Passover

The Passover

Passover starts today at sundown and ends Wednesday the 12th.  I think it’s important to discuss the Passover according to Jewish law and tradition, the Passover of the new covenant, and how we, as a Christian family, can celebrate it.  I am the worst at celebrating Christian holidays, but there’s a reason for that.  First, let me say that I want to do a better job of establishing traditions for my family for each Christian holiday, especially for the next generation.  The reason for my lack of participation is that I have a problem celebrating things that have nothing to do with our faith.  For example, the Easter bunny and colored eggs have nothing to do with the Passover or Jesus.  Easter was originally a pagan holiday celebrated around the same time each year as the Passover and the resurrection of Christ.  That’s how they got mixed.  Ever since I was a young boy, I’ve hated the bunny and egg thing, but I didn’t realize why until later in life when I found out where it came from.  So there is the current cultural problem.  In America, if you want to get together with friends and family to celebrate the holiday, you will be subjected to the bunny and eggs because they are so ingrained into our culture. 
Tonight would have been the night of the last supper with Jesus on the first day of Passover. 
Mark 14:12–17 (NASB95)
The Last Passover
12 On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was being sacrificed, His disciples said to Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare for You to eat the Passover?”
13 And He sent two of His disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him;
14 and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is My guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ 15 “And he himself will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; prepare for us there.” 16 The disciples went out and came to the city, and found it just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover.  17 When it was evening, He came with the twelve. 

Jesus was our Passover Lamb, so if we are to create a new tradition with our families, pick a day this week to gather for a meal or, ideally, tonight, the first day of Passover.  During our dinners, we should have the communion service as Jesus laid out for us in that same chapter.
Mark 14:22–24 (NASB95)
The Lord’s Supper
22 While they were eating, He took some bread, and after a blessing He broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is My body.” 23 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank from it.  24 And He said to them, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.
The sacrifice and resurrection of Christ is the single greatest event in all of eternity.  He died for our sins 2000 years ago so that when you believe in the resurrection, your spirit is changed from death to life.  You are now born again.  We believe that we are forgiven and drink the wine as the blood of the new covenant, but then many people are sick and don’t believe in healing as they eat the bread that symbolizes His body broken for you.

I struggled with this for a long time, and one day in the car, the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said: “son, the miracle is not in the bread and the wine; the miracle is in the remembrance.” Your sins were forgiven 2000 years ago, and you were healed 2000 years ago,
1 Peter 2:24 (NASB95)
24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.

Start new Christian celebrations with your families that don’t include pagan traditions.  Jesus is worthy of it.

Be blessed and be BOLD,
Pastor Charlie