Jesus Christ

Well, once again, welcome to the first day of Unleavened Bread in the year 2012. Recently, we observed the New Testament Passover, and today we are beginning to celebrate the Feast of the Festival of Unleavened Bread. Like many of the biblical Holy Days, this festival is tied in the harvest seasons.

After all, the plan of God includes the Father's desire to harvest human souls into becoming his sons and daughters in his family. Approximately 3,500 years ago, God took time to explain to Moses the importance of observing his Holy Days. And we know by reading the book of Leviticus that Moses wrote down those instructions for people to hear and for all of us to learn from. Among these instructions were not only how to determine which day is a Holy Day, how to locate them, but were a series of rituals and sacrifices that should be performed.

And of course, we know that the rituals and sacrifices are now obsolete, because Jesus Christ was the complete and ultimate sacrifice that fulfilled them all. We read about that in Hebrews 10. But we do keep God's Holy Days in a new covenant perspective. It's no longer about sacrifices. It's no longer about rituals. But these days, of course, always point to something Jesus Christ has done, is doing, or will do. So they remain very important to God and very important to us. They review to us that God doesn't do anything without a profound purpose.

Even the rituals and the sacrifices which are now done away, pointed to something very important that Jesus Christ would do. And today, I would like to examine and discuss a powerful ritual that occurred during the days of Unleavened Bread for hundreds of years. It was commanded in Leviticus 23.

And for hundreds of years, the priest performed this ritual. And if we understand it, I believe there's a lot that we can learn about God's plan, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and a lot that we can learn about ourselves. So within the very spring festival that you and I are celebrating today, there was a beautiful and simple ceremony that occurred, every feast during the days of Unleavened Bread, that pointed to an essential act that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ would perform.

It goes all the way back to Leviticus 23. And it wasn't a commanded assembly, by no means. It wasn't proclaimed to be a feast day. It was simply a ritual, a ceremony that was performed by the priest. But on behalf of the people, today I would like to examine this ceremony that occurred during the days of Unleavened Bread, and consider what it means for you and for me. However, I just can't go straight there and discuss what the ceremony is. If I did that, then the sermon couldn't be two, two and a half hours long.

You wouldn't get your offerings worth today if I just went directly and explained what that ceremony meant. So before we go to the book of Leviticus today and look at that ceremony, I'd like to first go to the year 31 A.D. and I would like all of us to review the chronology of events during the year that Jesus Christ died. So we'll begin by doing that. Matthew, chapter 27, if you'll turn there with me, beginning in verse 45. When we look at the chronology of what Jesus Christ did in the year 31 A.D., it will make the events in Leviticus 23, it will make that ritual complete.

It will help us to understand the rich meaning and purpose of that ritual that was performed for hundreds and hundreds of years during the days of unleavened bread. Matthew, chapter 27, beginning in verse 45. The scripture about Jesus Christ and His crucifixion, it says, Now from the sixth hour, which was 12 noon, until the ninth hour, which was about 3 p.m., there was darkness over all the land. And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani, that is, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? And for a brief moment in time, because Jesus Christ had the burden of all human sin and evil and stench of carnality on Him, for a brief moment in time, the Father had to look away.

And that's why Jesus made that comment. Verse 47, some of those who stood there, when they had heard that, said, the man is calling out for Elijah. And immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed, and offered it to him to drink.

The rest said, let him alone, let us see if Elijah will come to save him. And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit. So again, this occurred, as you see earlier, in these verses of the ninth hour, the final words of Jesus Christ were uttered.

As it correctly says in the Scofield Bible notes, the ninth hour was 3 p.m. in the afternoon. It says in the Scofield Bible notes, quote, the synoptics use Hebrew reckoning, beginning with sunrise, 6 to 7 a.m. being the first hour, 7 to 8 a.m. being the second hour. And that's how they counted the hours of a day. So we see here that Jesus Christ died about 3 p.m. Now let's go to the book of John, John chapter 19 and verse 30. We'll put another puzzle piece here together to understand the chronology of events during the year that Jesus died.

John chapter 19 beginning in verse 30. It says, so when Jesus had received this sour wine, he said it is finished, and bowing his head, he gave up his spirit, meaning he died. Verse 31, therefore, because it was the preparation day, that the body should not remain on the cross, on the Sabbath, for that Sabbath was a high day.

So the preparation day here was the fact that the next day was the first day of unleavened bread. That's what the Scripture says here. Continuing, it says, the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, that they might be taken away, then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with him.

