“Don’t Pass Over the Passover”
Exodus 12:1-14, 21-23
EX 12:1 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, 2 "This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. 3 Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household. 4 If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat. 5 The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. 6 Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the people of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. 7 Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. 8 That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. 9 Do not eat the meat raw or cooked in water, but roast it over the fire--head, legs and inner parts. 10 Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it. 11 This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the LORD’s Passover. 12 "On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn--both men and animals--and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. 13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. 14 "This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD--a lasting ordinance... SKIP TO VERSE 21 Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, "Go at once and select the animals for your families and slaughter the Passover lamb. 22 Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. Not one of you shall go out the door of his house until morning. 23 When the LORD goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down.
INTRODUCTION
• In a few moments, we will be partaking of the elements of Communion, which signifies the Blood and Body of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Whose own body was broken, and whose blood was shed, as He laid down His life for the sins of all mankind. The act of Communion is not foreign to most believers, and it should never, never get old. It should never be done in a ritualistic manner.
• We recognize Communion because of the significance of the Crucifixion of Christ, and the relevance of the last supper He had with His disciples before His death. And though that particular instance took on greater meaning, there was really nothing unusual about the meal itself. It was the time for all Jews to observe Passover, (the story we just read about) which God had commanded them to do.
• There are, even for us, some very relevant and meaningful truths from this passage that I want to explore with you:
I. REDEMPTION {vs 5, 6}
5 The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. 6 Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the people of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight
• The lamb was to be killed…this is a shadow of what Jesus did for us on the cross.
• Jesus death and His shed blood is enough for you to be forgiven this morning!
EPH 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace
HEB 9:22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
• If you need forgiveness, it has already been bought and redeemed for!
II. REPENTANCE {vs 7, 12, 13, 23}
7 Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs.
12 "On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn--both men and animals--and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. 13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. 23 When the LORD goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down.
• This is how we receive our forgiveness…repenting of our sins.
• Just as the blood was on the doorframes of the houses, the blood of Jesus Christ must be over the doorframes of our heart
George H. Gallup
There’s little difference in ethical behavior between the churched and the unchurched. There’s as much pilferage and dishonesty among the churched as the unchurched. And I’m afraid that applies pretty much across the board: religion, per se, is not really life changing. People cite it as important, for instance, in overcoming depression--but it doesn’t have primacy in determining behavior.
• Let’s cease from just saying, “I’m sorry.” Let make some changes in our lives to stop sinning.
Wabush, a town in a remote portion of Labrador, Canada, was completely isolated for some time. But recently a road was cut through the wilderness to reach it. Wabush now has one road leading into it, and thus, only on one road leading out. If someone would travel the unpaved road for six to eight hours to get into Wabush, there is only way he or she could leave---by turning around.
Each of us, by birth, arrives in a town called Sin. As in Wabush, there is only one way out--a road built by God himself. But in order to take that road, one must first turn around. That complete about face is what the Bible calls repentance, and without it, there’s no way out of town.
III. REMAINING {vs 22}
22 Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. Not one of you shall go out the door of his house until morning.
• They were to remain in the house until it was safe to go out.
• I fear, there could be someone who may be considering, leaving the house...separating yourself from those who may love you…where you have found peace, safety and security before.
Lucy & Linus
In a Peanuts cartoon, Lucy come into the living room to find Linus in control of the TV. She demands he change the channel. "What makes you think you can walk right in here and take over?" asks Linus.
"These five fingers," says Lucy. "Individually they’re nothing but when I curl them together like this into a single unit, they form a weapon that is terrible to behold."
"Which channel do you want?" asks Linus.
Turning away, he looks at his fingers and says, "Why can’t you guys get organized like that?"
• Stay in the house!!!
IV. REPEATING{vs 10}
10 Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it
• It’s not enough to have the blood over the doorposts…we need to continue to partake of the Lamb
• We make a terrible mistake if we allow what the Lord has done for us in the past to go to waste
• This is a problem in today’s church…we think the Lord has touched us to make us feel good on Sunday. HE HASN’T! He has touched you to empower you for Monday!
• Let us be consumed with the things of the Lord on a daily basis.
V. REVEALING {vs 4}
4 If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat.
• If the lamb was too much for one household, they were to call their neighbors and share it with them.
• Jesus is so incredible and His blessings are so vast that we are called to share it with all who are around us!
PRIOR TO COMMUNION
• Before we partake of communion, what is the Lord dealing with you about?
REPENTING of your sins?
REMAINING “in the house?”
REPEATEDLY consuming yourself with the Lamb?
REVEALING His love to someone near you?
