What We Put Back

Before the Passover, we examined ourselves and through God’s help, with His Holy Spirit, we identified unsightly aspects of our lives.  We then started to remove them.  Maybe these are problems we have been working on for some time, and maybe they have just been revealed to us.  Either way, they need to go, and this spring holy day season is a wonderful time to remove these sins and put it behind us. 

So now that we are chipping away at our sins and making progress, you certainly don’t want to relapse in your growth.  Until we are spirit we will sin again and after all this growth we do not want to go back to that place we were.  We want to remain free of that which God helped us remove.  But too often we put some problem behind us and once again it stares us straight in the face. 

Why is it that we can overcome some sin while others seem to be attached by a rubber band?  No matter how hard we work to get rid of some things they come back.  How do you break the cycle of sin that continually plagues our lives? 

If you think about the re-occurring sin in our lives whether it’s not being able to control anger, weakness of the flesh, substance abuse, or other self-destructive behavior; You might wonder why we repeatedly suffer from such problems?  

It’s not as though we don’t know what bad behavior is.  We know that when we were called we were shown a better way to live in harmony with one another and to live a in a way this is pleasing to God.  1Jn 1 tells us that we must not walk again in darkness.

1 John 1:5-10   5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.  6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.  7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.  8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

And yet we so often find ourselves mired in sin once again.  So we see that once we have been shown the light God does not want us to return to the sinful ways again like a pig to the mud. Or as Proverbs 26:11 so plainly puts it.

11 As a dog returns to his own vomit, So a fool repeats his folly.

So how do we keep from returning to our sin?  When we repent we then remove the sin from our lives and that leaves a hole that needs to be filled. 

Often times people who are recovering from addiction end up replacing one addiction for another.  Some give up alcohol only to go to smoking or eating or some other vice because the hole in their lives need to be filled with something.

During this Feast of Unleavened Bread, we focus on filling the void that is left when we remove sin from our lives.  If we fill our lives with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth we heal the wounds left by sin.  But if we fill the void with other sin we are no better off than when we started.  

This can lead to a cycle of repentance, remorse and then repeating the sin again.

God does not want us to suffer through a pattern of sin, remorse and repeat.  Fortunately, there is something we can do about it.  God has given us a plan to replace sinful behavior with righteous character.   The Title of the sermon today is

What We Put Back

If we learn to fill in the holes of our lives left by the removal of sin, then sin will have a tough time getting back in.  Think of it like a cavity.  The dentist removes the cavity by drilling out the decay and rotten tooth.  Then when he is left with a hole he quickly fills it so that the decay cannot easily return.  Today we are going to talk about that which we put back when we remove the sin from our lives so we can be protected from re-infection.

This festival is not simply about removing sin.  If that were the case then this would be called the Feast of NO leavened bread.  The feast has as its focal point, unleavened bread. 

Show a matzo – So how does this represent what we put back?

Now on Passover we were all grateful to receive this.  It represents everything we know that we need in this life.  Forgiveness, redemption, a new life and hope for the kingdom of God with a spiritual body that will not sin.

We come to Passover with a prepared mind and heart.  We have examined ourselves, we have repented from a sinful life once again, and we have re-dedicated ourselves to the cause that Jesus suffered and died for.  And this unleavened bread represents what we are willing to put back in our lives to fill the void of the sinful life that has been removed.  When that plate is passed around that evening, no one has a thought to say, “You know, I don’t feel like unleavened bread, I would rather have something else”.

And yet, as crazy as that sounds, that’s just what we do at other times of the year when we choose Sin over God’s righteousness.  It’s like refusing to eat the unleavened bread that represents Christ’s body.  In this way we reject Him at that point in our lives.

We eat Unleavened bread for a week to picture putting the body of Christ in us but this is not to say that we only need Him once a year.  How often do we need to put sin out of our lives?  Every day of the year.  So how often do we need Jesus Christ into our lives? 

MATZOS in July?

