Christ our Passover

1 Corinthians 5:7–8 KJV 1900

Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

10,000 Sermon Illustrations What they Say/What they Mean

What they Say/What they Mean

What they say: “It could be one of several things.”

What they mean: “I haven’t the foggiest idea what’s wrong with you.”

What they say: “Are you sure you haven’t had this before?”

What they mean: “Because you’ve got it again.”

What they say: “I’d like to run that test again.”

What they mean: “The lab lost your blood sample.”

What they say: “Insurance should cover most of this.”

What they mean: “You’ll have to sell your house to cover the rest.”

What they say: “These pills have very few side effects.”

What they mean: “You may experience sudden hair growth on your palms.”

What they say: “Why don’t you go over your symptoms with me one more time.”

What they mean: “I don’t remember who you are.”

What they say: “There’s a lot of this going around.”

What they mean: “And we’ll give it a name as soon as we figure out what it is.”

David Grimes in Sarasota Herald-Tribune, quoted in Reader’s Digest, May, 1994, p. 112

10,000 Sermon Illustrations What they Say/What they Mean

What they Say/What they Mean

What they say: “It could be one of several things.”

What they mean: “I haven’t the foggiest idea what’s wrong with you.”

What they say: “Are you sure you haven’t had this before?”

What they mean: “Because you’ve got it again.”

What they say: “I’d like to run that test again.”

What they mean: “The lab lost your blood sample.”

What they say: “Insurance should cover most of this.”

What they mean: “You’ll have to sell your house to cover the rest.”

What they say: “These pills have very few side effects.”

What they mean: “You may experience sudden hair growth on your palms.”

What they say: “Why don’t you go over your symptoms with me one more time.”

What they mean: “I don’t remember who you are.”

What they say: “There’s a lot of this going around.”

What they mean: “And we’ll give it a name as soon as we figure out what it is.”

David Grimes in Sarasota Herald-Tribune, quoted in Reader’s Digest, May, 1994, p. 112

The book is one designed to contribute to the sanctification of the Corinthian church by addressing a letter sent to Paul and a report given to Paul by the HH of Chloe. The question that I would like us to be confronted with is:

The book is one designed to contribute to the sanctification of the Corinthian church by addressing a letter sent to Paul and a report given to Paul by the HH of Chloe. The question that I would like us to be confronted with is:

The book is one designed to contribute to the sanctification of the Corinthian church by addressing a letter sent to Paul and a report given to Paul by the HH of Chloe. The question that I would like us to be confronted with is:

What meaning does the Passover have for the Christian church today? (i.e.children, spouses, other believers?)

How should I respond to the Passover?

Introduction:

The Passover is a Person

As Paul sets forth his writing to the church, we find out that the Passover is not a mere event, but it is a reference to a Person — namely Jesus Christ. Thus, the Passover reference is drawing upon the fact that Jesus is the Passover Lamb. This is consistent with NT themes like where John proclaims that Jesus is the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.

John 1:29 KJV 1900

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

The Person is a Purpose

As Paul brings up the fact that Jesus is the Passover, he is giving this as one of two reasons for a command that he has given. In other words, Paul says “do this because” (1) Who you are (2) Who Christ is that has made you who you are.

The fact that Jesus is the Passover Lamb is identified as a motive for a particular command. Are you motivated by the sacrifice of Christ?

The Purpose is for a Purge

The Passover Lamb is utilized by Paul as the reason why the church in Corinth should purge our leaven. Here he draws upon the OT reality that in preparation for the observance of the Passover, God’s people would have to make sure that there was no leaven in their homes.

He is instructing this community who is living after the ascension of Jesus Christ that they should live holy and moral lives, in consideration of the Passover Lamb.

Proposition:

Because Jesus our Passover is sacrificed for us, we are commanded to respond.

10,000 Sermon Illustrations Communication

Communication

During an important military exercise, another Air Force member and I were working in a radar van under a simulated attack. We were under strict orders not to open the door unless we received the secret code, which we had been given at the morning briefing. Later in the day, we heard knocking at the door. Remembering our orders, I yelled out “Fort” and waited for the correct response, “Knox.” It never came. Several minutes later we heard more knocking, but again we didn’t receive the proper response.

