The Purpose of Passover

This is my Bible. It is God’s Holy Word. It is a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path, and I will hide its words within my heart that I might not sin against God! Amen!!!

Open Bibles To: Luke 22:14-20

Context

We are continuing our journey through “Holy Week” with Jesus. Today, we will be observing what took place on what many call “Maundy Thursday”, or “Holy Thursday”. On the Thursday of Holy Week, Jesus observed Passover with disciples. They sat; they ate; they reflected; and they learned.

If I had to pick one in particular event of Jesus’ last week, that brought everything together, this would be it. There is so much that takes place at the Last Supper that fulfills prophecy, proves God’s love, and explains the importance of having a relationship with Christ! This moment had to be one of the most surreal moments of all for the disciples.

The title of the message today is, “The Purpose of Passover”

Luke 22:14–20 NKJV

14 When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. 15 Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16 for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; 18 for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.

Content

I love this text! I want you to notice one particular phrase in v. 15. Jesus said, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you.”

Practical Word Studies in the New Testament, Volumes 1 & 2 #1471. Fervent

Fervent in spirit, boil; with enthusiasm; with a heart full of devotion. The word “fervent” (zeontes) means to be hot, to boil, to set aflame.

Jesus was burning with desire to have this meal! This was no ordinary meal to Jesus. It was something that He had longed in His heart to do. He had been anticipating this moment and was ecstatic that the moment had finally come.

This causes us to ask the question, Why? What was it about this particular meal that made it so special? What was it about this moment that made it worth having a burning desire with anticipation?

I want to offer a few things that I think made this moment so special to Jesus, and therefore, what should make it so special to us!

A Passover of Remembrance

What is Passover? What happened throughout history that caused this to be a mandated observance every single year? I want to take just a few moments and explain the history behind this sacred observance so that we might be able to appreciate this fervent desire that Jesus had.

Passover is one of three feasts that the Lord commanded all of Israel to celebrate in Jerusalem: Passover, Shavuot (Pentecost), and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles).

Passover was the first of these commanded by God to be observed and therefore is the oldest of all of their traditions. It dates all of the way back to the Exodus of God’s people from Egypt.

During the time of Joseph, there was a famine in the land. Joseph’s brothers come to Egypt to buy grain, and as events unfold, the entire family end up moving to the land of Goshen, which was a suburb of Egypt if you will. As time went on, Joseph, his brothers, as well as the current Pharoah all pass away and new leadership is established. The new leadership seen how God had blessed the Israelites and decided that they were no longer to be viewed as family, but rather as a threat.

Pharoah then enslaved the Israelites. We must take a moment to try and picture this in our minds. In order for us to grasp what this might have been like, we must think of something outside of what we have ever witnessed. This bondage was worse than being a single mom or dad. It was worse than being homeless. It was worse than being disowned by our families. It was worse than anything we might have imagined here in the modern-day USA.

The only modern-day thing I could imagine that might resemble this bondage would be a prisoner of war, or maybe even certain instances of slavery with a ruthless master. These people were not their own. They were forced to work for almost nothing. They were given little to get the job done, but they were then punished when it wasn’t complete. They were mistreated and beaten without cause, given little food to survive on, and even had their children murdered. Could you imagine an individual of authority coming into your home, ripping your baby out of your arms, killing it right in front you, and knowing that there was absolutely nothing that you could do to stop it. And if you did, you would be murdered also.

They lived this way for centuries. They walked on pins and needles, they lived in constant fear, and they wondered why. We are God’s people. We have been faithful. God brought us here to deliver us, and there was a time when we lived in peace and harmony with these people. What happened? Why do they hate us when we work so hard to provide them with essential goods? What have we done? Why is God allowing this?

But then came a day! Then came a day when God sent a man into that place to deliver them from this bondage. He walked straight into the courts of Pharoah, demanded that God’s people be set free, and Pharoah couldn’t touch him. Pharoah was reluctant at first and would not adhere to God’s commands, so God sent a series of plagues upon Egypt to get his attention. Pharoah was adamant to endure, but then came the tenth and final plague of God upon them.

