the telling of the story.
Before the second cup of wine is taken, the first half of the praise psalms, known in Judaism as the Hallel (Psalm 113-118), is recited responsively. Hallel is a Hebrew word meaning “praise.” This word has made its way into many languages in the form of hallelujah (“praise Jehovah”).
According to the Talmud, which records ancient rabbinic commentary on Jewish practices, the Levites would chant this group of psalms while the Passover lambs for each family were being sacrificed.
The Dipping of the Matzah
In preparation for the meal, everyone present washes his hands a second time for ceremonial cleansing.
The upper matzah and the remainder of the middle matzah are broken into pieces and distributed to everyone. Each person must eat a piece of matzah dipped in horseradish and haroset (apple mixture). This is a reminder of the sweetness of God’s redemption in the midst of their bitter slavery. The leader will dip a piece of matzah and give it to the guest of honor seated to his left.
Each person then puts a filling of horseradish between two pieces of the matzah. This is called the “Hillel Sandwich.” It is named in honor of an ancient rabbi who was brilliant and highly revered. He taught that enough of the bitter herb should be eaten to bring tears to the eyes. In this way, each participant can identify with tears shed by their forefathers in Egyptian slavery.
It was this ritual which gave rise to another important event in the Last Supper. Jesus foretold that one of the disciples would betray Him (John 13:21-27). Peter motioned to John who was reclining against Jesus to inquire of whom this was spoken. Jesus replied that it would be the one to whom He gave a dipped piece of matzah. Jesus dipped the matzah and gave it to Judas Iscariot.
The Scripture is not specific as to the seating arrangement. Most likely, Judas was sitting to the left of the Lord in the seat of honor and naturally would have received the dipped matzah. Or, Jesus may have reached across the circle to begin with Judas first. However, if tradition was kept, everyone received a dipped piece of matzah that night. Perhaps this is why the disciples were still not clear as to who would be the betrayer. In either case, after this, Judas left the service and went out to finalize the betrayal. This ceremony occurred before the meal, and Judas was not present later when Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper after the dinner.
The Dinner
At last, it is time for the Passover dinner. In the day of Jesus, it would have consisted of roasted lamb, served with bitter herbs and matzah. Today, however, the meal is far more varied and sumptuous. Today’s typical Jewish Passover meal includes gefilte fish, matzah ball soup, glazed chicken, matzah nut stuffing, potato kugel, honeyed carrots, stewed fruit, and sponge cake. In observant Jewish homes of today, it is a meal fit for a king!
The Afikomen
After the meal, the children (or adults if no children are present) are sent out to find the broken half-matzah that was wrapped and hidden away. It is known as the afikomen. The children search high and low with great excitement. The one who finds it receives a special prize. The children shout with delight to announce when the treasured afikomen is found.
Each person eats a piece of the afikomen that is broken off. It is a reminder of the Passover lamb.
We don’t think about the apostles playing a game in searching for the afikomen which Jesus hid that night! Most likely, it was after the afikomen had been found, that Jesus said these words in Luke 22:19: “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
This was the first part of Jesus’ institution of the Lord’s Supper.
The Third Cup—the Cup of Redemption
Immediately after the afikomen has been eaten, the third cup of wine, called the Cup of Redemption, is poured and shared.
It was here in the Passover Seder that the Messiah instituted the second part of the Lord’s Supper. Luke 22:20 says, “And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, ‘This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.’”
It was the third cup or Cup of Redemption, that Jesus chose to be a reminder of His work on the cross.
Passover is closely associated with the fervent hope for the coming of the Messiah. After the third cup, a child is sent to the front door to open it and hopefully welcome in the prophet Elijah. It is hoped that the prophet will step through the doorway, drink his cup of wine, and announce the coming of the Messiah. This tradition is rooted in Malachi 4:5 which says, “I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.”
Many believe that Elijah will be one of the two messianic witnesses mentioned in Revelation 11 since one of them will perform the miracles of Elijah. Although the Scripture teaches that Elijah will return in the future, it does not name the two witnesses, and one cannot be absolutely dogmatic about their identification.
The Fourth Cup—the Cup of Acceptance
The fourth cup of wine, called the Cup of Acceptance, or Cup of Praise, is poured and taken. It was this cup that the Messiah said He would not drink until He drank it with the disciples in the Kingdom. Jesus said in Matthew 26:29, “But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”
Jesus knew that the hour of His acceptance by His Jewish nation was yet future—at His second coming. His joy would not be full until then.
The Closing Hymn
At the conclusion of the service, a hymn is usually sung or recited. This was also the tradition in the day of Jesus. Matthew 26:30 states, “And when they had sung a hymn, they went out.” Perhaps since Matthew was writing to a Jewish audience, he knew that they would know the name of the hymn since, by tradition, every Seder ends with the latter half of the Hallel (Psalm 115-118).
Conclusion
I want you to note that just hours before Jesus was betrayed and went to the cross, at the end of the Passover seder, He sang the prophetic words of Psalm 118:22-26: “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing; It is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. Save now, I pray, O Lord; O Lord, I pray, send now prosperity. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
The Messiah sang these words just hours before He fulfilled them in becoming the stone that was rejected by the religious leaders.
How utterly tragic that the majority of the Jewish nation did not realize the truth of this Psalm, that the Messiah would first be rejected and suffer before He would reign on David’s throne. How doubly tragic, since Psalm 118 was a messianic psalm sung to Jesus proclaiming Him the Messiah at His so-called triumphal entry.
Don’t make the same mistake and reject Jesus! He is the Messiah who gave His life on the cross to save you from your sins. Come to Him now!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
The Feasts of the Lord #2: Passover - Part 1 (Exodus 12:1-14)
(This series of sermons is based on the work of Kevin Howard and Marvin Rosenthal in Feasts of the Lord, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, TN. 1997)
Two weeks ago, I introduced this series of messages on the seven “Feasts of the Lord.” The special holidays, or “holy days,” instituted by God were to be observed by the nation of Israel. While given to the Jewish people, these feasts are worthy of our attention because they point us to the Messiah—Jesus Christ. In Leviticus 23 we are given a list of these seven feasts. Today, and through the remainder of the month, we will examine the first feast: Passover.
Passover is the oldest holiday in human history. It spans some 3500 years of humanity. It is as old as the pyramids of Egypt. The Passover story begins with a death decree for all Jewish boys, soon followed by a bobbing baby in a basket in the Nile River. The Passover story features a cosmic game of chicken between Moses and a Pharaoh as God piles up plagues. There is a burning bush, slaves set free, an ocean opening, a drowning cavalry, and the birth of a nation at the base of a mountain.
