Christian Passover 2021

Transcript

Christian Passover 2021

Welcome to World Events And The Bible. I’m Brandon T. Ward. Christian Passover 2021. We’re going to take Communion today to honor Jesus sacrifice for us. So have your preparations ready, and we’ll do that at the end of the study. Okay. Today, I want to talk about Jesus sacrifice for us. I want to talk about his final hours that led up to his sacrifice.

I want to talk about what he went through. I want to talk about how it made him feel, how it made the Disciples feel. And as we’re reading these passages, I want you to reflect on it. I want you to think about everything that he went through for us. I think this will help refresh our mind and help us better understand Jesus’ sacrifice for us. Before we do that, I want to explain why we celebrate Passover.

Why Do We Celebrate Passover?

1 Corinthians 5:7 says Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us. It means Christ fulfilled passover. The passover of old, the one with Moses way back in the day. When they had to take an unblemished lamb and they had to sacrifice that lamb. And they took the blood from this lamb and they placed it over the top of the doors, their door to their home, and on the two side posts.

This prevented the destroyer from entering their house that night. Passover night. And kept the 10th plague from having any effect over their home. And this destroyer is Satan. Now this plague, this 10th plague when the destroyer came through that night was so grievous that Pharaoh demanded in the middle of the night that all the Israelites get out of town. Take their stuff, and then some and leave. That’s how bad it was.

This is why they ate unleavened bread that night, because there was no time for that bread to rise. They were going to leave Egypt that night in haste. So as we go through this study and you think about Jesus, I hope you can see the parallels to the passover of old and the Passover that he became.

He was our unblemished lamb, the one that was sacrificed for us. You know, we celebrate Passover because God wants us to celebrate Passover. I’m going to turn my Bible just real quick. You don’t have to just yet, to Exodus 12:26. And it shall come to pass. When your children shall say unto you, what mean ye by this service.

One day, they’re going to come and ask you, why are we slaughtering this lamb? I liked old Betsy. You know, why did we do her in? Why are we doing all this stuff?

Verse 27. That ye shall say, it is the sacrifice of the Lord’s Passover. Who passed over the houses of the children in Egypt, the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians and delivered our houses and the people bowed the head and worshiped.

They understood why they celebrate passover. They understood, they had the question, they got the answer, and they did it. And I’m explaining to you so you know why we celebrate Passover. And then, so you tell your children. And so that we’ll know and it’d be passed down again. Why we celebrate Passover, what Jesus fulfilled for us.

Okay, we had that introduction.

Let’s say a prayer Heavenly Father. We ask you for wisdom and understanding of your word in Jesus name. Amen.

The Last Supper

All right. So I want to begin at the Last Supper. So Jesus told the Disciples to go prepare a place for them. This is actually the preparation for Passover John 19:14. Will help you out with that.

This begins Abib 14. So the Hebrew day starts at sundown. So the 13th of Abib is closed and we’ve now begun the 14th of Abib. So all the Disciples are sitting around having this meal, this Last Supper meal. Kind of getting ready to celebrate passover the following evening, and they’re all having a good time.

Let’s pick it up in Matthew 26:21. Matthew chapter 26, verse 21.

And it says, and as they did eat, he said. Jesus did verily. I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. Now think about this. Jesus kind of just dropped a bomb on the room. You know, they’re all, there having a good time and everything getting ready for the passover on the next night. And Jesus says, Hey man, one of you guys are going to betray me and the betrayal had already taken place.

Judas had already betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, but it was just being made, known to everybody else in the room. Jesus was backstabbed by one of his own. You want to think about that? How that made everybody in the room feel that night when they were all having a good time. And what it feels like to get backstabbed by your friend.

The Mount Of Olives

Now, after they concluded their meal, they went to the Mount of Olives and let’s pick it up and read that with verse 31,

Then saith Jesus unto them, all ye shall be offended because of me this night. The 14th of Abib, it’s just beginning at night. For it is written, I will smite the shepherd and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. Now Jesus had just quoted Zachariah chapter 13, verse seven. And that’s exactly what it says.

And he was telling them this night, when he is taken, that they, all the Disciples will scatter. And this word offended it means apostasy. Which is to fall away. And the very word apostasy means that you abandon your faith. Jesus just told them they’re going to abandon him this night. First it was one betrayed me.

Now you’re all going to abandon me. Think how that made them feel. Think about how it made Jesus feel having to tell them that. He knew he was going to go through this. He knew he was fulfilling prophecy, but he still had to go through it. He still had to do it for you.

Let’s go to verse 33, Peter answered and said unto him, though, all men shall be offended. Because of the yet will I never be offended?

He heard the news, he took it to heart. He’s saying, Jesus, there’s no way I’m not going to be offended. I’m not going to fall away from you. There’s no way.

Verse 34 Jesus said unto him, verily I say unto thee that this night before the cock crow, thou shall deny me thrice.

Jesus said before dawn, you’re going to deny me three times, Peter.

