The Blood That Saves
From Bondage to Glory • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Call to Worship
Call to Worship
Psalm 81:1, 10–16
“I am Yahweh your God, Who brought you up from the land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.
“But My people did not listen to My voice, And Israel was not willing to obey Me.
“So I released them over to the stubbornness of their heart, That they would walk in their own devices.
“Oh that My people would listen to Me, That Israel would walk in My ways!
“I would quickly subdue their enemies And I would turn My hand against their adversaries.
“Those who hate Yahweh would cower before Him, And their time of punishment would be forever.
“But I would feed you with the finest of the wheat, And with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”
First Reading
First Reading
Do not promote your majesty in the presence of the king, And in the place of great men do not stand;
For it is better that it be said to you, “Come up here,” Than for you to be placed lower in the presence of a noble, Whom your eyes have seen.
Scripture and Prayer
Scripture and Prayer
Luke 14:1, 7–14
And He was telling a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they were picking out the places of honor at the table, saying to them,
“When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not recline at the place of honor, lest someone more highly regarded than you be invited by him,
and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then in shame you proceed to occupy the last place.
“But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will have honor in the sight of all who recline at the table with you.
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
And He also went on to say to the one who had invited Him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and that will be your repayment.
“But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,
and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for it will be repaid to you at the resurrection of the righteous.”
INTRO:
INTRO:
TS: Exodus 12:1-13 describes the institution of the Passover, where God instructs the Israelites to sacrifice a lamb and mark their doorposts with its blood to protect them from the plague of death that would strike the firstborn of Egypt. This passage highlights obedience, sacrifice, and divine protection.
Application: This passage reminds us of the importance of obedience to God's commands and the protection found in Christ's sacrifice, which ultimately frees us from spiritual death. It encourages us to reflect on our faith, recognize the significance of Christ's blood, and how they can share this hope with others facing struggles.
The connection between the Passover and Christ highlights God's redemptive plan throughout Scripture, culminating in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.
Big Idea: We find salvation and protection from spiritual death through the sacrificial blood of Christ, our Passover lamb, which calls us to live in obedience and faith.
Bible Passage: Exodus 12:1–13
Now Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,
“This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year to you.
“Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth of this month they are each one to take a lamb for themselves, according to their fathers’ households, a lamb for each household.
‘Now if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his neighbor nearest to his house are to take one according to the number of persons in them; according to what each man should eat, you are to apportion the lamb.
‘Your lamb shall be a male, without blemish, a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats.
‘And you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall slaughter it at twilight.
‘Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.
‘And they shall eat the flesh that night, roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
‘Do not eat any of it raw or boiled at all with water, but rather roasted with fire, both its head and its legs along with its entrails.
‘And you shall not leave any of it over until morning, but whatever is left of it until morning, you shall burn with fire.
‘Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste—it is the Passover of Yahweh.
‘And I will go through the land of Egypt on that night and will strike down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments—I am Yahweh.
‘And the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and I will see the blood, and I will pass over you, and there shall be no plague among you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
1. Choosing the Lamb
1. Choosing the Lamb
Exodus 12:1-6
EX:
Now Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,
“This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year to you.
These instructions were probably given during the 3 days of darkness
This prepared them for the event of that dreadful night.
Later, in ch 23 and Dt 16, Moses will detail the observance of Passover as a commemorative feast that stretched down through time to the very night of Jesus’ arrest where He would observe it and institute a new observance of HIS sacrifice in the Lord’s Supper.
It would become a key part of Jewish observance given by God.
By divine decree, God made this month, Abib (March/April) the 1st month of their religious calendar and the birth of their nation.
After the Babylonian captivity, it would be called Nisan
“Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth of this month they are each one to take a lamb for themselves, according to their fathers’ households, a lamb for each household.
This verse begins the giving of the details
MacArthur Study Bible NASB (Commentary)
The detailed instructions for the Passover included what animal to select, when to kill it, what to do with its blood, how to cook it, what to do with leftovers, how to dress for the meal, the reason why it was being celebrated “in haste,” and what the shed blood signified.
They were to take a lamb
‘Now if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his neighbor nearest to his house are to take one according to the number of persons in them; according to what each man should eat, you are to apportion the lamb.
If household was too small, they were to share with neighbors to use the lamb without waste.
‘Your lamb shall be a male, without blemish, a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats.
without blemish
It was to be pure kid or lamb
Later, more details would delve into the symbolism of holiness this represents
It was important because it also pointed to Jesus and HIs holiness
‘And you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall slaughter it at twilight.
Twilight
literally “between the two evenings”
The sacrifice happened as the new day was about to start (remember, Jewish calendar starts the day at sunset)
As the sun approached the western horizon, the whole congregation, gathered in small units of 1 or 2 households, sacrificed the animals and collected their blood.
