Christ Our Passover
Today's Verse:
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: ~1 Corinthians 5:7
The Feast of Passover was deeply embedded into Jewish life. On the night that Passover was instituted, every household was to take an unblemished lamb of the first year, kill it, take its blood, apply it to the door posts and threshold, roast the body with herbs, and eat it. What they did that night was a beautiful picture of Christ Who is our Passover. Paul uses the description of this ritual to teach a strong spiritual lesson regarding our fellowship with the Lord.
Let us remember the cost in Christ’s death.
The Passover represented one lamb dying for every household. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world. Jesus was the one Lamb Who died for every man. The cost involved with His death on the cross is priceless. "Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from our fathers, But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." He gave His life as the ultimate sacrifice for sin. He was the only acceptable substitute for sin Who could satisfy the just demands of God. God’s sinless Son was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.
Let us heed the cleansing through Christ’s death.
Before every Passover, every Jewish home was commanded to purge their home of old leaven. Leaven is a symbol for sin. Purging out the leaven was a powerful reminder that sin should not be tolerated or allowed to linger in our homes. The Corinthian believers had tolerated terrible sin and wickedness in their assembly. They were commanded to purge out the old leaven so that they would be new lumps. Christ’s death for us is a sobering reminder that we must purge out the leaven in our lives. We must come daily before the Lord to search our hearts and see if there is any wicked way within us. Then, those sins must be confessed and forsaken. This is why when we come to the Lord’s Table, we are to judge ourselves of sin that must be confessed before God.
Let us draw near in closeness because of Christ’s death.
After the leaven in our lives is removed, the celebration of Christ’s death is done in sincerity and truth. Each time we remember the sacrifice that Christ made for us, it should draw us closer to Him in fellowship. It should provoke us to love and good works. It should spur us to witness and reach more people with the gospel. It should touch our hearts in a personal way so that we never become indifferent to the great cost involved in His death for us. The nearer we are to the Lord, the more like Him we become. Closeness eventually results in likeness.
Let us be careful not to allow little sins to linger in our lives. These little sins, like little pieces of leaven, disqualify us from purity and closeness to God. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. We must purge our lives from little sins and not be overcome with the leaven of malice and wickedness. Look to Jesus, and let His sacrifice on the cross be fresh in your life and walk with Him.
Have a sanctified God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Jeremiah 42-45
Comments