by Pastor Gideon Lee
Big idea:
God puts in place authority for our good
Recognise God's loving intent behind the authority
Act righteously even when it's difficult
# Recognise authority even when in doubt
1 Samuel 24:3-7
He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. 4 The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said[a] to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
5 Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. 6 He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.” 7 With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.
# David's refusal to murder Saul was because he recognised the lord as higher authority
1 Samuel 18:12
Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with David but had departed from Saul.
1 Samuel 18:15
When Saul saw how successful he was, he was afraid of him.
It's seems good that David should cut off the robe of Saul,
- From military point is good
- From personal point is good
- What about from God's point?
# David's men could not, would not, recognise Saul as king
David recognise Yahweh, and David men also recognise Yahweh
1 Samuel 24:4
The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said[a] to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
1 Samuel 24:6
He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.”
# David recognised King Saul's authority because the lord was the one who established it
David should not be the one to deal with Saul but leave it to God alone
1. Unpopular decision against majority
2. Additional challenges to deal with David men
3. Allow Saul to live another day meant another opportunity to strike David again
David knows to Harm Saul is defying God
1 Samuel 13:14
But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”
above verse is referring to Saul kingdom
# David's obedience to God governed his heart and moral compass
Pressure and persecution can be a temptation to compromise especially if it cause us our livelihood or our lives. We justifies or rationalise in compromising our obedience to God. However, this will damage relationship to people around us or our relationship to God.
Be Patience, loving and just towards the undeserved.
God is the ultimate authority, therefore, we can trust his purpose for establishing the various authority over us
# Honor authority even when it hurts
1 Samuel 24:8
Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.
1 Samuel 24:15-19
May the Lord be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand.”
16 When David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” And he wept aloud. 17 “You are more righteous than I,” he said. “You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly. 18 You have just now told me about the good you did to me; the Lord delivered me into your hands, but you did not kill me. 19 When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the Lord reward you well for the way you treated me today.
# A deliberate choice of respectful address from a position of humility
# A peaceful intention for reconciliation and not revenge
# David compel us to God's higher standard beyond our own
Saul compelled eye for eye, tooth for tooth
Honouring saul did not meant David condon Saul wrongdoings
He chose to rise up and get up from the cave
David have faith the Yahweh will vindicate him
1 Samuel 24:15
May the Lord be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand.”
The innermost part of cave is dark, unknown, cold, depressing or even dangerous or even carry out deeds in secret. We don't want to remain inside for a long time. David chose to honour Saul even in the dark cave
1 Samuel 24:16
When David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” And he wept aloud.
1 Samuel 24:19
When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the Lord reward you well for the way you treated me today.
# God used David as his instrument for reconciliation
Even painful or undeserved:
1. respectful language and tone
2. adopt a posture of humility
3. trust in God's justice
This helps us be peacemaker, to seek reconciliation not revenge
God is a deliverer
More people more like Jesus
Will I choose my right and dishonour (the name of that someone)?
Seek God's guidance in a manner that's respectful and honour. God establish authority. We need to choose to recognise that God instituted authority for our good, we need to response from our hearts, learn to trust in God's plans.
Sunday, April 27, 2025
Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Christ in the Spring feasts - Beyond a lifetime guarantee
by Ps John Lin
Warranty expired, guarantee don't last, People in our lives, despite best intention, they still let us down
The impossible became possible with Jesus
Big idea:
Jesus resurrection gives us hope and guarantees a new kind of life
> 1 Corinthians 15:20-23
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.
1. Jesus didn't just rise from the grave, He started something bigger
Feasts reveals God's plan all along and Jesus fulfilled
Gives us Freedom, forgiveness and God's rescue plan
Feasts of first fruits:
God, thank you for this beginning harvest and we continue to trust you for what's coming
Jesus died on the exact day on Passover
And rise on the day after the Passover Which is during feasts of first fruits
2. Death doesn't need to be final
1 Corinthians 15:21-22
For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive
2 things you cannot control:
- The day you were born
- The day you die
While death is painfully, undeniably real, but it doesn't get to have final say in our lives
Jesus death:
- I'd rather die than denying the truth
- My hope is not based in feelings and circumstances but on the hope of Jesus Christ
3. Those who belong to Christ
1 Corinthians 15:23
But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.
