December 22, 2024|The Promise Pictured |Exodus 12:7-13
John-Daniel Cutler
Click here for the sermon audio
As we start Christmas week we will be continuing the Promise series. We started by looking at God’s promise to Eve that her son would bruise the head of the serpent and that through her seed salvation would come. How God in Gen 3:15 gave us the protoevangelium, this just means the first gospel, and that even after the fall and in the midst of a curse God displayed His grace and mercy by offering hope that He would not leave mankind separated from Himself.
Then last week we looked at the promise clarified that through Abraham’s calling that all nations would be blessed through him and how his calling helps us to define and live out the calling God has placed on each one of us. This morning as we draw ever closer to celebrating the birth of Jesus on Christmas we will once again look back to the Old Testament and see the Promise Pictured in the Passover.
If you come to Wednesday bible study or like we tell the youth on Wednesday nights when it comes to the bible context is King. So, to fully understand the context of the Passover and the picture it gives of the work of Christ we first have to look all the way back to Abraham. We heard last week how God after putting Abram into a deep sleep signed the covenant twice that he would bless all nations. In that blessing God tells Abram what will happen to his descendants in Egypt. Gen 15:13-16 says Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. 14 But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. 15 As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. 16 And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”
Now you might ask why would God not just give the Promised Land to Abram then and there? Why would his descendants have to wait 400 years to enter into the promised land? Beyond the answer that God is sovereign and He can do as He pleases, I see two main reasons for the 400 year wait. One is that God’s power and authority as the one true God will be shown in the Exodus of the nation of Israel from Egypt and the other is that God is merciful and just. There is the key line there in verse 16 that the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete. What is this great iniquity that the Amorites are committing that would bring God’s judgment upon them? The Amorites were committing mass child sacrifice to the false gods of Moloch and Baal. Sacrifices that were so great they would have to bang drums loud enough to drown out the cries and screams of the mothers.
People often site what they call genocide in the book of Joshua as a reason for not believing in God, and point to this to say that He is not all good. What we see though is God’s justice on a wicked people, delivered though the nation of Israel. We also see God’s long suffering patience in giving the Amorites 400 years to turn from their wickedness.Now this should lead to the question of what made the nation of Israel worthy to inherit this land and be used by God in this way? Was it their righteousness, their ability to keep God’s commandments, or their steadfast faith that God would provide for them? Of Course not, as we see scripture shows that time and time again the people of Israel fall flat on their face, so what is it that makes them so worthy of this inheritance that the Lord is going to give them? Absolutely nothing in and of themselves makes them worthy of the inheritance except the promises of God. God had promised the seed and that through Abraham He would bless all nations. So, how would God continue to move this promise forward through the line of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob? Would God seek a great work from Israel, would He raise up a great military leader, would He pronounce judgment on Egypt alone? God in His sovereignty would do none of these things, instead scripture shows us that God brings His judgment upon all the land of Egypt.
So, then how does God make a sinful people clean that His judgment should Passover them? The answer is found in the blood of lamb. This lamb will be a beautiful picture of the coming spotless lamb that will take away the sins of man. This blood of a lamb that is a continuation of the promise that was first declared by God, then Clarified by God, and now Pictured by God. God from the beginning of the promise had made it clear that it would not be by a work of man’s own hand that would bruise the head of the serpent. We see that God declared the seed that He would bring forth, and that seed would come through the line of Abraham, and now God would deliver His people from the hands of the Pharaoh not by their might, works, or righteousness. It would be God Himself that would deliver them and He would use the blood of a lamb to call His people out of captivity into inheritance. What a picture of the blood of Christ that would not save us merely from captivity, but that would save us from sin and death. So, as we look toward Christmas this morning, we look back to the blood on the doorpost that serves as a beautiful foretaste of the blood of Christ that He shed on the cross in order that our sins may be passed over as well. This brings us to our first point this morning:
Blood on the Doorpost
Exodus 12:7-8 7 “Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. 8 They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it.