God pulled Moses aside and instructed him to lead Israel in a sacred feast. He told him to have each family sacrifice a lamb and cook it with fire. During the sacrifice, each family was to take the blood of the animal that had been sacrificed and cover the doorposts of their homes with it. They were to spread it along the sides and the top. God told Moses that He was going to send an angel that night into the land and kill the firstborn of every household, man and beast. God explained that the angel would “Pass Over” any house that had the blood applied. If the blood had been applied to that home, their lives would be spared God’s judgment.

God did just as He said He would, and Pharoah got the picture. God delivered them that night from bondage and it was a night to be remembered. Therefore, the feast of Passover has been celebrated ever since. It was a special moment. It was a moment to reflect on where they once were and how God had delivered them from such evil. It was a time to remember the blood and its significance. Any home that had the blood applied was spared God’s final judgment.

It was a time set aside to celebrate their freedom! It was a holy time, a sacred time, a precious time. They would appreciate the time with their families on this night. They would appreciate the niceties of life they were blessed with on this night. They would bring their children in close and hug them tightly on this night. They would bless the sacrifice that provided their freedom with its blood and be filled with thankfulness with each bite of supper. It was a sacred day never to be forgotten.

A Passover of Revelation

Jesus burned with passion, eagerly awaiting this night, because there was something his disciples needed to know. This sacred night was about to get that much more sacred. This holy night was about to get that much more holy. This Holy communion was not going to be held annually, but regularly. Jesus was about to reveal the greatest information that this world had ever known.

Notice what Jesus said in v. 15 once again. “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;”

Jesus uses this sacred moment to paint a picture of his coming crucifixion. As they sat and ate the sacrificial lamb, Jesus pointed to it and said, this is me. Do you remember the commandments of Passover? It was to be a spotless lamb. It was to be a perfect lamb. It was to be completely consumed. It was to have no bones broken. It provided your ancestors with the mark of salvation. Its blood saved the people.

Before long, I too will die. I will be the sinless, spotless lamb that goes to slaughter. My blood will be shed, and that blood must be applied. Every person that takes my blood and covers the doorposts of their hearts with it will be spared God’s final judgment.

The disciples did not know it yet, but they were soon going to discover exactly what it was like to live in Egypt those many years ago. They soon would be persecuted for their faith, even unto death. They soon would have their children murdered right in front of them, simply because they were followers of Christ. They would be mocked, spat upon, beaten, mistreated, and killed for their faith. They were going to experience a bondage of their own.

Jesus needed them to understand the importance of their faith. He needed to see that He was the ultimate sacrifice. They had to understand, because they were about to be familiar territory as their ancestors and their faith would be tested like never before. The blood had to be applied.

We too face a bondage. From the time of our birth into this world, we live in it every single day. It is an enemy that knows no bounds. This enemy pulls us away from everything good in life and leaves us broken and desperate. This enemy strips away every ounce of hope and leaves us with fear, worry, and doubt. This enemy is smarter and stronger than we are and knows exactly what roadblocks to put into each of our lives to cause us to fail. This enemy is supernaturally wicked and evil. This enemy lurks in the shadows, around every corner, preying on the weak and exploiting their weaknesses. This enemy is sneaky and will disguise itself as something that means no harm, but make no mistake. It hates you and means to bring nothing into your life but pain and suffering and death.

My friends we are born into this world in bondage to sin. Sin is disgusting, evil, and exactly the opposite of God’s will. There is only one thing in the existence of all things that is powerful enough to overcome it, and that is the precious blood of Christ!!!

So many people call Christianity a bloody religion. You better bet it is. At the end of the day, God has decreed that blood be the price for the remission of sins. In order for sins to be forgiven something has to die. Praise His holy name, there has already been blood that was shed for the sins of the whole world. Jesus’ blood is so pure, so powerful, and so precious that it was good enough for all sin.

He is the sacrifice that sets us free. His blood is the marker that keeps us from judgment. His blood is the price that must be paid. His blood is the proof of His love for all men. He died in our place. He sacrificed Himself that we might live. He set us free!!!

A Passover of Ritual

Commitment

Related Media

Related Sermons