But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. And again, this fulfilled the fact that in the Old Testament, the Passover lambs, bones were not broken. Verse 34, but one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. So John records that they wanted to rush the burial of Christ, the Jews did, because the first day of unleavened bread was to begin at sunset. And we have John to thank for that knowledge. And many things regarding the events of the last days of Christ, John adds things that the other gospels don't necessarily point out.

And he says, for this Sabbath that they were preparing for was a high day, a holy day, meaning the first day of unleavened bread. So I'd like to put together some of these events for us. First of all, Jesus had been scourged. He had been led away to be crucified. He was crucified about 9 a.m. that day, according to Matthew 20, verse 3. We don't have the time to turn there, but Matthew says it was the third hour that would be at 9 a.m.

From the sixth hour, which was noon, until the ninth hour, which was 3 p.m., there was darkness over the land, and Jesus died. So he lived for about six hours total on the cross, on the stake. And he died at 3 p.m., the ninth hour, according to Scripture, in the afternoon, in the same afternoon, when the lambs were being killed in the temple for the Passover to be observed by many Jews. And again, if you remember the sermon from a few weeks back, they had expanded that definition of between the two evenings. When it said the Passover would be slain at twilight, or between the two evenings, that had been expanded from the time originally, when it was just between sunset and dark, to include the time from about 3 p.m.

in the afternoon to dark. And he was slain at the same time when the lambs were being killed in the temple for the Passover to be observed by many Jews. Let's now go to Matthew, chapter 27, verse 57, and we'll continue to pick up the chronology of events, because the first day of Unleavened Bread will be coming upon the world in a few hours.

So there's going to be a rush, the berry, the body, the corpse of Jesus Christ. Matthew, chapter 27, verse 57. So between 3 p.m., when he dies, and let's say that sunset is 7 p.m., that's only a few hours' time. There's a lot that has to occur before sunset that night.

Matthew, chapter 27, verse 57. And when the evening had come, better translation is the new international version, it says as evening approached, There came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. This man went to Pilate and asked him for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him, meaning given to Joseph. When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and he laid it in his new tomb, which he had hewn out of the rock, and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and he departed.

And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary sitting opposite the tomb. So on the evening, when many Jews were observing the Passover, it's getting to be near sunset, the evening of the first day of Unleavened Bread, Joseph is rushing around to get permission to get the body of Jesus. Remember that he has to be taken off of the cross, the stake. Then I'm sure there's some politics, there's some haggling over who has the right and the authority to have the body of this man that they considered to be a criminal.

Then he has to take the body, he has to wrap and prepare the body in white linen, and then he has to carry the body either personally or in a cart or do something to take it to a tomb that was originally meant for him, and to bury that. And he has to do all of those things before sunset, or people will be deeply offended around him. So he rushed to get the body of Jesus entombed around the time before sunset.

We saw here in the scripture that the women are also there. It says that they were sitting opposite the tomb. And of course we know from Mark's account that they were so under so much anguish that they didn't think the body was properly prepared for a customary Jewish burial that they were thinking of buying spices and coming to anoint him again after the Holy Day was over. Now let's pick it up in verse 62.

Verse 62, on the next day, I always find this rather interesting, what would the next day, if the preparation day had been the day before the first day of unleavened bread, what would the next day be? It would be the first day of unleavened bread. So what are the Jewish leaders thinking of that next day? You think they're thinking about God? You think they're thinking about the true meaning of an unleavened life? You think they're thinking about the richness of the Holy Days? Well, it says, on the next day, which followed the day of preparation, the chief priest and the Pharisees gathered together to Pilate. Pilate? He's a Gentile. Why would you go and spend time with him on a Holy Day?

Well, we'll find out. Saying, sir, we remember it occurred to us while he was still alive how that deceiver said, after three days I will rise. Therefore, command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night and steal him away and say to the people, he has risen from the dead.

So the last deception will be worse than the first. And Pilate said to them, you have a guard go your way, make it as secure as you know how. So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard. So the chief religious leaders remembered that Jesus had said during his ministry that he would be dead for three days.

And it dawns upon them. And they run the pilot on the first day of Unleavened Bread and they're politically motivated. And they said, we've got to make sure that no one steals the body and claims that he was resurrected. Now let's go to Matthew chapter 12 and verse 38, because let's see exactly how long Jesus Christ said that he would be dead.

Let's make it very clear how long he said that he would be dead. Matthew chapter 12 and verse 38. It says, then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, Teacher, we want to see a sign from you. And he answered and said to them, an evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign.