In order to understand the blood on the doorpost we first have to understand what the Passover is. The Passover is the judgement of God coming down on all the land of Egypt that will kill all the first born males of both man and cattle. None in the land of Egypt were to escape this judgement from the Pharaoh to the lowest slave girl behind the mill the bible tells us. Much like Ephesians 2 tells us that we are all sons of disobedience and children of wrath, in this manner we see that there is nothing that really separates Israel from the Egyptians. Both are a sinful people that have chased after their own lust, passions, and desires. So, why will this death Passover the first born male of the house of Israel? Well I think Paul gives us a clear answer in Ephesians 2 as well when he tells us: But God, being rich in mercy… God displays His mercy and love by giving to the people of Israel the sign of the blood of the lamb on the doorpost. In that same manner He has given to us the blood of Christ that would set us apart from His righteous judgement and wrath. God gave the people of Israel an escape from His wrath if they were obedient and applied the blood of the lamb to the doorpost. From scripture it is clear to not have your house covered by the blood would bring death to any first born male in that house. What a clear picture and statement to all of us here this morning that if we are not covered by the blood of the spotless lamb, Jesus, God's wrath will not Passover us. That salvation is not a work unto ourselves, but rather a faith in the blood of the innocent lamb will atone for our sins. So, the question for us here today is are you truly covered by the blood of Christ. You may be asking what do I mean by that?
See it wasn’t enough that the people of Israel heard about putting the blood on the door post, was it? They had to apply it.
It wasn’t enough that those on their left and on their right put the blood on their doorpost was it? They had to apply it.
It wasn’t enough for them to say well I will have time to put it on later was it? They had to apply it.
In that same manner we are not called to a mere intellectual head knowledge of Christ. We are called to full surrender to Christ and put our full faith, hope, and trust in the finished work of Christ. We are not called to walk an aisle and pray a prayer one time and absolutely nothing changes in our lives. We are called to deny ourselves, pick up our cross and follow after Him. The people of Israel had to be obedient to God’s command to apply the blood to their doorpost having faith that God would keep His promise and His judgement would Passover them. This lie that has crept into the American church that all it takes is one prayer and your salvation is assured has to be dismantled. We are not called out of darkness into the light to then remain in darkness. See Romans Chapter 6 to see that we cannot remain as we were.Church this idea of praying a single “sinners prayer” one time for salvation is trusting not in the blood of Christ, but in a work of self. Like Israel had to, in obedience apply the blood to the doorpost, those that follow after Christ must in obedience follow after Him and keep His commandments. Just to be clear I am not talking about a works based salvation, Paul makes it undeniably clear in Ephesians 2:8 and 9 that salvation is by faith in Christ alone lest any man may boast. What I am talking about is a faith that is evidenced by obedience. Jesus Himself tells us in John 14:15 if you love me, you will keep my commandments. Our obedience, which I know is a word hard for free Americans to hear, to Christ testifies to our love for Him. As a soldier the idea of obedience really resonates with me.Soldiers must follow orders. Without obedience to orders there is no way for the mission to be completed. A soldier understands that obedience is key to the mission’s success. Similarly, as Christians, we are called to exhibit obedient faith, trusting God’s wisdom above our own doubts and fears. It means stepping out in faith, even when we cannot see the full path ahead, knowing that God’s plan is greater than our understanding. Just as that soldier lays everything on the line for his country, our faith in God should compel us to lay our plans, our lives, our desires at His feet and obey Him, trusting in His will for our lives.
This call to obedience is not a new concept in the bible. Abraham was called to sacrifice his own son as a test of his obedience and trust in God. What did God do in response to Abraham's obedient faith, God provided a ram to be the sacrifice. In that same manner God provided for us a sacrifice that is far better than that of any animal. He has given us His only son to be our living sacrifice. Hebrews 9:11-14 says 11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Verse 14 makes it clear that we will either be obedient to dead works or we will be purified from those dead works to serve the living God. Peter reminds us that we are called to be as obedient children in our obedience to the Lord. 1 Peter 1:13-19 says 13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.