It's not about performance, doing more good things or bad. But it's all about relationship, trust and surrender
Fear of sickness, fear of future, fear of death is no longer there
Romans 10:9
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
We are no longer bound by sins or shame of our past
Jesus is the turning point of your life
Jesus offer you a life beyond what this wall can give you, sickness, failure, addiction or even the grave. A guarantee beyond this lifetime
Jesus Resurrection is not a history but a prophecy, and a new kind of life
Warranty expired, guarantee don't last, People in our lives, despite best intention, they still let us down
The impossible became possible with Jesus
Big idea:
Jesus resurrection gives us hope and guarantees a new kind of life
> 1 Corinthians 15:20-23
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.
1. Jesus didn't just rise from the grave, He started something bigger
Feasts reveals God's plan all along and Jesus fulfilled
Gives us Freedom, forgiveness and God's rescue plan
Feasts of first fruits:
God, thank you for this beginning harvest and we continue to trust you for what's coming
Jesus died on the exact day on Passover
And rise on the day after the Passover Which is during feasts of first fruits
2. Death doesn't need to be final
1 Corinthians 15:21-22
For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive
2 things you cannot control:
- The day you were born
- The day you die
While death is painfully, undeniably real, but it doesn't get to have final say in our lives
Jesus death:
- I'd rather die than denying the truth
- My hope is not based in feelings and circumstances but on the hope of Jesus Christ
3. Those who belong to Christ
1 Corinthians 15:23
But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.
It's not about performance, doing more good things or bad. But it's all about relationship, trust and surrender
Fear of sickness, fear of future, fear of death is no longer there
Romans 10:9
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
We are no longer bound by sins or shame of our past
Jesus is the turning point of your life
Jesus offer you a life beyond what this wall can give you, sickness, failure, addiction or even the grave. A guarantee beyond this lifetime
Jesus Resurrection is not a history but a prophecy, and a new kind of life
Sunday, April 13, 2025
Christ in the Spring Feasts (part 2)
by Pastor Meng Cham
Jewish feasts
- Appointed by Yahweh
- Sacred assemblies
- Signposts of God's redemption plan through Christ
What's the significance of Jewish feasts for us?
They act as Signposts ...pre figure Messiah and foreshadow his first and second advent
2. Feast of first fruits
3. Feast of weeks
Is there hope in death?
YES!!!
Big idea:
The feasts of first fruits and feats of weeks reveal the power of new life in Christ
Why Hope even in death?
Because of the feast of First fruits which is Hope in the resurrection to new life
Leviticus 23:9-14
The Lord said to Moses, 10 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you and you reap its harvest, bring to the priest a sheaf of the first grain you harvest. 11 He is to wave the sheaf before the Lord so it will be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath. 12 On the day you wave the sheaf, you must sacrifice as a burnt offering to the Lord a lamb a year old without defect, 13 together with its grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah[a] of the finest flour mixed with olive oil—a food offering presented to the Lord, a pleasing aroma—and its drink offering of a quarter of a hin[b] of wine. 14 You must not eat any bread, or roasted or new grain, until the very day you bring this offering to your God. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.
Feast of First fruits happens after feast of unleavened bread
First fruits are best harvest That's why they cut off and wave before the lord then they can eat the bread and grain. Signify God is sole provider
1 Corinthians 15:20
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
It means we also raided from the dead
1 Corinthians 15:22-23
For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.
We too in Christ will also be raised, because of Christ resurrection. Good news to those who received but sadly not everyone. Saduccees control the temple. High priest came from saduccees. Saduccees denied supernatural, denied resurrection. For them death is the end. They said there is no God to hold them accountable.
