Christ-Our Passover Lamb

CHRIST-OUR PASSOVER LAMB

EXODUS 12:1-13, I CORINTHIANS 5:7

After spending 30 years in Burma, Missionary Judson returned to America. In his first address, he didn’t talk about the graves of his wife and 4 children in Burma. He didn’t talk about his imprisonment while he was there. He didn’t talk about the number of Churches he started or the number of converts. But he preached on JESUS, THE SACRIFICE FOR MAN. After the service, a woman came up to him and said, I was disappointed in your sermon. It was just ordinary, I expected more of a different message from across the world. Judson replied, I have nothing more thrilling to tell the story of Jesus, our sacrificial lamb.

Also, as I come before you tonight to speak before we fellowship with Jesus at the Lord’s Table, I too have nothing more thrilling than to tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love for you and I.

In this chapter, Moses could have told about his life in the courts of Egypt, or of Israel suffering in Egypt, but instead, he wrote about the events of the Passover Lamb that pointed to 1500 years later to Jesus, God ultimate Passover Lamb.

As we come together tonight, we ought to be rejoicing in the fact that God has provided a covering for our sins. His Passover Lamb sacrificed for us.

I-NOTICE CHRIST-OUR PASSOVER LAMB IS A SUBSTITUTE SACRIFICE:

EXODUS 11:5 And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts.

12:13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

The tenth plague was the death of the first born. But those who had the sacrificed Lamb’s blood on the door post escaped. Thus the first born were a substitute for those born in Egypt.

I Cor. 5:17B For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us: He died in our place,

2 Cor. 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Paul talks about Jesus been our substitute.

ILLUSTRATION: A young soldier had been tried in military court and sentenced to death. He was to be shot at the "ringing of the curfew bell." His fiancée- climbed up into the bell tower several hours before curfew time and tied herself to the bell’s huge clapper. At curfew time, when only muted sounds came out of the bell tower, Cromwell demanded to know why the bell was not ringing. His soldiers went to investigate and found the young woman cut and bleeding from being knocked back and forth against the great bell. They brought her down and Cromwell was so impressed with her willingness to suffer in this way on behalf of someone she loved that he let the soldier go saying, "Curfew shall not ring tonight."

Why did Jesus go to the cross, why did he become our substitute? It was because of wonderful love for you and who were condemned sinners.

II-NOTICE CHRIST-OUR PASSOVER LAMB IS A SINLESS SACRIFICE:

EXODUS 12:5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats

For a certain period of time, they were to pen the lamb up and observe it to be sure there was no blemishes in it.

When our Lord Jesus was upon this earth, men observed Him, studied Him, tested Him, and even accused Him. But when it was all over, they had to admit that the Lamb was without blemish.

He was approved of God. Matthew 3:17-And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

He was approved of men. Luke 23:14-Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him:

He was approved of Judas. Matthew 27:4-Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.

Even the religious leaders had to hire false witnesses to condemn Him. Peter said it all in I Peter 1:19.

We are not sinless, but we serve one tonight who is sinless in Jesus Christ. But we have been called to hate sin and not let it infect our lives.