Passover’s powerful message is practical for today. Understanding this holiday will bring to life the imagery in the events of the Upper Room, the symbolism of the Lord’s Table, and the meaning of Messiah’s death.
[ Ex. 12:1-14]
In Exodus 12:1-14 we read:
1 Now the Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,
2 “This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year to you.
3 “Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth of this month they are each one to take a lamb for themselves, according to their fathers’ households, a lamb for each household.
4 ‘Now if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his neighbor nearest to his house are to take one according to the number of persons in them; according to what each man should eat, you are to divide the lamb.
5 ‘Your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats.
6 ‘You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight.
7 ‘Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.
8 ‘They shall eat the flesh that same night, roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
9 ‘Do not eat any of it raw or boiled at all with water, but rather roasted with fire, both its head and its legs along with its entrails.
10 ‘And you shall not leave any of it over until morning, but whatever is left of it until morning, you shall burn with fire.
11 ‘Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste—it is the Lord’s Passover.
12 ‘For I will go through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments—I am the Lord.
13 ‘The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
14 ‘Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as a permanent ordinance.
1. THE CORE OF PASSOVER
The Jewish people had been held as slaves for more than 400 years in Egypt. God was now going to bring them back to the Promised Land that was promised to the descendants of Abraham. In Exodus 11, God gave a warning the 10th and final judgment plague would befall the Egyptians and their false gods. At midnight, the Lord would pass through the land and kill the firstborn of each family and of all the cattle. With this final, climactic plague, God would dramatically free His people from the slavery of Egypt.
In Exodus 12, God instituted the Passover in explicit steps to be taken by those who trusted in Him so that they, unlike Pharaoh and the Egyptians, would not be struck down by the final plague.
In all biblical passages which address the subject of Passover, the lamb was at the core of Passover. It was the centerpiece of all that was occurring. If there was no lamb given, there would be no deliverance gained. So central was the lamb to the Passover observance that the term “the Passover” came be used interchangeably of the lamb, as well as the holiday. In Exodus 12:21 we read, Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go and take for yourselves lambs according to your families, and slay the Passover lamb. One could not exist without the other. The holiday was embodied in the lamb—without it, the holiday was meaningless.
What were the Israelites commanded regarding Passover in Exodus 12?
*They were to select a year-old male lamb in its prime.
*The lamb was to be a perfect lamb without any defect or flaw.
*It was to be taken out from the flock on the tenth day of the Hebrew month of Nisan and kept until the fourteenth day of the month.
*On the evening of the fourteenth, as the sun was setting, the lambs were to be publicly killed by “the whole assembly.” This was to be done at “twilight”—the time between the descent of the sun and evening. This was from 3 PM to 5 PM.
*While all the assembly was responsible for the death of the lambs, each family was to individually apply the blood of their lamb to the doorposts of their home as a visible sign of their faith in the Lord (Ex. 12:13).
*At that moment, the innocent lamb became their substitute making it possible for the Lord’s judgment to “pass over” them.
*The lamb was to be roasted whole with fire portraying the judgment that would befall it instead of the firstborn.
*The lamb was to be eaten by each person in the household. Any that was leftover was to be burned.
*God required three symbolic foods to be eaten that Passover night—the lamb, unleavened bread (Matzah), and bitter herbs (Ex. 12:8).
*And so the Lord instituted Passover as a “night to be observed for the Lord for having brought them out from the land of Egypt; this night is for the Lord, to be observed by all the sons of Israel throughout their generations” (Ex. 12:42).
2. THE CHRONOLOGY OF PASSOVER
Passover is a one-day feast that is immediately followed by the seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread. Both feasts today are usually blended and blurred together as a single entity and simply called “Passover.”
God ordained that Passover be observed each year on Nisan 14 (March/April), the day that God delivered His people from Egypt (Ex. 12:6).
God’s deliverance was so mighty and so awesome that Israel’s religious calendar was forever altered. The Jewish people reckon a new year’s beginning in two different ways: a civil new year in the fall with the month of Tishri; and a religious new year, which begins in the spring with the month of Nisan, in commemoration of this miraculous deliverance. The month of Nisan (known as Abib before Babylonian captivity, Ex. 13:4) became the first month of the Hebrew religious year from that time forward (Ex. 12:2).
3. THE CONTINUITY OF PASSOVER
Passover is the oldest continuously observed feast in existence today, celebrated for some 3,500 years. For the Jews, Passover was so important that God gave an alternate date for those who were unable to observe Passover on Nisan 14. God commanded in Numbers 9 that those who had become defiled by touching a dead body or were away on a long journey were to celebrate Passover thirty days later on the fourteenth day of the second month. No other feast of the Lord offers a “rain check.”
There was only one Passover when the Lord passed through the land of Egypt in judgment. Every observance since then has been a memorial commemorating that occasion (Ex. 12:14; 13:3). It was commanded to be a memorial forever.
[ Ex. 12:25-27]
God also declared in Exodus 12:25-27 that is was to be kept by a service:
25 “When you enter the land which the Lord will give you, as He has promised, you shall observe this rite.
26 “And when your children say to you, ‘What does this rite mean to you?’
27 you shall say, ‘It is a Passover sacrifice to the Lord who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but spared our homes.’ ” And the people bowed low and worshiped.
Did you see the purpose for this service? The service was to raise questions in the minds of the children so that the Exodus story could be rehearsed from generation to generation.
The Lord, however, did not detail the order of the service, only that it was to be kept. The next two Sundays, we will explore the traditional Passover Seder (order of service) and examine the perfect picture of Jesus that is presented to us.
4. THE CHARACTER OF THE PASSOVER LAMB
As I said earlier, the lamb was the core of the Passover observance. The character of the lamb in the Passover is a picture of God’s Passover Lamb- Jesus Christ.
*They were to select a year-old male lamb in its prime.
Jesus was a man in the prime of His life at age 33.
*The lamb was to be a perfect lamb without any defect or flaw.
Jesus was sinless. He lived a pure life and was faultless.
*It was to be taken out from the flock on the tenth day of the Hebrew month of Nisan and kept until the fourteenth day of the month. Each family was to observe the lamb and confirm that it was fit. This would also allow time for each family to become personally attached to their lamb so that it would no longer be just a lamb (Ex. 12:3), but their lamb (Ex. 12:5). This would deeply impress upon them the costly nature of the sacrifice. An innocent one was to die in their place.
