Shalom,
May we long to commemorate the Passover with new insight so that the Word of God becoming flesh will have a definite destination, namely to seek sinful, hopeless and aimless man to give him certain destiny, that is the New Jerusalem after they have obtained eternal salvation.
What is the new insight? It’s so called new means really new and always new. Illustration: When we buy a new handphone with an advanced processor and capacity, we are so enthusiastic and proud. But a few weeks later, that handphone isn’t new anymore. It has become a common one. Do we behave like that when we celebrate Passover? We are spirit-filled in praising God in church, even we cry when listening about Jesus' suffering. However, after some days, we forget that sermon and everything becomes mundane. Or our emotion is triggered because of the film The Passion of Christ?
The Bible is a real proof about God’s love in Jesus Christ to us. Do we read the Word of God passionately even though without the perfomance of best actors to arouse our emotion?
If so, how should we commemorate the Passover with new insight as written in Gospel of Luke 22:7- 23? “...When the hour come, Jesus and His apostles reclined at the table. And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way, after the supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you” (verses 14,19,20).
What is our response to the verses above? Do we consider it just an ordinary matter because we often read it just like the Jews who commemorated Passover without new understanding? Every year they did it just as a tradition.
The celebration of unleavened bread and the slain lamb are inseparable for it was God’s command to the Israelites who were released from 430 years of bondage in Egypt (Exodus 12:5-7, 15). The slaughter of the Passover lamb happened only one day but the Israelites had to commemorate the unleavened bread for seven days. We can imagine when the Israeli families ate the hard unleavened bread for seven days and the lamb that night to gain the total freedom! The same month next year, they commemorated it like the previous year but not in haste anymore because they had come out from Egypt. They still remembered how they came out from Egypt.
It’s a pity year after year, they didn’t keep in mind the significance of the 600,000 lambs which were slaughtered for the sake of their freedom from the bondage of Egypt.
Introspection: How do we commemorate the Passover? We don’t slay lamb anymore nor eat the unleavened bread. But can we ponder Jesus' sacrifice at the Holy Communion and remember Him until His second coming?
What is the new insight of Passover – the death and ressurection of Jesus?
- His blood for the forgiveness of sin (Matthew 26:28).
Is it enough for us to remember the Passover only once a year meanwhile every day we still commit wrongdoings and sin? We must realize that holding the Feast of God without understanding its meaning will lead us to make it just a tradition.
- The Apostle Peter warned the Israelites that God had made Jesus whom they crucified both Lord and Christ. The result was they repented (Acts 2:36-38).
- The Apostle Paul rebuked the congregation in Corinth not to feast with the old yeast –the yeast of malice and wickedness – but with the new dough that is bread without yeast – the sincerity and truth! (1 Corinthians 5:6-7).
The letter of Corinthians were written by the Apostle Paul about 56 AD. It means that 26 years after the death and ressurection of Jesus (30 AD) the people of Corinth (Gentiles) repented (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) and could take it to heart that Jesus was the Lamb of Passover. The Apostle Paul pioneered and built the church of Corinth. After that, he went to set up other churches in other places (Thessalonica, Ephesus, Philippi, etc). It seemed that the Apostle Paul had left the church of Corinth for a while when he heard about the condition of their spiritual life. He reminded them not to neglect the Gospel of salvation.
Application: Indeed, we are the new dough without yeast. But if we don’t want to throw away the yeast of malice and wickedness, it can work through us. John 6:35 says that Jesus is the unleavened bread of life. We should be wholeheartedly earnest in reading the Bible – the Word of God – which is able to purify and help us in any circumstances. If we disregard the Gospel, we will lose our salvation. The true Gospel speaks of Jesus who had been crucified for our sins and was raised for our justification (Romans 4:25).
- In front of the multitude, Jesus warned His disciples to be cautious toward the yeast of hypocrisy of the Pharisees (Luke 12:1).
Be cautious, we can be a dough with yeast if we commemorate Passover once a year traditionally. Can our sin that had been forgiven ten years ago guarantee the stability of our spiritual life without daily sanctification by the sacrifice of Christ? Does husband-wife still live in harmony? Or in contrary, have they gradually become drifted away?
- Peter reminds us that we are only strangers in this world and were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to us from our forefathers with the precious blood of Christ, a Lamb without blemish or defect (1 Peter 1:15-21). Do we believe in the evolution theory which said that our ancestors were apes? The Bible says in Genesis 1:26 that we were created in God’s
- The sacrifice offering (lamb) every year was the shadow of the coming salvation for the blood of bulls or goats couldn’t take away sins. The body of Christ was sacrificed to make us holy once for all (Hebrews 10:1-10). We often don’t realize that when we do something without faith, we sin (Romans 14:23). Or we know the good we ought to do and don’t do it, we also sin (James 4:17).
Application: We are sure that our sins have been forgiven by the death of Jesus and we are being sanctified day by day. When He takes our spirit, we will die and become dust; if He sends His Spirit, we will live (Psalms 104:29).
We need to celebrate the Passover not only to fulfill the regulation of our church, but with the new insight that is Jesus, the Lamb of God, had been sacrificed and died to save us, sanctify us once for all. And separate us from the yeast of hypocrisy to make us a new dough without yeast, that is sincerity and purity. Therefore, we will always be spirit-filled enthusiastic in our ministry and remember His sacrifice until His second coming. Amen.