Last Day of Unleavened Bread, 2017

 

Last Day of Unleavened Bread, 2017                       April 17, 2017   

How did it go this last week?  Did we make an effort to eat Unleavened Bread every day or meal?  Are we already tired of the Unleavened Bread?  Are we ready for some bread, like a hamburger, ice cream cone, and regular bread or hot rolls?   

What I ask now, what are we going to do now.  We are on the last day of Unleavened Bread.  We ate unleavened bread through the 7 days of Unleavened Bread.   

We are recognizing that Jesus is unleavened and we are the Temple of the Holy Spirit and symbolically we do not want to put leaven into Temple during this time.   

Remember, we already covered leaven which represents sin on the First High Day and we are to put sin out of our lives or out of us, the Temple of the Holy Spirit. 

1 Corinthians 3:16-17 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?  (17)  If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. 

1 Corinthians 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 

2 Corinthians 6:16-18 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM. I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE."  (17)  Therefore "COME OUT FROM AMONG THEM AND BE SEPARATE, SAYS THE LORD. DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN, AND I WILL RECEIVE YOU."  (18)  "I WILL BE A FATHER TO YOU, AND YOU SHALL BE MY SONS AND DAUGHTERS, SAYS THE LORD ALMIGHTY."

We are to come out from among the world and be separate and to be a light to the world.  How are we a light to the world? 

Matthew 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  (15)  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  (16)  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. 

John 17:11-18  Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.  (12)  While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.  (13)  But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.  (14)  I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  (15)  I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.  (16)  They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  (17)  Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.  (18)  As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.   

Why, because we are ambassadors for Christ.  How we act, talk and respond is looked at by the world (everyone around us).  We imitate those who we respect and follow. 

Example:  we look at a child and see their mannerism and how they imitate their parents. 

2 Corinthians 5:20-21 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.  (21)  For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 

Ephesians 6:20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. 

The 3^rd commandment:   

Exodus 20:7 "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.

This means far more than swearing or profanity, but ambassadorship.  If we are going to take the name of the King, we better be prepared to represent Him faithfully.  

We know we are ambassadors, and then we call ourselves Christians or Believers, taking the name of Christ upon ourselves. If we claim to be Christ's disciples, and yet we don't live as one who has taken the name of Christ should, then we're in violation of this commandment.  

Why do I say this, because the Apostle Paul tells us: 

Romans 2:24  For "THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES BECAUSE OF YOU," as it is written. 

If our actions are in the Way of Death (which are the works of the flesh), then we will be blaspheming the name of God.  If our actions are in the Way of Life that Jesus taught, lived and instructed, then the way we live our Lives shows the fruit of the Spirit.  

Yes, we are Ambassadors, Lights to the World and the Temple of the living God and how we act and react to people in the world will reflex on the Creator God.   

Paul tells us that God has entrusted His Servants with the gospel:   

1 Thessalonians 2:4 Rather, because we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, we speak as we do, not trying to please people but God, who tests our motives. 

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Now I'm making known to you, brothers, the gospel that I proclaimed to you, which you accepted, on which you have taken your stand,  (2)  and by which you are also being saved if you hold firmly to the message I proclaimed to you—unless, of course, your faith was worthless.  (3)  For I passed on to you the most important points that I received: The Messiah died for our sins according to the Scriptures,  (4)  he was buried, he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures—and is still alive!— 

As an ambassador, we are: 

Matthew 10:16 "See, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. So be as cunning as serpents and as innocent as doves. 

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." 

Paul tells us we are unleavened and we are to keep the feast with sincerely and truth.  

Why again are we here, because we are to hear meat or food in due season. This is why we cover the meaning of the feast day we are celebrating. 

As Servants, we are to cover Meat/Food in due season. But what is this 'meat?' And what is the 'due season' in which this meat is to be given?  

Let's find out: 

Matthew 24:44-45 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.  (45)  "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? 

Luke 12:42-43 And the Lord said, "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?  (43)  Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 

These passages tell us exactly what this food is, both in a general sense, and in detail. In general, this food can be seen in the following verses: 

Psalms 104:27 These all wait for You, That You may give them their food in due season. 

Psalms 145:15 The eyes of all look expectantly to You, And You give them their food in due season. 

Proverbs 15:23 A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, And a word spoken in due season, how good it is! 

1 Timothy 4:6 If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed. 

In these verses, we see immediately that this food in due season is something that comes from our Heavenly Father, even though it is done by His servants. 

Hebrew 5:12-14 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.  (13)  For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.  (14)  But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. 

A word spoken in due seasons refers to the spoken words of Jesus the Creator and the God of the Old Testament.  Jesus, the Messiah spoke to Israel and Moses wrote at Sinai on what Jesus gave him.   Paul explains: 

1 Corinthians 10:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea,  (2)  all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,  (3)  all ate the same spiritual food,  (4)  and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 

James 1:21-22 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.  (22)  But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 

Deuteronomy 31:9-11 So Moses wrote this law and delivered it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel.  (10)  And Moses commanded them, saying: "At the end of every seven years, at the appointed time in the year of release, at the Feast of Tabernacles,  (11)  when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God in the place which He chooses, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing. 

Joshua 8:34-35 And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and the cursings, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law.  (35)  There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded which Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel, with the women, the little ones, and the strangers who were living among them. 

From Deuteronomy 28, Blessings for Obedience and Curses for Disobedience.

Only the wealthy could afford to have a copy of the Law.  The king was required to write His own copy of the law.  Are we not to be kings?  Have you written out on paper, the Book of the law? 

Deuteronomy 17:18-20 "Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites.  

Jesus, the Messiah gives us His words, which become our meat as we feed upon His Word. We then become "DO-ers" of His word, as we walk in obedience to His words. 

Acts 17:11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so 

2 Peter 3:18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen. 

Our Lord Jesus from the scriptures calls it “Way of Life” or “Way of death”.   

Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. 

Where did the term “Way of Life” come from?

Proverbs 10:17 He who keeps instruction is in the way of life, But he who refuses correction goes astray. 

Jesus gives us a direct statement to live our lives in a certain Way.  Jesus said,

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. 

How we live a Christian life, shows how bright or dim our light shines.

Jesus tells us about the two different and contrasting Ways of Life we can live. 

Deuteronomy 30:19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; 

There are consequences for our actions in our Life.  The decisions we make today will affect us and our families later on in our life.  

We are to give all Glory to God by the way we live our lives.   

The Christian Churches today have water down Jesus teaching that now, religious beliefs and actions literally have no impact on how Christians are to live their lives.  On church day, as a whole, Christians live one way and on the other six days, live another way.   

When we as individuals or as a nation choose the “Way of death” instead of the “Way of life”, then the Judgment of God will be on the individuals and nations.  

These actions are what Prov 14:12 and Prov 16:25 says “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the “Ways of death”.”   

So we are to study His words to grow in grace and knowledge and to learn the Way of Life that Jesus instructed us to learn.  This is what we should be doing as we go forward to the next feast and High Day, Day of Pentecost. 

Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all. 

Remember, as we go out into the public, people are always looking at people and see what they are doing and since we are ambassadors for our Lord Jesus, think of this when we do things.