JESUS, MY PASSOVER LAMB

JESUS, MY PASSOVER LAMB

SERMON BY PASTOR W. BOACHIE-ANSAH

Texts 1COR 5:7-8, REV. 5:11-13
1Co 5:7-8 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Re 5:11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; 12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. 13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

1. ORIGIN OF PASSOVER Ex 12:1-21
2. CHRIST’S MODIFICATIONS TO THE PASSOVER MEAL Mk 14:22-25
• He changed the items Elimination of the lamb because He is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of men”
• The changed its purpose and essence: “Do it in remembrance of me”
• He changed the focus: The Disciples were to expect taking it with Christ in heaven
a) the Passover is a type of deliverance from the slavery of sin.
b) It is the passing over of the doom we deserve for your sins, because the blood of Christ has been applied to us by faith.
c) The sprinkling of the blood upon the door-posts was a symbol of open confession of our allegiance and love.
d) The Passover was useless unless eaten; so we live upon the Lord Jesus Christ.
e) It was eaten with bitter herbs, as we must eat our Passover with the bitter herbs of repentance and confession, which yet, like the bitter herbs of the Passover, are a fitting and natural accompaniment.
f) As the Israelites ate the Passover all prepared for the journey, so do we with a readiness and desire to enter the active service of Christ, and to go on the journey toward heaven.

3. THE CRUCIFIXION OF CHRIST AS THE PASSOVER LAMB
Mat 27:1-66 (Please read all)

4. DISPUTES ABOUT THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS
Religionists and academicians do not want to accept the historical facts of Jesus' death and resurrection. At first, their arguments centered on the resurrection but nowadays, they revolve round His death. The reason is simple: if you can't refute the resurrections, refute his death and there would not be any grounds for the resurrection.

a) SWOON THEORY- He did not die on the cross, but went into a coma. He became resuscitated after a heavy downpour and partly because of the balms which were used on his body, he regained strength and run away. He lived in Kashmir, married and had children, and died at a mature age of 120 years.

b) FRAUD THEORY - JUDAS ISCARIOT WAS THE ONE CRUCIFIED Jesus ran away when he feigned weak, and ran away as soon as Simon was asked to carry the cross.

c) HALLUCINATIONS THEORY: the crucifixion took place only in the minds of the Disciples. No authentic sources documented the event, apart from religious sources. The Apostles continued to say it until it also registered in the minds of all those who heard it.

5. SEVEN WONDERS OF THE CRUCIFIXION
a. THE INSCRIPTION OF HIS TITLE - Over His head was written an inscription in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." No matter how much and strong people will protest, Jesus is still the King!
b. THE CONVERSION OF THE THIEF (Luke 23.). See here the majesty of Christ as a Saviour, even in His misery as atonement. What the thief saw about Christ let us all endeavour to see -- His almighty power to save. Trust Him only and fully.
c. THE TOTAL DARKNESS AT NOON-DAY A picture of Christ's tremendous power. Your darkness is never so black as His.
d. THE RENDING OF THE VEIL. Now there was no veil between man and God. The dying Saviour rends away for ever every impediment which shuts us out from the Most High.
e. THE EARTHQUAKE. -Signifying Christ’s Lordship over the world.
f. THE RESURRECTION OF CERTAIN OF THE SAINTS. This was to give us the assurance that he will resurrect.
g. THE CONFESSION OF THE CENTURION. Even soldiers confessed his sonship!
6. BENEFITS OF THE CRUCIFIXION
a) REMISSION OF SIN without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins.
b) UNIVERSALITY OF SALVATION - Only Jews had the right to God’s salvation
c) FREE ACCESS TO GOD WITHOUT INTERMEDIARIES - The tearing of the partition in the temple
d) ALL THE BENEFITS OF THE RESURRECTION (hope of our rapture and resurrection, etc)
e) THE HOLY SPIRIT AS OUR DEPOSIT AND SEAL OF SALVATION Eph 1:13

7. PERSONAL APPLICATION OF THE MESSAGE
• Seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
• Be faithful to your calling as a Christian.
• Be a good witness for Christ.
• Forget about your past sins and live in Christ’s victory and grace.
• Believe and trust in His sufficiency.
• Sanctify yourself