A lesson by Pastor John Skaggs

Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

P.O. Box 1447, Claypool, Az. 85532

520-425-8345 or 520-402-9134

Email: pastorjohn@gila.net

Sermon Number: Luke 141

The Passover and the Lord’s Supper

Our study this morning begins in Exodus 11:1 NASB. Now the LORD said to Moses, "One more plague I will bring on Pharaoh and on Egypt; after that he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will surely drive you out from here completely. . . {4} And Moses said, "Thus says the LORD, 'About midnight I am going out into the midst of Egypt, {5} and ALL THE FIRST-BORN IN THE LAND OF EGYPT SHALL DIE, from the first-born of the Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the first-born of the slave girl who is behind the millstones; all the first-born of the cattle as well. {6} 'Moreover, there shall be a great cry in all the land of Egypt, such as there has not been before and such as shall never be again. {7} 'But against any of the sons of Israel a dog shall not even bark, whether against man or beast, that you may understand how the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.' {8} "And all these your servants will come down to me and bow themselves before me, saying, 'Go out, you and all the people who follow you,' and after that I will go out." And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger. {9} Then the LORD said to Moses, "Pharaoh will not listen to you, so that My wonders will be multiplied in the land of Egypt." {10} And Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh; YET THE LORD HARDENED PHARAOH'S HEART, and he did not let the sons of Israel go out of his land.

(Exodus 12:1-13 NASB) Now the LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, . . . {3} "Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, 'On the tenth of this month they are each one to take a lamb for themselves, according to their fathers' households, a lamb for each household. . . . {7} 'Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. {8} 'And they shall eat the flesh that same night, roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread 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 LORD'S Passover. {12} 'For I will go through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike down all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments-- I am the LORD. {13} 'And the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; 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.

This account of Israel’s bondage and God’s redemption of them by the hand of Moses has got to be one of the favorite passages in all of scripture. It is so graphic, so full of action, and revelations of the power of God. The text just read describes the tenth and final plague God brought upon Egypt which is immeadiately followed by the Exodus. This plague took the lives of all the first born of Egypt.

This was the nightmare of nightmares for the Egyptians. Unbelievers or not they loved their children as all parents do. They had hopes and dreams for their future and yet on this night every household in the entire land of Egypt lost their first born child. Rather, I should say, every Egyptian household in the entire land lost their first born child. For there were many millions of Jew’s living in the land of Egypt who did not lose their children that night. They did not lose their children because the death Angel passed over them. Why did he spare them? He did so because, in obedience to God, they had slain a lamb and had smeared its blood on the frame work around their doors. When the death Angel saw this blood he passed by that household allowing their children to live. This is the event celebrated and remembered when the Passover meal is eaten.

Let’s turn now to our text in Luke chapter twenty-two. In the first thirteen verses of this chapter we find Judas making arrangements with the chief priests and the scribes for the betrayal of Jesus. We also find our Savior making preparations to eat the Passover meal. He sends two disciples, Peter and John, into the city to secure a room for the occasion. They did exactly that, finding the owner and the room just like Jesus said they would. Our text today takes us into that upper room where we witness the eating of the Passover meal and the institution of the Lord’s Supper as well.

(Luke 22:14-23 NASB) {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 (the Passover meal) until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." (That is, until all that the Passover represented is fulfilled.) {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." (Now Jesus turns from the shadow that was the Passover to the reality or fulfillment of the shadow.) {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. {21} "But behold, the hand of the one betraying Me is with Me on the table. {22} "For indeed, the Son of Man is going AS IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED; (Here is a reminder of what we talked about last week. God has a plan for the glorification of Himself and He is working that out in and through the lives of saints and sinners alike. Jesus has to be crucified, it was determined by God. Further, He must be delivered by Judas into the hands of those who would kill Him. There is no possibility that things could unfold differently . .) but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!" (Once again we are reminded that even in the presence of God’s sovereignty whereby He does as He pleases in the hosts of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth men remain responsible for their actions.) {23} And they began to discuss among themselves which one of them it might be who was going to do this thing."