Verse 35. Peter said unto him, though I should die with thee I will die with you, Lord. That’s what he’s saying. Yet, will I not deny thee? Likewise also said all the disciples and I’m sure they did. They all probably felt pretty heartbroken actually hearing that news.

And I’m sure Jesus was just as heartbroken having to tell them that news. These guys had been running around Jesus for quite a while. They saw all the miracles, he performed, all the good things that He did for everybody. And they’re being told by him. That they were going to fall away from Him this night.

Now Jesus went on to pray. He went to pray three times and total coming back to check on the Disciples each time. And you know what he found every time he found that they were sleeping. Jesus said to watch, and instead of watching, they fell asleep on watch. And I think today we can kind of take that to heart.

How many times did we get sidetracked by world events, by what’s going on in the world? One thing or the other? It doesn’t matter what it is. And we lose sight of the Bible. We don’t give enough time to God, maybe in our thoughts, maybe just some general reading, but we get sidetracked. And we, we latch on every little thing that passes by us. That sounds interesting maybe. And we kind of abandon Jesus in a way, if you really think about it.

So, the next verse I want to jump to is verse 47. As Jesus is talking with them. After that third time, he came back from his prayer and he wakes them.

Jesus Was Arrested At Night

Verse 47. And while he yet spake, Jesus. Lo Judas, one of the 12 came and with him, a great multitude with swords and staves from the chief priests and the elders of the people.

Now Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. We got that right. Luke chapter 22, the opening verses will tell you. But Satan entered into Judas and Satan even put it in Judas’ heart to do this. And you’re thinking, Oh man, Satan’s a bad guy. Absolutely. But God is the one who’s controlling this.

He’s making prophecy come to pass. God is so powerful. He controls our enemies. That’s why you never have to fear anything. If we are with God, he’s with us and he’s even controlling Satan and making Satan do his, will. And I want you to also notice this is not a government army that came to Jesus in the middle of the night, when bad things always go down in the middle of the night.

It’s the church army. It’s the big churches of the time. And they’re the ones who did Jesus in. They weren’t watching either. Instead of being there with Jesus, they were trying to do him in, and they would.

Now Peter, to his credit, he did stand strong. He pulled out his sword and he sliced off the ear of one of these church army members.

I want to pick it up with verse 55. In that same hour, right as this is happening Jesus said to the multitude. This whole church army. Are you come out as against a thief with swords and staves for, to take me? I said daily with you teaching in the temple, and you laid no hold on me.

I was there teaching every day down in the church. You guys didn’t do anything. You listened.

Verse 56. Jesus is speaking, but all this was done that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook, him, and fled. Prophecy coming to pass rapidly, as Jesus was leading up to his crucifixion. His sacrifice for us, he keeps laying it out there and it’s already starting to happen.

He paid an awesome price for us. I want you to think about how it felt for him that night. And I want you to think how it felt for the Disciples that night. Not only being told that they’re going to betray him. And saying that they were going to stand for him, but then turn tail and running. I want you to think about that.

Jesus’ Trial Was At Night

Verse 57. And they, that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest where the scribes and the elders were assembled. We are going to have this midnight little trial for Jesus. Honest Christian thing to do, huh?

Verse 68. Let’s go down there 67 rather. Then they did spit in his face and they buffeted him. They punched him, spit on him, and punched him. And smote him with the palms of their hands.

Verse 68. Saying prophesy unto us, thou Christ. Who is he that smote thee? They said that, and Luke tells us they put a blindfold on Him. So they started slapping them around. Seeing if you knew who was doing it. He knew who did it. He knew who did it.

Now, you know, to Peter’s credit, he did run away, but he was still standing. He came back and he’s standing there and he’s watching kind of seeing what’s going on. What they’re doing to Jesus. You can only imagine his heart must’ve been racing in the moment thinking. Do I go in there, you know, everything. I’m sure he had so many things running through his mind. We can only imagine and try taking stabs at. You want to think about that.

So as he standing there kind of observing what’s going on with Jesus? It’s on this cool of night and there’s this fire going and he’s around the fire to kind of keep warm a little bit. And some of these people start to recognize him. They said, you’re one of the 12. Hey, you’re one of those guys.

And he denies it every time. And at the third time he was accused. Let’s read what happens in verse 74.

Then begin he to curse and to swear. Peter did, saying, I know not the man. And immediately, the cock crew. There was the third time.

Verse 75. And Peter remembered the word Jesus, which said unto him, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went away and wept bitterly.

It’s all very sad, you know? Very sad. And Luke would say that Peter, that Jesus rather would actually turn and look to Peter when the rooster crowed that third time. You can only imagine what it must’ve felt like, to know in his heart and everything that he betrayed Jesus. Not just the one time when he ran away, but then three times right here.

Think about how it made Jesus feel to have to watch him go through that. He knew Peter loved him.