Jesus left His natural place in heaven and came to earth for a short time. Jesus was born into God’s chosen people. The nation of Israel witnessed His ministry, teachings, miracles, and sinlessness. He was indeed the only One who would be an acceptable sacrifice. An innocent one was to die in their place.
The sacrifice was costly—God’s own Son.
*On the evening of the fourteenth, as the sun was setting, the lambs were to be publicly killed by “the whole assembly.” This was to be done at “twilight”—the time between the descent of the sun and evening. This was from 3 PM to 5 PM.
Jesus died at 3 PM on Nisan 14. He had been rejected and sent to His death by the assembly of the people.
*While all the assembly was responsible for the death of the lambs, each family was to individually apply the blood of their lamb to the doorposts of their home as a visible sign of their faith in the Lord (Ex. 12:13).
All of us are responsible for Christ’s death—He died for OUR sins. Yet, each one of us must come to Christ in faith and let His blood cover our sins, or God’s eternal judgment will not “pass over” us.
*At that moment, the innocent lamb became their substitute, making it possible for the Lord’s judgment to “pass over” them.
Jesus was innocent. He died in your place and took your judgment.
*The lamb was to be roasted whole with fire portraying the judgment that would befall it instead of the firstborn.
Jesus took ALL of God’s judgment for us. God did not spare Him in any way.
*The lamb was to be eaten by each person in the household. Any that was leftover was to be burned.
Jesus must be YOUR Savior and Lord—not your parents’ or grandparents’. You can only receive Him for yourself. No one can get to heaven on your “leftovers.”
*God required three symbolic foods to be eaten that Passover night—the lamb, unleavened bread (Matzah), and bitter herbs (Ex. 12:8).
Jesus was the lamb. He was pure and sinless. Yet, He died a bitter death as He took our place on the cross.
*And so the Lord instituted Passover as a “night to be observed for the Lord for having brought them out from the land of Egypt; this night is for the Lord, to be observed by all the sons of Israel throughout their generations” (Ex. 12:42).
For the Christian, the Lord’s Supper is our memorial of what Christ did for us.
Dr. Eleanor Chestnut was a medical missionary in China during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. She built a hospital and performed surgery for free. One operation involved the amputation of a common laborer’s leg. Complications arose, and skin grafts were needed. A few days later, another doctor asked Dr. Chestnut why she was limping. “Oh, it nothing,” was her reply.
Finally, a nurse told the inquisitive doctor that the skin graft for the patient came from Dr. Chestnut’s own leg.
A few years later, in 1905’s Boxer Rebellion, Dr. Chestnut was killed by the very people she was helping.
Christ came to help us and gave His life for us. Will you honor His death for you by your living for Him?
Two weeks ago, I introduced this series of messages on the seven “Feasts of the Lord.” The special holidays, or “holy days,” instituted by God were to be observed by the nation of Israel. While given to the Jewish people, these feasts are worthy of our attention because they point us to the Messiah—Jesus Christ. In Leviticus 23 we are given a list of these seven feasts. Today, and through the remainder of the month, we will examine the first feast: Passover.
Passover is the oldest holiday in human history. It spans some 3500 years of humanity. It is as old as the pyramids of Egypt. The Passover story begins with a death decree for all Jewish boys, soon followed by a bobbing baby in a basket in the Nile River. The Passover story features a cosmic game of chicken between Moses and a Pharaoh as God piles up plagues. There is a burning bush, slaves set free, an ocean opening, a drowning cavalry, and the birth of a nation at the base of a mountain.
Passover’s powerful message is practical for today. Understanding this holiday will bring to life the imagery in the events of the Upper Room, the symbolism of the Lord’s Table, and the meaning of Messiah’s death.
[ Ex. 12:1-14]
In Exodus 12:1-14 we read:
1 Now the Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,
2 “This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year to you.
3 “Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth of this month they are each one to take a lamb for themselves, according to their fathers’ households, a lamb for each household.
4 ‘Now if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his neighbor nearest to his house are to take one according to the number of persons in them; according to what each man should eat, you are to divide the lamb.
5 ‘Your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats.
6 ‘You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight.
7 ‘Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.
8 ‘They shall eat the flesh that same night, roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
9 ‘Do not eat any of it raw or boiled at all with water, but rather roasted with fire, both its head and its legs along with its entrails.
10 ‘And you shall not leave any of it over until morning, but whatever is left of it until morning, you shall burn with fire.
11 ‘Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste—it is the Lord’s Passover.
12 ‘For I will go through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments—I am the Lord.
13 ‘The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
14 ‘Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as a permanent ordinance.
1. THE CORE OF PASSOVER
The Jewish people had been held as slaves for more than 400 years in Egypt. God was now going to bring them back to the Promised Land that was promised to the descendants of Abraham. In Exodus 11, God gave a warning the 10th and final judgment plague would befall the Egyptians and their false gods. At midnight, the Lord would pass through the land and kill the firstborn of each family and of all the cattle. With this final, climactic plague, God would dramatically free His people from the slavery of Egypt.
In Exodus 12, God instituted the Passover in explicit steps to be taken by those who trusted in Him so that they, unlike Pharaoh and the Egyptians, would not be struck down by the final plague.
In all biblical passages which address the subject of Passover, the lamb was at the core of Passover. It was the centerpiece of all that was occurring. If there was no lamb given, there would be no deliverance gained. So central was the lamb to the Passover observance that the term “the Passover” came be used interchangeably of the lamb, as well as the holiday. In Exodus 12:21 we read, Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go and take for yourselves lambs according to your families, and slay the Passover lamb. One could not exist without the other. The holiday was embodied in the lamb—without it, the holiday was meaningless.
What were the Israelites commanded regarding Passover in Exodus 12?
*They were to select a year-old male lamb in its prime.
*The lamb was to be a perfect lamb without any defect or flaw.
*It was to be taken out from the flock on the tenth day of the Hebrew month of Nisan and kept until the fourteenth day of the month.
*On the evening of the fourteenth, as the sun was setting, the lambs were to be publicly killed by “the whole assembly.” This was to be done at “twilight”—the time between the descent of the sun and evening. This was from 3 PM to 5 PM.
*While all the assembly was responsible for the death of the lambs, each family was to individually apply the blood of their lamb to the doorposts of their home as a visible sign of their faith in the Lord (Ex. 12:13).
*At that moment, the innocent lamb became their substitute making it possible for the Lord’s judgment to “pass over” them.