How often to you crave Unleavened Bread?  Look at this Matzo, dry, pasty, and most people in the world do not line up to purchase these.  We don’t often have them in our house except for this time of year.

When I eat this on Passover my mind goes to the tremendous sacrifice of Christ and how His body was broken for me.  I think about his hands and feet being pierced and it is very humbling.

We are grateful to eat Matzos on Passover because of what it represents but are there any in our cupboards in July? 

One thing that we need in July, as well as every other month of the year, is this attitude of Humility we have when we take the Passover.  Jesus humbled himself as a servant and washed the feet of the Disciples and served them.  He gave His life for His sheep and we can go a long way of filling that hole in our lives if we first start by pouring in humility

1 Peter 5:5-10   5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."  6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,  7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you  8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.  9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.  10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

There are very few situations in our lives that could not benefit with more humility.  You take any stressful situation, add humility, and the problem instantly gets better.  Talk about your magic pill.  Take any argument, add humility, what do you get? Reconciliation.  You take any stubbornness and add humility, - instant compliance.

Humility is the miracle we have all been waiting for and the power to add it to our lives have been there all along.  Take that attitude we have at Passover and apply it in July, and every other time of the year and the results will be incredible.

Now, one of the reasons we don’t crave Maztos the rest of the year is because we crave flavor and texture.  We don’t want to equate Jesus Christ with flavorless, bland, non-enjoyable food.  Maztos are simplified unleavened bread to allow us to focus on why we are at Passover.  That doesn’t mean the Unleavened bread we eat during this week must match that. 

TRISCUITS

Of course these are more popular than Matzos and many people have these in their house all year long.  Even though they make flavors of Matzos, they still lack much flavor and texture.  Triscuits have both flavor and texture and they have salt. 

When you prepare a meal, it is often not fit to eat without some salt.  Think Mashed potatoes, Bread, soups, etc.  When it is properly seasoned it is ready for everyone else. 

Why we need Salt

Why do we add salt to cooking?  Its not to make things taste salty, unless your making French fries or adding salt to the outside of something.  We add a pinch of salt to an apple pie because without it you can’t really taste the apples or cinnamon. You add it to meat or vegetables to amplify the flavors of those food.  I watched a cooking show where a cook was being criticized for having bland food. The cook said that he was worried about giving people too much salt.  The host says do you like the taste of that chicken you made?  He said yes, then the host sprinkled a little salt on it and said know how does it taste, and he said, well, it tastes a lot better.  The Host asked why does it taste better?  The cook said, because now I can taste the chicken.

So why is this?  Let’s look at the science of Salt

Well, adding salt to foods helps certain molecules in those foods more easily release into the air, thus helping the aroma of the food, which is important in our perception of taste.  Salt also has been shown to help suppress the bitter taste.  So adding a bit of salt won’t just increase your salty taste perception, but will also decrease your bitter taste perception in any given food (which is why it is often sprinkled on grape fruit, for instance, before eating).

Finally, adding salt to sweet or sour things, while not shown to suppress sweet or sour flavors as with bitter flavors, will help balance out the taste a bit by making the perceived flavor, for instance of sugary candies or lemons, less one dimensional.

Likewise, we are to have salt in our lives if we are to be seasoned and ready for others.  Having Salt in our lives means having all of the gifts that God has given us magnified.  The good is brought out and the bitterness is subdued.  All of our traits are blended into a pleasing presentation and we can better get along with others.  In Mark 9 we see that being seasoned with salt is needed to live in peace with one another.

 Mark 9:49-50   49 " For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt.  50 "Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another."

There is so much anger and strife in the world today.  Everyone wants to focus on self and be accepted for who they are instead of seeing how they can contribute to the common good.  How to live peaceably with one another.  Think of a life with humility, with love for one another, with the gifts of God magnified in our lives, and the bitterness of our sins subdued. 

