Moses part 8 The Meaning of the Passover Celebration
Luke 22: 14 And when the hour had come, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him. 15 And He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16 for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. 18 For I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.” 20 And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.
We will be completing today our look at the Passover and the Foundational lessons that come from it. And we are also completing the sermons over the ten plagues of which the death of the firstborn, and the parallel event of the Passover are the last. We have been looking at these ten plagues as examples of God using suffering to accomplish His purposes, to open the ears of those who would not hear, to refine His own children.
One could say that suffering is never wasted in God's hands. We all experience it to one degree or another. God brings it to every life. What remains is for us to regard it as our teacher and ask God what lesson He is teaching us.
Each of the ten plagues had a message behind it, and the last plague is no exception. But its message is the largest and most important of all.
Deliverance Comes Through Judgment
God used the death of the firstborn to break Pharaoh’s will and set His people free (Exodus 12:29-31). Salvation for Israel came through the judgment of Egypt. This is a biblical pattern: redemption is born through judgment. Ultimately, Jesus’ death on the cross — as the firstborn Son of God — is both the judgment of sin and the doorway to freedom for those who believe (Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 12:23).
God still uses judgment to direct us to His deliverance.
A man spends years addicted to
alcohol. His marriage crumbles, his job is lost, and his health begins to fail
— all consequences of his own choices. One night, at rock bottom, he cries out
to God in desperation. That dark moment becomes the turning point. He enters
rehab, joins a recovery group, and gives his life to Christ.
A woman who prided herself on financial independence and success loses
everything in a market crash. She spirals into anxiety, feeling like her
identity is gone. But in the silence of her loss, she realizes she had built
her life on sand, not the Rock.
A young believer is in a
relationship they know isn't honoring to God. They ignore warning signs and
wise counsel, until the relationship ends painfully. They feel devastated, even
betrayed. But in time, they realize that God was protecting them and using the
pain to call them back to Him — and to prepare them for something better.
A healthy, driven businessman gets a surprise cancer diagnosis. Facing
mortality for the first time, he’s overwhelmed with fear. In that valley, he
begins to ask deeper questions, reads Scripture with new eyes, and surrenders
his life to Christ. Even as his body fights disease, his soul is made alive.
A respected church leader secretly lives in moral compromise. Eventually, the
sin is exposed publicly, and they lose their position. Humiliated, they wrestle
with shame. But in that exposure, God breaks their pride, leads them to true
repentance, and restores their heart. Though the consequences remain, they say
it was the best thing that ever happened to them.
Well, this morning we continue to look at the Passover and the Last Supper and
the meaning behind them
prayer
We have learned some new lessons from the Passover. Both were to be a New Beginning Marked by God’s Timing, Both required individual participation but the building of a community, Both required a spotless Lamb be Chosen, Both required that the Blood of the Lamb be applied,
Today we will complete our look at these lessons withBoth had a Meal symbolizing Readiness, Both were a Memorial for Generations, Both required Obedience That Preceded Deliverance
Let me refresh your memory about the preparation for the Passover by reading portions of Exodus 12.
Exodus 12: Now Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron in the land of [a]Egypt, 2 “This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year to you. 3 Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth of this month they are each one to take a [b]lamb for themselves, according to their fathers’ households, a [c]lamb for [d]each household.
5 Your [i]lamb shall be a male, without blemish, a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. 6 [j]And you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall slaughter it [k]at twilight. 7 Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel [l]of the houses in which they eat it. 8 And they shall eat the flesh that night, roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread [m]and bitter herbs.
11 Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste—it is the Passover of Yahweh. 12 And I will go through the land of Egypt on that night and will strike down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments—I am Yahweh. 13 And the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and I will see the blood, and I will pass over you, and there shall be no plague among you [n]to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
14 ‘Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to Yahweh; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as [o]a perpetual statute.Sermon Point 5: The Meal of Readiness and Symbolism
Text: Exodus 12:8–11 | Luke 22:19–20; 1 Corinthians 11:26
Exodus 12:8–11 8 And they shall eat the flesh that night, roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread [m]and bitter herbs. 9 Do not eat any of it raw or boiled at all with water, but rather roasted with fire, both its head and its legs along with its entrails. 10 And you shall not leave any of it over until morning, but whatever is left of it until morning, you shall burn with fire. 11 Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste—it is the Passover of Yahweh.