*The lamb was to be roasted whole with fire portraying the judgment that would befall it instead of the firstborn.
*The lamb was to be eaten by each person in the household. Any that was leftover was to be burned.
*God required three symbolic foods to be eaten that Passover night—the lamb, unleavened bread (Matzah), and bitter herbs (Ex. 12:8).
*And so the Lord instituted Passover as a “night to be observed for the Lord for having brought them out from the land of Egypt; this night is for the Lord, to be observed by all the sons of Israel throughout their generations” (Ex. 12:42).
2. THE CHRONOLOGY OF PASSOVER
Passover is a one-day feast that is immediately followed by the seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread. Both feasts today are usually blended and blurred together as a single entity and simply called “Passover.”
God ordained that Passover be observed each year on Nisan 14 (March/April), the day that God delivered His people from Egypt (Ex. 12:6).
God’s deliverance was so mighty and so awesome that Israel’s religious calendar was forever altered. The Jewish people reckon a new year’s beginning in two different ways: a civil new year in the fall with the month of Tishri; and a religious new year, which begins in the spring with the month of Nisan, in commemoration of this miraculous deliverance. The month of Nisan (known as Abib before Babylonian captivity, Ex. 13:4) became the first month of the Hebrew religious year from that time forward (Ex. 12:2).
3. THE CONTINUITY OF PASSOVER
Passover is the oldest continuously observed feast in existence today, celebrated for some 3,500 years. For the Jews, Passover was so important that God gave an alternate date for those who were unable to observe Passover on Nisan 14. God commanded in Numbers 9 that those who had become defiled by touching a dead body or were away on a long journey were to celebrate Passover thirty days later on the fourteenth day of the second month. No other feast of the Lord offers a “rain check.”
There was only one Passover when the Lord passed through the land of Egypt in judgment. Every observance since then has been a memorial commemorating that occasion (Ex. 12:14; 13:3). It was commanded to be a memorial forever.
[ Ex. 12:25-27]
God also declared in Exodus 12:25-27 that is was to be kept by a service:
25 “When you enter the land which the Lord will give you, as He has promised, you shall observe this rite.
26 “And when your children say to you, ‘What does this rite mean to you?’
27 you shall say, ‘It is a Passover sacrifice to the Lord who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but spared our homes.’ ” And the people bowed low and worshiped.
Did you see the purpose for this service? The service was to raise questions in the minds of the children so that the Exodus story could be rehearsed from generation to generation.
The Lord, however, did not detail the order of the service, only that it was to be kept. The next two Sundays, we will explore the traditional Passover Seder (order of service) and examine the perfect picture of Jesus that is presented to us.
4. THE CHARACTER OF THE PASSOVER LAMB
As I said earlier, the lamb was the core of the Passover observance. The character of the lamb in the Passover is a picture of God’s Passover Lamb- Jesus Christ.
*They were to select a year-old male lamb in its prime.
Jesus was a man in the prime of His life at age 33.
*The lamb was to be a perfect lamb without any defect or flaw.
Jesus was sinless. He lived a pure life and was faultless.
*It was to be taken out from the flock on the tenth day of the Hebrew month of Nisan and kept until the fourteenth day of the month. Each family was to observe the lamb and confirm that it was fit. This would also allow time for each family to become personally attached to their lamb so that it would no longer be just a lamb (Ex. 12:3), but their lamb (Ex. 12:5). This would deeply impress upon them the costly nature of the sacrifice. An innocent one was to die in their place.
Jesus left His natural place in heaven and came to earth for a short time. Jesus was born into God’s chosen people. The nation of Israel witnessed His ministry, teachings, miracles, and sinlessness. He was indeed the only One who would be an acceptable sacrifice. An innocent one was to die in their place.
The sacrifice was costly—God’s own Son.
*On the evening of the fourteenth, as the sun was setting, the lambs were to be publicly killed by “the whole assembly.” This was to be done at “twilight”—the time between the descent of the sun and evening. This was from 3 PM to 5 PM.
Jesus died at 3 PM on Nisan 14. He had been rejected and sent to His death by the assembly of the people.
*While all the assembly was responsible for the death of the lambs, each family was to individually apply the blood of their lamb to the doorposts of their home as a visible sign of their faith in the Lord (Ex. 12:13).
All of us are responsible for Christ’s death—He died for OUR sins. Yet, each one of us must come to Christ in faith and let His blood cover our sins, or God’s eternal judgment will not “pass over” us.
*At that moment, the innocent lamb became their substitute, making it possible for the Lord’s judgment to “pass over” them.
Jesus was innocent. He died in your place and took your judgment.
*The lamb was to be roasted whole with fire portraying the judgment that would befall it instead of the firstborn.
Jesus took ALL of God’s judgment for us. God did not spare Him in any way.
*The lamb was to be eaten by each person in the household. Any that was leftover was to be burned.
Jesus must be YOUR Savior and Lord—not your parents’ or grandparents’. You can only receive Him for yourself. No one can get to heaven on your “leftovers.”
*God required three symbolic foods to be eaten that Passover night—the lamb, unleavened bread (Matzah), and bitter herbs (Ex. 12:8).
Jesus was the lamb. He was pure and sinless. Yet, He died a bitter death as He took our place on the cross.
*And so the Lord instituted Passover as a “night to be observed for the Lord for having brought them out from the land of Egypt; this night is for the Lord, to be observed by all the sons of Israel throughout their generations” (Ex. 12:42).
For the Christian, the Lord’s Supper is our memorial of what Christ did for us.
Dr. Eleanor Chestnut was a medical missionary in China during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. She built a hospital and performed surgery for free. One operation involved the amputation of a common laborer’s leg. Complications arose, and skin grafts were needed. A few days later, another doctor asked Dr. Chestnut why she was limping. “Oh, it nothing,” was her reply.
Finally, a nurse told the inquisitive doctor that the skin graft for the patient came from Dr. Chestnut’s own leg.
A few years later, in 1905’s Boxer Rebellion, Dr. Chestnut was killed by the very people she was helping.
Christ came to help us and gave His life for us. Will you honor His death for you by your living for Him?
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Baptism Basics (Acts 8:26-39)
There is the story of four pastors who gathered for coffee every Monday morning for a time of reflecting together on how each one’s ministry was doing. One pastor shared with the group that he was having quite a problem with bats gathering in the church bell tower, and wanted help in finding ways to get rid of them.
The first pastor responded, “I had the same problem. After church one Sunday I took out my shotgun and starting shooting at the bats.”
