Great And Mighty People Of Faith

In his book, INVITATION TO THE FEAST, Danny Bush says “At the Passover meal with His disciples, directly before His death and resurrection, Jesus changed the meaning of that supper from a reminder of escape from slavery in Egypt to a reminder of the sacrifice He made that brings freedom from the slavery of sin through FAITH in Him. He gave His body and blood so mankind could have eternal and abundant life.” The Lord’s supper is a GREAT AND MIGHTY WORSHIP experience, and I am convinced the Last Supper of Jesus gives us some insights into what it means to be GREAT AND MIGHTY PEOPLE OF FAITH.

LET’S DISCUSS WHAT IS INVOLVED IN BEING GREAT AND MIGHTY PEOPLE OF FAITH.

Being GREAT AND MIGHTY PEOPLE OF FAITH involves SUFFERING.

The events surrounding this scripture took place during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, in which the Passover was observed. You remember the Passover, don’t you? The Passover was the last event prior to the Exodus of Israel from their bondage in Egypt. Passover was actually the result of the Tenth Plague Moses declared upon Egypt, the Death of the firstborn.

Remember that Moses had been next in line to rule in Egypt as Pharoah. But when God revealed to him the suffering of Israel, Moses went to the desert as a shepherd. Year’s later Moses returned to Pharoah, asking him to free Israel from their bondage. When Pharoah refused, you recall the plagues came, including turning the river to blood, frogs, locusts, boils, hail, darkness and finally the Death of the Firstborn. (Ex. 12) – All the families of Israel were to take a year old, male lamb without blemish or spot, and kill it as a Passover sacrifice. Then they were to spread the blood over the doorposts and lentils of their homes. They were then to stay inside, roast and eat the lamb, with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. The scripture says, “And thus you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD’S Passover.” Listen to what the Lord says happens next; “I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. ’Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.”

Now WATCH THIS: “IF YOU DID NOT OBEY, YOU WERE NOT SAVED!” Any firstborn animal or person of Israel NOT inside a home with blood on the doorposts was DESTROYED!

QUESTION? Was it mere coincidence that Jesus chose to eat His “Last Supper” with the disciples in conjunction with the PASSOVER FEAST? ABSOLUTELY NOT!

Jesus says in vs. 15,"With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.”

Folks, I am ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED that when God asked for that first Passover lamb in Exodus 12, that first sacrificial lamb without blemish or spot – even then – He was preparing the way for JESUS CHRIST – THE ULTIMATE PASSOVER LAMB. Jesus fulfilled perfectly every aspect of the Passover feast. Jesus Christ Himself BECAME the believer’s PASSOVER when He willingly laid down His sinless life and shed His innocent blood to cover and thus vicariously make atonement for our sins! WOW! Somebody ought to say that backwards! WOW!

Just as the Passover represents Israel’s release from Egyptian bondage, Jesus’ death on the Cross provides our release from the bondage of Sin. Anyone can be free from sin’s bondage – by receiving the free gift of God through Jesus Christ. Redemption is FREE but it’s NOT CHEAP! It cost God His only one of a kind Son. It cost Jesus Christ His very life’s blood! Even as Jesus instituted this Lord’s supper, he knew the time was at hand when He would have to SUFFER. “This is My body, which is broken for you…. This cup is the New Covenant in My blood, which is poured out for many, for the remission of sins.” Beloved, don’t you ever let ANYBODY tell you Jesus didn’t know EXACTLY what lie ahead of Him. He KNEW He was about to SUFFER. He KNEW He would be TORTURED …wear a Crown of Thorns…be ridiculed…be humiliated …be spat upon…be slapped…whipped with that cruelest of Roman torture weapons known as a cat of nine tails! He KNEW His hands, His feet, and His side would be pierced. Jesus KNEW He was about to DIE a substitutionary death for all mankind!