Sermon Tone Analysis

*Inscription: Writing God’s Words on Our Hearts & Minds*

*/Part 12: Passover Celebration /*

*Exodus 12*

*/March 28, 2010/*

 

* *

*Prep: *

·         073, Leftovers

·         Exodus 12:1ff

 

*Scripture reading: Exodus 12:37-42 *(Michel Jevons)

 

 

Opening: Symbolism

 

Q   What do you think of when I say that something is “symbolic”

 

·         “Loaded with *meaning*” – that *painting* is really symbolic.

·         “*Representative*” – a *bald* *eagle* is the symbol of America.

·         “Not *really* *real*” – the *congress’* *apology* to Native Americans is just symbolic, it doesn’t mean anything.

But we don’t think of them as being *deadly* *serious* – if you *forget* to wear your *wedding* *ring* on day, it doesn’t mean your marriage is over (unless your wife finds you in a *singles* *bar*).

But today we are going to study the *Passover* and see that God considered some symbols to be a matter of *life* or *death*, and in fact, he *still* *does*.

prayer

 

All of *human* *history* is a story of us being *slaves* to *sin* and *death*, and you *pursuing* us with all of you might to deliver us.

Help us to understand the depth of your deliverance.

The 1st Passover

 

*Last* *week* we talked about how Israel were *slaves* in *Egypt* and how God used the *plagues* to *demonstrate* his power over all the gods of Egypt (including *Pharaoh* himself) and deliver them.

·         In this week’s reading, we read about their *deliverance*.

But before they head out, God has them throw a *party*.

It’s kind of a *strange* party – there are specific instructions on the *decorations*, *menu*, the *dress*, and the *seating* *arrangements*.

*Exodus 12:5-11 *The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats.

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.

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.

That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast.

Do not eat the meat raw or cooked in water, but roast it over the fire – head, legs and inner parts.

Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it.

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.

The *blood* was to *protect* them from the *10th* *plague*, the death of the first born (they were automatically exempt from the other plagues).

The rest of the special arrangements are so that they will be ready to leave at a *moment’s* *notice*.

Then everything happens as God said it would.

The 10th plague did what the others could not:

 

*Exodus 12:29-32 *At midnight the LORD struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock as well.

Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead.

During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Up!

Leave my people, you and the Israelites!

Go, worship the LORD as you have requested.

Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go.

And also bless me.”

And then we read about the *exodus*, as Michel read.

But as I read the story, something *struck* me: Moses *interrupts* the *action* to list a bunch of *rules* about the Passover and how it is to be celebrated in the future.

Deadly serious symbols

 

It seems *strange* (and *anticlimactic*) to me, like interrupting the big *showdown* in a movie with a *gun* *safety* *course* flashback.

But let’s go with that analogy – why would a screenwriter do that?

Because something *important* will happen there.

·         We are being told just how important these rules are, but even more, just how *important* *Passover* was.

Passover was a *symbolic* *reminder* of *slavery* and *deliverance*, of all the plagues and what God did to save them.

It was a mixture of the *4th of July* and *Easter*.

God considers *this* *symbol* a matter of *life* or *death*.

Anyone who don’t celebrate Passover or celebrate it wrong “shall be *cut* *off* from Israel.”

This either means *exile* or *execution*; in either case it’s pretty *severe* for missing a party.

And God was *right* – it was a matter of life or death.

Celebrating Passover and the other traditions God gave them was a *matter* of *survival* for Israel.

As they came back into *Canaan*, there was still a threat of *assimilation*, of losing their identity.

It was vital that they remember both who *they* *were* and who *God* *was*.

The reason for the plagues was to *demonstrate* God’s *power* over idols, but that lesson could be *forgotten* in *one* *generation*.

*Exodus 13:3, 8-10* Then Moses said to the people, “Commemorate this day, the day you came out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery, because the LORD brought you out of it with a mighty hand.

Eat nothing containing yeast...On that day tell your son, ‘I do this because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.’

This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that the law of the LORD is to be on your lips.

For the LORD brought you out of Egypt with his mighty hand.

You must keep this ordinance at the appointed time year after year.

*Every* *year* they remembered the *slavery*, the *plagues*, the *Exodus*, and remembered that they were God’s *special* *people* and that he was the *sovereign* over everything.

*how* do I *know* God was right about the “*deadly* *seriousness*” of this symbol?

Because Israel is the *only* *nation* to ever survive *1,900* years in *exile*, because of the Law.

Last supper

 

The Passover was *observed* from that day forth (with varying faithfulness).

By Jesus’ day, there were many long standing traditions.

He celebrated it as a good Jew in a form that would be *understood* by *Jews* *today*, down to the *Hebrew* *liturgy*.

·         I wish I had *time* *explain* it because of the *rich* *imagery*.

·         I can do even *better*; we’re holding a *Passover* *feast* April 1st.

As you may know, the *Last* *Supper* was a *Passover* supper.

What is so *interesting*, and *scandalous*, was that he literally and intentionally *redefined* the Passover around *himself*.

That’s pretty gutsy, like renaming a *national* *holiday* after yourself.

That only works if you are a big deal, the turning point of history, and Passover actually foreshadowed you.

·         It is evident that God had always *planned* for the *elements* of the *Passover* to be *symbolic* of Christ himself.

Christ in the Passover

 

There are *three* *main* *symbols* of Christ in Passover.

I can only cover them *briefly* (I go deeper in my *5~/17~/10 sermon*).

*/1.

/**/Passover lamb/*

 

Paul calls Christ our “Passover lamb.”

Remember that the *Passover* *lamb* was *killed* and its blood put on the door post to save them from the *angel* of *death*.

Likewise, we are all under a *sentence* of *death*, saved by *his* *blood*.

Also, God required that the Passover lambs be *perfect*, unblemished.

Not because they taste better, but *symbol* of Christ as the *perfect*, *sinless* *sacrifice*.

*/2.

/**/The Bread/*

 

During the Passover, the unleavened bread is broken.

During the meal, the host would interpret the symbolism using standard interpretation (though the listeners knew it well) but Jesus reinterpreted several elements:

 

*Luke 22:19 *  19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

Why bread?

It symbolizes life.

It is “The staff of bread,” it sustains us.

Messianic Jews like to point out that matzah is striped, pierced, and broken.

*/3.

/**/The Wine/*

 

During the Passover, four cups of wine are drunk, each at specific points with a specific meaning.

The third cup was the “Cup of Redemption” and served at the end of the meal:

 

*Luke 22:20 *  20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”

Why wine?