“Did it work?” the bat infested pastor asked.
“Nope!” said the gun toting preacher. “All I did was shoot a bunch of holes in my roof, and I still have bats”.
The second pastor responded, “I had a bat problem too.”
“What did you do about it?” asked the pastor with the problem.
“I set a bunch of traps in my church and I ended up catching all 165 bats by the next morning. I then loaded the traps onto my truck, drove the bats 500 miles away from the church, and turned them loose.”
“Did it work?” asked the pastor with the bat problem.
“Nope! By the time I drove back to the church, those little vermin had followed me all the way home, and they’re back flying around in my church”.
The last pastor had a big smile on his face. “I got rid of all my bats.”
“How did you do it?” asked the others.
“All I did was baptize them, make them members of my church, and I haven’t seen them since!”
We laugh at that old joke because there is an element of truth to it. Many people view baptism as the end of their commitment to Christ. These folks believe that baptism is an act that assures them of heaven and the blessings of church membership. They have no real plans of being anything more than a name on the roll and having a place to get married or buried.
Of course, baptism is not the culmination of our commitment to Christ; it is the commencement of our commitment to Christ. Baptism is not the finish line; it is the starting line.
As we examine Acts 8:26-39, we will learn some important things about baptism.
[Acts 8:26-39]
26 But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, “Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a desert road.)
27 So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship,
28 and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah.
29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this chariot.”
30 Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
31 And he said, “Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32 Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this: “He was led as a sheep to slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He does not open His mouth.
33 “In humiliation His judgment was taken away; Who will relate His generation? For His life is removed from the earth.”
34 The eunuch answered Philip and said, “Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself or of someone else?”
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him.
36 As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?”
37 And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
38 And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.
39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing.
Philip, the deacon evangelist, had been preaching in Samaria to the north of Jerusalem. At the same time, God knew that there would soon be a man in a chariot in the middle of the desert far to the south of Jerusalem who was seeking truth. So God arranged a divine appointment. Their paths intersected and we have this story to illustrate some truths about baptism.
1. BAPTISM'S OPPORTUNITY
God freely offers eternal life to all, but only a few will receive this wonderful gift. The next step of faith is baptism. Notice the man’s surprise in verse 36 when he says, “Look! Water!” Why is he surprised? Because you don’t expect to find abundant water in the middle of the desert. The fact that God made sure there was enough water in the desert to immerse the man tells us that baptism is an important step in the life of the Christian. Just as God supplies the opportunity for you to come to Christ, he also gives you an opportunity to commit to Christ.
So why is baptism such an important step for a believer in Christ?
A. Baptism Depicts Christ
The Apostle Paul tells us that baptism is a public testimony of the sacrificial death of Jesus. Listen to Romans 6:1-4,
1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?
2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?
3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?
4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
It is important that baptism be a complete immersion in water. The word “baptize” means “to immerse or to dunk.” Note what Paul is saying in Romans 6:3-4. The act of lowering, submerging, and raising a believer out of the water pictures the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
B. Baptism Defines Christians
Paul tells us in Romans 6:2 that baptism also symbolizes dying to sin. The end of verse 4 tells us that, after dying to sin, the raising out of the water is a symbol of starting to “walk in newness of life.” Baptism is the first step in a new walk of faith.
“In the early days of the church, baptism was a declaration that the believer was definitely identifying himself with that group of people who were called Christians and were despised and hated. To be a Christian meant something. To identify yourself with those who were called Christians meant persecution, maybe death; it meant being ostracized from your family, shunned by friends. And the one act which was the final declaration of this identification was BAPTISM. As long as
a man gathered with Christians, he was tolerated, but when once he submitted to baptism, he declared to all the world, I BELONG TO THIS GROUP OF CHRISTIANS, and immediately he was persecuted, hated, and despised. In baptism, therefore, the believer entered into the fellowship of the sufferings of Christ. A person might be a believer and keep it strictly a secret and thus avoid unpleasantness and suffering, but once he submitted to public baptism he had burned his bridges behind him. . .” (Pamphlet, Water Baptism, p. 27).
Yesterday was the 174th anniversary of the fall of the Alamo on March 6, 1836. On that day, 183 men gave their lives for Texas’ independence from Mexico. In the midst of that epic 13-day battle, the commander of the fort, Col. William B. Travis, received word that reinforcements would not arrive in time to save them if they chose to stay and fight. Travis was faced with a decision. They could flee and save their lives, or they could stay and fight--buying precious time for Sam Houston to get the rest of the Texas army ready to fight. They could save their lives and forfeit Texas’ independence, or they could forfeit their lives to save the new republic. Travis assembled the 184 defenders and told them of the choice they would have to make. They could not withstand many more onslaughts from the 5,000 enemy troops. If they stayed, they would die.
With his sword, Travis drew a line in the sand and said, “If you are willing to stay and fight, step over the line. If you don’t want to step over the line, you may flee under the cover of darkness tonight.” Every man stepped over the line but one. The 183 who stepped over the line are heroes--schools, counties, streets and buildings memorialize their names throughout Texas.
What about the one who snuck out? His name was Lewis Rose. He lived the rest of his life in shame, hiding his identity and drifting without purpose. He died alone and was given a pauper’s grave. Have you ever heard the song, “The Yellow Rose of Texas”? The song was originally written about the “yellow” (cowardly) Lewis Rose. Many years later, the words were changed to honor a fictitious beautiful blonde-haired woman, because everyone enjoyed the tune, but didn’t want to remember a man who wouldn’t step over the line.
Baptism is a “stepping over the line” in the life of Christian. It is a public testimony that you are committed to following Christ and are willing to be part of a band of believers in a local congregation. It defines who you are in the eyes of others.
2. BAPTISM'S OBEDIENCE
Jesus gave this command in Matthew 28:19-20, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
A. The Ethiopian knew baptism was important.
After Philip proclaimed the Gospel of Christ, the Ethiopian knew that he needed to be baptized. Notice verse 36 again. As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?”
Even those without Christ know that baptism is an important act of obedience for those who follow Christ.
B. The Ethiopian knew baptism was imperative.
If something is “imperative” that means that it is not optional, but expected. A person who possesses a saving faith in Jesus will desire to be baptized. That is the meaning of the Apostle Peter’s words in Acts 2:38. “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
The word “for” in Acts 2:38 is the Greek word “eis” which means “because of.” If I said, “Fred is in jail for stealing cars,” am I saying “Fred is in jail so he can steal cars.”? No, that doesn’t make any sense. What I am saying is, “Fred is in jail because he was stealing cars.”