In Exodus 12:8–11, God gave the Israelites detailed and deliberate instructions—not only about what to eat for the Passover meal, but how to eat it. Every element spoke volumes, not just in ritual, but in meaning and posture. The meal was plain in appearance yet rich in symbolism: a lamb roasted over fire, unleavened bread, and bitter herbs. The lamb was not to be eaten raw or boiled in water, but roasted whole over open flame—a method that evoked purity, judgment, and urgency. Nothing was to remain until morning; what wasn’t eaten had to be completely burned. This underscored the total sufficiency of God’s provision and the gravity of the night ahead.
This was no ordinary meal; it was a bold declaration of faith and a posture of expectant obedience. Every bite was taken with hearts pounding and eyes wide open, as if the door to freedom might burst open at any moment. God was on the verge of delivering them, and they were to be fully alert—robes cinched around their waists, sandals strapped tight, staffs in hand—poised to move the instant He gave the command.
Their readiness was not just practical; it was profoundly spiritual. It was an embodied act of trust, a silent but powerful confession: We believe You, Lord. We are ready to follow You—out of Egypt, out of slavery, out of everything we've known—into the unknown, simply because You said so. In that posture of urgency and obedience, the Israelites showed that they didn’t merely hope for deliverance—they believed it was coming, and they were prepared to walk into it the moment God called.
Readiness in the Last Supper:
Jesus gave the Passover meal that same meaning. It is a time of looking back to Jesus,
remembering the night of the Last Supper, and the Words, Ministry, Life, Death,
and Resurrection of our Lord.
“This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of
me.” (Luke 22:19)
But Paul later adds,
“For as often as you eat this bread and drink
the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” (1 Cor. 11:26)
The meal now points not only back to deliverance but forward to Christ’s return.
At the Last Supper, Jesus deliberately chose the sacred setting of the Passover meal to unveil the fuller significance behind Israel’s ancient deliverance and to summon His disciples—and all future followers—to a posture of spiritual vigilance. Just as the first Passover demanded that God’s people be ready to flee Egypt, Jesus used the elements of bread and wine to prepare His followers for a greater exodus: liberation from the grip of sin through His own impending sacrifice. This meal was not merely a remembrance—it was a summons to readiness. Jesus spoke of betrayal, urged alertness, and pointed to the arrival of God’s kingdom, impressing on His disciples the weight of remaining faithful, watchful, and responsive. In doing so, He echoed the same divine call first heard in Exodus: be prepared—not only to recall what God has done, but to obey, to follow, and to move when He acts. The Last Supper became both a moment of sacred intimacy and a prophetic sending—an invitation for every generation of believers to live with expectancy, hearts washed by the Lamb’s blood and eyes lifted toward the coming fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan.
When you take Communion,
do you approach it only as a remembrance, or also as a moment of preparation?
What might it look like for you to come to the table with a heart ready to
follow wherever Jesus leads?
Is there anything in
your life that would keep you from moving when God says, “Go”?
Are you spiritually dressed—so to speak—ready to obey, even if it means change,
sacrifice, or letting go?
How does your
participation in Communion stir your longing for Christ’s return?
Do you live with that expectation in your daily choices, or has that hope grown
dull?
What specific step of
obedience might God be calling you to take right now?
Is there a habit to release, a relationship to mend, a calling to pursue?Both were to be a New Beginning
Marked by God’s Timing, Both required individual participation but the building
of a community, Both required a spotless Lamb be Chosen, Both required that the
Blood of the Lamb be applied, Both had a Meal symbolizing Readiness, Both were
a Memorial for Generations, Sermon Point 6: A Memorial for
Generations
Text: Exodus 12:14–16, 24–27 | Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:24–25
This is a longer passage, and I don’t want us to get too bogged down by repeating things, so as we read it I will comment about its meaning.
Exodus 12:14–16, 24–27 14 ‘Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to Yahweh; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as [o]a perpetual statute.
God established the Passover as an enduring act of remembrance. It was not only about what He did on that night—it was a call for future generations to live in continual awareness of His deliverance.
15 Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, but on the first day you shall [p]remove leaven from your houses; for whoever eats anything leavened from the first day until the seventh day, that [q]person shall be cut off from Israel.
The removal of leaven was a physical act symbolizing spiritual purity. God was calling His people to break from the old ways of Egypt and live in holiness, marked by obedience.