The upper room experience began with the eating of the Passover meal. This would have begun with a prayer of thanksgiving by the head of the household or, in this case, I expect the prayer was offered by Christ. Following that the participants drink their first cup of diluted wine. Then they eat the bitter herbs. The herbs are a reminder of the four hundred years of bitter slavery in Egypt. This is followed by the son’s inquiry as to what the Passover celebration was all about. Perhaps one of the disciples asked this question. The head of the household, Christ most likely, would then recount the whole captivity-Passover-exodus history. They would all then sing Psalms 113 and 114, wash their hands and drink the second cup of diluted wine. Next would come the carving and eating of the lamb together with unleavened bread. The lamb was to remind the participants of the lamb that was slain and of the blood that was applied for the preservation of the people of God. They sang Psalm 115-118 and drank the fourth cup of wine. This is the essence of the Passover meal.

In verses fourteen through sixteen Jesus informs His disciples that this will be the last Passover meal He will eat until, ". . it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God."

Here is a most amazing thing! The lamb which was slain that night in Egypt and whose blood was applied to the door posts of the people of Israel pointed to and spoke of Jesus. That blood offered temporary redemption from death for one night in history but it looked forward to a permanent redemption purchased by the blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. In this passage we have both the type or the shadow, and the fulfilment, Jesus Christ. The animal lamb pointed to the divine and human Lamb who now eats the Passover meal with His disciples. Then He says, "This is the last Passover I will eat because what the meal represents is about to be fulfilled in Me! How did Christ’s death fulfill the shadows of the Passover in Exodus? Let’s consider a few related texts.

(1 Corinthians 5:7-8 NASB) "Clean out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For CHRIST OUR PASSOVER also has been sacrificed." Christ is OUR Passover! The Jews of old had an animal, a lamb for their Passover. For one night that beast’s blood rescued them from the judgement and wrath of God. But Jesus, the Spotless Lamb of God, is our Passover and His blood is far more effective than that of an animal lamb. Have you ever thought of your need for a Passover? This is something every man must have if he is to escape the coming wrath of God. Every human is sinful in God’s eyes deserving of eternal destruction and torment. How will sinners escape that destruction? How will the wrath of God be avoided? The only way that God’s wrath can be averted is by taking to yourself the appropriate Passover Lamb so that His blood is applied to your heart by faith. When Christ is your Lord and Savior by faith His blood is applied to your whole person. So, when the judgement comes He will see the blood and pass over you to judge and destroy the unbeliever. The effectiveness of Christ’s blood applied to us by faith is described in the following texts.

(Hebrews 9:11-28 NASB) But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; {12} and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having OBTAINED ETERNAL REDEMPTION. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (By the blood of this Lamb believers are protected from God’s wrath forever!) {13} For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, {14} HOW MUCH MORE WILL THE BLOOD OF CHRIST, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? . . . {22} And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. . . . {24} For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God FOR US; {25} nor was it that He should offer Himself (as the Lamb of God) often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood not his own. {26} Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now ONCE at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested TO PUT AWAY SIN BY THE SACRIFICE OF HIMSELF."

(Hebrews 10 NASB) {4} For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. . . . {11} And every priest stands daily ministering and offering TIME AFTER TIME THE SAME SACRIFICES, WHICH CAN NEVER TAKE AWAY SINS; {12} BUT HE, having offered ONE sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, {13} waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. {14} FOR BY ONE OFFERING HE HAS PERFECTED FOR ALL TIME THOSE WHO ARE SANCTIFIED. . . (Those who are set apart to God by faith in His dear Son have been perfected for all time and eternity. This perfection is the result of the sacrifice of our Passover Lamb, Jesus.) {18} Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin. {19} Since therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter the holy place BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS." Just as the death Angel passed by the children of Israel when he saw that the blood had been applied so will the wrath filled God pass over all who have the blood of Jesus applied to them by faith.

As we return to our text we see Christ doing something extraordinary. He is seen moving from the ordinance which pointed to the future coming of the Lamb to a new ordinance which would declare the fulfillment of all the Messianic shadows. I speak of the Lord’s Supper. First, it is clear that He is finished with the Passover meal which looked forward to His coming. (Luke 22:17-18 NASB) "And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, "Take this and share it among yourselves; (This is the final cup of wine shared in the Passover meal.) {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." Now for the new ordinance of the Lord’s Supper.

