Christ in the Passover

Introduction

So often when it comes to The Lord's Supper, we focus on New Testament passages. And the reason for that is quite simply, it was in the New Testament that the Lord instituted the Lord's Supper. But I think it's good for us to see that what the Lord's Supper symbolizes and signifies was already being pictured for the Old Testament Saints. So it's not really a new idea. It's not like we come to the New Testament and hey, there's this there's this meal for the believing community. That no other community in the past has ever experienced, or ever had something that signified the same thing.

Now, as a bit of context, We're at the point in the book of Exodus where God has sent Moses. He has sent him to Egypt. Remember, Moses grew up in Pharaoh's house. He fled after he killed an Egyptian guard and Pharaoh was coming for his head. He remained in the Midian Wilderness for a time, and then God sent him back. And he sent him back with a very simple message for Pharoah. And that message was let my people go. And Pharaoh. We are told that Pharaoh hardened, his heart and would not let God's people go. And so where we are now, there have been nine plagues that have come against Egypt. And we are approaching the tenth plague which is the angel of death, or the death of the firstborn.

So, we are going to look particularly at the lamb in the Passover. And I think it is there that we see Christ in the Passover. To a degree, you could even say. We see the Lord's Supper in the Passover, but we're going to focus on Christ in the Passover. And so we do that by looking first at the need for a lamb.

The Need for a Lamb

Judgment is coming upon. Egypt upon the land of Goshen. Lambs, as we have already seen through a reading, they were part of the worship of God. But also what will learn as as we continue reading in our Bibles, especially once you get to the later portion of Exodus and thenLeviticus that, there were particular offerings that were made to atone for sin. Not all of the sacrifices were an atonement for sin, but all of them taught that sin had to be paid for all of them taught that sin was judged. Now, what was the sin that the land of Egypt in Goshen was going to be judged for? At this time. Well, it's a two-fold sin. We could probably find many other ones, but there were at least two.

The first is not receiving God's word, the sin of not receiving God's word. Moses and Aaron are sent to Pharaoh sent with a message of “Thus says the Lord,” let my people go and Pharaohs. Response is no. I will not let your people go. I have pyramids to build and work for them to do. I will not listen to the Lord. Actually, his response was even more rebellious than that. He said, “Who is the Lord that I should listen to him?” So no, I will not do what the Lord says.

But have you wondered, why? And all of the other plagues there was a distinction between Egypt and Goshen where the Israelites lived for all of the other plagues. Goshen was free. Goshen did not experience the plague of frogs or locusts or any of the other plagues up to this point. And yet we read particularly in verse 13 that God, in judgment, is even going to pass over the land of Goshen where the Israelites are.

Why is that? Well, the reason is because this sin of not receiving God's word was not exclusive to the Egyptians. when God sends Moses and Aaron the Israelites even say, who are you, Over us?

The Israelites fail to recognize that Moses was sent as a prophet of God sent for their Deliverance. And so, they refuse to hear him and even tell him to leave because he is making their labor worse by telling pharaoh to let them go. And so both Egypt and Goshen, the Egyptians and the Israelites have sinned against God by not receiving his word.

And then there's the sin of idolatry.

You'll notice that the end of verse 12 that When God says he is coming to strike the land. He is striking men and beasts and the gods of Egypt.

There have been numerous commentators that have actually noted, how each of the plagues. Is a deliberate and specific attack on various Egyptian gods. It's it's very fascinating. But what this tells us, is that God cares, very deeply about the worship of false gods. And we know that cuz he says another places that he will not share his glory with another. We also know. That's why it doesn't say. So in this particular text. We read another text that the Israelites while they were in their bondage, to Egypt had had also partaken of their idolatrous worship. They had been, they had not been faithful to the Lord throughout their time in Egypt. And so the Lord in this final play. Is bringing judgment, bringing judgment, not only for the sin of the Egyptians and Pharaoh for not letting his people go, but he's also bringing judgment on his people for not hearing his word. And for engaging, In the worship of false gods. But it's important for us to know and to remember which is where the significance of the Lamb comes in that where judgement is present. Mercy is always present as well. The lamb is needed because judgment is coming. Right? But the lamb is significant because it shows God's mercy upon his people upon his Covenant people which is found in this case, only through the lamb. Only through the lamb which is pointing to Christ. As that greater lamb.So, the first thing that we should note here. Is that God's Mercy is not deserved by God's people. I mean, if it's deserved. Then it's not really Mercy, is it? Mercy is is getting what you don't deserve or not getting what you do deserve.