Daniel 12:2
Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.
John 5:25-29
Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. 28 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.
# The spiritual significance of the Feast of First Fruits is that as Jesus Christ did not remain in the grave but was raised from the xx xx will all humanity
Only those who have taken the first two feasts will be raised to eternal life
Vs separation, condemnation
Love with great care, we'll be held accountable, how we live, is it good or evil today, how we treat people, how we live the gospel..
Things don't work out smoothly, we have this hope of new life in Jesus. Resurrection guarantees we'll be raised to new life to eternity
Sense an urgency. Be diligent to pray they will also have new life in Jesus Christ
They will be resurrected to meet their maker. May they also find this hope of new life in Jesus Christ
eg. Myanmar earthquake
Feast of the weeks
Hope in the constitution of the new family
Leviticus 23:15-20
“‘From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. 16 Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the Lord. 17 From wherever you live, bring two loaves made of two-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour, baked with yeast, as a wave offering of firstfruits to the Lord. 18 Present with this bread seven male lambs, each a year old and without defect, one young bull and two rams. They will be a burnt offering to the Lord, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings—a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord. 19 Then sacrifice one male goat for a sin offering[a] and two lambs, each a year old, for a fellowship offering. 20 The priest is to wave the two lambs before the Lord as a wave offering, together with the bread of the firstfruits. They are a sacred offering to the Lord for the priest.
50 days is the word "pentacost"
The Feasts of weeks have every sacrifices done:
sin offering
Peace offering
Wave offering
Burnt offering etc
When people said disciples were drunk.. to this Peter quoted
Joel 2:28-32
“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. 29 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. 30 I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 31 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. 32 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the Lord has said, even among the survivors whom the Lord calls.[a]
@ Signpost is that God's salvation include everyone when they call upon the name of the lord
Sin is thorough and universal. Leaven is to say all of us have fallen short of the saving grace. We all need the same saving grace as the resurrection children, Jewish or Gentiles
Leviticus 23:22
“‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the Lord your God.’”
above verse is a sign of God's grace to the outcast, sojourner, the poor, the needy etc
The power of new life in Jesus Christ is now made available to all
# The spiritual significance of the Feasts of Weeks is that the power of the new life in Jesus Christ is now made available to all. Ephesians 2:18-22
For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. 19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
We now connstituted the family of God, Jews and gentiles alike
1. We have the promised spirit that is indwelling us
2. We have the power of the spirit
We are not from here. We are in but not of this world. Something in us will say we are not from here when we face challenges, hardships, persecutions, difficulties, insults, hurts etc
We are new creation, destined for heaven . Let Holy spirit cultivate in us.
We must be peace maker and break down every walls of Division and exclusion
The harvest is now Let the hs Water these seeds with act of kindness Did jesus preach in hell?
Jewish feasts
- Appointed by Yahweh
- Sacred assemblies
- Signposts of God's redemption plan through Christ
What's the significance of Jewish feasts for us?
They act as Signposts ...pre figure Messiah and foreshadow his first and second advent
2. Feast of first fruits
3. Feast of weeks
Is there hope in death?
YES!!!
Big idea:
The feasts of first fruits and feats of weeks reveal the power of new life in Christ
Why Hope even in death?
Because of the feast of First fruits which is Hope in the resurrection to new life
Leviticus 23:9-14
The Lord said to Moses, 10 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you and you reap its harvest, bring to the priest a sheaf of the first grain you harvest. 11 He is to wave the sheaf before the Lord so it will be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath. 12 On the day you wave the sheaf, you must sacrifice as a burnt offering to the Lord a lamb a year old without defect, 13 together with its grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah[a] of the finest flour mixed with olive oil—a food offering presented to the Lord, a pleasing aroma—and its drink offering of a quarter of a hin[b] of wine. 14 You must not eat any bread, or roasted or new grain, until the very day you bring this offering to your God. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.