16 Now on the first day there shall be a holy convocation, (a mass meeting) and on the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation for you (the Passover was seven days that began and ended with a mass meeting); no work at all shall be done on them, except what must be eaten [r]by every person, that alone may be done by you.
It was a holiday week. A week of rest, refreshing, fellowship, and meaning.
24 And you shall keep this event as a statute for you and your children forever. 25 And it will be, when you enter the land which Yahweh will give you, as He has [x]promised, you shall keep this new [y]slavery. 26 And it will be when your children say to you, ‘[z]What is the meaning of this new slavery to you?’ 27 that you shall say, ‘It is a Passover sacrifice to Yahweh who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but delivered our homes.’” And the people bowed low and worshiped.
This rich passage in Exodus 12:24–26, with its phrase often translated as “this service” or “this observance,” can be understood in a deeper, more powerful way when we reflect on what it means as a “new slavery.” The word for service or observance here is the same one that is used earlier in Exodus to describe their bondage or slavery under Pharaoh.
The Israelites had just been delivered from bitter bondage in Egypt—a slavery marked by cruelty, forced labor, and hopelessness. Yet here, in this moment of freedom, God commands them to keep this service, which in the original sense could be understood as this new slavery. That might seem jarring at first. Weren’t they just set free?
Yes—but they were not set free to live for themselves. They were freed from Pharaoh’s rule in order to come under God’s rule. Their old slavery was one of oppression and fear. Their new “slavery” would be one of worship, covenant, and purpose. No longer brickmakers for a tyrant—they were now servants of the Living God, called to live in obedience and remembrance.
So when their children would one day ask, “What is the meaning of this new slavery to you?” they weren’t asking about chains or burdens. They were asking about identity: What does it mean to now belong to Yahweh?
The answer was simple and profound: “It is the Passover sacrifice to Yahweh… who passed over our homes and delivered us.” In other words, “This new way of life is our response to the One who saved us. We live differently because we belong to Him.”
A memorial for generations New Testament Parallel:
Hundreds of years later, when Jesus celebrated the Passover for the last time with His disciples, He too created a memorial. Not a memorial of deliverance from physical slavery, but a memorial of deliverance from slavery to sin through the death of the Lamb of God on the cross of Calvary.
Luke 22:19 19 And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.”
1 Corinthians 11:24–25 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
When Jesus shared the Last Supper with His disciples, He transformed the Passover meal into a new kind of memorial—a remembrance not of deliverance from Egypt, but of deliverance from sin and death. In Luke 22:19, He took the bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them saying, “This is My body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.” The command to “do this” was not just for that moment—it was for all who would follow Him. Similarly, in 1 Corinthians 11:24–25, Paul echoes Jesus’ words, emphasizing that the bread and the cup symbolize the new covenant in His blood and are to be taken “in remembrance” of Him. This was Jesus’ way of ensuring that His sacrifice would never be forgotten, and that His followers in every generation would gather around the table, not merely to eat, but to remember the cost of their redemption.
What am I remembering today?
As I take the bread and the cup, do I truly pause to reflect on Jesus’
sacrifice? What specific aspects of His suffering, death, and love come to
mind?
Am I living like someone who has been redeemed?
God delivered Israel from Egypt—and me from sin. How is my daily life shaped by
that deliverance? Are there habits or heart-postures that still reflect
slavery?
It tells us that our children will ask, “"What Does This New Slavery Mean to You?"
Romans 6:17–18 (ESV) “But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.”
Romans 6:22 (ESV) “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.”
Titus 2:14 (ESV) “[Jesus] gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”
So I ask you today, “what does this table, this new slavery to our Loving Lord mean to you?”Both were to be a New Beginning Marked by God’s Timing, Both required individual participation but the building of a community, Both required a spotless Lamb be Chosen, Both required that the Blood of the Lamb be applied, Both had a Meal symbolizing Readiness, Both were a Memorial for Generations, Both required Obedience That Preceded DeliveranceSermon Point 7: Obedience That Preceded Deliverance
Text: Exodus 12:28 | John 14:15; Hebrews 11:28
Exodus 12:28 28 Then the sons of Israel went and did so; just as Yahweh had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.
