This morning, we find ourselves in Exodus 12. Here, Pharaoh is about to finally, forever be popped like a tick.
Every Egyptian firstborn, from human to cow, will be killed. After this, Yahweh will give his people freedom, and lead them toward the promised land.
Now, Yahweh knows that we humans, by default, are forgetful people. He knows we lose sight of what God does for us. He knows we get distracted by earthly things (Philippians 3:19-20). And even the most amazing things that God has ever done, can be forgotten.
It's partly for this reason that Yahweh sets aside special times every year for his people to stop, and remember him, and celebrate him. The reason every day is not like another, is because of God. God teaches us to slow down, and reflect on life, and-- most importantly-- to enjoy life, and to enjoy God.
And in all of this, in the OT, the Passover has pride of place. God designed the Passover to mark the beginning of calendar year. Israelites were supposed to enter every new year, celebrating God's victory over Pharaoh, and the freedom that God gave them.
Now, when we read about the Passover, what do we do with it?
We understand that the Passover is the festival of "the Jews" (John 6:4). It's not our festival. We don't eat the Passover lamb. We don't eat unleavened bread. We don't stay in our houses all night. We read about the Passover from a distance. It's "their" festival. It's not "ours."
Why?
Our lamb, is Jesus (John 1:36). The salvation event we most celebrate, is when Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and rose again, and ascended to his Father.
And we remember all of this, not in the Passover, but when we "observe" communion. The bread we eat, is Jesus' body. The drink we drink, is Jesus' blood (John 6:43-59).
So when we read about the Passover, we read it, maybe a little confused. We aren't quite sure what to do with it.
We aren't quite sure, what to learn from it. We know it's similar to the Lord's supper. But it's also different.
Let's do this. I'm going to read the whole passage, without breaks. And as I do, think about Jesus, and his death and resurrection. Think about the Lord's supper.
And as I read, just mentally compare. How is the Passover like the Lord's supper? How is it not? And are there things we should learn here, to help us think differently about the Lord's supper?
Once we've read through the chapter, I'll offer some thoughts about this. I'm sure this type of sermon has a fancy name. I'm just not sure what it is. A meditation? A reflection? A homily? It'll be a different kind of sermon. Sort of like what I've heard done in a Presbyterian church a few times.
Fair enough? So... thinking caps on. Focus. Jesus. The Lord's supper. His death on the cross. Eating his flesh, drinking his blood. Jesus is our Lamb.
Exodus 12:
(1) And Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,
(2) "This month [is] for you the beginning of the months.
First it [is] for you as the months of the year.
(3) Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying,
"On the tenth of this month, each one shall take for themselves a lamb/goat for the family -- a lamb/goat (=a small livestock, a broad term) for the house,
(4) and if the house is too small for a lamb/goat, he shall take with his nearest neighbor to his house according to the number of people.
Each one according to what he can eat, you shall count out portions on the lamb/goat.
(5) A lamb/goat without defect, a male, one year old it shall be for you.
From the young ram-lambs or from the young goats you shall take,
(6) and it shall be for you for keeping until the fourteenth day of this month,
and they shall kill it-- all the assembly of the congregation of Israel-- at twilight,
(7) and they shall take from the blood,
and they shall put it upon the two doorposts and upon the upper doorpost-- upon the houses where they are eating in them--
(8) and they shall eat the flesh on this night.
Roasted in fire, with unleavened bread, upon bitter herbs, they shall eat it.
(9) You shall not eat from it raw or boiled in water, but only by roasted in fire-- its head, with its legs, and with its inner parts--
(10) and you shall not leave over from it until morning,
while/but the remnant from it in the morning, in the fire you shall burn it,
(11) and like this you shall eat it: your waist fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand,
and you shall eat it in haste.
A Passover it [is] to Yahweh,
(12) and I will cross through against the land of Egypt on this night,
and I will strike every firstborn in the land of Egypt-- from human up to cattle--
while against all the gods/elohim of Egypt I shall do acts of judgment.