We are to live peaceably with one another.  Not just in the world but especially within the household of God.  Jesus said in John 13:35  35 "By this all will know that you are My disciples if you have love for one another.

Hard, Crunchy, Crackers

Often times you think about Unleavened bread you think about hard, crunchy, crumbly crackers.  Some can be quite hard like Rye Crisps.  What image of the Body of Christ does this put in your minds? 

The Work that Jesus did not just in His sacrifice which was incredibly hard, but in his life and hard work and service.  Jesus was an example in everything He did.  Now these too are very well seasoned.  But they are hard too.  Matthew 5 also talks about salt and being seasoned but it also mentions something much more difficult than just living in peace with one another.    It talks about the example and the way we live.

Matthew 5:13-16   13 " You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.  14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  15 "Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Everything Jesus did was a good work and He let His light shine every day.  How badly does this world need a good example?

We can provide that good example when we resolve our differences with one other instead of having to have our way.  We can let our light shine by the hard work we do each and every day.  By the way we serve one another.  And by our positive attitude.  We can set a good example every day and we can pray for these traits of Jesus Christ each morning before we start our day.  We can ask God for the Humility and peace of Christ. 

We can ask for the hard work and seasoned example that He provided the world.  These are worthwhile attributes we can aspire to and ask God to grant us through the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Unleavened Bread does not only have to be dry and hard.  It can be quite soft and even sweet.  Take this bread for instance.  It is very soft and you can make sandwiches out of it if you like.  Last week at the potluck people brought all kinds of wonderful desserts made from Unleavened bread.  There were even two kinds of Cake.

Soft and sweet

Think of the many deserts that we would have when we get together on the Night to be much observed.  We have such creativity and imagination that can come out if we allow ourselves to.  Think about how we feel at the Feast of Tabernacles when we look eternity in the face and wonder what it will be like?  We will be able to create and build and experience such joy and wonder.  Do you ever think about Joy and wonder when you eat unleavened bread?  Jesus Christ is very busy preparing for the coming Kingdom of God as our Father in Heaven is as well but that doesn’t mean they don’t ever have fun.

Experts of Hebrew culture say that His use of Hyperbole to make a point was often used to lighten the mood while teaching the point.  Think about a log in one’s eye, a light under a bushel, a camel in the eye of a needle.  These are very bizarre comparisons and we often see the figurative truths but miss the humorous examples.

Think of how much fun it is to see all of the unleavened deserts we often share at this time of year.  Ingredient substitutions allow for all kinds of interesting and imaginative dishes.  Pies, yes, but even unleavened Cakes, cookies, brownies, and even this Matzo reborn into a desert.  Amanda made something similar a while back and I thought, wow, I never thought I would enjoy the taste of a Matzo so much.

1 Timothy 6:17-18   17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.  18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share,

But this is not new, God has always promised prosperity to enjoy for His People that want to live God’s way. Solomon spoke about living the good life and enjoying the fruits of one’s Labor:

Ecclesiastes 5:18-20   18 Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage.  19 As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor -- this is the gift of God.  20 For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart.

And God Promises that one day, in the Kingdom of God, all of His people will enjoy life and be richly blessed.  This is not a life of suffering and doing without.

Isaiah’s prophecy in:

Isaiah 65:21-23   21 They shall build houses and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.  22 They shall not build and another inhabit; They shall not plant and another eat; For as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people, And My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.  23 They shall not labor in vain, Nor bring forth children for trouble; For they shall be the descendants of the blessed of the LORD, And their offspring with them.

Our Father in Heaven, along with His Son, have so much strength, love, excitement, and even fun in their lives we could never be in want.  As we take of the different unleavened bread recipes and products, think on the different aspects of the body of Christ that we need to fill the holes in our lives and set your minds to seeking those.  When we remove a sin from our lives, let’s look to the example of the many Unleavened choices representing the many facets of Christ’s character and add some of those back in our lives to fill those holes and be strengthened fulfilled not needing that old sinful life that we have left behind.