PalmSunday & The Passover

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INTRODUCTION

It is nearing time for Pesach, the Passover Feast.

This Jewish year, 5768 (or 2008 by the Gregorian calendar), Pesach is from the 19^th of April – 26^th or April.

One of the seven feasts of the Lord given to Israel as a teaching tool and reminder of what God had done for them.

Passover, took place at a time when God’s People were slaves to Egypt.

OLD TESTAMENT

GOD’S PEOPLE ARE SLAVES TO EGYPT

In Exodus we read about how God’s people were given instructions by God on how to escape the coming judgment that was to fall upon all the people in Egypt.

OLD TESTAMENT INSTRUCTS ON ESCAPE FROM COMING JUDGMENT OF EGYPT

God instructed them, to escape this judgment, the sacrifice of an unblemished lamb was to be made,

SACRIFICE OF UNBLEMISHED LAMB

and the doorway to the house was to be covered with the blood of the lamb so the Judgment of the Lord on Egypt would pass over God’s people.

BLOOD OF LAMB WILL CAUSE GODS JUDGMENT ON EGYPT TO PASS OVER HIS PEOPLE

Exodus also tells God’s people to remember this as a feast to teach the next generation of what the Lord has done.

REMEMBER UNBLEMISHED SACRIFICE OF LAMB

WHICH ALLOWS ESCAPE FROM THE JUDGMENT OF GOD UPON EGYPT

Here we see a perfect example of how hearing the Word of God was not enough, if you did not DO what the Word instructed, then you would have been a partaker of God’s judgment.

James 1:22

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

This teaching in Exodus, as most of the teachings in the Old Testament, is a teaching of the coming of Christ and what He would accomplish for us.

I. GOD’S PEOPLE WERE SLAVES TO EGYPT

Today, all are God’s people, Jew & Gentile, not in the sense that we are all saved and right with the Lord, but because Salvation is available to all because of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 3:18

For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,

He died for all – Jew and Gentile.

1 Timothy 2:3-5

3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

God’s first Will for you in your life is that all are saved and come to a knowledge of the Truth…who is Jesus Christ!

He died for all.

Old Testament : New Testament

GOD’S PEOPLE ARE SLAVES TO EGYPT

ALL PEOPLE

But we are enslaved, not by Egypt, but by sin.

Romans 6:6 – 7:25

GOD’S PEOPLE ARE SLAVES TO EGYPT

ALL PEOPLE SIN

We are condemned and guilty by the first covenant, the covenant of Law, by which all men are guilty.

Galatians 3:10 – 12

10 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." 11 Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." 12 The law is not based on faith;

If you think you can live by The Law, and be reconciled to God you’re mistaken.

The scriptures say “ALL WHO RELY ON THE LAW ARE UNDER A CURSE”

Sadducees and Pharisees thought they were justified by the Law.

Jesus corrected them.

The rich young man who wanted to follow Jesus thought he was justified by the Law.

Jesus corrected him.

The scribe in the Temple who thanked God he was not like the tax collector who prayed to God before him, thought he was justified by the Law.

Jesus corrected him.

This is why Jesus, the Lamb of God came.

As a sacrifice for those who are slaves to sin.

John 3:17 & 18

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already…

Just as God’s people were salves to Egypt, We, Jew’s and Gentile are slaves to sin.

II. GOD’S INSTRUCTION TO ESCAPE COMING JUDGMENT UPON EGYPT

OLD TESTAMENT INSTRUCTS ON ESCAPE FROM COMING JUDGMENT OF EGYPT

SIN

a. Sacrifice an unblemished lamb.

Unblemished = sinless

Lamb = Jesus Christ

He is our sacrifice.

SACRIFICE OF UNBLEMISHED LAMB

SINLESS JESUS

b. Slaughter the lamb on the 14^th day of Nisan at twilight.

Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, which is the day that all those who were going to give sacrifices would come from everywhere to the city.

While all of them are preparing for their sacrifice, the true meaning of the scriptures and sacrificial teaching was riding in the city at that very same day.

And at the twilight of the 14^th day of Nisan, while the sacrifices were taking place, Jesus, the sinless Lamb of God and our perfect sacrifice was on the Cross for you and me.

This is exactly when Jesus Christ died on the Cross!

The 14^th Day of Nisan, the First month of the Jewish year!

c. Eat the lamb with unleavened bread.

Here we have the Blood of the sacrifice, and the unleavened bread.

The lamb’s blood represents Christ’s Atoning Blood, and the unleavened bread represents the sinless bread of life, manna from heaven.

Jesus is that sinless bread of life.

d. Eat it with cloak tucked into belt and staff in hand, eat it in haste.

Why? This too is symbolic; the end is near when we will be ushered away in the blink of an eye!

Symbolic of what is coming after the Passover…what is coming NEXT…after Christ’s sacrifice, the next EVENT is going to be the calling up of all those who are committed to Jesus Christ.

e. Paint the doorposts with the lamb’s blood.

The Blood of Christ must be a covering for our hearts, for it is the only thing that will remove our sin, and make us reconciled to God when with time of judgment comes.

f. The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. – Exodus 12:13

Because of the Blood of Christ, no judgment will touch you when God strikes sin!

BLOOD OF LAMB WILL CAUSE GODS JUDGMENT ON EGYPT TO PASS OVER HIS PEOPLE JESUS SIN

This judgment is coming!

Tribulation is around the corner, and the judgment of God is going to be poured out upon the earth and it’s sinful inhabitants.

Only the Blood of Christ will ensure that you are not here to partake of this coming judgment.

III. GOD INSTRUCTED HIS PEOPLE TO REMEMBER THIS DAY

a. "This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD -a lasting ordinance. – Exodus 12:14

Why a lasting ordinance?

Because Jesus came to FULFILL the Law.

Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament.

The Promise of God.

REMEMBER UNBLEMISHED SACRIFICE OF LAMB

SINLESS JESUS

WHICH ALLOWS ESCAPE FROM THE JUDGMENT OF GOD UPON EGYPT

SIN

Palm Sunday is the day Jesus Christ came to give Himself for us.

The beginning of the Passover Feast.

Dying on the night that the High Priests were sacrificing the lambs.

These same Priests ushered and orchestrated the sacrifice of Jesus.

It is God’s Will that all men come to Jesus Christ and are saved.

If you have never done so, do so know, in remembrance of Him and what He has done to reconcile you with the Father in Heaven.