In Exodus 12:28, the people of Israel responded to God’s instructions with prompt and wholehearted obedience. They didn’t delay or debate—they acted exactly as the Lord had spoken through Moses and Aaron, even though no visible sign of deliverance had yet appeared. This moment pulses with a profound truth: faith acted before freedom came. They smeared lamb’s blood across their doorposts, roasted the meat, cleared their homes of leaven, and ate the meal with sandals on and staffs in hand—ready to move. They did all this without yet seeing a single Egyptian death, without knowing if Pharaoh’s grip would finally break. Their obedience wasn’t based on proof; it was anchored in trust. This was not passive belief—it was active, risk-taking faith that responded to God’s word with reverent precision. And it was through this posture of surrendered obedience that the pathway to rescue was opened. God’s promises were unshakable, but stepping into deliverance required their participation—an outward expression of inward faith.
Obedience precedes deliverance New Testament Parallel:
Jesus said, John 14:15 15 “If
you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
At the Last Supper, Jesus invited His disciples into an act of deep faith and surrendered obedience—one that came before they could fully grasp the weight of what was unfolding. As He took the bread, broke it, and handed them the cup, He declared, “This is My body… this cup is the new covenant in My blood… do this in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:24–25). The shadow of the cross loomed near, yet its meaning was still veiled to them. In that dimly lit upper room, Jesus gave them symbols of a sacrifice they didn’t yet understand, and asked them to receive—not with clarity, but with trust. They ate and drank with trembling hearts, unaware that within hours their world would unravel. Still, Jesus called them to this sacred act—to remember in advance, to believe before they saw, to obey before they understood. And that first communion, offered on the brink of suffering, would become a lasting declaration of faith. Like the Israelites who smeared lamb’s blood before deliverance arrived, the disciples were asked to trust the Lamb of God before His blood was shed. Their obedience would be the thread that carried them through the agony of the crucifixion and into the blazing hope of resurrection.
Here’s the truth; Faith that saves is faith that obeys. And I don’t say that because there is a list of things you must do in order to be saved. You don’t have to find a perfect, spotless lamb to be slaughtered, God already did that. You don’t have to rid your home of leaven, or sin You don’t have to physically apply the blood to a doorpost and ensure that you are indoors at midnight. You have to trust in the blood spilled from the foundation of the world that cleanses of all sin. The obedience is in your turning to Christ in repentance.
Acts 2:38 (ESV) “And Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized
every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins,
and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”
🔹 Luke 24:46–47 (ESV)
“…that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations…”
Suffering, when seen through the lens of the Passover and the cross, is no longer senseless or wasted—it becomes redemptive. In Egypt, the night of death gave way to a morning of deliverance. At the cross, the torn body of Christ became the doorway to eternal life. And in our own lives, the wounds we bear often become the very places God chooses to meet us. As Hosea 6:1–2 declares, “He has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up… on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.” This is the great truth suffering teaches us: that God's wounding is not to destroy but to deliver. He allows pain to break our pride, loss to awaken our longing, and sorrow to prepare our hearts for resurrection. In every tear shed and every trial endured, the gospel whispers its promise—this is not the end. For those who return to the Lord, there is healing after brokenness, life after death, and joy on the other side of the cross.
Ask deacons to come forward. As they do ask individuals to reflect on what we have learned about the Passover, the Lord’s Table, and the meaning of suffering.
1. Where have you experienced suffering or brokenness lately—and how might God be using it to draw you closer to Him?
“He has torn us, that He may heal us…” (Hosea 6:1)
2. Are there areas in your life where you need to return to the Lord with repentance and renewed trust?
“Come, let us return to the Lord…” (Hosea 6:1)
Have deacons distribute the elements.
3. When you take the bread and the cup, do you see Christ’s wounds not only as your rescue, but as your model of surrender?
4. Is there a place in your heart where you’re still waiting for God to “bind you up” or “raise you up”? How can you entrust that place to Him today?
“After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up…” (Hosea 6:2)
And Jesus took the bread, blessed it and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “this is my body, broken for you, this do in remembrance of me. Before we take the cup, reflect a moment on these questions.
5. Are you receiving the Lord’s Supper as a ritual, or as a declaration of faith—that even in your suffering, Jesus is your healer, your deliverer, and your hope?
6. Who around you—especially the next generation—needs to hear from your lips the meaning of the cross and the story of your redemption?
“When your children ask… you shall say…” (Exodus 12:26–27)
And Jesus took the cup, blessed it, and gave it to them saying, “this do in remembrance of me.”