I [am] Yahweh,
(13) and the blood shall be for you as a sign upon the houses where you are there,
and I shall see the blood,
and I shall pass over you,
and the plague shall not be against you to destroy [you] when I strike against the land of Egypt,
(14) and this day shall be for you as a memorial/remembrance,
and you shall celebrate it [as] a festival to Yahweh.
For your future generations, an everlasting statute, you shall celebrate it.
(15) [For] seven days, unleavened bread, you shall eat.
Surely, on the first day, you shall remove yeast from your houses
because anyone eating yeast shall be cut off-- that one from Israel-- from the first day until the seventh day--
(16) and on the first day, a holy/consecrated assembly, and on the seventh day, a holy/consecrated assembly it shall be for you.
All/any work shall not be done on them.
Only/However, what can be eaten by each person, that only shall be made for you,
(17) and you shall guard/keep the (festival of) unleavened bread,
because on this same day I have brought your armies from the land of Egypt,
and you shall guard/keep this day for your generation [as] an everlasting statute.
(18) On the first [month], on the fourteenth day of the month, you shall eat unleavened bread until the twenty-first day of the month in the evening.
(19) Seven days, yeast shall not be found in your houses,
because anyone eating leavened bread, that one shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel-- [whether] a resident alien or a native of the land.
(20) All leavened bread you shall not eat.
In all your dwelling places you shall eat unleavened bread,"
(21) and Moses called to all the elders of Israel,
and he said to them,
"Drag out and take for yourselves a lamb/goat for your families,
and kill the Passover [animal],
(22) and take a bunch of hyssop,
and dip [it] in the blood that [is] in the basin,
and touch [it] to the top doorframe and the two doorposts from the blood that [is] in the basin,
while you shall not go out-- anyone-- from the opening of his house until morning,
(23) and Yahweh will cross through to plague the Egyptians,
and He will see the blood upon the top doorframe and upon the two doorposts,
and Yahweh will pass over the opening,
and He will not give the destroyer to enter into your houses to plague (you),
(24) and you shall keep this matter as a statute for yourselves and for your sons for everlasting,
(25) and then, when you come to the land that Yahweh is giving you, just as He spoke, you shall guard/keep this service,
(26) and then, when your sons say to you, "What [is] this service to you?," (27) you shall say, "The sacrifice of Passover, it is to Yahweh, when He passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt--
when He plagued the Egyptians,
while our houses He delivered/rescued,
and the people bowed down,
and they prostrated/worshipped,
(28) and they walked/went,
and the sons of Israel did.
Just as Yahweh commanded Moses and Aaron, thus they did.
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So here's my thoughts on the Passover, and the Lord's supper. Actually, I should say one other thing first.
Christians have disagreed about the Lord's supper for centuries-- about how to do it, about what it means. Some of you grew up Lutheran; others Baptist. And you all have turned from your sin, given your allegiance to Jesus, and been baptized. You all love God with the entirety of you are. You love your neighbor as yourself. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ.
If we sat around a table and talked about the Lord's supper, we wouldn't even all call it the same thing. Is it "the Lord's supper"? Is it "Eucharist." Is it "communion"? We aren't all going to agree, and that's okay. At the end of the day, we all observe it. And with what I'm about to say, if you disagree with parts, I respect you, and your views on it. I won't push anything here. Just... consider it. And if you want to take to me about why and how you believe what you believe, I'll consider that, as well.
Thought #1: There are a lot of similarities between the Passover, and the Lord's Supper.
(A) Both of them are designed in part to help us remember God's great act of salvation. In the OT, the Exodus story, is like the cross. It's the moment in history when God freed his people from their enemies, and brought them to a new land.
(B) Both of them are celebrated within the context of family. The Passover is eaten by the family, within the context of family. And the idea of the Lord's supper, is the same. We eat as one body, as one family. 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 (NIV no reason):
16 Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf.
The Lord's supper is a reminder, not only of Jesus, but of our family unity. There's a reason that when we observe the Lord's supper, we don't use wafers. We tear little chunks of bread off one loaf. Because that's a reminder of our unity. We are one family, and we eat a loaf made up of ingredients, that we can all eat. We eat one loaf.
