The Passover Door
The Doors • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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A defendant was on trial for murder. There was strong evidence indicating guilt, but there was no corpse. The lawyer, knowing that his client would probably be convicted, resorted to a trick: "Within one minute, the person presumed dead in this case will walk into this courtroom."
He looked toward the courtroom door. The jurors, somewhat stunned, all looked on eagerly. A minute passed. Nothing happened. Finally the lawyer said, "Actually, I made up the previous statement. But you all looked on with anticipation. I therefore put it to you that there is reasonable doubt in this case as to whether anyone was killed and insist that you return a verdict of not guilty."
The jury, clearly confused, retired to deliberate. A few minutes later, the jury returned and pronounced a verdict of guilty.
"But how?" inquired the lawyer. "You must have had some doubt, I saw all of you stare at the door."
The jury foreman replied, "Oh, we looked, but your client didn't."
We have heard these stories so much. Heard the messages, seen the movies, did the Sunday school lessons…but do we do like the defendant and not look cause we think we know where the story will lead. We need to look at the meaning to these stories with fresh eyes.
Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough? Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new unleavened batch, as indeed you are. For Christ our Passover lamb has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us observe the feast, not with old leaven or with the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
The context to this passage is about sin and how sin can corrupt your entire being.
The passage can be put in the context of the sin of arrogance
This passage also gives us a clear pathway into our message today about Christ and the passover
Let’s start off by looking at the timeline from our last message. So approximately 427 years has passed from the death of Noah and the birth of Moses.
The nation of Israel had become bound in slavery to the Egyptian Pharaoh. Moses, who had been raised in the house of the king as one of his sons, had run off because he had murdered an Egyptian. But God called him back to Egypt to be instrumental in freeing God's people from the tyrannical rule of the Pharaoh.
As God had prophesied to Moses, the Pharaoh would not let the people go--not without plagues being visited upon Egypt. There were ten plagues in all, varying from the river turning to blood, infestation with fleas and frogs, a plague of boils and more. The last plague visited would be the death of firstborn of all humans and animals as well.
Time and time again, Pharaoh was given the opportunity to free the nation of Israel with each succeeding plague. But the bible tells us that Pharaoh "hardened his heart" and would not give in. Although there were times it appeared he would, he changed his mind and, in his pride, would not release Israel.
So let’s look at what is known as Passover the final plague.
The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, “This month is to be the beginning of months for you; it is the first month of your year. Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month they must each select an animal of the flock according to their fathers’ families, one animal per family. If the household is too small for a whole animal, that person and the neighbor nearest his house are to select one based on the combined number of people; you should apportion the animal according to what each will eat. You must have an unblemished animal, a year-old male; you may take it from either the sheep or the goats. You are to keep it until the fourteenth day of this month; then the whole assembly of the community of Israel will slaughter the animals at twilight. They must take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses where they eat them. They are to eat the meat that night; they should eat it, roasted over the fire along with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Do not eat any of it raw or cooked in boiling water, but only roasted over fire—its head as well as its legs and inner organs. You must not leave any of it until morning; any part of it left until morning you must burn. Here is how you must eat it: You must be dressed for travel, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. You are to eat it in a hurry; it is the Lord’s Passover.
“I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night and strike every firstborn male in the land of Egypt, both people and animals. I am the Lord; I will execute judgments against all the gods of Egypt. The blood on the houses where you are staying will be a distinguishing mark for you; when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No plague will be among you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
I will go old school Baptist today and give you a three point message.
I. Christ is the Passover Lamb
How is Jesus our Passover? Well, first let's summarize the structure of what all happened at the Passover. First, the Passover lamb would be brought into the home on the 10th day of the month of Abib, which God designated as the first month of the year. The lamb would be spotless and without blemish.
The lamb would be kept in the home from the 10th to the 14th, and then would be slaughtered. The blood would be kept and spread on the door posts and lentel of the door, and the rest of the lamb would be roasted over a fire and eaten; what was left would be disposed of in the fire. All would be eaten with bitter herbs, and in haste; also wearing full clothing and sandals.
On that night, the angel of death would sweep through Egypt taking the first born of each household and also the first born of all livestock. However, the angel would "pass over" and not take the first born in the homes that had the door posts and lentels covered with the blood of the sacrificial lamb, or the first born of the livestock either.
How is Jesus shown in this passage of Scripture? Each element of the Passover points directly to Christ.
First is the timing. On the 14th day of Abib (also called Nisan) the lamb would be slaughtered. Jesus was also crucified on the 14th day of Abib. When He was put on the cross at the third hour (9:00 AM), the Passover lambs would be tied down at the altar. At the ninth hour (3:00 PM) the Passover lamb would be put to death; this is the time that Jesus died. At the same time that the throats of the lambs were cut, Jesus died on the cross. Both sacrifices died simultaneously.
The lamb that was chosen was to be spotless and without blemish. This speaks to the nature of the Savior; Jesus was without sin, blameless and without spot or blemish morally and spiritually.
The blood spread over the door posts and lentel was placed there so that the angel of death would "pass over" the home; it was the blood that covered the home. It is by the shed blood of Christ that we are saved from an eternity of "second death"--an eternity apart from God in the misery of Hell.
Don’t you yourselves know that you are God’s temple and that the Spirit of God lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, and that is what you are.
You are not the passover lamb but you are temple that houses the Holy Spirit carrying Christ into this world. Have you called upon His blood to cover the door to your heart? Christ is the Passover Lamb.
II. The Church in the Passover Story
If the household is too small for a whole animal, that person and the neighbor nearest his house are to select one based on the combined number of people; you should apportion the animal according to what each will eat.
They are to eat the meat that night; they should eat it, roasted over the fire along with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
The Israelites were commanded to keep the Festival of Passover to remember what God did for them in Eygpt.
Passover is meant to be a fellowship to remember God and His Mercy. Is the church not called to do this today?
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.
If we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
III. The Passover Door
They must take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses where they eat them.
The blood on the houses where you are staying will be a distinguishing mark for you; when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No plague will be among you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
Insert picture of the passover door
The two doorpost was used to support the frame of the door.
Cast your burden on the Lord,
and he will sustain you;
he will never allow the righteous to be shaken.
The lentil or what is known today as a header. It is the strength of the door frame that holds up the weight of that section of the roof.
The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little while.
IV. Conclusion
Do you rely on people to support and strengthen you? Do you rely on family? Do you rely on church family? Or have you put your full trust in the Lord to support and strengthen you? Have you placed His blood on the door to your life?