In the Bible you are going to find just the word Passover, not Easter.
When you think about Easter or Passover, what are the first things that comes to your mind?
(Chocolate, decorated eggs, delicious food, the Easter Bunny)
Do you know :
- When was the first Passover celebrated?
- Who instituted the passover?
- How was the original celebration of the Passover?
If you wish – you can read at home The book of Exodus chapter 12 – which talks about the Passover
Passover is an annual celebration that God instituted for the people of Israel – every year they would celebrate it for 7 days
And in these seven days they had to eat: unleavened bread, bitter herbs and roasted lamb!
This was instituted by God when He delivered the Jewish people from Egypt.
The people of Israel (the Jews) were being held captives in Egypt, and they were living there as slaves
God raises a man called Moses to free the people from the hands of Pharaoh
God sends 10 plagues (pleig) over the Egyptians and the tenth plague was the death of all the firstborn. The eldest son of every family would be killed
The only means of protection, would be to kill a lamb, take that lamb’s blood and to put it on the sides and tops of the door-frames- and the blood was protection!
Exodus 12: 7 – “Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the door-frames of the houses.
v 12:13. “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.
God said : the blood will be the protection and I will pass over you!
If you have the mark of the blood you are protected.
Let’s see now about Passover in the New Testament
1 Corinthians 5: 7-8
7 Get rid of the old yeast, so That You may be a new unleavened batch-as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, Has Been sacrificed.
8 Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. ”
The Bible says that Jesus was our Passover Lamb! And we should celebrate this festival because of the Lamb that was slain!
When John the Baptist met Jesus he said: Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
Jesus came to die for our sins, for my sins and for your sins!
Jesus was the Passover Lamb who died to save us from eternal death!
He died for us , to free us from Hell and to give us eternal salvation!
When did Jesus die ? Do you remember ?
Jesus died on the Passover!
Jesus died on Friday – he was judged unfairly, he took the cross even though he didn’t deserve it, and was crucified on Friday!
The Bible says that the disciples mourned. They joined all in the same place to mourn the loss of the Master!
But on Sunday – when they celebrated The Passover – Jesus rose back to life!
Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early in the morning – when she got there Jesus was not in the grave!
She began to cry: But suddenly she sees Jesus, and he asks her: Why are you crying?
I was dead! But I am alive now and will be forever and ever!
Easter today is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ! Our Leader, Our Lord,
Our Master is not dead! He has risen and is alive!
We can not just celebrate the Passover on Easter day – but we should celebrate Jesus all of our days while we live!
The coming of Jesus to this earth, his death and resurrection Marked the history of humanity
The resurrection of Jesus is the great difference between all religions!
Because all the founding leaders of religions died one day – and today you can visit their grave (cemetery) and you will find their bones!
The single leader who died and rose again is our Lord Jesus Christ!
If you go to Jerusalem – you can check yourself (I’ve been there)
You will visit the tomb of Jesus and it’s empty! His bones are not there!
The coming of Jesus to this earth is not only something biblical!
The coming of Jesus to this earth is part of history, it is a fact!
The coming of Jesus to this earth divided the history of mankind into two!
You will find written in all the books that report about the past :
BC – Before Christ – AD – (Latin ) Anno Domini (After Christ) or the year of the Lord
The coming of Jesus changed the calendar into Before and After
The death and resurrection of Jesus cannot just be a historical fact in your life
The death and resurrection of Jesus also have to divide your story in two (after and before)
All of us need to have an encounter with Jesus one day!
For the Bible says that all have sinned and need Jesus Christ!
The Bible also says : that the wages of sin is death!
Sin has consequences in our lives!
What is sin?
Sin is living a life to please yourself, sin is anything that displeases God!
Earlier I have said that on the first Passover celebration, God said that the lamb’s blood should be put on the doorframe and if they do not put the blood there – would be death in the family!
Jesus is our Lamb Passover, he died, he shed his blood for your salvation and protection
But this protection is not automatic!
Many think: Jesus died for all – now all are saved!
No, the Israelites had to put the blood on the doorframe to get that protection
The same way – you need to have a certain attitude to be protected from eternal death!
Salvation has been provided, – but now you need to take hold of it, you need to receive it !
1 Timothy 6:12
Paul the Apostle said to Timothy: “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life .”
What brings salvation is not only what Jesus did,- but we need to believe and take owner-ship of it!
How do we do this?
Matthew 4:17 Jesus said: Repent , for the kingdom of God has come near !
Acts 2:38 “Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Jesus was talking to adult people , not children! We only see in the Bible adults being baptised!
Why? Because following Jesus is a decision for eternal life!
He Said: Repent, be baptised, and you will receive the Holy Spirit!
Why did Jesus die for me and you?
To free us from our sin!
His sacrifice on the cross was to free us from sin!
It makes no sense to celebrate the Passover without repentance !
Repentance is to ask forgiveness for your sins and to change your attitude,
Repentance is to feel sorry for having offended God, asking for forgiveness and stopping sinning!
Repentance is to be born again to a new life!