(C) Both of them have a Passover lamb.
(D) Both of them involve God "passing over" people, and not condemning and killing them.
Thought #2: God puts a lot of time, and thought, into making sure that He is remembered, and worshipped, in a particular way through the Passover.
When I look at the chapter as a whole, this is maybe the second thing I really see. God wants the Passover eaten in a particular way, with particular foods, on a specific day of the year, while you're sitting in a particular way. He wants your house carefully cleared from yeast.
And none of this is optional. The Passover here becomes a second mark of the covenant between God and Israel, joining circumcision. If you don't observe this, you get cut off from Israel.
Why is God picky?
This isn't legalism. That would be a lazy thought, on our part. Obedience to God's commands, is not legalism.
Maybe, the reason is something like this:
When you are careful to do things in a particular way, the end result is better. It's like when you actually read the directions in a cookbook, instead of throwing it together. Or reading the instructions when you're building an Ikea dresser.
If you throw something together, without really thinking about it, the end result will look like something I did. It's sloppy. It's thoughtless. Over time, it becomes less important.
God is more honored by thoughtful, deliberate service, and worship. And that's what the Passover is, really. It's enacted, symbolic service, and worship.
This doesn't mean worship has to formal, or stiff, or devoid of the Holy Spirit. This doesn't mean worship has to be liturgical.
Just, think about what you're singing, and how you serve God. It's not mindless. It's not sloppy. It's focused, and thoughtful, and deliberate.
Thought #3: The Passover is a celebration. It's a feast. It's a festival, that goes on for days.
When we read about the Passover, and compare it to the Lord's supper, this I think is the biggest difference. The Passover, is a celebration. It's a festival.
And in most churches, the Lord's supper usually is not.
In church, it's a solemn, formal thing. Usually, in most churches, the focus is on examining yourselves, to make sure you don't eat in an unworthy manner. You spend five minutes searching your life, and motives, with music playing in the background. You're supposed to reflect on what an unworthy, terrible sinner you are. It's like you self-curb-stomp yourself until you feel like you're covered in filth. And then, somehow, once you've confessed your sin, and clawed your way out of this, you walk to the front to get your bread and juice. You walk up, hanging your head, dragging bricks, thankful that God forgave the worst of all sinners. You walk up, nervous that God is for one reason or another going to come in judgment on you in about 30 seconds. You hope you make it back to your seat alive. Maybe I'm exaggerating, a little. But it's sort of true, right? In most churches, Christians do the "Eucharistic shuffle" as they go to the front.
I think all of this is misguided, to be honest.
Obviously, we all sin. Obviously, none of us deserved to have Jesus die on the cross for our sins, and raise us up to a new life of commitment to God. This was grace, on God's part.
But the Lord's supper, was never designed as a time for you to think about sin. That's not what Paul means, when he talks about examining yourselves (plural) in 1 Corinthians 11:17-34.
The Lord's supper used to be a potluck. At some point during the meal, you'd pause, as a church family, and eat the bread, and drink the wine. And what Paul is saying, is make sure that the church waits until everyone can be there before you start eating. Examine yourselves, plural, as a body, to make sure the poor, hungry, late-working people still have food waiting for them when they can finally show up. Then, you celebrate, together, as one body.
What you are examining, is the moment you pick up your forks, and how much you leave for the poor working class. If you find yourself getting hangry, eat at home first. If you find that people aren't bringing enough food, probably because they are poor, eat at home first (1 Corinthians 11:34). That's what Paul means, by examining yourselves. Watch what you eat.
The Lord's supper was designed, as a time to think about Jesus, and remember him. And how can that be a solemn, depressing thing?
The Lord's supper should be a celebration. It's something done in gratitude, and thankfulness, with your eyes looking up, and not in. It's done with a smile, and a happy heart.
So if/when you pray before the Lord's supper, I would encourage you to think not about yourselves, but about Jesus. Spend your time thanking him, quietly, out loud. Spend your time thinking about how good God has been to you.