Peter is saying, “Repent, and because your sins have been forgiven, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” When we repent, we receive the Holy Spirit; and, as a result of repentance, evidenced by receiving the Holy Spirit, we are to be baptized.
3. BAPTISM'S OBSTACLES
Did you notice the Ethiopian’s question in verse 36? “What prevents me from being baptized?” That is a question that needs to be asked by those who claim to believe in Christ and have not been baptized after coming to faith.
A. A Lack of Belief
In verse 37 Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” Philip told the man that what was preventing his baptism was his lack of belief. If he would believe that Jesus was the Messiah—the only One Who could save him--and place faith in Jesus, he could be baptized. To this, the Ethiopian said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” He responded with faith and made a public confession of Christ.
In Acts 16:29-33 we have the account of Paul and Silas in the jail at Philippi. At midnight, while they were singing praises and praying, God sent an earthquake that opened all the cell doors and caused the chains to fall off the prisoners. The guard who had been listening to all this became convicted that he needed this glorious salvation that gave Paul and Silas such peace and strength.
29 And [the guard] called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas,
30 and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house.
33 And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household.
Like the Ethiopian, the guard needed to believe before he could be baptized.
B. A Lack of Understanding
The Ethiopian mistakenly thought baptism would bring him salvation. That is why he asked about being baptized before he confessed Christ. The act of baptism has never saved anyone.
I know that some may not like what I’m about to say. I understand that some may even become angry and will want to dismiss me as a “crack-pot” because what I am saying goes against a lifetime of personal belief and generations of denominational teaching. If you are one of those people, know that it is because I love you that I will speak the truth of the Bible. In every instance of baptism in the Bible, a choice to believe is openly confessed and then baptism follows.
Some people think they are going to heaven because they were baptized as an infant. There is not one single incident of infant baptism in the Scriptures. In fact, the practice was begun four hundred years after Christ by those who rejected that salvation is by grace through faith. There is nothing wrong with dedicating a baby to the Lord, but there is no such thing as “baptizing” a baby in God’s eyes. I warned you that I was going to make some of you upset. Instead of shooting the messenger, I beg you to honestly search the Scriptures for the truth.
Baptism is an act of public identification with Christ. Many have not truly been baptized because they don’t have a biblical understanding that baptism is not a religious rite or a religious sacrament. It is an act of commitment to Christ.
C. A Lack of Commitment
So, why have some who have believed in Christ and have a proper understanding of baptism’s purpose not been baptized? It is not because of a lack of belief or a lack of understanding. Sadly, for those Christians it is a lack of commitment. They just don’t want to commit themselves to the cause.
Baptism is a lot like a wedding ring. Baptism is symbolic of the washing away of our sins. It is also symbolic of a new way of life. It has been said that Baptism is to the Christian faith what the wedding ring is to a marriage. If I didn’t wear my wedding ring, you might question my commitment to my wife. Like the wedding ring, baptism says I am committed to serving Christ.
It is now time for you to make a decision. Jesus has taken the Sword of the Word of God and drawn a line in the dirt.
*Some here may need to say, “Yes, Lord, I will declare that I am committed to you and this church and be baptized.”
*Some here may have been saved and baptized in the past but need to say, “Yes, Lord, I am going to be committed to this church and I’m going become a member today!”
*Some here may be like the man from Ethiopia and need to claim Christ as their Savior and follow their confession of faith with baptism.
Remember I love you and, most of all, Jesus loves you. The line has been drawn. A challenge is before you. Will you step over the line to join the battle, or will you flee over the wall in the darkness?
The first pastor responded, “I had the same problem. After church one Sunday I took out my shotgun and starting shooting at the bats.”
“Did it work?” the bat infested pastor asked.
“Nope!” said the gun toting preacher. “All I did was shoot a bunch of holes in my roof, and I still have bats”.
The second pastor responded, “I had a bat problem too.”
“What did you do about it?” asked the pastor with the problem.
“I set a bunch of traps in my church and I ended up catching all 165 bats by the next morning. I then loaded the traps onto my truck, drove the bats 500 miles away from the church, and turned them loose.”
“Did it work?” asked the pastor with the bat problem.
“Nope! By the time I drove back to the church, those little vermin had followed me all the way home, and they’re back flying around in my church”.
The last pastor had a big smile on his face. “I got rid of all my bats.”
“How did you do it?” asked the others.
“All I did was baptize them, make them members of my church, and I haven’t seen them since!”
We laugh at that old joke because there is an element of truth to it. Many people view baptism as the end of their commitment to Christ. These folks believe that baptism is an act that assures them of heaven and the blessings of church membership. They have no real plans of being anything more than a name on the roll and having a place to get married or buried.
Of course, baptism is not the culmination of our commitment to Christ; it is the commencement of our commitment to Christ. Baptism is not the finish line; it is the starting line.
As we examine Acts 8:26-39, we will learn some important things about baptism.
[Acts 8:26-39]
26 But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, “Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a desert road.)
27 So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship,
28 and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah.
29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this chariot.”
30 Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
31 And he said, “Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32 Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this: “He was led as a sheep to slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He does not open His mouth.
33 “In humiliation His judgment was taken away; Who will relate His generation? For His life is removed from the earth.”
34 The eunuch answered Philip and said, “Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself or of someone else?”
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him.
36 As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?”
37 And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
38 And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.
39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing.
Philip, the deacon evangelist, had been preaching in Samaria to the north of Jerusalem. At the same time, God knew that there would soon be a man in a chariot in the middle of the desert far to the south of Jerusalem who was seeking truth. So God arranged a divine appointment. Their paths intersected and we have this story to illustrate some truths about baptism.
1. BAPTISM'S OPPORTUNITY
God freely offers eternal life to all, but only a few will receive this wonderful gift. The next step of faith is baptism. Notice the man’s surprise in verse 36 when he says, “Look! Water!” Why is he surprised? Because you don’t expect to find abundant water in the middle of the desert. The fact that God made sure there was enough water in the desert to immerse the man tells us that baptism is an important step in the life of the Christian. Just as God supplies the opportunity for you to come to Christ, he also gives you an opportunity to commit to Christ.
So why is baptism such an important step for a believer in Christ?
A. Baptism Depicts Christ
The Apostle Paul tells us that baptism is a public testimony of the sacrificial death of Jesus. Listen to Romans 6:1-4,
1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?
2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?
3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?