So, as Israel was ransomed out of captivity we have much more been ransomed not by our works, by our successes, by our wealth, but by the precious and spotless blood of the perfect lamb, which is Jesus Christ. And while we wait for our eternal inheritance we are called to live not a life according to our flesh, but according to the will of the one who ransomed us. God’s instructions to the people of Israel didn’t stop with the blood on the doorpost though. We see that God’s instructions carry on to how they are to consume the sacrifice. In that same manner Jesus has given us clear instructions on how we are to live our lives in the light of His sacrifice. This brings us to our next point which is to...
Consume the Sacrifice
Exodus 12:9-10 9 Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted, its head with its legs and its inner parts. 10 And you shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. I know for us here today this is not something that we are used to, this idea of consuming or eating the sacrifice. God gives the people of Israel clear instructions on how they should eat the sacrifice. God tells the Israelites that they are to consume the whole sacrifice as God has held nothing back in providing a way for their deliverance out of captivity. Jesus our sacrificial lamb has also held nothing back from us as He gave His very life so that we might have life in Him. So, how does this apply to the Church today since Jesus is the final sacrifice and we are no longer under the sacrificial system? Paul tells us in Romans 12:1-2 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. In Romans 12:1, we are urged to present our bodies as living sacrifices, in other words that we hold nothing of ourselves back from the Lord. We are to give every part, all that we are to Jesus. Paul is telling the Church that the way in which we live out our salvation is the picture we have of holding nothing back from the Lord. Salvation is not merely a passive gift but an invitation to embody our faith through our daily actions, much in the way Paul taught the church at Corinth that we are to live as Christ did sacrificially towards our brothers and sisters in Christ. Just as a living sacrifice is continually offered, our participation in God's redemption requires ongoing commitment to serve, love, and bear witness to His grace, demonstrating that our faith is alive and active. We are not called to just sit and be consumers who come like this is just a play or something you can passively sit by and watch. Holding nothing back from God is not coming to a Sunday morning show that is put on to make us feel better about ourselves, it is a time to be edified and encouraged to go out and live the Gospel and be the bride He has commanded us to be. The teachings of Christ are to fully engulf our lives at all times not just Sunday mornings and possibly Wednesday nights. The complete consumption of the sacrifice required by God signifies total commitment and indicates how believers are to fully embrace Christ’s sacrifice. We are not allowed to pick and choose which parts of the sacrifice we like. The picture of God telling them to eat the whole lamb shows us that we are required to surrender all to Him. That we are made a completely new creation in Christ. Surrendering your life to Christ is not like going to Burger King, you can not have it your way. I know that may sound silly, but this is what is happening in Churches all over America today. They are trying to consume the parts of the sacrifice that they agree with. This idea that they can remake Jesus in their image or an image that is socially agreeable. This would be like if the people of Israel were like well I know we cried out to be delivered from captivity, but do we really have to consume the whole sacrifice. God you understand right if we only eat the parts that we like right, you know that Egyptians will be offended if we eat that part right? See how ridiculous this sounds, but that is what you do if you compromise on any part of the Gospel or omit or change any of the commandments Jesus has given us. If you decided that it’s not socially nice to embrace that part of salvation so I won’t do that, but I will still call myself a Christian.
Church, are we starting to understand that He is not interested in and will not be Lord of just part of your life but Lord of all of it.