You are remembering your salvation, and who it came through-- Jesus. And when you come up front, you come up with head high, and smiles, giving thanks to God. You come, as a joyful family-- as God's family. Don't be so sad. Don't be so serious.
Thought #3: The Passover is designed in part, as a way to make our story of God, the next generation's story.
Let's reread verses 24-27:
(24) and you shall keep this matter as a statute for yourselves and for your sons for everlasting,
(25) and then, when you come to the land that Yahweh is giving you, just as He spoke, you shall guard/keep this service,
(26) and then, when your sons say to you, "What [is] this service to you?," (27) you shall say, "The sacrifice of Passover, it is to Yahweh, when He passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt--
when He plagued the Egyptians,
while our houses He delivered/rescued,
and the people bowed down,
and they prostrated/worshipped,
When you observe the Passover, the entire family gets to eat. If you're on solid foods, you get something. You help your kids understand how to sit, how to eat. You make sure they do it right. You make sure they help you remove all the yeast from the house. You are inviting them, into God's story, and your story.
Kids, being kids, are going to ask questions about all of this. And you will tell them that this time, and festival, is done in celebration of God, when He passed over the houses of the Israelites.
Over whose houses?
First, you say, the houses of the Israelites. Then, in verse 26, you say, "our" houses (focused in the Hebrew).
This is the story of when God passed over "us."
It's like every Israelite who ever lived, was in a house in Egypt that night. God saved "us" on that night.
And so your children learn, from a young age, through the eating, God's story of salvation. This is when God saved "us."
This is maybe the second biggest difference between the Lord's supper, and the Passover.
In many churches, children are excluded from the Lord's supper. They are treated like outsiders. Like foreigners. They are viewed as not really being part of God's people. They are allowed within the boundaries of the church building, but told this isn't for them.
If this is what you believe, and want to do, that's your decision. I'm not going to push you. I'll respect your view.
But for me, I think when God sees my kids, He sees kids who are holy, because Heidi and I are holy (1 Corinthians 7:14). He sees kids who are part of the promise (Acts 2:17). He sees insiders, not outsiders. And what God wants, is for the story of how God saved Heidi and me, to become the story of how God also saves my kids.
So when our church does communion, my kids eat. They've always eaten. And what we should tell our kids (we don't always do it right, and this is something I've come to over time), is that this is how we celebrate when Jesus died for "our" sins. The bread "we" eat, is Jesus. The drink "we" drink, is Jesus.
He is "our" Passover Lamb.
And as they get older, they eventually reach an age where they are able to make a more deliberate, considered decision about who they want Jesus to be for them. They become aware that there is a different path they can take in life. And at that point, hopefully, they will turn from their sins, give their allegiance ("faith") to Jesus as Savior, Lord, and King in a more complete, thoughtful way, and be baptized, entering into his death.
Until then, they are absolutely committed to Jesus as Savior, and Lord, and King. They have an active faith in Jesus. They use the name of Jesus to do healings. They look forward to devotions, and learning about God.
They fit very nicely into the group of kids that Jesus would be happy to share a table with (1 Corinthians 10:21).
And in the meantime, until they are baptized, we eat.
Thought #4: The Passover marks the beginning of every calendar year for a reason
Now, I say this, but the amusing thing (if my commentators are right) is that the Passover never actually marked the beginning of the Jewish calendar. It was supposed to, but it didn't.
At the beginning of every new year, God wants his people to think about him, and his great act of salvation. Your first thought, going into the year, is of God. Not yourself-- not losing a few pounds, or working out more consistently, or even committing more of your life to God. Your first thought, is of God, and God's act of salvation.
So as we enter 2022, make your first thought this year, about Jesus. Think about God's kindness toward you-- that while you were sinners, Christ died for you. That God made a way for you to be reconciled to himself, and to become part of his one family.
And as we observe the Lord's supper today, we remember. We are a family who will not forget God. And we are a family, who will teach our children, not to forget God.
Translation:
(1) And Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,
(2) "This month [is] for you the beginning of the months.
First it [is] for you as the months of the year.