(Luke 22:19-20 NASB) 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; (With the words "This is MY body" Jesus is emphasizing that the bread does not represent or speak of a lamb that was killed long ago in Egypt, it represents Christ who gave Himself for sinners. "This is MY body.") do this in remembrance of Me." (The Lord’s Supper is a memorial of Christ and His work, not of the Jewish Passover.) {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." Not only does Christ institute a new ordinance but He inaugurates a New Covenant as well! This new covenant is made effective by the shedding of His blood. Hear God’s word from the book of Hebrews.

(Hebrews 8:6-13 NASB) But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a BETTER covenant, which has been enacted on BETTER promises. {7} For if that first covenant (the old covenant) had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. {8} For finding fault with them, He says, "BEHOLD, DAYS ARE COMING, SAYS THE LORD, WHEN I WILL EFFECT A NEW COVENANT WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND WITH THE HOUSE OF JUDAH; {9} NOT LIKE THE COVENANT WHICH I MADE WITH THEIR FATHERS ON THE DAY WHEN I TOOK THEM BY THE HAND TO LEAD THEM OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT; FOR THEY DID NOT CONTINUE IN MY COVENANT, AND I DID NOT CARE FOR THEM, SAYS THE LORD. {10} "FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MINDS, AND I WILL WRITE THEM UPON THEIR HEARTS. AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. {11} "AND THEY SHALL NOT TEACH EVERYONE HIS FELLOW CITIZEN, AND EVERYONE HIS BROTHER, SAYING, 'KNOW THE LORD,' FOR ALL SHALL KNOW ME, FROM THE LEAST TO THE GREATEST OF THEM. {12} "FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR INIQUITIES, AND I WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO MORE." {13} When He said, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear."

(Hebrews 10:8 NASB) {8} After saying above, "SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS AND WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN THOU HAST NOT DESIRED, NOR HAST THOU TAKEN PLEASURE in them" (which are offered according to the Law), (the Law is the Old or first covenant) {9} then He said, "BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO THY WILL." He takes away the first (the old covenant) in order to establish the second. (the new covenant) . . . {16} "THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THEM AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS UPON THEIR HEART, AND UPON THEIR MIND I WILL WRITE THEM," He then says, {17} "AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE."

Under the New Covenant the law of God is written on the hearts of His people or upon their consciences as opposed to being written on stone. In other words a saved person knows instinctively when he has crossed the line from holiness of life into the realm of sin. He understands that he is to love the Lord with all his heart, soul, mind, strength, and his neighbor as himself. When he fails to do this he mourns and repents. This happens because the Spirit is at work in us and because the law of God is written in our hearts. Further, the sins of God’s people are done away with forever. His wrath does not pass over us for one night, or for a year, but for eternity. Why? Because we have had the blood of the Spotless Lamb, Jesus Christ, our Passover, applied to our doorposts, or hearts, through faith. Everything about Christ is new, and better, and PERMANENT. Praise God!

Let’s return to Luke 22:19. When Jesus says in verse nineteen, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me." He is saying don’t remember the Passover lamb any longer, remember Me. Don’t be concerned about the slaying of the animal lamb and the smearing of it’s blood. Rather, remember Me. I am the Lamb of God whose body is given and whose blood is shed for the PERMANENT remission of sins. I am the fulfillment of all the Passover shadows. Turn from the shadows and look upon the reality. 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." Once again we see a shift of emphasis. You may forget the blood of the animal lamb. For the reality it pointed to is before you right now. I am He of whom the shadow spoke! I am the Lamb of God whose blood is about to be poured out for you. Mine is the blood that will inagurate the New Covenant. My blood will stay the wrath of God not for one night but forever and ever. The shadows have all been dispelled by the Light of the World who has been sacrificed as our Passover Lamb!

So it was that Jesus and His disciples partook of the Passover meal and of the first Lord’s Supper.