4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
It is important that baptism be a complete immersion in water. The word “baptize” means “to immerse or to dunk.” Note what Paul is saying in Romans 6:3-4. The act of lowering, submerging, and raising a believer out of the water pictures the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
B. Baptism Defines Christians
Paul tells us in Romans 6:2 that baptism also symbolizes dying to sin. The end of verse 4 tells us that, after dying to sin, the raising out of the water is a symbol of starting to “walk in newness of life.” Baptism is the first step in a new walk of faith.
“In the early days of the church, baptism was a declaration that the believer was definitely identifying himself with that group of people who were called Christians and were despised and hated. To be a Christian meant something. To identify yourself with those who were called Christians meant persecution, maybe death; it meant being ostracized from your family, shunned by friends. And the one act which was the final declaration of this identification was BAPTISM. As long as
a man gathered with Christians, he was tolerated, but when once he submitted to baptism, he declared to all the world, I BELONG TO THIS GROUP OF CHRISTIANS, and immediately he was persecuted, hated, and despised. In baptism, therefore, the believer entered into the fellowship of the sufferings of Christ. A person might be a believer and keep it strictly a secret and thus avoid unpleasantness and suffering, but once he submitted to public baptism he had burned his bridges behind him. . .” (Pamphlet, Water Baptism, p. 27).
Yesterday was the 174th anniversary of the fall of the Alamo on March 6, 1836. On that day, 183 men gave their lives for Texas’ independence from Mexico. In the midst of that epic 13-day battle, the commander of the fort, Col. William B. Travis, received word that reinforcements would not arrive in time to save them if they chose to stay and fight. Travis was faced with a decision. They could flee and save their lives, or they could stay and fight--buying precious time for Sam Houston to get the rest of the Texas army ready to fight. They could save their lives and forfeit Texas’ independence, or they could forfeit their lives to save the new republic. Travis assembled the 184 defenders and told them of the choice they would have to make. They could not withstand many more onslaughts from the 5,000 enemy troops. If they stayed, they would die.
With his sword, Travis drew a line in the sand and said, “If you are willing to stay and fight, step over the line. If you don’t want to step over the line, you may flee under the cover of darkness tonight.” Every man stepped over the line but one. The 183 who stepped over the line are heroes--schools, counties, streets and buildings memorialize their names throughout Texas.
What about the one who snuck out? His name was Lewis Rose. He lived the rest of his life in shame, hiding his identity and drifting without purpose. He died alone and was given a pauper’s grave. Have you ever heard the song, “The Yellow Rose of Texas”? The song was originally written about the “yellow” (cowardly) Lewis Rose. Many years later, the words were changed to honor a fictitious beautiful blonde-haired woman, because everyone enjoyed the tune, but didn’t want to remember a man who wouldn’t step over the line.
Baptism is a “stepping over the line” in the life of Christian. It is a public testimony that you are committed to following Christ and are willing to be part of a band of believers in a local congregation. It defines who you are in the eyes of others.
2. BAPTISM'S OBEDIENCE
Jesus gave this command in Matthew 28:19-20, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
A. The Ethiopian knew baptism was important.
After Philip proclaimed the Gospel of Christ, the Ethiopian knew that he needed to be baptized. Notice verse 36 again. As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?”
Even those without Christ know that baptism is an important act of obedience for those who follow Christ.
B. The Ethiopian knew baptism was imperative.
If something is “imperative” that means that it is not optional, but expected. A person who possesses a saving faith in Jesus will desire to be baptized. That is the meaning of the Apostle Peter’s words in Acts 2:38. “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
The word “for” in Acts 2:38 is the Greek word “eis” which means “because of.” If I said, “Fred is in jail for stealing cars,” am I saying “Fred is in jail so he can steal cars.”? No, that doesn’t make any sense. What I am saying is, “Fred is in jail because he was stealing cars.”
Peter is saying, “Repent, and because your sins have been forgiven, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” When we repent, we receive the Holy Spirit; and, as a result of repentance, evidenced by receiving the Holy Spirit, we are to be baptized.
3. BAPTISM'S OBSTACLES
Did you notice the Ethiopian’s question in verse 36? “What prevents me from being baptized?” That is a question that needs to be asked by those who claim to believe in Christ and have not been baptized after coming to faith.
A. A Lack of Belief
In verse 37 Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” Philip told the man that what was preventing his baptism was his lack of belief. If he would believe that Jesus was the Messiah—the only One Who could save him--and place faith in Jesus, he could be baptized. To this, the Ethiopian said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” He responded with faith and made a public confession of Christ.
In Acts 16:29-33 we have the account of Paul and Silas in the jail at Philippi. At midnight, while they were singing praises and praying, God sent an earthquake that opened all the cell doors and caused the chains to fall off the prisoners. The guard who had been listening to all this became convicted that he needed this glorious salvation that gave Paul and Silas such peace and strength.
29 And [the guard] called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas,
30 and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house.
33 And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household.
Like the Ethiopian, the guard needed to believe before he could be baptized.
B. A Lack of Understanding
The Ethiopian mistakenly thought baptism would bring him salvation. That is why he asked about being baptized before he confessed Christ. The act of baptism has never saved anyone.
I know that some may not like what I’m about to say. I understand that some may even become angry and will want to dismiss me as a “crack-pot” because what I am saying goes against a lifetime of personal belief and generations of denominational teaching. If you are one of those people, know that it is because I love you that I will speak the truth of the Bible. In every instance of baptism in the Bible, a choice to believe is openly confessed and then baptism follows.
Some people think they are going to heaven because they were baptized as an infant. There is not one single incident of infant baptism in the Scriptures. In fact, the practice was begun four hundred years after Christ by those who rejected that salvation is by grace through faith. There is nothing wrong with dedicating a baby to the Lord, but there is no such thing as “baptizing” a baby in God’s eyes. I warned you that I was going to make some of you upset. Instead of shooting the messenger, I beg you to honestly search the Scriptures for the truth.
Baptism is an act of public identification with Christ. Many have not truly been baptized because they don’t have a biblical understanding that baptism is not a religious rite or a religious sacrament. It is an act of commitment to Christ.
C. A Lack of Commitment
So, why have some who have believed in Christ and have a proper understanding of baptism’s purpose not been baptized? It is not because of a lack of belief or a lack of understanding. Sadly, for those Christians it is a lack of commitment. They just don’t want to commit themselves to the cause.
