1Corinthians 5:7
Christ Our Passover
The Bible says that Jesus is OUR Passover. Passover is most often thought of as
a Jewish holiday or holy day. What does Passover have to do with us? To
understand the message this morning, we need some background.
Some might falsely think that Passover and Easter are the same thing. They are
not. Passover is the day the Jews celebrate God delivering them from the death
angel who killed the firstborn in Egypt. It is an ancient Old Testament memorial
day. Easter is the day we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead—of
course, that is New Testament. So the establishment of these two holy days was
around 1,500 years apart.
There are some things that connect the two holy days.
1. The two holy days are close together on the calendar. This year the
Passover is April 19, then the Week of Unleavened Bread follows it and
runs through April 26th. Easter us celebrated in the western culture this
year on April 24.
2. Many believe that Jesus was crucified either on the Passover day or very
near to it, so the two holidays have some closeness in the time of their
celebration.
3. And the Passover deals with killing a Jewish lamb while Easter centers on
the resurrection of THE Jewish Lamb.
Some people wonder how Passover and Easter are determined in the calendar. They
do seem to move around a lot in the year. This year, we are having a later
than normal Passover and Easter.
Passover is always determined by the Jewish calendar. Every month of the Jewish
calendar starts when the first silver of the moon is seen after a new moon. That
is always true. Because of that, the Jewish month only lasts between 29 and 30
days. (The moon cycles every 29 1/2 days.) To compensate for the shorter months,
every so often, a Jewish year will have 13 months in it.
Jews start their calendar in the spring, as God told them \\#Ex 12:2\\. They do
that as a testimony to God bringing them out of Egypt and delivering them with
the Passover lamb. (The New Year for the Jews this year was on April 5.)
http://www.jewfaq.org/calendar.htm
Fourteen days after the Jewish New Year the Passover begins. That being the case,
the Passover will always fall the night after the full moon.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Passover_starts_on_the_first_full_moon_after_spring_
equinox
Easter on the other hand is always celebrated the Sunday after the Spring Equinox.
This year, we will celebrate Easter on Sunday, April 24.
http://www.raptureready.com/faq/faq352.html
So what is the Passover about? For the Jews, it is two things.
1. First, as I have said, it is the remembrance of God delivering them from
the death angel that killed the firstborns in Egypt. To escape that
death angel, the ancient Jews had to kill a lamb and paint the blood on
the door posts of their home. No priests were involved in this first
Passover celebration for they had not yet been called by God. Neither
was there a temple. The Jews just killed the lamb, roasted it, and then
ate it. What was not eaten was burnt with fire by morning.
2. Second, from that first Passover came an annual sacrifice. Each year, a
young, pure, spotless male lamb was selected. The lamb was selected on
the tenth day of the month and kept close to the family until the
fourteenth day. Because many Jewish men had to travel to Jerusalem for
the Passover (it was a one of the three days when all Jewish men had to
appear at the temple to make a sacrifice), they would often arrive at
Jerusalem by the tenth day of the month, purchase their lamb at the
temple, then keep it with them until the fourteenth day. Then, on the
fourteenth day at around 3 PM, the Jews made their way to the temple—most
likely through the Sheep Gate—where a priest would slay the lamb, and the
offerer would take the slain lamb back to his home to prepare it.
With that background, why is Jesus called our Passover? Two reasons.
I. Jesus is called our Passover because He fulfilled the requirements of the
Passover.
A. \\#Matthew 27:10-10\\ Tells us that the Jewish nation bought Jesus for
thirty pieces of silver.
1. Most of us consider this to be the betrayal of Judas—and it was.
2. However, there is a whole other side of the betrayal.
a. As surely as someone SOLD Jesus for thirty pieces of silver,
someone BOUGHT Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.
b. The chief priests and rulers of the city went into the temple
treasury, the "holy money of God," and took thirty pieces of
silver.
c. We know that because when Judas returned it, they would not put
it BACK into the treasury, seeing that it was defiled being
blood money.
d. That was not THEIR money. It belonged to God, and it belonged
to His people for the maintenance of the temple.
e. Not only was the money the nation’s holy money, but the people
who made the purchase represented God and His people.