Jesus Is Brought To Pilate

Matthew chapter 27 verse one. And when the morning was come, it was the morning of Abib 14, and on this night it would be Passover. All the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death.

They had already taken council to do that. They did it and made the agreement with Judas already, right? They’re just putting the finishing touches on this.

Verse 2. And when they had bound him, they led him away and delivered him to Pontius Pilot, the governor. And Luke explains that these scribes and chief priests, they would say before Pilot, when they brought in there. Crucify him, crucify him, saying it over and over again, skip down to verse 23.

And the governor said, why what evil hath he done. But they cried out the more saying, let him be crucified.

Pilate knew they envied him. So he washed his hands of this and says, I’m innocent of this just person. I’m going to have no part of this

Verse 25. Then answered all the people and said, his blood be on us and on our children. They didn’t even know what they were asking. Even know what they were saying, but you know what? They were unknowingly fulfilling God’s will. They were fulfilling God’s will, though they thought they were fulfilling their own. That’s how God works.

Jesus Beaten And Mocked

Jesus he’d be led away. He’d be beaten some more, in a painful and public display. And He did it for you, and he did it for me, so we could be saved. So we could have eternal life if we believe on him. And do his words live our life by the book.

That’s why he did this. He could have stopped it at any moment. He could have stopped it and said, I’m not dealing with this pain. I’m not going through it anymore, but he didn’t. He went through all the way to the end and fulfilled all this Bible prophecy. So we could live.

Verse 27. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall and gathered him unto the whole band of soldiers. This word band means cohort. It’s like 600 men. They brought him before all these men.

Verse 28. And they stripped him and they put on him a scarlet robe. They’re going to mock him now.

Verse 29. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, and put it upon his head and a reed in his right hand. And they bowed the knee before him and mocked him saying hail King of the Jews.

It would be better said, King of the Judeans and all of Israel, really. But on this night, he’d become King of the world.

Verse 30. And they spit on him and they smote him with the reed. And they took the reed and they smote him on the head. They had to get in some more hits on Him, and over again. Spitting on him. Disrespecting him. Taking off his clothes in front of hundreds of men, shaming him, and he could have stopped it, but he didn’t.

Verse 31. And after that they had mocked him. Then they took the robe off of him and put his own raiment on him and led him away to crucify him.

Jesus Is Crucified

Verse 35. And they crucified him and they parted his garments casting lots that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the prophet that they parted my garments among them. And upon my vesture did they cast lots.

Jesus keeps fulfilling prophecy over and over again. This is written in Psalms chapter 22, verse 18. It’s written almost a thousand years before this actually happened. This is God’s divine work at hand is what is happening on this night. This Passover night that Jesus would fulfill.

Verse 45. And about the ninth hour. Verse 45. I’m sorry. Now from the sixth hour, there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. That’s 12 noon to 3:00 PM.

Verse 46. And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice saying Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani. That is to say my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me.

Again, he’s citing Psalms chapter 22. He wasn’t saying that God forsaken him. He was citing Psalms 22 verse one. That’s how it starts. Jesus being so merciful was teaching on the cross. While in pain and suffering in front of all the people who punched him, spit on him, slapped him when they didn’t deserve mercy, he was still more than willing to give mercy.

He would even say, as they’re putting on the cross father, forgive them for, they know not what they do.

Verse 50. Jesus. When he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. Yielded up his spirit. He would fulfill Passover. He did in this moment, he became our Passover Lamb.

I want you to reflect on that for a moment. I want you to consider what Jesus went through that night. Not just this crucifixion right here. Not just this final sacrifice, but everything that led up to it and how he went through it, every step of the way. Even though He didn’t have to, he did it for you. And he did it for me. So we could have eternal life if we choose. That’s our choice.

Let’s go ahead and take Communion.

Communion

We’re going to turn our Bible to first Corinthians chapter 11, verse 23.

First Corinthians chapter 11, verse 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.

Verse 24. And when he had given thanks. Jesus, when he gave thanks. He brake it and said, take eat. This is my body, which is broken for you. This do in remembrance of me.

This bread here, this is symbolic of Jesus body that was broken for us. He didn’t have to do it, but he did it for us. Please take and eat.

Verse 25. And 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 often as you drink in remembrance of me.

Jesus is saying, every time we take this wine. That we remember him by it. It’s symbolic of his blood that was shed for us. For the remission of sins. And without it, there would be no forgiveness. There would be no eternal life. Please drink

Verse 26. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup. You do show the Lord’s death til He come.

Let’s close in prayer.

Heavenly Father, we ask that you help us. Just let this moment be a moment of refreshing spiritually, mentally, and physically. Especially after such a horrible year that so many people have gone through and our entire world has gone through.

Lord we ask you to just be there and lift us up through the bad times and help us to always remember you during the good times. We ask that you help us to be a tool to use each and every day to help share your word with everybody who will listen. We ask all these things in Jesus name. Amen.

That concludes Passover 2021.

Thank you for joining us.