Passover and
The Night To Be Much Observed March 24, 1018
In the New Testament, Jesus Christ observed the Passover
throughout His life. His last Passover on the evening of the 14th of Nisan was
recorded for us today.
What is the first yearly festival
to be observed each year?
Leviticus 23:5 On the fourteenth day of the
first month at twilight is the LORD's Passover.
The Passover begins God's
great Master Plan for the salvation of mankind. Jesus is our Passover
1 Corinthians
5:7
Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly
are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our
Passover, was sacrificed for us.
What new way of observing
the New Testament Passover did Jesus institute as He observed the Passover with
His disciples shortly before His death?
Luke 22:8 And He sent Peter and John,
saying, "Go and prepare the
Passover for us, that we may eat."
Luke 22:15 Then He {Jesus} said to them,
"With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;
While instituting the new
symbols of unleavened bread and wine, picturing
Jesus broken body was for
our physical healing.
1 Peter 2:24 who Himself bore our sins in
His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for
righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed.
Jesus gave three commands
for His Passover Service.
John 13:5 After that, He poured water
into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the
towel with which He was girded.
John 13:14-15 If I then, your Lord and
Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought
to wash one another's feet. (15) For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.
Luke 22:19 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."
Luke 22:20 Likewise He also took the cup
after supper, saying, "This cup is
the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.
Jesus instituted the New Testament symbols of (1) the bread and (2) wine picturing His body and blood. He also added (3) foot washing to the observance to illustrate having a
humble, serving attitude
Have you
ever wonder why we use this format for the Passover Service. Because Jesus tells us by direct instruction
to continue observe “these things” – the elements of the Passover service. Jesus said: “I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.” This including the bread and wine.
Did the Apostle Paul confirm this:
1 Corinthians 11:23-26 For I received from the Lord that which I
also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; (24) and
when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me."
(25) In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood.
This do, as often as you drink it, in
remembrance of Me." (26) For
as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's
death till He comes.
The Passover is a memorial
of Christ's sacrifice for our sins, which He wants Christians to especially
remember every year.
Annually, baptized members of the Body of Christ, on the evening
of the same date (beginning at sunset because, in the Bible, days are counted
from sunset to sunset), come together to review the Holy Scripture of Jesus
personal heart to heart talk with His disciples and the true Lords prayer and
partake of the holy symbols of bread and wine in remembering Jesus Christ and
His incredible sacrifice for all mankind.
Remember the 3 new
commands, how Passover service was changed
· washing one another feet,
· the bread and
· the wine,
had nothing whatsoever to
do with the Old Testament observance of the Passover. It was 3 new commands for
the very first time by Jesus, His disciples in all ages were to keep these 3
commands annually from that time forward!
The Christian traditions shows the world that have little or nothing to do with
biblical instruction, those who are determined to follow the Bible can honor
God’s commanded Holy days—including the Passover observance—listed in Leviticus
23.
The Night To Be Much Observed
We get together each year in small family groups for an evening meal to observe a commanded Old Testament ceremony. It is a night to assemble ourselves, have good
food and enjoyable fellowship with one another.
Hebrews 10:25 not forsaking the
assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one
another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the
light as He is in the light, we have fellowship
with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all
sin.
We call this ceremony, night to be much observed or a night of solemn observance to the LORD,
depends which translation we us. Why do we still observed this ceremony today.
Exodus 12:40-41 Now the sojourn of the
children of Israel who lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. (41)
And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years--on that very same day--it came to pass
that all the armies of the LORD went out
from the land of Egypt.
We know
from Scriptures Egypt is used as a type of sin.
Exodus 12:42 KJV It is a night to be much observed unto the LORD for bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this
is that night of the LORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in their
generations.
NKJV says: It is a night
of solemn observance to the LORD
These Scriptures is
describing the Night to be Much Observed, not the Passover night. There is a reason why Jesus established two
different festivals.
Passover, on the 14th
of Nisan, begin in the evening, at the beginning of the day with the killing of
the lamb. The death of the Savior shows
that we have a part in His death by our sins on that night.