They basically were saying to him, show us one of your parlor tricks. Can you do that water in the wine thing? Can you show us one of your tricks? And that offended Jesus. So he said, an evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Meaning he would be buried for three days, three nights. Verse 41, he said, The men of Nineveh will rise up in judgment with this generation and condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. They didn't need to see any parlor tricks. They didn't need to see a sign. They were just preached to. They were convicted by the preaching, and the Gentile people of Nineveh at least repented. He said, and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. Verse 42, the Queen of the South will rise up in judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and indeed a greater than Solomon is here. So, brethren, let's make it very clear here that there, according to Jesus Christ, there is only one legitimate sign that would prove that he is the Messiah. And that sign is that he would be buried for 72 hours, three complete days, three complete nights before he would be resurrected. He would be in a tomb. He drew the analogy of Jonah being in the belly of the whale three days and three nights. Now let's go to Chapter 28. Matthew, Chapter 28. We'll pick up the story here and begin to put all of this together. Matthew, Chapter 28, beginning in verse 1. Now, after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began, we call that Sunday, today, the first day of the week, began to dawn. John's account says that it was still dark. So what we might say, the crack of dawn in today's vernacular, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake. So the ground shakes when they come to see the tomb. For an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards, remember the guards that Pilate told the Jews, you know, you can send these guards there and do the best you can. And the guards shook for fear of him. That was fear of that angel that glowed, that literally glowed like lightning, glistening, and became like dead men. All the color left their face. They were so terrified at what they were seeing. But the angel answered and said to the women, Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he is risen. As he said, Come and see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell the disciples that he is risen from the dead. And indeed, he is going before you into Galilee. There you will see him. Behold, I have told you. So I want you to notice what really occurred here. Jesus had risen earlier. We'll find out how earlier in just a few minutes. He had risen earlier. And he literally walked through the walls, because he was now spirit. He walked through the walls of the sealed tomb. Remember, the tomb isn't even opened until the angel moves the door, moves the big rock.

And by then, the tomb is empty. So Jesus, when he was resurrected, because he was spirit, literally walked through matter.

And where were the guards? Well, probably like all dedicated employees. The guards were probably, at this time, going... They probably had fallen asleep. They wouldn't know it. There were no noises. They didn't hear this huge rock being pushed aside as Jesus came out and said, Finally, I'm free! None of that occurred. Jesus just walked right through solid matter. So that is exactly what occurred.

So Mary comes to the tomb. It says very early. It's the crack of dawn. It's dawn. And the tomb is already empty. Why?

Well, Jesus clearly stated that he would be dead. He would be entombed 72 hours, 3 days, and 3 nights. The Messiah died about 3 p.m. We read that in Scripture. And Joseph rushed to get permission from Pilate for the body, to wrap the body, and to get it into the tomb. He only had 3 to 4 hours before sunset to do that. This means that Jesus Christ was entombed for 72 hours, and that he came out of the tomb on Saturday evening as sunset ended, and what we call Sunday would have been beginning on Saturday evening. This also means that if you count back 3 days and 3 nights that Christ was entombed on a Wednesday evening just before sunset, he had previously died that day at 3 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon. So let's look at the timing. Wednesday evening to Thursday evening is one day and one night. Thursday evening to Friday evening, two days, two nights, Friday evening to Saturday evening, three days and three nights. Now this very rich and interesting history of the death and burial of Christ is interesting. It's even exciting, but it's more interesting and it's more exciting when we understand how well it fulfills that simple ceremony that had occurred for hundreds of years previously instructed by Moses in the book of Leviticus. It was a special ceremony and instruction in Leviticus that pointed to exactly what Jesus Christ did. Let's begin to understand that. Let's go to Leviticus chapter 23 beginning in verse 5. Leviticus chapter 23 in verse 5. Moses was inspired to write, on the 14th day of the first month at twilight is the Lord's Passover and the 15th day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread to the Lord. Seven days you must eat unleavened bread. Of course, Mr. Swope talked about it very well in the sermon today. This is the first of those seven days that we are celebrating God's holy days. Verse 7. On the first day you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it. That's exactly what God's people around the world are doing today. But you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord for seven days. We know that the offering is no longer necessary. Jesus Christ was the ultimate offering and we now are living sacrifices by how we live, not by physical rituals.

The seventh day shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it. So as the New Covenant Church of God, we continue to observe and to celebrate this holy day knowing that Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us. Mr. Swope read from 1 Corinthians 5. And of course we observe it with a new meaning, with sincerity and with truth.