But we should also note, we didn't read this in today's portion, but if we look down, Further on, in the passage. We find that this.

We find that this Mercy is not limited to ethnic is real. But I think it's something that we can forget. We can get so caught up on.

The fact that the Old Testament Church was predominantly ethnic Jews ethnic Israel.

We can forget that, it doesn't remain that way.

I'm part of the regulations. All right. Part of the regulations. Is that anyone who becomes part of the Covenant Community May partake of it? So look at starting in verse 43. We're told the Lord says to Moses this, the ordinance of the Passover. No Foreigner shall eat of it.

But the notice in verse 44, but every man servant to his bought for money when you have circumcised him, may eat of it.

Again. He says the Sojourner, The Hired servant shall not eat of it. In 48, When a Stranger dwells with you and wants to keep the Passover, he may if all the males in his house or circumcised. This is significant because it's pointing us to the fact that God's people. The intention for God's people has never been an exclusively ethnic Community. We see little hints of that throughout the Old Testament. What is particularly highlighted with regard to the Passover observance, and the regulations for it? What that tells us then is this Mercy?

Which is found primarily.

Found only within God's covenant Community. It's not found only among ethnic people among ethnic Jews.

Our Need for Atonement

All right. So what is our need? For atonement.

This will be our, our last point, but it's also going to be going to get a bit theologically had Hattie. So.

Our need. For atonement. Really is summed up in the theological words, propitiation and expiation. Propitiation and expiation the King James version would use these more often. I think, for some of the modern translations were, they have removed this particular word. I think they should have left it in, but we won't we won't harp on that much more.

So what is propitiation? What is meant by propitiation and what is meant by expiation? What first propitiation is the removal of God's Wrath is the removal of Wrath, particularly the removal of wrath for sin. And this is where the lamb being slain and its blood covering the doorpost comes in because it signifies to God, that the people who have covered their doorposts in the blood of the Lamb that they are trusting that, as he said, this is how you are freed from my wrath. They are trusting that God will be true to that. It's a step of faith. But you know, if all we do is remove wrath for sin. Then what happens the next time you sin? You have wrath coming for you again, right? And that is where the word expiation comes in, because expiation is the removal not of Wrath, but it's the removal of sin and the guilt of sin. You have to have both of these. You have to have both of them. If all you have is the removal of sin. And yet sin is not punished. God is unjust. But if all you have is the removal of wrath, you can also make the case that God is Not Just, because then he's not punishing sin. And if you have neither of them. God is Not merciful.

But then we have to keep in mind that God isn't required to show mercy. And as He says, in other places, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy.

But the way in which He does, this is through a lamb. And the Old Testament through a literal lamb pointing to a greater lamb.

and so, in the Passover,

in the Passover when they take the lamb and when they slaughtered, and when they cover the door, post with the blood of the Lamb.

They are showing faith. And Trust in the promise that God has made.

And they understand then that it is through the death of the Lamb.

It's through the death of the Lamb. That's day. Are guarded from or shielded from? God's Wrath. And just threw the death of the Lamb that their sin and the guilt of their sin is removed.

When we come to the Lord's Supper.

There are two requirements for partaking in the Lord's Supper. The first is that we require baptism. And we require baptism for the same reason that God required circumcision for participating in the Passover. Because circumcision under the old administration of the Covenant and baptism signify being members in the Covenant Community. Would you can be members in the Covenant Community?

Without having, I guess we could say in the invisible Covenant Community without having received the sign of entrance. But God requires that in order to participate in this Covenant allow family meal. One has to have received that sign. Or at least their head of household. Had to receive it. As circumcision is not possible for females.

so then when we come to the Lord's Supper We don't View. Merely having baptism as being the rights of admission. There's a second aspect to that and that is, there has to be faith joined with it. There are some who call themselves performed and are not who would say that merely being baptized gives. All right, regardless of whether there's faith and this is why they were formed. Distinguish between the sacraments one as a sign of entrance into the Covenant Community (being circumcision in the old days, and baptism now), and the other as a sign of continuation in the Covenant Community. Passover in the old days, the Lord's supper. Now. So, we do not give the Lord's Supper to our children. Not because we don't want them to partake. But because they have to join faith. With their partaking faith is required in order to partake.