Feast of First fruits happens after feast of unleavened bread
First fruits are best harvest That's why they cut off and wave before the lord then they can eat the bread and grain. Signify God is sole provider
1 Corinthians 15:20
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
It means we also raided from the dead
1 Corinthians 15:22-23
For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.
We too in Christ will also be raised, because of Christ resurrection. Good news to those who received but sadly not everyone. Saduccees control the temple. High priest came from saduccees. Saduccees denied supernatural, denied resurrection. For them death is the end. They said there is no God to hold them accountable.
Daniel 12:2
Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.
John 5:25-29
Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. 28 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.
# The spiritual significance of the Feast of First Fruits is that as Jesus Christ did not remain in the grave but was raised from the xx xx will all humanity
Only those who have taken the first two feasts will be raised to eternal life
Vs separation, condemnation
Love with great care, we'll be held accountable, how we live, is it good or evil today, how we treat people, how we live the gospel..
Things don't work out smoothly, we have this hope of new life in Jesus. Resurrection guarantees we'll be raised to new life to eternity
Sense an urgency. Be diligent to pray they will also have new life in Jesus Christ
They will be resurrected to meet their maker. May they also find this hope of new life in Jesus Christ
eg. Myanmar earthquake
Feast of the weeks
Hope in the constitution of the new family
Leviticus 23:15-20
“‘From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. 16 Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the Lord. 17 From wherever you live, bring two loaves made of two-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour, baked with yeast, as a wave offering of firstfruits to the Lord. 18 Present with this bread seven male lambs, each a year old and without defect, one young bull and two rams. They will be a burnt offering to the Lord, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings—a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord. 19 Then sacrifice one male goat for a sin offering[a] and two lambs, each a year old, for a fellowship offering. 20 The priest is to wave the two lambs before the Lord as a wave offering, together with the bread of the firstfruits. They are a sacred offering to the Lord for the priest.
50 days is the word "pentacost"
The Feasts of weeks have every sacrifices done:
sin offering
Peace offering
Wave offering
Burnt offering etc
When people said disciples were drunk.. to this Peter quoted
Joel 2:28-32
“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. 29 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. 30 I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 31 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. 32 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the Lord has said, even among the survivors whom the Lord calls.[a]
@ Signpost is that God's salvation include everyone when they call upon the name of the lord
Sin is thorough and universal. Leaven is to say all of us have fallen short of the saving grace. We all need the same saving grace as the resurrection children, Jewish or Gentiles
Leviticus 23:22
“‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the Lord your God.’”
above verse is a sign of God's grace to the outcast, sojourner, the poor, the needy etc
The power of new life in Jesus Christ is now made available to all
# The spiritual significance of the Feasts of Weeks is that the power of the new life in Jesus Christ is now made available to all. Ephesians 2:18-22
For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. 19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
We now connstituted the family of God, Jews and gentiles alike
1. We have the promised spirit that is indwelling us
2. We have the power of the spirit
We are not from here. We are in but not of this world. Something in us will say we are not from here when we face challenges, hardships, persecutions, difficulties, insults, hurts etc
We are new creation, destined for heaven . Let Holy spirit cultivate in us.
We must be peace maker and break down every walls of Division and exclusion
The harvest is now Let the hs Water these seeds with act of kindness Did jesus preach in hell?
Monday, April 7, 2025
Christ in the Spring feasts
by Ps Wilson
Big idea:
The feast of Passover and unleavened bread reveal God's plan of redemption that was fulfilled in Christ
God already instructed Israel to observe 4 major Jewish festivals to point to the coming of His son Jesus, to put in motion a salvation plan with details that no one knew until Christ came to fulfil one by one
Four festivals and spiritual significance
Empower us in two ways:
1. helping you understand the content (invite your friends after understanding the spiritual significance of the four feasts)
2. Follow up with further conversations with those who came for food...
1. The Feast of Passover
2. The Feast of Unleavened bread
3. The Feast of First fruits
1. The Feast of Passover
Exodus 12:2-6
“This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. 3 Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb[a] for his family, one for each household. 4 If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat. 5 The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. 6 Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight.