(1) These were the CHIEF PRIESTS. Some of the highest in the
order the priesthood. They represented God.
(2) And these were the rulers of the land. Those who spoke
and judged for the whole nation. They represented the
people.
3. So this was a purchase made with holy money by the official
representatives of the land.
4. This was a nation purchasing a holy Passover Lamb, just as the Law
required.
B. \\#Matt 26:57\\ Tells us that Jesus was brought to the temple.
1. Passover lambs were supposed to be without spot and blemish.
2. Jesus was taken to the temple so that the priests could inspect
Him—and inspect Him they did.
3. John says that they asked Jesus of both His disciples and His
doctrine.
Joh 18:19 The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine.
4. That inspection went on most of the night!
5. After the priests and rulers inspected Jesus, they even had the
Roman government inspect Him.
a. Why?
b. Because this was not just the Passover Lamb for the Jews.
c. This was the Passover Lamb for all who trust in Him.
6. The question is often asked, "Who is responsible for Jesus death?"
a. The most correct answer is, "We are." It was our sin that
crucified Jesus.
b. However, in the books of antiquity, both the Jews and the
Romans had a part in crucifying Jesus.
c. Why? Because Jesus is not just the Jewish Passover anymore.
d. He is OUR Passover, Jew and Gentile alike.
7. Although the priests refused to accept their own inspection
results, Pilate accurately summed them up.
Joh 19:4 Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring
him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him.
Joh 19:6 When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out,
saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and
crucify him: for I find no fault in him.
C. Jesus, Himself, purposely fulfilled the role of the Passover Lamb.
1. Isaiah prophesied that the Jewish Passover Lamb would have the
demeanor of lamb—silent and submissive.
Isa 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he
is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb,
so he openeth not his mouth.
2. The Bible says of Jesus, that He refused to speak to those who
could have set Him free.
John 19:9 And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art
thou? But Jesus gave him no answer.
10 Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that
I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?
3. Matthew tells us that Jesus absolutely refused to defend Himself.
Matthew 27:12 And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he
answered nothing.
13 Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness
against thee?
14 And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled
greatly.
4. Why was Jesus silent when He could have easily reasoned His way
out of the cross if He had chosen?
(a) This was the Man who, with words, had dumbfounded the scribes
and Pharisees repeatedly, so much so that they finally
quit asking Him questions \\#Mark 12:34\\.
(b) This was the Man who when a woman was taken in the very act
of adultery—with nothing but words—spared her life.
(c) This is the man that when the chief priests and rulers of the
city sent guards to arrest Him, came back empty-handed and
when asked why, could only respond, "Never a man spake like
this man!" \\#John 7:46\\
(d) Why did He not defend Himself here, when His life was at
stake? It is obvious that He could have easily "reasoned"
His way to freedom.
5. Because He was our Passover Lamb!
II. Jesus is our Passover because He fulfilled the role of the Passover.
A. Jesus was the substitute Sacrifice for the guilty.
1. The whole point to any animal sacrifice is that a guiltless life
is to be taken for a guilty life.
a. That is why a spotless lamb was chosen throughout the Old
Testament, and that is why Jesus had to be without sin.
b. Jesus was without sin.
(1) He was miraculously conceived by the Holy Ghost, thus
He did not inherit Adam’s fallen nature.
(2) He lived a totally sinless life. That is, He never once
thought a wrong thought, said a wrong word, or did a
wrong deed.
2. Not only did Jesus qualify as the Passover Lamb, but He took our
place as the Passover Lamb.
3. \\#Matthew 27:15-25\\ We have a small Biblical example of what
Jesus did for every human being that would accept Him.
a. \\#Matt 27:15-16\\ Barabbas was a "notable prisoner."
(1) That is, Barabbas had done plenty that was wrong.
(2) His guilt was beyond question.
(3) So is yours and so is mine!
(a) We have lied.
(b) We have stolen.
(c) We have been cruel, hateful, and mean spirited.
(d) We have judged others.
