Preparing for the Passover
Sabbath Evening March 31, 2006
Every year thousands of God's people around the world in fellowships great and small gather to honor the death of Jesus Christ. This is a most sobering ceremony--one that the Apostle Paul said must be prepared for with thoughtful self examination (1 Cor. 11:28). He also wrote that it was possible to take the Passover "unworthily" (v. 29) and that the consequences for such neglect was "damnation."
On Friday evening March 31st Blow the Trumpet hosted a special Sabbath chat addressing the topic of preparing for the Passover.
How can one prepare for the Passover?
Are there specific things that can be done to understand this GREAT SACRIFICE and how it applies to you? What did Paul mean by taking it "unworthily?" How can one become worthy of such a thing? Furthermore, what can the entire body of Christ do this year to honor that sacrifice? We began by asking some questions about the Passover service. Below are the notes from this remarkable Sabbath Chat.
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What makes the Passover unique among God’s feasts?
Although all of God's feasts have qualities that set them apart as unique, the Passover may have the most. Consider some of the things that are totally unique to this extraordinary period during the year.
1) It is not a holy day
Although the Passover is specifically identified as a "feast," It is not a high day or annual Sabbath. It is however a commanded assembly--a "holy convocation." The term convocation comes from the Hebrew word miqra and means an appointed meeting.
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, concerning the feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts… In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD's Passover. (Lev. 23:2,5)
2) It occurs during the evening
Although all of God's Holy Days begin in the evening, the Passover requires that the formal service take place at the beginning of the day (after sunset). Not only do the scriptures bear this out but so does the perfect example of the Messiah. Notice what God's word says concerning this fact.
In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD's Passover. (Lev. 2:5)
And in the evening he came with the twelve. And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, one of you which eats with me shall betray me. (Mk 14:17-18)
Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve. (Mt 26:20)
And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. (Lk. 22:14)
3) It was accompanied by a meal
And in the evening he came with the twelve. And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, one of you which eats with me shall betray me. (Mk 14:17-18)
4) It makes provisions for it to be taken 30 days later if it is missed
So important is this feast that God specifically instructed His people to set apart the corresponding day of the following month.
For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the Passover in the second month. For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem. And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation. So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover unto the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was written. (2 Chron 30: 2-5)
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the Passover unto the LORD. The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. (Num 9:10-11)
5) It is acted out. We do what Jesus did
For as often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, you do show the Lord's death till he come. 1 Cor. 11:26)
If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. (Jn. 13:14)
6) Only baptized members of God's Church may participate in it
And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof. (Ex 12:48)
It is interesting that when the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness, no circumcision were performed. Therefore, as they prepared to entered into the land of Canaan no male under the age of forty took the Passover.
Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised. (Joshua 5:5)
What does the Passover picture?
The Passover pictures the death of Jesus Christ. This great sacrifice reconciles mankind back to the Father (Rom. 5:10) and makes possible man’s journey toward God’s eternal and incorruptible Kingdom
It is hard to fathom the depth of a Plan so dedicated to success that God the Father would commit His most priceless resource to ensure its achievement. But that is exactly what He did. At some point in the vastness of eternity, the Greatest Being in existence consciously planned to offer the unblemished life of His own Son in order that man could be spared the effects of sin (1Jn. 3:4). This was done because of an extraordinary Vision the Father has for mankind and the Plan He has crafted to ensure its success. And if anyone ever had doubts about how serious God is about achieving success, consider what He put up as collateral. A Vision, A Plan, and A Destiny
What did Paul mean when he warned against taking the Passover unworthily (1 Cor. 11:26)?
Taking the Passover does not require some level of moral purity. We all sin and some may be struggling with some pretty serious problems. The point Paul was making with this warning is that all those who partake of this service must have a genuine respect for Jesus' sacrifice and the enormous love that inspired it.
What can the entire body of Christ do in this age to honor the sacrifice pictured by the Passover?
The scriptures reveal that Jesus death reconciled us back to the Father.
For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. (Rom 5:10)
It would seem to us that God's Church today could truly pay honor to that sacrifice by reconciling with each other. This is a dream of so many. Why must it be so elusive?