In the closing words of our text this morning we are reminded that among the disciples who celebrated both memorial meals there was Judas. This man was ordained by God to perform the work of delivering the Lamb of God to those who would shed His blood. This man who Jesus calls a devil from the beginning was at the Lord’s table eating and drinking with Him. He was not excluded, he was there participating. Hear the words of our Lord.

(Luke 22:21-23 NASB) "But behold, the hand of the one betraying Me is with Me on the table. {22} "For indeed, the Son of Man is going as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!"

There are a couple of things to say about these last two verses. First we are reminded of our Savior’s omnipotence. Jesus remained fully God though He became a man. He knows the hearts of all men and He knew Judas. We must go further than this however. Jesus, being God, not only knew but had long ago determined, with the Father and Spirit, that this Judas would be the one to deliver Him into the hands of His enemies. (Verse 22) Thus Jesus declares, "The hand of the one betraying Me is with Me right now."

Next we are reminded of a truth I have brought to your attention many times. No matter what God does, intends to do, or not do, men are responsible before Him for their sin. All things have been determined but woe to all who refuse to believe in Jesus. In the day of judgement God’s sovereignty in and over all things cannot be used as an excuse of one’s unbelief. All who will be saved from God’ s wrath must, in this life, repent and believe in Jesus for salvation.

In addition we must pause to face a truth that is with us every time we share the Lord’s Supper together. Not all who eat and drink are true believers in the Son of Man. In any given church, at any given time, there are those who are motivated in the practice of religion by something other than faith in our Lord and Savior. For Judas it was the love of money. Each hypocrite is motivated by something unique to them. Whatever it is it is so powerful that they continue the pretense of religion sometimes to their deaths. Some, no doubt, succeed to the extent they are buried as Christians and missed as beloved brothers and sisters. But here also we see the solemn truth that God and His Christ are not fooled. He is the searcher of men’s hearts and no hypocrite will ever enter the gates of Heaven. On the contrary, when God’s wrath passes by they will be consumed. For they have not the blood of our Passover, Jesus Christ, to protect them. All hypocrites will receive the same reward that Judas did.

What lessons must we take home with us?

First I believe there is a warning here to all Christians. We are not to live by the Old Covenant, the Law, but by the New Covenant, under grace. The Christian is not to be interested in the sacrifice of animals, the keeping of special days, abstaining from different kinds of foods, or any other kind of performance aimed at making ourselves acceptable to God. Rather, he is to love the Lord His God with all his heart, soul, mind, strength, and his neighbor as himself. He is to rest for salvation in the blood and righteousness of Jesus, the Lamb of God who has obtained, for all believers, "Eternal Redemption." Christ has been sacrificed. He is the Christian’s Passover. Praise God for His infinite mercy in Jesus!

Second, we must remember that we cannot see the hearts of men as Christ did. Therefore, we must be content to let the wheat and the tares grow together in the church until our Lord’s return. Then He will separate the sheep from the goats and take His sheep to heaven. Yes the church must deal with open and obvious rebellion but we must not make too much of peoples individual weaknesses. For we cannot tell if these things are the telltale signs of the hypocrite or that which remains of sin in a true believers life. We must, in doubtful cases, be content to let God sort it out on that last day.

Third, when we come together to eat and drink the Lord’s Supper let us be concerned with our own condition before God and not that of another. Let us examine ourselves to see if we are truly in the faith. If so, let us be cleansed of our daily corruption by confessing our sins to God, then, let us eat with joy as we remember the Lamb slain for our sins and salvation. Jesus invites you, dear Christian, indeed He commands you to, "Do this in remembrance of Me."

Finally I say this. If you are a Christian who does not eat and drink the Lord’s Supper you abide in disobedience. For Jesus said, "Do this!" If you say I am not fit I must ask what do you mean? Is there sin in your life that you refuse to confess and repent of? The solution is simple. Confess and repent of your sin and you will be cleansed. Or maybe you think the Supper is unnecessary or optional? If so you have never heard our Lord’s words rightly. For He does not say eat and drink if you wish. Rather, He says, "Do this", "Do this." Eat this Supper and by it remember Me!" We turn from the sin or ignorance that keeps us from the table of the Lord and get on remembering our Savior in the way prescribed. May God bless this lesson to all our hearts.