The Courage of Faith

INTRO:

Passover begins, this year coincides with Good Friday (not always, but usually)

Much is made of the passover meal (seder), its symbolism

1) God’s Redemptive Plan:

Back to

Seth, Noah, Abraham (establishes a people, a covenant), Isaac, Jacob (12 tribes, Joseph sold into slavery, ends up 2nd to Pharaoh), Jacob moves family to Egypt due to famine, and there they are. 430 years (prophesied in )

Genesis 15:13 NASB95

God said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years.

Exodus: Pharaoh arose, forgot about Joseph, enslaved the Israelites, fearing their numbers

Moses saved from the murder of the Israelite babies (in an “ark”), raised as Egyptian leader, murders an Egyptian mistreating a slave, and flees to Midian. 40 years later: “Let My people go.”

10 plagues - last one, death of the firstborn

(This is God vs the gods of Egypt - each plague targeted one; the Nile was a god, too) - Pharaoh was mediator between the gods and world of men, and became divine after death)

His firstborn affected, powerless against the LORD

Death of the firstborn, all of Egpyt

Unless, the LORD would pass over your house

God’s plan was to save His people, to deliver them, and it would take their faith to follow, to see firsthand His sovereign plan in action

<God shows His sovereign plan in action>

Moses writes Exodus soon after they depart, as a reminder of what the LO

<God shows His sovereign plan in action>

Moses writes Exodus after they depart, to those who witnessed all this, as a reminder of what the Lord did for His people who had faith.

2) The Passover Meal

Instructions

Lamb (sheep) or Kid (goat)

Young, without defect (blameless)

Blood on

Roast over fire (most practical, quickest)

Bitter herbs

Unleavened bread (no yeast, not risen)

Elements of haste, urgency,

The meal ( to be a memorial of this event)

Nothing left over, if so, burn it

Plan appropriately, and trust for next day’s provision

Family to share in this meal, even neighbors if family is small

The sacrifice was to be perfect

The lamb was to be sufficient (sacrifice was to be sufficient)

Gird selves (explain, tuck cloak)

Wear sandals (would never do this in the house at a meal)

Staff (no need to use at home, element of work, protection)

Staff in hand = be ready to move, call to action

The sacrifice was to be perfect

The lamb was to be sufficient

Passover - to commemorate God’s deliverance of His people

The lamb - shared, perfect

(proper relating to God required perfection)

How could this meal make them perfect?

It couldn’t!

But…their faith shown by following would show them as being close in relation to God

Jesus - messiah to be male (), young, perfect

The sacrifice, so we could allow His perfection to be ours

They knew - God was powerful to destroy, powerful to save, by faith

A substitute was needed

The sacrifice was to be perfect

The death of the sacrifice - required, and the display of the blood was the power to protect God’s people

The lamb was to be sufficient

God said, spread the blood, trust me (so the trust prompted the action)

And the ceremony was to follow their faith

The role of their faith

Blood on the doorposts - before the cooking, before the meal

Sign of the faith that already existed - trust in God’s Word (Moses tell them what God says)

To spare those who are faithful, whose faith is demonstrated

The act is acknowledgement of of hearing and obeying God’s Word

Only those in faith celebrated this meal/ceremony

Doorpost - not sacred, but the best place to show such a sign

Faith always was, and still is, the means by which God saves

“Spread the blood, trust Me!”

ALL COULD SEE - Faith is not to be lived in secret!

First things first

Again, The ceremony followed the faith

1) Blood on doorposts - expression of deliverance, faith

2) Meal - commemorating (less important)

Israel later made the ceremonies more important than the faith and the following

We, Christians, can place much importance on the action, forgetting about the faith

“Actively remembering” = living the faithful life

3) Jesus’ Last Supper (Lord’s Supper)

This was a passover meal with Him and his disciples

This is my body, this is my blood

He’d already taught them that He was the lamb, John the Baptist said the same

The sufficiency of the sacrifice, which we commemorate, supplied the power to deliver God’s people

And the death of the sacrifice was required, the display of the blood was the power to protect God’s people

Jesus - messiah to be male (), young, perfect

The sacrifice, so we could allow His perfection to be ours

A substitute was needed

“For by doing it, you proclaim My death, my substitutionary sacrifice, for you!”

By doing it, commemorate His deliverance of those who will say yes to Him

He was clear on the symbolism, and He demanded faith, not just going through some motions

This last supper, our version of “Lord’s Supper” is special, but specifically for the purpose of remembering Him, and proclaiming Him to others.

PRAY - Bring kids in

COMMUNION

We prepare for communion, to commemorate Jesus’s substitutionary death

Examine self - Examine faith

The passover feast was for those inside the faith (not perfect people, but obedient, faithful)

The Lord’s Supper is for those inside the faith (not perfect people, but obedient, faithful)

Faith, then follow (no sacramental grace)

READ:

We are united with Christ in death

We will share in His resurrection ()

So, die to self, be made alive in Christ with the Spirit

Celebrate - Commemorate Him, until He returns