(3) Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying,
"On the tenth of this month, each one shall take for themselves a lamb/goat for the family -- a lamb/goat (=a small livestock, a broad term) for the house,
(4) and if the house is too small for a lamb/goat, he shall take with his nearest neighbor to his house according to the number of people.
Each one according to what he can eat, you shall count out portions on the lamb/goat.
(5) A lamb/goat without defect, a male, one year old it shall be for you.
From the young ram-lambs or from the young goats you shall take,
(6) and it shall be for you for keeping until the fourteenth day of this month,
and they shall kill it-- all the assembly of the congregation of Israel-- at twilight,
(7) and they shall take from the blood,
and they shall put it upon the two doorposts and upon the upper doorpost-- upon the houses where they are eating in them--
(8) and they shall eat the flesh on this night.
Roasted in fire, with unleavened bread, upon bitter herbs, they shall eat it.
(9) You shall not eat from it raw or boiled in water, but only by roasted in fire-- its head, with its legs, and with its inner parts--
(10) and you shall not leave over from it until morning,
while/but the remnant from it in the morning, in the fire you shall burn it,
(11) and like this you shall eat it: your waist fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand,
and you shall eat it in haste.
A Passover it [is] to Yahweh,
(12) and I will cross through against the land of Egypt on this night,
and I will strike every firstborn in the land of Egypt-- from human up to cattle--
while against all the gods/elohim of Egypt I shall do acts of judgment.
I [am] Yahweh,
(13) and the blood shall be for you as a sign upon the houses where you are there,
and I shall see the blood,
and I shall pass over you,
and the plague shall not be against you to destroy [you] when I strike against the land of Egypt,
(14) and this day shall be for you as a memorial/remembrance,
and you shall celebrate it [as] a festival to Yahweh.
For your future generations, an everlasting statute, you shall celebrate it.
(15) [For] seven days, unleavened bread, you shall eat.
Surely, on the first day, you shall remove yeast from your houses
because anyone eating yeast shall be cut off-- that one from Israel-- from the first day until the seventh day--
(16) and on the first day, a holy/consecrated assembly, and on the seventh day, a holy/consecrated assembly it shall be for you.
All/any work shall not be done on them.
Only/However, what can be eaten by each person, that only shall be made for you,
(17) and you shall guard/keep the (festival of) unleavened bread,
because on this same day I have brought your armies from the land of Egypt,
and you shall guard/keep this day for your generation [as] an everlasting statute.
(18) On the first [month], on the fourteenth day of the month, you shall eat unleavened bread until the twenty-first day of the month in the evening.
(19) Seven days, yeast shall not be found in your houses,
because anyone eating leavened bread, that one shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel-- [whether] a resident alien or a native of the land.
(20) All leavened bread you shall not eat.
In all your dwelling places you shall eat unleavened bread,"
(21) and Moses called to all the elders of Israel,
and he said to them,
"Drag out and take for yourselves a lamb/goat for your families,
and kill the Passover [animal],
(22) and take a bunch of hyssop,
and dip [it] in the blood that [is] in the basin,
and touch [it] to the top doorframe and the two doorposts from the blood that [is] in the basin,
while you shall not go out-- anyone-- from the opening of his house until morning,
(23) and Yahweh will cross through to plague the Egyptians,
and He will see the blood upon the top doorframe and upon the two doorposts,
and Yahweh will pass over the opening,
and He will not give the destroyer to enter into your houses to plague (you),
(24) and you shall keep this matter as a statute for yourselves and for your sons for everlasting,
(25) and then, when you come to the land that Yahweh is giving you, just as He spoke, you shall guard/keep this service,
(26) and then, when your sons say to you, "What [is] this service to you?," (27) you shall say, "The sacrifice of Passover, it is to Yahweh, when He passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt--
when He plagued the Egyptians,
while our houses He delivered/rescued,
and the people bowed down,
and they prostrated/worshipped,
(28) and they walked/went,
and the sons of Israel did.
Just as Yahweh commanded Moses and Aaron, thus they did.
