Passover: The First Step in God's Plan

[Steve Myers] What does Jesus Christ died for your sins really mean? Why did His death have to happen? And what does it have to do with your life today?

Those answers begin with Passover, the first of God's seven annual feasts. Now Passover goes all the way back to ancient Israel. Before God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, He gave them very specific instructions. He told each household to take a lamb and sacrifice that lamb that was without blemish and place its blood on the doorposts of their house. Now that night, when death struck Egypt, God passed over the homes that were marked by blood and spared their firstborn.

Wow! What an amazing, dramatic moment of deliverance! God was freeing His people from slavery.

Now that event pointed to something even greater. In ancient Israel, sacrifices were offered in connection with sin. Yet even those sacrifices were temporary. They pointed forward to a perfect and lasting sacrifice to come. You see, the truth is every one of us, every human being has sinned. Romans 3:23 says, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Now that means all of us need forgiveness. Every one of us need reconciliation with God, being brought together in a right relationship. You know, no animal sacrifice could ever fully accomplish that.

Now that's where Jesus Christ comes in. Christ lived a perfect life. He never sinned. And because He was without blemish, He could offer Himself as the perfect Passover sacrifice for all mankind. It's through His shed blood that the penalty of sin can pass over us. It's through His sacrifice that we can be freed, not from slavery in Egypt, but from the far greater bondage of sin. And that's why Passover is so meaningful.

For Christians, Passover is not simply a remembrance of Israel leaving Egypt. It's a deeply personal reminder of what Jesus Christ did for each and every one of us. It's because of Him that forgiveness is possible. Because of Him, we can begin a new life.

So today, how should Christians observe the Passover? Well, the way that Christ instructed His disciples. Baptize members of the Church, keep it with deep reverence. Following Christ's example of humility, service and love, that Passover service begins with foot washing. Then unleavened bread is taken, representing His broken, beaten body. And then wine, symbolizing His blood that was poured out so we can be forgiven of sin. It is a very solemn occasion. It takes place in the evening, as Jesus did with His disciples. And it focuses our attention on the incredible price that Jesus Christ Himself paid.

That's where God's plan begins for all of us. Passover reminds us that our relationship with God starts with Him and the sacrifice of Christ.

Now, Passover, that's only the beginning. In our next video, we'll look at the Days of Unleavened Bread and we'll see that God not only forgives sin, He calls us to leave it behind and walk in a new way of life.

So take a moment, go through Exodus 12, read Matthew 26 and 1 Corinthians 11. There you'll find more information about the Passover. And then join us for the next video as we uncover the incredible meaning behind God's Holy Days.