Just as it must not have been easy for them to eat every part of that lamb, it is not always going to be easy for us to embrace all of His ways and teachings. His absolute truths are always going to run counter to and against the relative truths of the world. Standing on truths like He is the only way to heaven in today's world is not as easy as it sounds. Even the pope has publicly stated that all 3 Abrahamic religions are a path to God. Standing for truths like this can and will lead to persecution. Persecution is a part of the sacrifice we may have to partake in when we surrender all to Christ. Are you aware of that, not in principle but in practice? Jesus promises us that the world will hate us because it first hated Him. I know and understand that here we are so blessed to be able to openly gather freely and lift the name of Christ, but Church, understand right now somewhere Christians are having to gather in secret and if found out can face prison and sometimes death. And we are ok missing Church because it is not convenient or there is something more important to do. Like really are we ok standing before the King of Kings and telling Him sorry I had something more important to do rather than gather with your bride and worship you. Even though you took my punishment on the cross for me, sorry I had better things to do than worship you with your bride in the way you have commanded me to. I know you want my all but sorry Lord you just don’t get to inconvenience me every Sunday morning. I am just trying to carry out the full implications of these thoughts and actions so, as Voddie Baucham says if you can’t say amen you better say ouch. This is the heart of what Peter is telling us in 1 Peter 2:4-10.1 Peter 2:4-10 says 4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” 7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” 8 and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Let me bring it home to us and apply it to our everyday lives here what this means for us. It means that we live in a manner that glorifies God in all that we do. We by His sacrifice have been chosen and are precious to Him. That we no longer offer up the blood of animals as our sacrifices rather our faith and very lives are given up to Him as spiritual sacrifices. And while the world rejects Jesus and stumbles, He has called us to be His people to not just be partly or mostly free, but totally free from the sting of death. As verse 10 says once we had not received mercy, but now we have received mercy.So part of that living sacrifice is that we live fully for Christ in all ways. That our first thoughts are no longer geared toward self, but they are geared toward bringing glory and honor to Christ, not just when it benefits me, but in all things He will have all of me. I will hold no part of my life back from the Lord. Paul tells us in Colossians to do all things as unto Christ. This also means being considerate of the clothing we wear, the music we listen to, the movies we watch, the advice we listen to, as well as the advice we give, and the way we handle disputes amongst the body. We feast on the whole counsel of God, not just what makes us comfortable or feel good. We filter everything through the lens of the one that brought us from death to life. All of our thoughts, motives, and deeds should run through the filter of Christ. We should be constantly evaluating things with the question of are these things pleasing to Him or are they pleasing to self.This is the picture of our sanctification process that we must undergo as Christians. Notice in verse 10 that what they are not able to consume they are to burn with fire. What a picture of what the Holy Spirit does in our life, burning away the dead parts of us that we may live as living sacrifices to Him not just in part but in the whole. Giving all that we are not in our strength but by the power and will of the Holy Spirit.Now if I can I would like to give you some encouragement this morning. First we saw that like the people of Israel our salvation is not dependent on us but a complete work of God. Second, this process of sanctification and growing in Christ and learning to surrender all to Him helps give the believer an assurance of His salvation in your life. Dead men don’t seek to examine their lives in the light of scripture. Dead men don’t love all of the sacrifice, only the parts they find pleasing to their flesh. These things testify to the work of the Holy Spirit that is alive in the believer. After fully considering the sacrifice of the Lamb that he held nothing back, we to consider if we are being … continually prepared for our sacrifice we must be prepared for redemption. This is the last point I want to look at this morning:
Prepared for Redemption
Exodus 12:11-13 11 In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord’s Passover. 12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord. 13 The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.
As we come to verses 11-13 there are two different ways of examining this scripture through the lens of the New Testament two different views of what it means to be prepared for Redemption. The two views are from those without Christ as their savior and those with Christ as their savior.
