Communion Good Friday 2020

Exodus 12:1–14 KJV 1900

1 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. 3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: 4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: 6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. 7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. 8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. 9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. 10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. 11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord’s passover. 12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord. 13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. 14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.

The commentary that we most often utilize for communion is taken from 1 Corinthians chapter 11, where Paul encourages the taking of communion so that we can show the Lords death until he comes.

If we trace the thread of the sacrament of taking communion back further, we would find Pauls encouragement to the New Testament church to reverently take communion was a continuation of the words of Jesus to his disciples. In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke it is recorded that it was on the passover, as Jesus joined together with his disciples in the sharing of the passover meal, Jesus leads his disciples in the fellowship of communion.

First, He would take the bread, distribute it to the disciples, then direct them to eat with the explanation that the bread represented his body.

Next, he would direct them take the cup and to drink from it, for the cup represented His blood that would establish a new covenant and would provide the opportunity for the remission of sins.

And still…if we would continue to follow the thread of call to partake of the bread and the cup…we would trace it back the origin of Passover…in the book of Exodus chapter 12.

It was there in Exodus chapter 12, with the promised seed of Abraham enslaved in Egypt…under the heavy hand of Pharoah, that God sent a deliverer. We know the story…Moses and Aaron come and stand before Pharoah and declare, let my people go.

And then 10 plagues are sent to shake all of Egypt: water turning to blood, frogs, lice, flies, sickness among the livestock, boils, hail, locusts, darkness and finally, the death of the firstborn. It is this final plague that would move Israel from bondage in Egypt and propel them toward the promises of Abraham.

The decisive factor and the critical element upon which this transformation from bondage to freedom would hinge upon was the passover lamb. There in Exodus chapter 12 as Moses shared with the heads of the household, the details of the coming Exodus, the directives for deliverance were clear.

the lamb was to be spotless and it was to be sacrificed

Each household was to roast the lamb and every person was to consume the lamb

The blood was to be applied to the doorpost of every home

Exodus chapter 12 vs. 12 The Lord spoke and told Moses “that night I will pass through the land and I will strike the firstborn both man and beast…but when I see the blood I will pass over you”. If you have obeyed what I have directed you to do, I will pass over you.

IT was the body and the blood of the lamb that not only spared lives, but ensured deliverance.

There must be sacrifice

It must be consumed

And there must be application

When Jesus encouraged his disciples to eat the bread, which was his body and drink the cup, which was his blood…he was declaring himself to be the lamb that would not only spare lives, but ensure deliverance.

Most that I have shared tonight, you all are at least somewhat familiar with.

We are familiar with the fact in order for the offering of the lamb to ensure salvation and deliverance, there must be a spotless lamb, there must be sacrifice, it must be consumed and the blood must be applied. Each of these elements part of the New Testament plan of salvation, calling us to repentance, baptism and the infilling of the Holy Ghost.

but there is one element of the directive that God gave to Moses and then Moses passed on along to the people that we don’t talk nearly as much about:

Exodus 12:11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord’s passover.

Each of these declarations in vs. 11…the loins being girded, shoes on hour feet, staff in your hand; and eating in haste…each of those are statements that are basically saying…Get it to go! This directive was just as important as the lamb being spotless. Just as essential as the lamb being sacrificed and the blood being applied.

If you are planning on dining in, there will be no deliverance. if you aren’t getting it to go the sacrifice of the spotless lamb will do you no good!

The sacrifice, the roasting of the lamb…the application of the blood…its for those that are getting it to go...

Those that are ready to shun sin and serve the Lord in holiness.

Those that are, as Paul said in Philippians, ready to forget those things which are behind and press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling.

Those that are setting their affections not on this world, but on eternity.

Those who are looking for his return.

If you are partaking of communion but comfortable to stay in your sin, the sacrifice does you no good.

If you are partaking of communion while in love with Egypt…then you are not worthy of the body and the blood…Get it to.

If there is no longing within you for you heaven and you are content living in this passing world…then the sacrifice of the spotless lamb is of little consequence for you!

My last point, and then we will take communion together.

Moses…Speak to all the congregation of Israel…Tell them all…get it to go! it isn’t going to your family here and my family there…it isn’t going to be a little click over here and a click over there…but tell the whole congregation…get it to go…because Moses…The church is going together.

I know that right now, we are being forced by this crisis, to partake of communion separate from one another…but I want to encourage you tonight to stay connected to the body.

Tonight as we take communion…gird up your loins. If you are dealing with an offense in your spirit…un forgiveness…it does you no good to take communion if you plan on staying there.

But let us take communion tonight, with our loins gird…ready to move beyond petty differences. Ready to move beyond secret sins…

Let us take communion with our shoes on…ready to move forward as a church…ready to move forward as a unified body of believers.

Im so thankful to be a part of the church…Because of the body and the blood of Jesus, I have salvation and I have deliverance…and I am a part of the body of Christ!

I’m so thankful for each and every one of you! Thankful for the prayers that you have prayed for me!

1 Corinthians 11:23–25 KJV 1900

23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.