(e) We have cursed.
(f) We have lusted.
(g) We have rebelled against the very commandments of
God.
(4) I am Barabbas and so are you!
b. \\#Matt 27:17-18\\ Pilate gives the people a choice.
(1) Who should be set free? the guilty Barabbas or the
innocent Jesus?
(a) The guilty should be punished.
(b) He is the one who committed the crime!
(c) But will he?
(2) \\#Matt 27:20\\ The chief priests and elders are stirring
up the crowd to demand the innocent be punished!
(3) \\#Matt 27:21-25\\ When the question is asked the second
time, the people demand that Jesus be crucified and the
guilty be released!
c. Why? Why was Jesus crucified and the known prisoner released?
(1) Because Jesus is our Passover Lamb!
(2) Jesus could have secured His freedom if He had desired!
(a) He could have reasoned with Pilate and Herod
for His freedom and won it.
(b) As the song goes, He could have called 10,000 angels
to destroy the world and set Him free!
(3) He did not do these things because HE WANTED TO BE OUR
PASSOVER LAMB!
(4) He wanted to take our place… and He did!
B. Like the Passover Lamb, Jesus was slain at the hands of the
priests.
a. God never permitted the ordinary Jewish citizen to slay a
sacrifice so that there would be no question about false
worship in the land.
(1) If a person who was not a priest offered a sacrifice, he
was guilty of false worship.
(2) So the priests had to slay the Passover Lamb.
b. Notice again who was responsible for Jesus being slain.
Matt 27:20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they
should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.
c. Yes, it was our sins that killed Jesus; but it was the
Jewish priests and leaders that actually made the offering.
d. Why? Because Jesus is our Passover Lamb.
(1) Jesus willing surrendered Himself to His accusers.
(2) Jesus refused to let His disciples fight for Him.
(3) Jesus gave His cheek to those who would strike Him.
(4) Jesus let them pluck the beard from His face.
(5) Jesus allowed His tormenters to place the crown of
thorns upon His brow.
(6) Jesus stood in place while they beat His back with a
whip.
(7) Jesus carried His cross up Calvary’s hill.
(8) Jesus laid upon the cross beam while they drove the
nails into His hands and His feet.
(9) Jesus stayed on that cross, paying the ultimate penalty
for our sin.
(10) And Jesus gave up the ghost, surrendering His life for
ours.
(11) Why? Because Jesus is our Passover Lamb!
C. And when they came to finish the crucifixion, Jesus—like the
Passover Lamb—did not have a bone broken.
John 19:31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies
should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an
high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might
be taken away.
32 Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which
was crucified with him.
33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not
his legs:
a. Contrary to what one might think, to offer a sacrifice was not
to be a cruel event for the animal. It was to be swift and
relatively painless.
b. I have heard that, with a sharp knife, one who knows how can
supposedly cut across the carotid arteries and cause an
almost instant death.
c. The animal being sacrificed was not to be abused or mutilated,
just killed.
d. Truthfully, one area in which Jesus was not treated like the
Passover Lamb was in the mutilation of His body.
(1) The plucking of the beard, the whip upon His back, the
beatings… these were not part of the sacrificial
system.
(2) Why did the Lord allow these things? Because He not only
took our hell, He also took our cup of suffering.
Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our
iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we
are healed.
e. Here is another case of Jesus going the extra mile.
(1) I don’t say that Jesus took all of our suffering.
(2) But I say He took a lot!
f. Yet, even with what was done to Him, they did not break a
bone.
(1) A sacrifice was to be without spot or blemish.
(2) I really don’t know if the sacrifice would have been
acceptable if a bone was accidentally broken.
(3) But we need not worry about that! It wasn’t.
So what does the phrase "Christ our Passover" mean? It means that Jesus was the
perfect Lamb of God who died for sins. Yet, He is not just the Jewish Passover.
No, just like Gentiles had a part in crucifying Him, so Gentiles have a part in
being saved by Him.
Within the next few weeks, Jews and Gentiles will celebrate both the Passover and
Easter. Would you make this a special day? Would you accept Jesus as your
Savior?
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