Without the lamb, there was no Passover, why a one year old unblemished lamb?
Because this age is fully grown as adult, prime age and of value. Killing this lamb must be 14th day of nissan
"Nissan" was part of the religious calender, typically falls within march and April period
Exodus 12:7-8
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. 8 That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast.
Exodus 12:12-13
“On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. 13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.
The lamb's blood must be applied to house door frame, main door.
The blood prevent Israel from the wrath of God that come upon Egypt. It is to be observed until today.
- to Remember YahWeh power
- to Remember a Nation of slaves were set free to become people of God
1 Peter 2:22-24
“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”[a] 23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”
1st Signpost : The requirement for an unblemished one-year-old male lamb
2nd Signpost : The blood of the Lamb
3rd Signpost : The timing of Passover
Lamb must be slaughtered
Ephesians 2:12-14
remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,
Jesus must be sinless and unblemished and he must also died and his blood shed for redemption of Christianity
Why must Christ shed his blood for us?
Sin of humanity separate us from the holy God. For us to be reconcile with God, a blood sacrifice must be made to cover our sins. Blood signify life, only blood can made atonement. Our lord Jesus paid the sins for us with his blood.
Thus remove the wall of hostility between us and God
John 19:14-16
It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon. “Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews. 15 But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” “Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered. 16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. The Crucifixion of Jesus So the soldiers took charge of Jesus.
Our lord died on the preparation day of the Passover which was also the day that Israel is to prepare the lamb to die. It is not coincidence but pin point accuracy.
# The Spiritual significance of the Feast of Passover lies in Jesus Christ being the perfect lamb of God, who died to atone for the sins of humanity.
What's the implications for today believers?
Israel has to prepare lambs during Passover. The lambs could not remove sin issue permanently, that's why year after year the act must be repeated. Until Christ came once and for all.
I'm cleaned and forgiven in Christ
2. Feast of the unleavened bread
Exodus 12:15-20
For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast. On the first day remove the yeast from your houses, for whoever eats anything with yeast in it from the first day through the seventh must be cut off from Israel. 16 On the first day hold a sacred assembly, and another one on the seventh day. Do no work at all on these days, except to prepare food for everyone to eat; that is all you may do. 17 “Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread, because it was on this very day that I brought your divisions out of Egypt. Celebrate this day as a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. 18 In the first month you are to eat bread made without yeast, from the evening of the fourteenth day until the evening of the twenty-first day. 19 For seven days no yeast is to be found in your houses. And anyone, whether foreigner or native-born, who eats anything with yeast in it must be cut off from the community of Israel. 20 Eat nothing made with yeast. Wherever you live, you must eat unleavened bread.”
Immediately after day of Passover, the feasts of unleavened bread starts for seven days
Unleavened bread is bread without yeast
- Means no contamination
1 Corinthians 5:6-8
Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? 7 Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
Leavened associated with sin
Leavened associated with Pure and sinlessness
# The spiritual significance of the Feast of the Unleavened Bread lies in Christ being buried as a sinless man, and whose body did not experience decay
Isaiah 53:9
He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.
Signify Christ was buried with wicked and buried in a rich man tomb
Body did not undergo decay
Acts 2:29-31
“Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay.
God already gave details of Christ death more than 1000 years ago before he came as a man
While Israel were still slaves in Egypt, God already instituted the feasts
John 3:36
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.