Looking at verse 11 for those that are without Christ there is a clear picture to be ready for judgement, that the hour of the Lord’s coming is near so it is time to be ready. God has clearly told the Israelites to eat ready to move out of captivity because the hour of their deliverance was at hand. In that same way since Jesus gave the great commission in Matthew 28 the hour of His 2nd coming is at hand. The time for salvation is now, for tomorrow is not promised and what is our life but a vapor that is here one second and gone the next. Paul conveys this idea in Romans 13:11 where he says Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. If you are here this morning and you don’t know Christ and more importantly you are not known by Him, heed the urgency in Paul’s words that it is time to wake up for the hour is not near, but it is here now. Let go of the prideful idea that you will be able to save yourself when you think you are ready. Imagine being an Israelite that refused to get ready to go but instead went to sleep only to find that you missed the hour of the Lord because of foolish pride. That instead of freedom you were left in bondage because salvation is not a work that you or I are capable of doing. Jesus is calling all to repentance now to turn from your sins and chase after Him. Jesus makes it clear that there is only one way to salvation and it is through Him. In John 14:6 He says “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” So, stop the foolish thoughts of I have time, or I am a good person, or I am always at Church, or my mom and dad are Christians so I am also, look a part from Jesus there is no hope of salvation.
Salvation is only through faith in Jesus and apart from His work there is no other way, period, full stop.
For generations the Israelites sat in slavery unable to break the yoke of the Egyptians, until God acted on their behalf and called them out of captivity. In that same way from Adam until today all men are born into the bondage of sin with no hope of escape outside of Christ. The difference for us is that God has already acted on our behalf and paid the debt we could not pay for our own freedom. Like those Israelities you must be prepared for redemption by surrendering all that you are to Him. Put your hope and trust not in what you can’t do, but in what He did for you on the cross and in the empty tomb. Just like He told the Israelites that His judgment was coming against the gods of Egypt so too is His judgement coming to us. John 3:17-19 says 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.
Understand that He is calling you to heed His warnings and see that He is good and merciful to forgive. Look at verse 38 of Chapter 12 it says that a mixed multitude also went up with them… do you see that God’s offer of redemption went out to all, not just the Israelites.
Now to address those that are here with Christ through the lens of this scripture. Are you living a life that is ready for the return of the bridegroom? Do you have oil for your lamp? In the same way the Isralilites were told to be prepared to move we are called to be ready for His return. Are you being wise and preparing for His coming? Being ready means preparing for whatever contingency arises in our lives and keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus at all times while we eagerly await His return. We, like the Israelities do not know the hour of His coming, but the picture is clear that we are to be ready at all times. Will you be found walking in the good works that He has prepared beforehand?
Is there an urgency to share the good news with those around you so that they also may also be prepared for redemption? Part of not being a passive, nominal Christian is living like the hour of His coming is here, being found faithful in the mission that the master has left us with. That mission is the making of disciples. Part of being prepared is living intentionally with the purpose of pouring into the lives of those around us, those that God has knitted us together with. Listen we are not called to come play Church two days a week say a few words to one another then go home. God has called us to not just be in communion with Him, but with one another so that we would be known by our love for one another. It's hard to be known if you are not intentional about it. We see so many verses throughout scripture about how we are to mourn when one is mourning or rejoice when one is rejoicing, So, how do we do this if we do not stay intentionally in communion with one another? A mark of a follower of Christ is that they are ready for redemption no matter what they are doing. Is there an evaluation daily of your life? The Passover gives us a clear picture of what we are to evaluate our lives by. Has the lamb's blood been applied to the doorpost of my soul. Am I holding nothing back from the Lord just as He has held nothing back from me? And am I prepared for redemption?
Conclusion
The Passover lamb was a powerful picture of the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus would make on the cross. The blood of the lamb delivered the Israelites from judgment and death, just as the blood of Jesus Christ delivers us from eternal separation from God. The application of the blood required faith and obedience, just as we must place our trust in Jesus and follow Him in obedience. And the result of the Passover was freedom, a freedom that foreshadowed the freedom we find in Christ.
As we reflect on the Passover, and look toward Christmas, let us remember that Jesus' death on the cross was not a tragic event but the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan. Through His sacrifice, we are spared from God's wrath, delivered from sin's power, and given the promise of eternal life. Let us apply His blood to our lives, hold nothing back from Christ and be prepared for the redemption that is only found in Jesus.
Comentarios