Passover is the most well know of all the feasts. In fact, it is very difficult to understand the events of Holy Week without understanding the Passover. It is no coincidence that Jesus (our Passover lamb 1 Cor. 5:7) was crucified on Passover. It is no coincidence that Jesus died at the ninth hour (3:00 pm Luke 23:44) which is the same time the Passover lamb was killed. If God is this intentional and precise in working out His plan of salvation, could it be that He is just as intentional and precise in your life?
The number seven is significant in Scripture. Seven is the number that points to Jesus as well as the presence of God in and for all creation. Although the Sabbath is not technically one of the Seven Feasts, the Sabbath is the foundation for life’s rhythm. The Sabbath is observed on the seventh day of the week, every seventh year is decreed a sabbatical year, and after seven sabbatical years a Jubilee year is observed. Seven weeks after Passover comes the celebration of the feast of Pentecost. The feast of Tabernacles, which completes the holiday season, lasts seven days. And the seventh month, Tishri, contains the most holy days of the Hebrew calendar. Join us for worship as we are reminded how the rhythm of Sabbath points us to Jesus who is our rest.
It’s Easter Sunday and Jesus is Risen indeed Hallelujah. During the season of Lent, we’ve been asking, “What is your IT?” What is your greatest fear? What needs to die in your life so that you can experience freedom in Christ? Today is the day when we celebrate the death of IT and rise to new life won for you through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Reading: Tenebrae Focus: The second to last words of Jesus were these, “IT is finished.” Very few people heard him utter these agonizing words, but His words still speak to every known and hidden corner of our lives. Together, let us journey to the Cross and look upon the place where IT goes to die.
Life is hard, we all know that. Many times, we make life harder than it has to be by isolating ourselves or thinking that we can go it alone. As we all struggle with IT, God gives us the assurance of salvation in Christ, and the love of brothers and sisters in Christ. Therefore, let us follow the commandment of Jesus to, “Love one another.” Not as people who are without sin, but as sinners loving sinners, walking with each other and loving one another knowing that we’re all getting through IT.
Our culture celebrates self-reliance and independence. The self-made man and woman. The ones who pull themselves up by their bootstraps. We are tempted to believe that freedom is found when we conquer IT, overcome IT, and handle IT. The truth is, however, freedom is only found through our confession and shouts of Hosanna (save us!), when we give IT up.
The Church often falls into believing that sin is somewhere out there. While the Holy Spirit challenges us to confess personal sin, the Holy Spirit also challenges us to confess our sin against one another in the body of Christ. Tonight, as we celebrate the First Communion for many in our community, let us also resolve to confessing our sins against each other and come together in communion with one another and Jesus Christ who forgives all of our sins.
Atherosclerosis is the hardening of the arteries, and it is deadly. There is another hardening of the heart that is even more deadly. This hardening of the heart comes from what Hebrews 3 calls, “the deceitfulness of sin.”
We frequently fall into the trap of despair when we contemplate our sin or the evil in the world, but we must remind ourselves of God’s faithfulness in the past so that we can trust Him in the present. Let us follow the path paved by the Psalmist which leads us out of despair to trusting His faithfulness in the present as well.
When Jesus declared IT is finished, in that moment, sin, death, and the devil were defeated. But then here’s the question: If sin, death, and the devil are defeated, why does the Bible say we are in a spiritual battle? It’s true, we are in a spiritual battle, but the full victory will not be complete until Jesus returns. Until then, there is a spiritual battle happening all around us. Ephesians encourages us to STAND in the face of IT. That is, we engage the spiritual battle that has already been won. Meaning, we fight FROM victory not FOR victory.