Passover Service - 2017

by Michael C. Garrett

Owensboro Church of Jesus Christ

the Passover

Greeting’s friends wherever you might be. We’re here tonight to keep and to observe the Passover – or if you want to call it ‘the Lord’s Supper,’ or ‘Communion’ all Biblically correct. We don’t normally do that, but Paul referred to the communion with Christ – and that’s what we are talking about this evening.

So we’re here, and we’re glad that you’re with us, my name is Michael C. Garrett, and this is the beginning of what we call the Spring holy day season. Now, if you’re wanting to know where you can find that type of information. A good outline can be found in the 23rd chapter of the Book of Leviticus. It doesn’t give every detail, but it does give you a basic thumbnail sketch, and it gives you the timing, the date, when it is to be kept. And I don’t know why a lot of people surely get confused over these things – I think they try and out-think themselves, or I think they go, “Well, I’m going to come up with something new!” Well, if God showed it to you through His Book – the Bible – that’s fine, but if you just came up with something because you’re, sort-of, having an ego trip – well that’s not good! But anyway, here in chapter 23 we read – “And the LORD spoke to Moses, …” – so again, this is information that comes straight from God. And the Being there called ‘the LORD’ – the Eternal – is the One we now call Jesus Christ. That’s a little bit of information a lot of people don’t know, they don’t understand. They think that God the Father was the God of the Old Testament, and He was mean and harsh, and they think well Jesus Christ is the God of the New Testament, and He was kind and meek, and very calm. And in truth it’s the same Being. But when Jesus Christ was a human being He operated on a different plane, with a different level of power than He did when He was an eternal member of the Family of GOD. So there where some restrictions on Him just because He wasn’t where He used to be. He was on a temporary trip here on the Earth to become our Savior. And that’s what tonight is all about – remembering that Jesus Christ is indeed our Savior!

And this Passover service is a way that we get to reaffirm that we want to be a part of that contract with Christ – any contract is a two-way street. You have to have two parties that have some type of an agreement. And there are thing’s which God has told us and He has made promises. And then there are requirement’s, expected of all of us – IF we truly are members of the Body of Christ and IF we do indeed have our name’s written in the Book of Life – or IF we are striving for that goal. 

Verse 2 – “’Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts [the festivals; the holy time] of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, …’” – now that phrase “convocation” means “coming together.” And as much as is possible you are supposed to come together in a meeting, with people – people of like mind’s. “ …’which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts [festivals].’” 

Verse 3 talks about the weekly Sabbath. Talks about the seventh-day is the Sabbath of rest. Again, it’s a holy convocation. It’s what I like to call “Church day.” You’re supposed to come together for Church. And the Sabbath is not the first day of the week, like most of the churches of the Western world presume. The Sabbath is ‘the seventh day.’ It says it right here in verse 3. 

Verse 4 – “’These are the feasts [or festivals] of the LORD, holy convocations which you shall proclaim [or talk about, innumerate, explain, expand] at their appointed times [their season’s].

Verse 5 – “’On the fourteenth day of the first month …’” – now that phrase “first month” in the Hebrew language is Abib – which means the month of green leaves. In a temperate climate – such as Jerusalem – such as most states we have here in America, when the leaves start to bud out you are in the first month of Spring. And, notice what day it is – and I say this because there are people (and I don’t know why they do it) since I joined up with the Worldwide Church of God in 1969, and I was out on the campus of Ambassador College and the Headquarters of the Worldwide Church of God. About every year you hear somewhere, somebody is all confused about, “Well, when do we keep the Passover!?” And people want to come up with little wrinkles, I guess to sort-of make themselves famous. But see folks, we don’t come up with our own ideas, we turn to the Bible, and it says – “…the fourteenth day of the first month …” Fourteen days means it’s one day short of a full moon. And that’s really all you have to know. You don’t need fancy tablets and computer’s and weird reasonings and going back and trying to twist things around. And tonight, when we look up into the sky the moon will be one day short of a full moon. Because in Biblical language the 15th day is the middle of the month – that means full moon. And anytime you see the phrase ‘the first day of the month,’ that means a new moon. Which basically means there’s no moon at all.

“’On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight …’” so it starts when there’s still a little bit of light, and eventually you get into what you call dusk – or early evening. 

And then it goes on to talk about the Feast of Unleavened Bread. But we’re not going to talk about that tonight.

Exodus. In Exodus 12 we read about the very FIRST PASSOVER. And, I do want to point out something. The very first Passover was an extremely unique uni – meaning one. It was a first ever, and it was a very unique event. And the things that happened on that first Passover ARE NOT REQUIRED FOR ALL OF US TO FOLLOW NOW. Because things have changed. One of the big thing’s which has changed is the fact that between then and now – you had the life of Jesus Christ, you had His sacrifice, and you have the establishment of the New Covenant. THE NEW CONTRACT. With new condition’s. But again, there’s a whole lot of people from the history of the Worldwide Church of God who want to go back and keep Old Covenant – Old Testament – ideas and try to somehow blend them into today, and somehow make them work with the New Testament Scriptures. Keep in mind – Old Testament/Old Contract. That contract isn’t in effect anymore. We’re in the New Covenant. The New Contract. Jesus Christ is our High Priest. But on this particular event – one of a kind – it says verse 1 – “Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 2) ‘This month shall be your beginning of months; …’” springtime is what we call it. “…’it shall be the first month of the year to you. 3) Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: ‘On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household. 4) And if the household is too small for the lamb, let him …’” – so like if you were just a single person or just two people living in one house, and next door is just one or two people, you could combine your efforts. But if you had a family of 12 or 14, then you would just keep it in your house. 