Baptism is a lot like a wedding ring. Baptism is symbolic of the washing away of our sins. It is also symbolic of a new way of life. It has been said that Baptism is to the Christian faith what the wedding ring is to a marriage. If I didn’t wear my wedding ring, you might question my commitment to my wife. Like the wedding ring, baptism says I am committed to serving Christ.
It is now time for you to make a decision. Jesus has taken the Sword of the Word of God and drawn a line in the dirt.
*Some here may need to say, “Yes, Lord, I will declare that I am committed to you and this church and be baptized.”
*Some here may have been saved and baptized in the past but need to say, “Yes, Lord, I am going to be committed to this church and I’m going become a member today!”
*Some here may be like the man from Ethiopia and need to claim Christ as their Savior and follow their confession of faith with baptism.
Remember I love you and, most of all, Jesus loves you. The line has been drawn. A challenge is before you. Will you step over the line to join the battle, or will you flee over the wall in the darkness?
Monday, March 1, 2010
Reflecting on Christ's Love For Us
“Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13 NASB95
In my home town of College Station, Texas, there is a quiet hallway which runs along the north side of the Memorial Student Center on the campus of my alma mater, Texas A&M University. The hallowed hallway is a quiet place honoring the seven Texas Aggies who earned the Congressional Medal of Honor in the battles of World War II. There are seven framed pictures with the stories of the great sacrifices of these true American heroes in service to the land they loved. Most of these men gave their lives for us. The two who survived their wounds suffered from pain and physical hardship the rest of their lives.
I had the honor of knowing one of these surviving men, Lieutenant Eli L. Whiteley. Mr. Whiteley was a quiet man in a wheel chair with a patch over his right eye. The following is his story as told on the wall of that hushed hall at Texas A&M:
“While leading his platoon on December 27, 1944, in savage house-to-house fighting through the fortress town of Sigolsheim, France, he attacked a building through a street swept by withering mortar and automatic weapons fire. He was hit and severely wounded in the arm and shoulder; but he charged into the house alone and killed its two defenders. Hurling smoke and fragmentation grenades before him, he reached the next house and stormed inside, killing two more and capturing eleven of the enemy. He continued leading his platoon in the extremely dangerous task of clearing hostile troops from strong points along the street until he reached a building held by fanatical Nazi troops. Although suffering from wounds which had rendered his left arm useless, he advanced on this strongly defended house, and after blasting out a wall with bazooka fire, charged through a hail of bullets. Wedging his sub-machinegun under his uninjured arm, he rushed into the house through the hole torn by his rockets, killed five of the enemy and forced the remaining twelve to surrender. As he emerged to continue his fearless attack, he was again hit and critically wounded. In agony and with one eye pierced by a shell fragment, he shouted for his men to follow him to the next house. He was determined to stay in the fighting, and remained at the head of his platoon until forcibly evacuated. By his disregard for personal safety, his aggressiveness while suffering from severe wounds, his determined leadership and superb courage, 1st Lt. Whiteley killed nine Germans, captured twenty-three more and spearheaded an attack which cracked the core of enemy resistance in a vital area.”
I once asked Mr. Whiteley what motivated him to keep fighting in spite of his wounds. He simply said, “Love.” When I pressed him further, he said, “I knew there was an enemy who wanted to kill everyone I loved, and I was going to do everything in my power to stop him—even if I had to die to do it.”
There was another Hero who ultimately gave His life in order to stop the enemy from killing His loved ones. His name was Jesus, and the enemy was sin. Because Jesus suffered a cruel death on the cross for our sins, we have the promise of eternal life. The Bible says that “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
As we move closer to the Easter season, may we reflect upon all that Christ endured to bring salvation to mankind. Remember to share God’s blessings with others. As we look forward to spring awakening from winter’s slumber, let’s wake to a season of renewal and realization of Christ’s love for us.
Love,
Pastor Larry
In my home town of College Station, Texas, there is a quiet hallway which runs along the north side of the Memorial Student Center on the campus of my alma mater, Texas A&M University. The hallowed hallway is a quiet place honoring the seven Texas Aggies who earned the Congressional Medal of Honor in the battles of World War II. There are seven framed pictures with the stories of the great sacrifices of these true American heroes in service to the land they loved. Most of these men gave their lives for us. The two who survived their wounds suffered from pain and physical hardship the rest of their lives.
I had the honor of knowing one of these surviving men, Lieutenant Eli L. Whiteley. Mr. Whiteley was a quiet man in a wheel chair with a patch over his right eye. The following is his story as told on the wall of that hushed hall at Texas A&M:
“While leading his platoon on December 27, 1944, in savage house-to-house fighting through the fortress town of Sigolsheim, France, he attacked a building through a street swept by withering mortar and automatic weapons fire. He was hit and severely wounded in the arm and shoulder; but he charged into the house alone and killed its two defenders. Hurling smoke and fragmentation grenades before him, he reached the next house and stormed inside, killing two more and capturing eleven of the enemy. He continued leading his platoon in the extremely dangerous task of clearing hostile troops from strong points along the street until he reached a building held by fanatical Nazi troops. Although suffering from wounds which had rendered his left arm useless, he advanced on this strongly defended house, and after blasting out a wall with bazooka fire, charged through a hail of bullets. Wedging his sub-machinegun under his uninjured arm, he rushed into the house through the hole torn by his rockets, killed five of the enemy and forced the remaining twelve to surrender. As he emerged to continue his fearless attack, he was again hit and critically wounded. In agony and with one eye pierced by a shell fragment, he shouted for his men to follow him to the next house. He was determined to stay in the fighting, and remained at the head of his platoon until forcibly evacuated. By his disregard for personal safety, his aggressiveness while suffering from severe wounds, his determined leadership and superb courage, 1st Lt. Whiteley killed nine Germans, captured twenty-three more and spearheaded an attack which cracked the core of enemy resistance in a vital area.”
I once asked Mr. Whiteley what motivated him to keep fighting in spite of his wounds. He simply said, “Love.” When I pressed him further, he said, “I knew there was an enemy who wanted to kill everyone I loved, and I was going to do everything in my power to stop him—even if I had to die to do it.”
There was another Hero who ultimately gave His life in order to stop the enemy from killing His loved ones. His name was Jesus, and the enemy was sin. Because Jesus suffered a cruel death on the cross for our sins, we have the promise of eternal life. The Bible says that “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
As we move closer to the Easter season, may we reflect upon all that Christ endured to bring salvation to mankind. Remember to share God’s blessings with others. As we look forward to spring awakening from winter’s slumber, let’s wake to a season of renewal and realization of Christ’s love for us.
Love,
Pastor Larry
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