We know, Nisan 15, is the
First Day of Unleavened Bread, when the exodus of Israel occurred, this shows action
if required of us to keep the relationship with Jesus going and growing. This
is what we are to do something, that is, to leave Egypt which is a type of leaving sin. We are to leave sin.
The “Night To Be Much
Observed to the LORD”, is observed in remembrance of the night when Old
Testament Israel was brought out from Egypt.
Likewise, we observe this
night as we are also like the Israel to come out of sin, we are led by Jesus as
they were.
When Israel was taken out
of sin, they were then baptize in the Red Sea by the Lord (Jesus).
1 Corinthians
10:1-2
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,
Exodus
13:21-22
And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and
by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night.
(22) He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by
night from before the people.
We, as a church
congregation and part of the Body of Christ today, celebrate this ceremony with
a meal and with unleavened Bread, on the night portion of the First Day of
Unleavened Bread.
We hear and do this every
year, observe the night and how does this really affect us, personally. Have you ever wonder about this night. We just read the only one verse in the
Scriptures that even covers this. Let’s
look at this in a different light.
We know that Jesus led the
Nation of Israel out of or from sin.
Jesus had to die for us on the cross because of our sins that we have
committed. So,
we should observe this night to remember when Jesus took on our sins at the
cross.
Jesus takes away our sin
and puts it on himself
John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus
coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
Hebrews 9:26 He then would have had to
suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the
ages, He has appeared to put away sin by
the sacrifice of Himself.
Jesus death removed God’s wrath
Romans 5:9-11 Much more then, having now
been justified by His blood, we shall be
saved from wrath through Him. (10) For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His
Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. (11) And not only that, but we also rejoice
in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the
reconciliation.
Hebrews 2:17 Therefore, in all things He
had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High
Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the
people.
By dying in our place for our sins, Christ removed the
wrath of God that we justly deserved
Jesus death takes away our
condemnation
Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no
condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the
flesh, but according to the Spirit.
Jesus death reconciles us to God
Colossians 1:21-22 And you,
who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled (22) in the body of His
flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach
in His sight--
Jesus redeemed us from the following:
There are three
things we had to be released from:
a.) the curse of the
law,
b.) the guilt of our sin,
and
c.) the power of sin.
Curse of the law:
Galatians 3:13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a
curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a
tree"),
Guilt of our sin:
Romans 3:24 being justified freely by His
grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
Power of sin:
1 Peter 1:18-19 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like
silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your
fathers, (19) but with the precious
blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
1 Corinthians 6:20 For you were bought at a price; therefore
glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.
Jesus’s death wasn’t just an act of love, it defines love
1 John 3:16 By this we know love, because He
laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the
brethren.
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love
toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Jesus death defeated the power of Satan
Colossians 2:15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of
them, triumphing over them in it.
James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Jesus paid for our spiritual and physical
healing
Isaiah 53:5 But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The punishment that made us whole was
upon him, and by His bruises we are
healed.
1 Peter 3:18 For the Messiah also suffered for sins once for all, an
innocent person for the guilty, so that he could bring you to God. He was put to death in a mortal body but
was brought to life by the Spirit,
2 Corinthians 5:21 God made the one who did not
know sin to be sin for us, so that God's righteousness would be produced in us.
So,
what does these verses really tell us.
We notice that Israel on the “night to be observed” while leaving Egypt
or leaving sin, they were Baptise by Jesus in the Red Sea.
When
we celebrate this night, we recognized that Jesus died on the cross and took
our sin on Him. We are told when we repent
of our sins; we are to be Baptise into the name of Jesus, our Lord.
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said to them,
"Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ
for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus
took Israel out of Sin (Egypt) and they were baptize. On the night Jesus died, He took our sins on
Himself and are told to be baptize.
We
just covered a number of things Jesus did for us.
Think
about this as we celebrate the Night to be Observed with a meal is an occasion
to truly rejoice before God as we acknowledge His personal intervention in our
lives in leading us out of spiritual bondage to this world—out of “spiritual
Egypt.”
In conclusion, the Night To Be Much Observed is part of the very
beginning of the Days of Unleavened Bread; and it gets the days off to a
rousing and joyous start—by focusing on God's watchful oversight as He removes
us from our bondage, and Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit to lead us in His Way
of Life.