I'd like to now take a look at Leviticus chapter 23 and verse 9.

It says, And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, When you come unto the land that I give you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest.

And he shall wave the sheath before the Lord, to be accepted on your behalf. On the day after the Sabbath, the priest shall wave it.

Let me read this from the New Century version. Tell the people of Israel, it says, You will enter the land I give you, and gather its harvest. At that time you must bring the first bundle of grain from your harvest to the priest. The priest will present the bundle before the Lord, and it will be accepted for you. He will present the bundle on the day after the Sabbath.

So what basically occurred is they would take, the priest would take this offering, and he would lift it up. He would take the offering and lift it up. He would look up to heaven, and he would take the offering and lift it up in this very important ceremony that had tremendous symbolic value.

I want you to notice that this ritual was for the congregation's behalf. It says, To be accepted on your behalf. This wasn't for the priest. This was the benefit to be a blessing to the congregation, and symbolically a blessing for you and I, and ultimately a blessing for the entire world.

Now it's interesting that by the time Jesus Christ walks on earth from this original command, the Sadducees and Epharisees were already observing this differently. That's recorded in history. It is very clearly recorded that they were observing this differently. I'll give you an example.

When you take a look at this scripture, and it says there in verse 11, On the day after the Sabbath, the Sadducees read this scripture, and they interpreted that it meant the weekly Sabbath during the days of unleavened bread.

That's what they read into that. And of course, the Sadducees controlled all worship in the temple. They controlled what things were allowed to be done in the temple.

When the Pharisees looked at this, they translated it. They said, On the day after the Sabbath, they said the Sabbath doesn't mean the weekly Sabbath. It means the first day of unleavened bread.

And of course, the Pharisees were more popular, and they controlled the synagogue. So even in the time of Jesus Christ, people were observing some of the holy days differently.

And it's also interesting to note that nowhere in the Gospels do you see that Jesus ever even commented that this was occurring.

We know, of course, in Palestine there were two harvest seasons. There was a smaller spring harvest. There was an early grain. It wasn't considered as valuable.

It was barley. It didn't taste as good. But in the early spring harvest, the barley grain stalks were ready to be harvested during the days of unleavened bread.

And the harvest season could only begin after the priest presented this first bundle of grain to be accepted by God.

In ancient Israel, that's the only time that the harvest was officially allowed to begin. This looked forward to Christ ascending to his father and being accepted as the Redeemer and the Savior of mankind.

It also pictured the beginning of the spiritual first fruit harvest of God's plan of salvation beginning with Jesus Christ. He is the first of the first fruits. When the wave sheaf was lifted up and presented to God, it pictured Jesus Christ, the Son of God, after his resurrection from the dead being accepted, welcomed by God the Father as the Son of God.

Now, we may understand that, but we may not realize what happened to prepare for this ritual the evening before. And that is on Saturday night.

Like many things in Scripture, often the basic instructions in the Bible to do things, basic instructions were given in the Word of God. But details were often left up to the priest to work out.

In other words, God would give a basic instruction, but how to flesh out those instructions and do the minor details to make it happen, God left up to the priest.

I would like to give you an example. The wave sheaf that was waved on the morning after the Sabbath. But when was it cut? Was it cut that morning? Was it cut the day before?

Well, we can have an answer to that, even though it's not in the Word of God. There's a Jewish writing known as the Mishnah. The Mishnah is considered the oral Torah.

And it is a collection of the existing traditions that existed around 220 AD, when the earliest version of it that we have is just a few centuries after the church was started about 220 AD. We don't consider it to be Scripture. We don't consider it to be holy. But it can give us an idea of some of the details that were going on at that time.

One reason is because by then the Temple had been destroyed, and they wanted future generations to remember the details of Jewish worship.

So if you go to the Mishnah, you find something interesting. You find a ceremony that occurred on Saturday night around sunset.

What would happen is a messenger would go out, according to the Mishnah, and the messenger would take a standing stalk of grain, and he would bundle it, tie it into a sheep, so that it would be easy to cut.

Then the priest would walk out, followed by his entourage, and the priest would have a sickle in his hand, and he would say, Is the sun set? To which his entourage would yell, Yes! He would say, Shall I reap? And they would yell, Reap!

Then the priest would take the sickle, and he would cut off the standing stalk of grain, and it would be taken to be prepared for the offering the next morning.

So in 31 A.D., the Sadducees were in charge of the Temple ceremonies at the exact same time as the priest was saying these words.

Jesus Christ was resurrected and walked through the walls of a sealed tomb.

