The Lord's Supper: Our Passover Lamb

The Intersection of Two Great Events

Today is a significant day in the life of the church and in biblical history. It is Palm Sunday, the day Jesus entered Jerusalem to the praises of the people, riding on a donkey as the King of Peace.

But today also marks the beginning of Passover, the Jewish festival that commemorates God’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt.

These two events—Jesus’ triumphal entry and the Passover—converge in the most profound way at the Lord’s Supper. Jesus chose the Passover meal to establish this sacred ordinance, revealing that He Himself is the fulfillment of the Passover. Today, we will reflect on how the Lord’s Supper is our Passover, pointing us to Christ, our sacrificial Lamb.

The First Passover: Deliverance Through the Blood of the Lamb (Exodus 12:1-14)

Exodus 12:1–14 NIV

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, “This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household. If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat. The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. Do not eat the meat raw or boiled in water, but roast it over a fire—with the head, legs and internal organs. Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it. This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the Lord’s Passover. “On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. 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. “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.

The first Passover was God’s means of saving His people from death and delivering them from slavery. The instructions were clear:

A spotless lamb was to be sacrificed.

Its blood was to be applied to the doorposts.

When God saw the blood, He would pass over them, sparing them from judgment.

The Exodus event that is the story off how God freed the people of Israel out of slavery to Egypt and all that was part of that, is the central theological point of the Old Testament. It is the Jesus of the Old Testament. It was where God has freed them.

Passover is the moment in which God delivered them to leave.

Passover was not just about freedom from Egypt; it was a foreshadowing of something greater. The lamb’s blood pointed ahead to Jesus, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).

John 1:29 CSB

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

Jesus, Our Passover Lamb (Luke 22:7-20)

Luke 22:7–20 CSB

Then the Day of Unleavened Bread came when the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.” “Where do you want us to prepare it?” they asked him. “Listen,” he said to them, “when you’ve entered the city, a man carrying a water jug will meet you. Follow him into the house he enters. Tell the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks you, “Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover with my disciples?” ’ Then he will show you a large, furnished room upstairs. Make the preparations there.” So they went and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover. When the hour came, he reclined at the table, and the apostles with him. Then he said to them, “I have fervently desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. For I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way he also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

Fast forward to the night before Jesus’ crucifixion. He gathers with His disciples to celebrate the Passover meal, but this time, something is different.

Instead of focusing on the Exodus, Jesus points to Himself:

He takes the bread and says, “This is My body, given for you.”

He takes the cup and says, “This is My blood, shed for you.”

He is saying, "I am the true Passover Lamb."

Just as the first Passover lamb’s blood brought deliverance, Jesus’ blood frees us from sin and death. His body, broken for us, nourishes our souls.

The Lord’s Supper: Our Participation in Christ (1 Corinthians 5:7-8)

1 Corinthians 5:7–8 NIV

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. 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.

Paul makes this clear when he writes: "For Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us keep the feast..." (1 Corinthians 5:7-8).

The Lord’s Supper is a remembrance of what Christ has done.

It is a participation in His death and resurrection.

It is a proclamation of His coming return.

Each time we take the bread and the cup, we declare that our hope, our salvation, and our identity are found in Jesus, our Passover Lamb.

Palm Sunday: Welcoming the King Who Would Be Sacrificed

Let’s not forget that this all took place during Holy Week. On Palm Sunday, Jesus was welcomed as King with shouts of "Hosanna!" But the same crowd that praised Him would soon cry out, "Crucify Him!"

Jesus entered Jerusalem not just to be crowned, but to be crucified. He is both the Lion of Judah and the Lamb who was slain.

So, as we prepare to take the Lord’s Supper, we recognize that this is not just a ritual—it is a moment of deep significance:

We remember His sacrifice.

We reflect on our deliverance.

We renew our faith in His coming Kingdom.

Next Steps: Invitation to the Table

Before we partake, let us take a moment to examine our hearts, as Paul instructs in 1 Corinthians 11:27-29. If there is sin to confess, if there is forgiveness to seek, let’s do so now.

Then, let us come to the table—not in fear, but in gratitude—knowing that Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us.

Moment of Prayer and Silence

Let us now take the Lord’s Supper together.

YouTube

Title: Palm Sunday & Passover: The Lord’s Supper—Our Passover Lamb

Description: Join us for a powerful Palm Sunday service as we explore the deep connection between Passover and the Lord’s Supper. On this sacred day, we remember Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and reflect on how He is our true Passover Lamb, whose sacrifice brings us salvation.

📖 Scripture: Exodus 12:1-14 | Luke 22:7-20 | 1 Corinthians 5:7-8 🍞 We will partake in the Lord’s Supper together as we proclaim Christ’s sacrifice and anticipate His return.

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🙏 Let’s worship together and prepare our hearts for Holy Week!

Notes

Sermon Notes: The Lord’s Supper—Our Passover Lamb

Palm Sunday | April 13, 2025 Speaker: Pastor Ryan

I. Introduction: Palm Sunday & Passover

Palm Sunday – Jesus enters Jerusalem as King (Matthew 21:1-11).