Some argue that we are inconsistent on that point.

But you can't continue in something that you haven't owned personally. And that requirement is always present.

So, going back to our overall topic, The way that we see Christ. It is in the same way that this lamb had to be without blemish. This lamb, the slams blood had to be on the doorpost signifying, a covering of the family in the blood of the lamb and us having their sins propitiated or receiving propitiation having the wrath of God removed having their sins expiated. They're sending the guilt of it removed. It points us to the greater land. The land that we read about in Revelation slain before the foundations of the world, as John said, who came to take away the sins of the world. This Passover is pointing us forward to when that event would happen. Then the Lord's. Supper. We look back from our standpoint now on when that event actually happened.

Coming to the Lord’s Table

so then, as we prepare ourselves to partake in the Lord's Supper.

What is it that we have a responsibility to do?

Before that, I think there's a two-fold consideration. Under one heading. So, if you recall in Paul's giving of the words of institution and warning. He says that it is the task of Believers 22. You know what? Let me just turn there.

In 1st Corinthians if you want to turn with me.

We believe that there's a Judy of self-examination require. In addition to two having faith, having received the sign of entrance into the Covenant Community. We believe this is a duty required of all, who would have rightly and effectively partake of the Lord's supper. Noticed what Paul says in 1st Corinthians 11:27. He says “therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty. Of the body and blood of the Lord.”

And jumping down to verse 29 for whoever eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not Discerning the Lord's body.

It's an unpopular practice. The reason we do a session controlled communion is because we want to make sure. That as Elders. Whoever we are offering the Lord's Supper to as much as we can know, is partaking in a worthy manner.

But part of that not Discerning the Lord's body. There's a two-fold consideration. First. Do we understand that it's Christ Bloodshed for us, that is the way that our sins are covered, that God's Wrath is remove? Are we trusting in God? Are we trusting in the work that he has done for our salvation? Or are we thinking to ourselves that you know, what? If I just do enough then I could earn a right standing if we're thinking that we can earn a right standing. Then we are not Discerning the Lord's body. Because we can't, we cannot learn for ourselves or right standing in God's son. The other consideration is.

There's a community, communal aspect to the church. That is also seen in this phrase of not Discerning the Lord's body. Think of the many images that Paul uses to describe the church. He uses a temple. He uses a building. Christ uses a Sheepfold. He uses a house. He uses a body.

He does this to signify that in Christ we are all members of One community. When we are told that whoever eats and drinks in an unworthy manner, drinks judgment eats and drinks judgment for not Discerning. The Lord's body. Part of that also has to do with how we view one another in the church.

Paul will go on in 1st Corinthians to highlight this very thing in chapter 12.

but since the church is spoken of as the body of Christ. Our disposition towards the church. If we are holding grudges against them, if we are holding sins against them or offenses. Then we are not Discerning this aspect of the Lord's body. If we are holding sin that has not been addressed. If we are not giving that opportunity, if we are harboring sin against our brothers in our hearts. We cannot partake of the Lord's Supper in a worthy manner.

Because the church is designed by Christ to be a community, to be a body. We all need one another and where we all have to behave in a manner that shows we have different gifts, but we're all saved by the same blood.

So, we'll conclude with that. Let us pray.

Our Father in heaven, we thank you for this reminder. This reminder that you were painting a picture for us through the institution of the Passover. Where you would be drawing people to yourselves and highlighting the fact that you would provide the lamb. That's your son would be the lamb. So, father, we ask that as we are approaching the table and just a little bit, we ask that. That you would help us to rightly discern. The Lord's body. That we would be trusting Christ for our salvation for a standing in your sight. And that we would also have a loving and forgiving disposition toward one another. Father help us for the times when we sin against one another or sinned against help us to take the initiative and to work those things out. So that when we come to the next time of enjoying this covenantal family meal, we would do so discerning The Lord's body in both respects. Amen.