God has done his part, it is up to us to do our part
Big idea:
The feast of Passover and unleavened bread reveal God's plan of redemption that was fulfilled in Christ
God already instructed Israel to observe 4 major Jewish festivals to point to the coming of His son Jesus, to put in motion a salvation plan with details that no one knew until Christ came to fulfil one by one
Four festivals and spiritual significance
Empower us in two ways:
1. helping you understand the content (invite your friends after understanding the spiritual significance of the four feasts)
2. Follow up with further conversations with those who came for food...
1. The Feast of Passover
2. The Feast of Unleavened bread
3. The Feast of First fruits
1. The Feast of Passover
Exodus 12:2-6
“This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. 3 Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb[a] for his family, one for each household. 4 If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat. 5 The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. 6 Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight.
Without the lamb, there was no Passover, why a one year old unblemished lamb?
Because this age is fully grown as adult, prime age and of value. Killing this lamb must be 14th day of nissan
"Nissan" was part of the religious calender, typically falls within march and April period
Exodus 12:7-8
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. 8 That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast.
Exodus 12:12-13
“On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. 13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.
The lamb's blood must be applied to house door frame, main door.
The blood prevent Israel from the wrath of God that come upon Egypt. It is to be observed until today.
- to Remember YahWeh power
- to Remember a Nation of slaves were set free to become people of God
1 Peter 2:22-24
“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”[a] 23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”
1st Signpost : The requirement for an unblemished one-year-old male lamb
2nd Signpost : The blood of the Lamb
3rd Signpost : The timing of Passover
Lamb must be slaughtered
Ephesians 2:12-14
remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,
Jesus must be sinless and unblemished and he must also died and his blood shed for redemption of Christianity
Why must Christ shed his blood for us?
Sin of humanity separate us from the holy God. For us to be reconcile with God, a blood sacrifice must be made to cover our sins. Blood signify life, only blood can made atonement. Our lord Jesus paid the sins for us with his blood.
Thus remove the wall of hostility between us and God
John 19:14-16
It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon. “Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews. 15 But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” “Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered. 16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. The Crucifixion of Jesus So the soldiers took charge of Jesus.
Our lord died on the preparation day of the Passover which was also the day that Israel is to prepare the lamb to die. It is not coincidence but pin point accuracy.
# The Spiritual significance of the Feast of Passover lies in Jesus Christ being the perfect lamb of God, who died to atone for the sins of humanity.
What's the implications for today believers?
Israel has to prepare lambs during Passover. The lambs could not remove sin issue permanently, that's why year after year the act must be repeated. Until Christ came once and for all.
I'm cleaned and forgiven in Christ
2. Feast of the unleavened bread
Exodus 12:15-20
For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast. On the first day remove the yeast from your houses, for whoever eats anything with yeast in it from the first day through the seventh must be cut off from Israel. 16 On the first day hold a sacred assembly, and another one on the seventh day. Do no work at all on these days, except to prepare food for everyone to eat; that is all you may do. 17 “Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread, because it was on this very day that I brought your divisions out of Egypt. Celebrate this day as a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. 18 In the first month you are to eat bread made without yeast, from the evening of the fourteenth day until the evening of the twenty-first day. 19 For seven days no yeast is to be found in your houses. And anyone, whether foreigner or native-born, who eats anything with yeast in it must be cut off from the community of Israel. 20 Eat nothing made with yeast. Wherever you live, you must eat unleavened bread.”
Immediately after day of Passover, the feasts of unleavened bread starts for seven days
Unleavened bread is bread without yeast
- Means no contamination
1 Corinthians 5:6-8
Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? 7 Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
Leavened associated with sin
Leavened associated with Pure and sinlessness
# The spiritual significance of the Feast of the Unleavened Bread lies in Christ being buried as a sinless man, and whose body did not experience decay
Isaiah 53:9
He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.
Signify Christ was buried with wicked and buried in a rich man tomb
Body did not undergo decay
Acts 2:29-31
“Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay.
God already gave details of Christ death more than 1000 years ago before he came as a man
While Israel were still slaves in Egypt, God already instituted the feasts
John 3:36
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.
God has done his part, it is up to us to do our part
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