Just last night I participated in my first Passover Seder with the Hineni Messianic Fellowship. It was a very satisfying celebration. I was able to see many connections from the passover to Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. There was no mention of Easter or an Easter egg hunt. The children did however get to search for the Afikomen. At the beginning of the Passover Seder, the middle of the three pieces of matzah is broken. The largest piece, called the afikomen, is hidden. During the seder, the children try to find the afikomen. The Seder can only end after the afikomen is eaten.
The Passover is a beautiful picture of God’s plan to redeem His people. At one point I welled up with tears when we read the instructions God gave to Israel for the first passover night. Placing the blood of the lamb on the door post and lentil of the door would cause the death angel to passover those in the house. It didn’t matter whether the inhabitants were righteous, hebrew, or, Egyptian. The blood was all that was needed to be spared death. I welled up because I miss the mark so often, and, I know that I deserve death. But for the Blood of Jesus!
Yes I said I derserve death.
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)
As in the first passover where Moses and the children of Israel were spared physical death that night, the blood of another lamb, God’s perfect lamb – Jesus Christ, we are spared a much worse death – spiritual death.
It is not by good deeds that you can be saved. It doesn’t matter what church you go to. It doesn’t matter if your parents go to church. It doesn’t even matter how much bible you know. It is not about religion. We are all sinners, and as such, we need a saviour. When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden they brought sin and death into the world. No one has escaped this. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)
There is only one way to be made right with God – Faith in Jesus Christ. This is the simple truth. God has made a way to save you. By sending His only Son, who was with out sin to die for the sins of the world, God has executed punishment upon Him instead of you. After 3 days in the grave Jesus rose from the dead. Those who believe in this work of God are saved from spiritual death. What does that mean? A definition of death can be separation. When you die physically your spirit and soul separate from your body. Then you (your spirit and soul) have to go some where. If you have put your faith in what Jesus did on the cross (death, burial, and resurrection) you will be ushered into the presence of God where you will remain for eternity. If you have not accepted God’s provision to be made right, you (spirit and soul) will be separated from God for eternity. This is the spiritual death.
You will not just be left to your own. There is a place prepared for the devil and his angels – Hell. It was not created for man but that is precisely where men and women end up when they don’t take advantage of the provision that God has made.
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.. (Matt 25:41)
God has given us a great gift in His Son. He died for you. He died for me. I hope to see Jesus and you in eternity.
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