Holy Week took place during the Jewish Passover festival – the highlight of worship every year in Israel. It is estimated that there were about 2.5 million travelers in Jerusalem. During the Passover special preparations were made: roads were repaired, roadside tombs were whitewashed and for six weeks the meaning of Passover was taught in schools and synagogues. The people greeted each other saying, “Passover is near!”
Passover celebrates the night in Egypt when the Hebrews got their freedom from slavery in Egypt. As death entered Egypt that night with the judgment of God on Egypt for the sin of slavery, the Hebrews (and Egyptians who joined them) were safe inside their houses. Moses told them to offer a lamb as a meal for the family and friends and also to take a small portion of the blood of the lamb and sprinkle it on the sides and top of the doorframe of every house. God said, “When I see the blood I will pass over you” (Ex 12:13).
The blood was a covering of atonement protecting them from judgment. What does that mean to us as Christians? The Passover points to Jesus and his death on the cross for our sins. Paul says, “Christ our Passover Lamb has been sacrificed” (1 Cor 5:7). John says, “the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Peter say s, we “have been redeemed…by the precious blood of Christ” (1 Pt 1:18). The word redeemed means to be set free from slavery. The Hebrews were redeemed from Egypt but we have been redeemed from our sin s.
THE LESSON
The point is – Jesus, the Passover Lamb, died for our sins on the cross and his blood has both cleansed us from guilt and it covers us so we will never face judgment for our sins! We are cleansed and covered by the blood (the sacrificial death) of Jesus who took our judgment that we might be forgiven and pardoned from all sin.
THE ACTION
The first action step is to always bring our sins to God our heavenly Father and not cover them or hide them or deny them. He loves us and will always forgive us. The second action step is to live like we are forgiven and not live in guilt and shame. At the core of worship is thanksgiving to God for his amazing grace that has forgiven us and freed us. ” They sang a new song: ‘You are worthy ..because you were slain, and by your blood you purchased people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God and they will reign on the earth” (Rev 5:9-70).