Let's consider some parallels. In 31 A.D., Jesus Christ was resurrected to life on Saturday evening around sunset.

This was 72 hours, three days and three nights, since he had been hurriedly placed into a tomb by Joseph of Arimathea.

According to the Mishnah, at the same moment he did that, the priest was cutting the grains of barley to be used as a wave-sheaf offering the next morning.

So the cutting of grain symbolized Christ's actual resurrection that night.

Also according to the Mishnah, the standing stalks of grain were bound before they were cut.

At the resurrection of Jesus Christ, as consciousness once again entered his body, he was bound and wrapped in clean linen cloth.

But being spirit, he transcended being bound by that linen cloth and left that cloth and walked through walls and was resurrected from the dead.

The next day on Sunday morning in 31 A.D., the wave-sheaf offering was presented to God as instructed in Leviticus, chapter 23. Let's go to John, chapter 20, beginning in verse 1. John, chapter 20, beginning in verse 1.

It is now, of course, Sunday morning.

It says, Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.

Again, this is another account where Mary comes to the tomb, and it's empty. We read a couple of other accounts a little bit earlier.

Christ has already been resurrected. Verse 12, now let's pick it up.

She saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus was lain.

Then they said to her, Woman, why are you weeping? And she said to them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.

Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there and did not know that it was Jesus.

Jesus said to her, Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking? And she's supposing him to be a gardener.

Said, Sir, if you have carried him away, please tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.

She didn't recognize him. But there's something about the human voice, isn't there?

There's something about every human voice that is distinctive. And if a person talks long enough, don't you recognize who it is?

Sometimes I get phone calls from people that I haven't spoken to in 10, 15 years, and before they identify themselves, my mind immediately connects who they are because there's something so distinctive about the human voice. And Jesus said to her, Mary. And it connected. Something about the timbre, the sound of his voice. She recognized the voice.

She turned to him and said, Rabbanai, that is to say, Teacher. And Jesus said to her, Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to my father, but I go, but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending. Remember the wave sheaf offering that morning? I am ascending to my father and to your father and to my God and your God.

The very words of Jesus, the fulfillment is crystal clear. Every observant Jew would know what would be occurring in the temple shortly.

What beautiful ceremony originally spoken of in Leviticus 23 would be occurring in the temple in just a short period of time. The priest would take an omer of grain. He would elevate it over before the altar of God. He would lift up and wave that offering to present it to God the Father.

And he would bring it back down again. Jesus Christ is the total and complete fulfillment of the original wave sheaf offering.

As the wave sheaf was raised and then lowered in the temple on that Sunday morning, our Messiah ascended to heaven and was accepted by the Father as the ultimate wave sheaf offering as the Son of God.

And yet He returned to earth that very day and He fellowshiped with His disciples. Matthew 28 verses 9 and 10 show us that that very day that He came back and He had a conversation and met with His disciples.

The resurrection occurred when the wave sheaf offering was cut. The ascension occurred when it was waved before the altar.

In physical Israel, the sheaf was the first fruit of the barley harvest and it would be lifted up.

And when it was, the spring harvest could now begin. And because of this ritual in ancient Israel, the barley harvest was considered holy once it was waved by the priest.

In a similar way, our Lord, as the first fruit of God's smaller harvest, that's the harvest of you and I, there will be a large harvest someday that's pictured by the Feast of Tabernacles and the last great day when billions and billions of people will be called to understand the Word of God.

But at this time, we are spiritually part of a much smaller harvest. Because of the righteousness of Christ, this spiritual harvest, that's you and me, are also holy in the sight of God.

Let's go to 1 Corinthians chapter 15, beginning in verse 12. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 12.

This is known as the resurrection chapter.

We know that Corinth was a very divided church, and some within the congregation, perhaps being influenced by the Sadducees, no longer believed in the resurrection of the dead.

So Paul has a few comments to make about that brilliant theological concept. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 12. He says, If Christ was not resurrected from the dead, then you and I are a pretty pathetic group of people, because we believe in a lie. Because we're living our whole lives believing in a myth.

Believing in a God that doesn't exist. Believing in salvation that never happened if Christ was not resurrected from the dead.

Verse 15, yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up, if in fact the dead do not rise.

So He's saying, not only that, if Jesus wasn't resurrected, we're liars. Because we've been preaching, we've been telling other people that Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead.