Passover – Remembering God’s deliverance of Israel (Exodus 12:1-14).

Connection: Jesus chose Passover to establish the Lord’s Supper, showing that He is the true Passover Lamb.

II. The First Passover: Salvation Through the Blood of the Lamb (Exodus 12:1-14)

God commanded each household to sacrifice a spotless lamb.

The blood on the doorposts protected them from judgment.

The meal marked their deliverance from slavery in Egypt.

Foreshadowing: This pointed ahead to Jesus, the Lamb of God (John 1:29).

✝️ Reflection: How does Jesus' sacrifice deliver us from sin?

III. Jesus, Our Passover Lamb (Luke 22:7-20)

At the Last Supper, Jesus redefined the Passover meal.

Bread: “This is My body, given for you.”

Cup: “This is My blood, shed for you.”

Instead of remembering Egypt, Jesus calls us to remember Him.

His sacrifice on the cross brings true deliverance from sin and death.

✝️ Reflection: What does it mean for you personally that Jesus gave His body and blood for you?

IV. The Lord’s Supper: Our Participation in Christ (1 Corinthians 5:7-8)

Paul’s words: “Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed.”

The Lord’s Supper is a time to: ✅ Remember Christ’s sacrifice. ✅ Reflect on our faith and obedience. ✅ Renew our commitment to Christ. ✅ Proclaim His return (1 Corinthians 11:26).

✝️ Reflection: How should taking the Lord’s Supper shape the way we live daily?

V. Palm Sunday: The King Who Came to Die

The crowd shouted “Hosanna!” but later cried “Crucify Him!”

Jesus entered Jerusalem as King, but He came to be sacrificed.

He is both the Lion of Judah and the Lamb who was slain.

✝️ Reflection: Are you truly welcoming Jesus as King in your life?

VI. Invitation to the Table (1 Corinthians 11:27-29)

Examine your heart before taking the Lord’s Supper.

Confess sin, seek forgiveness, and come in gratitude.

As we partake, we proclaim: “Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed!”

🍞 Now, let us take the Lord’s Supper together.

Final Reflection & Application:

1️⃣ How does the Passover deepen your understanding of Jesus’ sacrifice? 2️⃣ What does the Lord’s Supper mean to you personally? 3️⃣ How can you live daily in response to Christ’s sacrifice?

🙏 Closing Prayer & Worship

Bible Study

Bible Study: The Lord’s Supper—Our Passover Lamb

A 3-Day Study to Reflect, Apply, and Prepare for Easter

Day 1: The First Passover—God’s Deliverance

📖 Read: Exodus 12:1-14

🔎 Hebrew Word Study:

פֶּסַח (Pesach) – “Passover”

Means “to pass over” or “to spare.”

God “passed over” the houses marked by the blood of the lamb, sparing them from judgment.

Reflection:

How does the blood of the Passover lamb foreshadow Jesus' sacrifice?

What does it mean to be "covered by the blood" spiritually today?

In what ways has God delivered you from bondage like He delivered Israel?

🛠 Application:

Identify one area in your life where you need to trust in Christ’s deliverance.

Pray and surrender that area to God today.

Day 2: Jesus, the True Passover Lamb

📖 Read: Luke 22:7-20

🔎 Greek Word Study:

Διαθήκη (diathēkē) – “Covenant”

Jesus says, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood." (Luke 22:20)

A covenant is a binding agreement; Jesus’ death establishes a new relationship between God and His people.

Reflection:

Why did Jesus use the Passover meal to establish the Lord’s Supper?

How does the Lord’s Supper remind us of our covenant with Christ?

What personal meaning does communion hold for you?

🛠 Application:

Next time you take the Lord’s Supper, focus on the covenant Jesus made with you.

Thank Him in prayer for securing your salvation with His blood.

Day 3: Preparing for Easter—Victory Through the Cross

📖 Read: 1 Corinthians 5:7-8 & John 1:29

🔎 Greek Word Study:

Ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ (Amnos tou Theou) – “Lamb of God”

John the Baptist calls Jesus “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

This directly connects Jesus to the Passover lamb, showing He is our ultimate sacrifice.

Reflection:

What does it mean that Christ is your Passover Lamb?

How does this deepen your anticipation of Easter?

How should knowing Christ’s sacrifice change the way you live daily?

🛠 Application:

Prepare your heart for Easter by reflecting on Jesus’ victory over sin and death.

Spend time in prayer, thanking Him for His sacrifice and resurrection.

Looking Ahead to Easter

Jesus' journey didn’t end at the Last Supper—it led to the cross and the empty tomb! As we approach Easter, let’s carry these truths in our hearts: ✅ Jesus is our Passover Lamb who died for us. ✅ His blood delivers us from sin and death. ✅ Through His resurrection, we have victory!

🙏 Prayer Challenge: Each day leading up to Easter, pray with gratitude for Christ’s sacrifice and ask God to prepare your heart to celebrate His resurrection.

💡 Discussion Question for Easter: What does the resurrection mean for you personally?

➡️ Join us next Sunday as we celebrate the Risen Savior!