Passover Celebration Series

Series: David’s Lamp (Kings Of Judah) #7

PASSOVER CELEBRATION

2 Chronicles 29:1-31:1

Introduction:

2 Chronicles 29:1-11; 30:1-31:1

Passover: Tradition Not Always Followed

1. Passover was 1 day and began on Nisan 14. Nisan became the first month on the Jewish calendar at the time of the first Passover. The Feast of Unleavened Bread began on Nisan 15 and lasted seven days ending on Nisan 21.

2. King Hezekiah and the people celebrated the Passover and The Feast of Unleavened Bread on the second month and they ended up celebrating the Feast of Unleavened Bread a total of 14 days.

3. Did God get angry at them fro changing the dates and length of the Passover? No, because it was the motive of their hearts that mattered not the date.

Passover: The Reason For Celebrating

1. What were they celebrating at Passover?

Exodus 12:1-30

2. The blood of a spotless lamb was to be placed over each door post. Then that night they were to eat the meat roasted, with bitter herbs, and unleavened bread. Why so specific?

3. The meat was roasted and eaten to show that not only was the blood important for the covering of sin, but the lamb was eaten for sustenance. The bitter herbs were a reminder of the bitterness of slavery and the unleavened bread symbolized living without sinning.

Passover: The Meaning For Us Today

1. The blood of Jesus is sprinkled upon each believer’s life and when each person dies physically if the blood of the Lamb is not upon their life they will die the second death; but if the blood of the Lamb is sprinkled upon their life they will be saved from punishment and will spend eternity in Heaven.

2. The bitterness of sin is a reminder to us of what we were before Jesus saved us and how as believers when we sin that sin leaves a bitter taste, scars, upon our lives.

3. The unleavened bread symbolizes to us that as believers we are to live pure and sinless lives.

Passover: The Last Supper

1. When Jesus and His Apostles celebrated the Last Supper, they followed the Laws of the Passover. Jesus did make some alterations which represent the New Covenant and they did eat of the Paschal Lamb on Nisan 13 which was 1 day early. This happened because Jesus was to be the Lamb slain for the world on Nisan 14 which was Passover.

2. At the Passover Supper there were a total of four cups drank. Each cup had a purpose and meaning.

3. This morning we are going to celebrate the Lord’s Supper in a manner similar to how Jesus and the 12 did at the Last Supper.

Passover: The Lord’s Supper

Before the Passover could be celebrated many preparations had to be made. The most important of these was that there was a time of consecration. We are told by Paul that we must do the same before we celebrate the Lord’s Supper.

1 Corinthians 11:27-32

[Please come to the altar.]

We are going to have a two-fold invitation:

1. If you are here without Christ as Savior and you want to cover your life in the blood of the Lamb so that when your life on this earth is ended you will have eternal life in Heaven; then you need to come to me and allow me to tell you how to do this.

2. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, then before you take of the Lord’s Supper today you need to examine your life and get things right with God before you do so. This is your opportunity to do so.

[Song: “Purify My Heart”]

Cup #1

Luke 22:17-18

This is the first cup and it was the cup of thanksgiving.

[Deacons Pass Out 1st Cup.]

[Song: “He Has Made Me Glad”]

Psalm 100

[Drink 1st Cup.]

After they drink the cup they washed their hands and ate some of the bitter herbs. Jesus made an alteration at this point. This is when Jesus washed the feet of the Twelve.

Cup #2

At this point, the youngest in the group would ask, “What does this service mean”? The one leading the feast would then say, “It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s Passover, who passed over the houses of the Children of Israel in Egypt, when He smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses”. He then would explain what the bitter herbs and unleavened bread symbolized. After this the people were asked to give thanks to God for what He had done.

[Deacons Pass Out 2nd Cup.]

[Song: “Give Thanks”]

Psalm 113-114

[Drink 2nd Cup.]

After they drank the cup they would wash their hands again. Then, the unleavened bread was broken and a prayer of thanksgiving was given. After the prayer of thanksgiving; they would eat the bread, then the bitter herbs, and then the lamb.