Paul says, and if that didn't happen, then we are false witnesses. Verse 16, For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile, and you are still in your sins. If Jesus Christ is not risen, Paul says, we are still in our sins. Then all of those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. People should just pity us. If there's no resurrection, if Jesus Christ did not come back to life, because we're doing all of this for nothing. We're doing all of this for no reason at all. So Paul says it kind of in a sarcastic way, but he firmly believed in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

And he believed in the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. He understood that Christ was the first fruit of many who were to follow at his return. Many who would be resurrected when Jesus Christ would return. Let's take a look here at verse 20. Paul writes, But now Christ is raised from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by man, as capital M, by this man, meaning Christ, also came the resurrection of the dead. For as an Adam all dies, so in Christ all shall be made alive, but each one in his own order, Christ the firstfruits afterwards those who are Christ at his coming.

So, thanks to Jesus Christ, we are all made alive. Why? Because first, he was made alive. And that made it possible for us to be made alive. Let's go to 2 Corinthians. 2 Corinthians chapter 5.

Second Corinthians chapter 5. We'll pick it up here in verse 14. It says, For the love of Christ compels us. If you look at the original Greek word, it's like the love of Christ forces us. It is such a strong love that we can't even control it.

That's the original Greek. The love of God compels us because we judge thus that if one died for all, then all died, and he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died for them and rose again.

So, why do we live for Jesus Christ? Not simply because he's our Savior, which is essential and important. We celebrate that during the Passover, but because he rose again.

Verse 16, Therefore, from now on we regard no one according to the flesh, even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet we know him thus no longer. Paul says we have to start taking a spiritual approach to everything we do. Not even looking at Christ as a mere man who walked into the earth, but looking at the spiritual significance and qualities of Christ.

Looking at positive spiritual influences, not just dwelling on human flesh and worldly things.

And he highlights that in verse 17. He says, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.

And why is that? Not just because we have a Savior who shed his blood for us. And that's certainly very true.

An important part of God's plan, and we have a memorial of that on every Passover.

But all things have become new because Paul says there in verse 15, and rose again.

Romans chapter 1 and verse 1. Let's take a look at this scripture. Romans chapter 1 and verse 1. Paul writes, Paul, his introduction, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle separated to the gospel of God, which he promised before through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning his son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh. Verse 4. And declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness. How? By the resurrection from the dead. That's how.

What declares him to be the Son of God with power? By the resurrection from the dead. Verse 5.

Through him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for his name, among whom you also are called of Jesus Christ. And all of us have been called of Jesus Christ. So once you again, I want to emphasize what Paul affirms here. Jesus Christ is declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection, the resurrection from the dead. So for the next seven days we'll be observing this profound and meaningful holy day that we know of as the days of unleavened bread. And every time during those days we pick up a piece of that leaven and we look at it, I want you to consider the fact that it represents the next step beyond what it represented of Jesus Christ just being a Savior who died for us.

You see, we're saved for a reason. We came out of that baptismal tank that symbolized a resurrection for a reason. That reason is that we could be new creatures in Christ, that we could live a new life, to live as new creatures with a fresh perspective and with an added meaning in life.

On the Passover we picked up that piece of unleavened bread and it pictured for us the broken body of Jesus Christ for our complete healing. It's by his stripes we are healed. And we looked at that unleavened bread and we rightly acknowledge and understand that it represents the fact that Jesus Christ would be crucified, his flesh torn and ripped so that we could be healed. We could be healed physically and go to God and ask for his intervention. We could be healed emotionally and we would be healed spiritually of our sins.

But then, brethren, the Passover is followed by a festival. And we call that festival the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And that unleavened bread now also takes on additional meaning.

Eating that unleavened bread during the feast pictures the resurrected Jesus Christ living in us.

It means his righteousness in us, his values in us, following his example in our lives, having the hope of the resurrection like he was resurrected in our hearts and in our minds.

One final scripture, Galatians chapter 2 and verse 20. Paul understood this very well.

Paul wrote to the congregation in Galatia chapter 2 and verse 20. He said, He said, I've been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.

Again, brethren, symbolize and represented during this feast as we eat that unleavened bread.

That Christ lives in me. He lives in you. He lives in all of us through the power of his Holy Spirit.

Continuing, Paul says, in the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.

So, if you take nothing else away from this sermon today, I hope what you will take away is that our Savior, our Messiah, our Lord, Jesus Christ, not only died for us, which is so significant, and we celebrate that as a memorial, every Passover.

He not only died for us, he lives for us.

Let us begin living more and more for him and allowing the righteousness of Christ to live inside each and every one of us.

I wish you a meaningful and a very fulfilling days of Unleavened Bread this year.