It’s Good Friday and I want to do something I’ve never done before. I want to talk about it.

Today we recognize that 2024 years ago Jesus Christ died on a cross.

But the significance of Jesus’ death doesn’t make sense until you understand Passover.

The story of Passover is found in Exodus chapter 12. The Israelites, who were slaves in Egypt, were instructed by God through Moses to sacrifice a spotless 1-year-old male lamb and put the blood of the lamb around their door frames.

That night, the Lord killed every firstborn child and every firstborn animal in Egypt, but the Lord passed over the houses with the blood of the lamb on the door.

That was the tenth and final plague that compelled the Pharaoh to let the Israelites leave Egypt, freeing them from 400 years of slavery. The Lord provided a way for the Israelites to be saved from His judgement, but they had to follow His instructions. They had to obey.

Exodus 12:21-30 – “Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go at once and select the animals for your families and slaughter the Passover lamb. take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. None of you shall go out of the door of your house until morning.”

When the Lord goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down.

Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance for you and your descendants. When you enter the land that the Lord will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony. And when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’

Then the people bowed down and worshiped.

The Israelites did just what the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron. At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock as well. Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead.”

The Israelites were saved by the blood of the lamb.

But this wasn’t just a one time thing. God required the Israelites to observe Passover every year and to continually sacrifice animals as a substitution for their sins. This brutal practice served as a sober reminder that the penalty for sin is death and that God continually provided a way for His people to escape this judgement. (Numbers 28:1-40)

Approximately 1300 years later, Jesus of Nazareth was born to a virgin, and because of this, He did not have a sinful nature. Jesus lead a sinless life, innocent of all wrongdoing.

When the prophet John the Baptist saw Jesus he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John also said, “He is the son of God.” (John 1:29-34)

Jesus spent his ministry on earth doing three things: teaching about the kingdom of God, forgiving sin, and healing the sick. Jesus showed us God’s love, compassion and mercy for us, through His words and actions.

And are you ready for this mind-blower…

The blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God, was shed during Passover.

Jesus was the pure and spotless Passover Lamb, who offered himself up as a sacrifice for us. He suffered the brutality of crucifixion on a cross and God poured out His wrath on Him to pay the penalty for your sin and for my sin and to spare us from judgment, eternal separation from God, and torment in hell.

We are saved by the Blood of the Lamb.

But the story doesn’t end there. Jesus conquered death, rose again three days later and is now seated on the throne in heaven at the right hand of the Father. His Kingdom has come. And we will all stand before Him one day and give an account for our lives.

The Hebrew name for Jesus, Yeshua, means to rescue, to deliver, to save.

No amount of good deeds can offset the sin you have committed and spare you from judgment and punishment.

The beautiful message of Jesus is that salvation is a gift from God that no one deserves and yet is available to all who believe in Him. He is our heroic savior.

“For all have sinned, and fallen short of the glory of God.” – Romans 3:23

“The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is enteral life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 6:23

“God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” – Romans 10:9

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” – Romans 10:13“

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” – Romans 5:1

“There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” – Romans 8:1

“For God so loved the world that He sent his only son that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but will have everlasting life.” – John 3:16

This is why Good Friday is so good!

Jesus is my King. I love Him. I follow HIm. I obey Him. He is my life, my healer and my savior. And my prayer today is that you will be overwhelmed by His love for you and that you will come to know Him as I have.

May you prosper in health even as your soul prospers

Chris Wark
Good Friday
March 29, 2024