Over the course of the afternoon, various others came to the door and knocked, but no one gave us the correct password. Proud of ourselves for not being tricked into opening up to the enemy, we later received a phone call from a furious superior officer who told us to open the door immediately. After we explained that we were simply following orders, he informed us that the code was not “Fort Knox,” but four knocks.

Contributed by Ssgt. Lynda C. Lovell, Reader’s Digest, July 1997, p. 139

How should we respond?

Message:

(1) Grieve over sin together.

What kind of sin?

* Specifically, sexual sins (see )

1 Corinthians 5:1–2 KJV 1900

It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

- Very available as we turn more toward media, online means.

- Very prevalent in a self-created #metoo culture

* Broadly, every form of iniquity (see - “malice”, “wickedness”)

1 Corinthians 5:8 KJV 1900

Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

- heart sins that become evident by attitudes

- open idolatry - see an connect with ,

1 Corinthians 5:11 KJV 1900

But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

Deuteronomy 4:20 KJV 1900

But the Lord hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day.

Deuteronomy 4:23 KJV 1900

Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, which the Lord thy God hath forbidden thee.

(2) Judge sin of professing church members prudently (see )

1 Corinthians 5:3–5 KJV 1900

For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

This is quite difficult to swallow in a culture that professes “don’t judge me” but we are all judges.

What could possibly give us the right to judge those who are in the HH of faith?

Answer: Jesus Christ, our Passover Lamb, is sacrificed for us.

This is also a sobering reminder: the day of the Lord Jesus is coming.

Illustration:

Forbes posted a tribute: https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexknapp/2020/03/30/on-national-doctors-day-15-heroic-first-hand-stories-from-the-coronavirus-front-lines/#14e1900868f3

There is a lot of good going on in the world right now, but when I say this, many of us are immediately thinking about healthcare workers and first responders. Please remember that even if our lives are extended for a day, a month, a year, a decade - there will still come a time when life will end and we will stand before God. Don’t confuse the temporary good with the eternal need.

It is better to confront the lordship of sin in the life of a professing brother than to see them judged in the day of the true LORD.

(3) Live according to your true identity (see )

1 Corinthians 5:6–7 KJV 1900

Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

Notice how he says, “as ye are unleavened”. Paul establishes the command to “purge out” (cleanse) on the basis of an indicative — a reality — of who they are. Because you are without sin in your position before God, clean out the sin of your church body.

“What they must become is what they already are by the grace of God.” (PNTC)

The phrase that “Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us” is interesting because it seems to indicate an ongoing sacrifice.

Why would he phrase it this way? Is Jesus perpetually dying? No.

The sacrifice of Christ is once for all sufficient so that those who are in Christ are living in an eternal Passover Feast, an Eternal Exodus, and Eternal Redemption. The blood of Christ continually works for those who are in Christ. Jesus Christ ever liveth to make intercession.

The way the Christian community rightly lives out the sacrifice of Christ is in holiness. There is both corporate holiness in view and there is purity of motive that is addressed.

Christ has died for us not simply to give us passage to heaven but to re-create us in his own image, so that both individually and corporately we may express the character of God by the way we live in a world whose behavior is “polished nice” but which lacks the purity and truth of the gospel. - Fee

There is a lot of good going on in the world right now, but when I say this, many of us are immediately thinking about healthcare workers and first responders. Please remember that even if our lives are extended for a day, a month, a year, a decade - there will still come a time when life will end and we will stand before God. Don’t confuse the temporary good with the eternal need.

Application:

The Passover is a Person. The Person is the Purpose. The Purpose is for Purging.

So, how should the Christian approach this time?

(1) Rest in Christ our Passover Lamb

,

1 Peter 1:19 KJV 1900

But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

Revelation 5:6 KJV 1900

And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

(2) Repent of sin because of Christ our Passover Lamb

(Especially sexual sins)

(3) Request burden-bearing from the church because of the Passover Lamb

(set your heart aright to the scriptural expectations of Christian community).

Galatians 6:1–2 KJV 1900

Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

(4) Remember to live holy because of who you in the Passover Lamb

We should respond with rest, repentance, request, and remembrance.