HOW WE KEEP PASSOVER TODAY

September 26, 2010 pm
MF Blume


Exodus 12:7-17  And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.  (8)  And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.  (9)  Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.  (10)  And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.  (11)  And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S passover.  (12)  For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.  (13)  And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.  (14)  And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.  (15)  Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.  (16)  And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you.  (17)  And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.

Exodus 12:21-24  Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover.  (22)  And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.  (23)  For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.  (24)  And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever.

Exodus 12:48  And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.





Passover Sacrifice was explained here in Exodus 12.
Unleavened Bread was involved.
Circumcision was required.

All three of these are involved in New Testament manners, too.

Exodus 12:25  And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the LORD will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service.

This was to be kept IN THE LAND.

Our sermon this morning is associated with this message.
·    Those in the Kingdom are those who live like God and treat people as He does.
·    Adam was made in His image and then was given dominion.
·    Until we treat people and forgive people like God does, we cannot enter the Kingdom.

Israel was ready to enter the KINGDOM LAND.
·    But they doubted at Kadesh-Barnea.

Numbers 14:30-33  Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.  (31)  But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.  (32)  But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness.  (33)  And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness.

Israel only kept Passover TWO TIMES in 40 years by the time they entered Canaan – the first year when they were in Egypt and the next year.

Numbers 9:1-5  And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying,  (2)  Let the children of Israel also keep the passover at his appointed season.  (3)  In the fourteenth day of this month, at even, ye shall keep it in his appointed season: according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof, shall ye keep it.  (4)  And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, that they should keep the passover.  (5)  And they kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at even in the wilderness of Sinai: according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel.

But when they doubted at Kadesh-Barnea, they never kept Passover again for 38 years.

Deuteronomy 2:14  And the space in which we came from Kadeshbarnea, until we were come over the brook Zered, was thirty and eight years; until all the generation of the men of war were wasted out from among the host, as the LORD sware unto them.

Not until these doubters died, did the children get circumcised.

Joshua 5:2-7  At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.  (3)  And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.  (4)  And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt.  (5)  Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised.  (6)  For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: unto whom the LORD sware that he would not shew them the land, which the LORD sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey.  (7)  And their children, whom he raised up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them by the way.

These children bore the reproach of their doubting parents for 38 years!
·    That reproach included being uncircumcised all that time.

Connect their inability to enter Canaan until the doubters died with remaining uncircumcised until the doubters died.
·    Those uncircumcised were disallowed from partaking OF PASSOVER!
·    Put that altogether with the concept that there is no entrance into the Kingdom unless we are in His image, and treat people the way He does.
·    The thought comes into focus – The way we keep Passover is to be circumcised and eat only unleavened bread AND BE IN HIS IMAGE.

This morning, the sermon noted we must mirror God.
·    Forgive your fellow as God forgave you.
·    Matthew 18.
·    Before Jesus said that, He spoke of one amongst the church who refised to repent of a sin.

Matthew 18:15-20  Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.  (16)  But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.  (17)  And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.  (18)  Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.  (19)  Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.  (20)  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Notice He said in verse 20 that if two or three would gather in His name, that was as good as Jesus being there, Himself.
·    It means our decision is to be considered as His.
·    This was actually carried out at Paul’s instruction to the Corinthian church.

1 Corinthians 5:1-5  It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.  (2)  And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.  (3)  For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,  (4)  In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,  (5)  To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Notice the elements.
·    Verse 4 – in the name of Jesus.
·    Gathered together.
·    Jesus said where two or three ARE GATHERING TOGETHER IN HIS NAME
·    Deliver the person – Jesus said to count such a person an outsider.
·    CUT THIS PERSON OFF.

Paul proceeded to speak of SPIRITUAL PASSOVER AT THIS POINT in dealing with CUTTING A PERSON OFF.

1 Corinthians 5:6-9  Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?  (7)  Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:  (8)  Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.  (9)  I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:

Passover involved Unleavened Bread.

1 Corinthians 5:7  Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

THAT YOU MAY BE A NEW LUMP

NEW LUMP.
OLD LEAVEN.

1 Corinthians 5:7-8  Purge out therefore the OLD LEAVEN, that ye may be a NEW LUMP, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:  (8)  Therefore let us keep the feast, not with OLD LEAVEN, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the UNLEAVENED BREAD of sincerity and truth.

The leaven represents MALICE AND WICKEDNESS.
·    Let us keep the feast!
·    Those who KEEP PASSOVER CAN ENTER THE KINGDOM!
·    Israel kept Passover for the first time in 38 years when they finally entered Canaan!
·    It is all linked together.
·    When malice and wickedness are removed from our lives, we keep Passover and ENTER KINGDOM LAND.
·    As Israel had to remove every grain of leaven from their homes during Passover, we must remove all wickedness and malice.
·    OR WE ARE CUT OFF – like Paul instructed they cut off the fornicator in the church!

Exodus 12:15  Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.

Jesus spoke of CUTTING PEOPLE OFF as well in the forgiveness chapter.

Matthew 18:17  And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.


Like Paul did in 1 Cor 5.

Matthew 18:20  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

The CUTTING OFF OF PEOPLE is mentioned earlier in Matt 18.

Matthew 18:3-5  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.  (4)  Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  (5)  And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

These humble KINGDOM people are LIKE JESUS.
·    And if we offend such a believer who has humbled themselves and has become the image of the Lord…

Matthew 18:6-9  But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.  (7)  Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!  (8)  Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.  (9)  And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.


CUT OFF THE OFFENDER.
·    Cut off the leaven.
·    There is no Passover until the Jordan River is crossed.
·    No circumcision until the Jordan is crossed.
·    No Unleavened Bread until the Jordan is crossed.
·    NO KINGDOM LIFE UNTIL THE LEAVEN IS GONE!

Colossians 2:11-12  In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:  (12)  Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

Circumcision is putting off the body of sins of the flesh.

Israel had children for 38 years who were never circumcised.
·    We keep Passover SPIRITUALLY when we enter Kingdom life.
·    We are so much in the image of Jesus that WE BECOME PASSOVERS (note the term PASS OVER repeated in Joshua chapters 4 through 5.)

We are the lump of bread.
·    We are Passovers like Jesus was!
·    Circumcision occurs and WE ENTER THE KINGDOM!

40 years earlier, children would ask about the Passover.

Exodus 12:25-28  And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the LORD will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service.  (26)  And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?  (27)  That ye shall 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. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.  (28)  And the children of Israel went away, and did as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.

And at the end of the journey, look at the next thing children would ask about.

Joshua 4:21-24  And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?  (22)  Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.  (23)  For the LORD your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over:  (24)  That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever.

Notice Joshua said UNTIL YOU WERE PASSED OVER.
·    Until you come into His image and are Passovers like He was, spiritually.

The two memorials are linked!

Not only is Passover reconvened when Israel enters Canaan and the doubters have died, but it is repeated that children ask about a memorial.
·    However, there’s 12 stones this time when the children ask when WE BECOME PASSOVERS.