As details were added and customs altered, we see in Josephus’ writings that it became customary to kill the lamb about 3 pm
Interestingly, it was about 3 pm that Christ, our Passover lamb died.
Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, also was sacrificed.
And it was now about the sixth hour, and darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour,
because the sun was obscured. And the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two.
And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” Having said this, He breathed His last.
AP: Diligent obedience
I can imagine that the Israelites were very careful in observing the details on this first Passover
Life and Death were on the line!
We should be just as diligent in our obedience today
Obey the Lord!
Obedience Demonstrates our Love
Obedience Demonstrates our Love
For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.
Obedience Displays our Faith
Obedience Displays our Faith
What use is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?
If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food,
and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?
Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead by itself.
But someone will say, “You have faith; and I have works. Show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”
Obedience Delights the Lord!
Obedience Delights the Lord!
And Samuel said, “Has Yahweh as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of Yahweh? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.
We must consistently follow God's Word precisely, trusting His plan for our salvation and living a life pleasing to Him.
2. Covering with Blood
2. Covering with Blood
Exodus 12:7-10
EX:
‘Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.
In a vivid demonstration, the blood (representing the life of the lamb) was put on the doorposts and lintel of the house
The sacrifice of the innocent life, purchased the freedom of the firstborn who were under condemnation otherwise.
Only through faithful obedience to God’s instructions would the firstborn be saved in the night.
‘And they shall eat the flesh that night, roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
Unleavened bread
Unleavened bread, or matzah, symbolizes both the hasty, unprepared departure of the Israelites from Egypt during the Passover and the absence of sin and corruption.
While the historical meaning centers on the need to leave Egypt quickly, the spiritual meaning relates to a pure, humble, and righteous life, free from the "leaven" of pride, malice, and wickedness
‘Do not eat any of it raw or boiled at all with water, but rather roasted with fire, both its head and its legs along with its entrails.
Possibly twofold implications:
Obvious health benefits of avoiding potential disease
Distinguish them from pagans who ate raw flesh and drank blood in rituals to their so called gods
‘And you shall not leave any of it over until morning, but whatever is left of it until morning, you shall burn with fire.
This again pointed to haste as well as the need to depart. There would be no leftovers to try and preserve. It has also been suggested this prevented them from developing superstitions related to the meat and what happened in the night.
AP: Our Passover sacrifice saves us
A Type of Christ:
The entire Passover sacrifice served as a type, or symbol, of Jesus Christ's sacrifice for believers, as mentioned in 1 Corinthians 5:7-8.
The preservation and deliverance of the Israelites by the blood of the lamb pointed to the spiritual redemption offered through the atoning blood of Jesus.
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our transgressions, according to the riches of His grace
Without the shedding of blood, there is NO remission of sins.
And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
He laid down His life, so that we might be saved!
Apply His payment to your sins
In Him, you also, after listening to the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, unto the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.
It is only accessible through faith
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
not of works, so that no one may boast.
Jesus is the only way to be saved, to be made right with GOD and free from the condemnation we are otherwise under.
This reminds us of the cost of salvation and the seriousness of sin, urging a life of gratitude.
3. Consumed in Haste
3. Consumed in Haste
EX:
‘Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste—it is the Passover of Yahweh.
They were to be dressed and prepared to leave
The final plague would bring their freedom
They had to get through the darkness of the night, but would do so under the safety of the blood.
Then they would depart in haste.
Have you ever grabbed a bite and rushed out the door?
That is the picture that should come to mind.
‘And I will go through the land of Egypt on that night and will strike down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments—I am Yahweh.
God’s judgment would be finalized here on this night
He has knocked down all the gods the Egyptians trusted.
MacArthur Study Bible NASB (Commentary)
The tenth plague was a judgment against all Egyptian deities.
The loss of the firstborn of men and beasts had far-reaching theological implications, namely, the impotence of the pagan deities, many of whom were represented by animals, to protect their devotees from such nationwide tragedies.
The great cry of grief (11:6; 12:30) may also have bemoaned the incapability of the nation’s gods.
‘And the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and I will see the blood, and I will pass over you, and there shall be no plague among you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
The blood would cover them and protect them in the coming plague.
AP: The readiness required for God's deliverance, mirrored in our readiness for Christ's return.
This challenges us to live watchfully and faithfully, understanding the imminent nature of salvation.
Reflect on how Christ calls us to be ready and obedient, assured in His promise of deliverance from eternal death.
We are to live each day as if it is our last.
Conc
Conc
Are you ready?
Saved- only the redeemed are ready
Serving- Will He find us serving Him or squandering our opportunities?
Works Cited
Google Ai summary viewed on 8/30/25.
MacArthur, John F., Jr. The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006.
