/Speak to all the assembly of Israel, saying, "On the 10th of this
month, and they will take to them (each) man, a lamb to the house of
their fathers, a lamb to the house. And if the house has too few for
having a lamb, and he and his neighbor, the one nearest to his house,
take according to the number of souls, (as) a man in his mouth eats, you
figure on the lamb. A lamb, unblemished, male, son of a year it will be,
to you from the sheep or from the goats you may take. And it will be for
you to guard until the 14th day of this month, and they will kill it,
all the company of the assembly of Israel, between the evenings. And
they will take from the blood and they will give it on the two doorposts
and on the top beam over their houses which they eat it. And they will
eat the body on that night, fire-roasted, and matzo bread and also
bitter herbs they will eat... And so you will eat, your mid-section
belted, on your feet your sandals, and your staff in your hand; and you
will eat it in haste--it is the Passover to Yahweh. And I will go over,
on the land of Egypt, on that night, and I will strike all the
first-born in the land of Egypt, from man and upon animal, and on all
the gods of Egypt, I will make judgment, I--Yahweh. And the blood will
be, to you, a sign on the houses which you are there; and I will see the
blood, and I will pass over, and a plague will not happen to you to
destruction, in my striking in the land of Egypt. And this day will be
to you in remembrance, and you will celebrate it--a feast to Yahweh... /
I preach tonight on the one and only question I got wrong in my
theological interview for becoming a Pastor. The professor asked, "What
is the OT referent for the Lord's Supper?" My mind went blank. The
answer was simple. Jesus & His disciples were gathered to celebrate the
*Passover* meal. Duh? This OT feast set the stage for what Jesus was
giving to His church at the Last Supper. That first Maundy Thursday,
Jesus was offering Himself as the Lamb struck down in death to spare Israel.
The first thing we notice about the Passover is the Lamb. It had to be
male. It had to be unblemished, spotless. It's offering had to be the
first & best, like Abel's. It could not be like Cain's 2nd-best left
overs. It couldn't even be like our shoddy offerings to God, where we
fail to tithe or to prioritize what we give to the Lord's church. The
lamb was then sacrificed. It was killed in place of the Israelites.
Jesus is the Lamb of God. He is the only One Who kept God's commandments
perfectly. He alone is spotless & without blemish on His record. He is a
perfect offering to God. He, like a lamb led to slaughter is silent, not
defending Himself, but giving Himself up to death for you. In your
place, on the + of Calvary, Jesus dies the death you deserved, so that
you now live the life He earned. Heaven!
The next thing that catches our attention is the plague of death. God
visits with death, all who have not listened to His word in Egypt. You
know that there are times you yourselves haven't listened to God like
you should. You make excuses to avoid worship services and opportunities
to study God's word. Would you have listened to God and heeded His word
to avoid a visit from the angel of death?
Death must come as a punishment for sin; for each and every sin. The
plague of death came on a substitute lamb at Passover. It comes also to
the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Jesus took your
sins upon His body on the tree. He Who knew no sin, became your sin, and
took your place of punishment. Your sins are now forgiven, washed clean
from you in Holy Baptism!
One more thing we note is the Passover meal. Hastily baked bread, bitter
herbs, and the body of the sacrificed Lamb were eaten. Not the most
pleasant of meals. No doubt you prefer to go out to a restaurant and
choose from the choicest of things offered on the buffet or menu. But at
least they didn't have to drink the blood. That they could give to mark
the doorposts and lintel above the door.
Notice, there is no mention of eating the passover lamb at the Last
Supper. Jesus Himself replaces that lamb. Instead of you eating a lamb's
flesh, Jesus offers His Own body in the bread for you to eat. Instead of
you giving lamb's blood to mark doorposts & lintel, Jesus gives you His
very blood to drink in communion. He feeds you with these for your
forgiveness, eternal life, & everlasting salvation.
The OT Passover meal is the referent for Maundy Thursday, a type of the
Lord's Supper. For in the Sacrament of the Altar, which Jesus instituted
this night, your own passover from death to life is effected. You
celebrate tonight together in communion with faithful believers, but
also with angels, saints, & all the company of heaven; in Christ Jesus'
everlasting remembrance of your salvation. Amen.
John C. Drosendahl, Pastor
[email protected]