Verse 5 – “’Your lamb shall be without blemish, …’” – it was to be a perfect lamb – physically speaking. Representing, symbolically, the perfect life that Jesus Christ lived. “…’a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. 6) Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. 7) And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the doorposts and on the [upper part of the door] where they eat it. 8) Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; …’” – and it was to be roasted. It wasn’t to be boiled. And, “’…with unleavened bread …’” – now just here tonight someone asked the question, and they knew somebody that said, “Well, you don’t keep Passover with unleavened bread, you keep it with leavened bread.” Well, just look at chapter 12, verse 8. It’s very clear! Unleavened bread. “…’and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.’” – now, we don’t keep the Passover now by eating roast lamb and bitter herbs. The symbols have changed with the life and the example of Jesus Christ. But this one time – this one very special occasion – that’s how they were told to do it. It continues, verse 9 – “’Do not eat it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roasted in fire – its head with its legs and its entrails.’” – now, most people when they cook meat, they just have a chunk of meat and everything else has been discarded. But in this particular example it was supposed to be a whole lamb – everything. Head, feet, intestines, heart – everything.

Verse 10 – “’You shall let none of it remain until morning, and what remains of it until morning you shall burn with fire.’” – now I could go into a long essay here about verse 10. Keep in mind what I said - It was a first ever, and it was a very unique event. No other Passover was ever like this one. And so there are people today who believe they need to take their unused unleavened bread and take it and burn it. Well, if you go to the New Testament – and the “gospel” accounts – you will see that Jesus Christ did not give the instruction ‘take the unused unleavened bread, take it outside and burn it with fire.’ In fact, I think it’s the Book of John – we’ll read the verse a little later – they at the end of their little get-together, they sang a song, a hymn, which we’ll do tonight, and then they went to the Mount of Olives. They didn’t hang around and have these extra clean-up sessions. But keep in mind, a whole lamb is a whole lot different than a handful of bread. And with meat, it only keeps so  long – keep in mind they did not have freezer’s or refrigerator’s. And so it was one way of making sure – just like Jesus Christ – He did not decay. He was in the grave (the tomb) for three days, three nights – and It says, ‘He had not yet decayed.’ It says, ‘His body wasn’t allowed to see corruption.’ So, this symbolic lamb was not to lie around and get thrown out into the backyard and just allowed to decay. Keep in mind – the lamb symbolizes Jesus Christ. And so that’s why they were told on this particular Passover to burn – to remove – the excess meat and get rid of it. Keep in mind – very quickly after this they’re leaving town! They’re packing up and going, leaving the nation of Egypt and going out on their own to become a new nation. 

Verse 11 – again, very special instruction’s on this very first – one of a kind, never to be repeated again – Passover. “’And thus you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, …’” – theoretically so they could move quickly. Again, symbolism, because they’re quickly going to be leaving Egypt. “…’your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD’S Passover.’” Now, no other Passover in history was celebrated like this one. On the first night. Verse 12 – God speaking through Moses, “’For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I AM the LORD. 13) Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I [or rather the death angel] see the blood, I shall pass over [that’s where the term comes from – pass over] you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.’” – now had an Israeli – had a member of the tribe of Israel – had they not put the blood up on their door, their firstborn would also have died. Now, the father might have been firstborn. The mother might have been firstborn, and if they had children, their first child obviously firstborn. So, theoretically, there were children who could have ended up orphaned. But if they follow the instructions given to Moses, which he passed on, they were promised that God would not sentence them to death. And the symbolism is that if we have Jesus Christ as our Savior – even though we might momentarily die physically – we can look forward to eternal life in the Kingdom of God! And we too will have the death penalty – or the second death – pass over us. Because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ!

Verse 14 – “’So this day shall be to you a memorial; …’” – an anniversary. Now for those of you who are married. How often, how many times a year do you keep, or celebrate, or remember your anniversary!? You don’t do it every week. You don’t do it once a month. You don’t do it every other month. You do it ONCE A YEAR. And that’s what the word memorial means, it means an anniversary. And so for many churches, they have their so-called Communion, and like the Catholic Church they’re always – I mean every time they had a “mass” they’re eating bread and drinking wine. And theoretically if you lived in a big city, you could probably participate in a “mass” every day of the week. Well that’s not what you’re supposed to do according to the Word of God. It’s a memorial. “…’and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD throughout your generations.’” – so this celebration will NEVER END. The Passover, Lord’s Supper, Communion – whatever you want to call it – many hundreds of years into the Millennium, people will still be keeping this Passover service. “…’You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance.’” – this is one holy day which will not go away.  Some of the holy days do actually disappear in the Kingdom of God. That’s a different story.

And then it starts talking about Unleavened Bread.

He is the Great Sacrifice

Matthew 1 –this is what we read about Jesus, Matthew 1:20 – “But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David [a descendant of King David], do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, …” Mary and Joseph had not had sexual relations. And all of a sudden Mary comes up pregnant. So you know what Joseph probably thought. Joseph was most likely – in all probability – a much older man. Might have been 20, 30, 40 years older than Mary. We never hear of Joseph after Jesus’ 12th year of life. So we don’t know if he died, when Jesus was 13 or 18 or 19 or 20. “…’for that which is conceived in her is of [God’s Spirit].’ 21) And she will bring forth a Son, …’” – an angel is telling this to Joseph. Wow! Wouldn’t that be great for an angel of God to come to you and tell you something!? “…’ and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.’” – that’s the very meaning of the name Jesus – it means SAVIOR.

Luke 2 – another quick description in the “gospel” account’s. Luke 2:8 – “Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.” – Jerusalem is fairly high in elevation. And Bethlehem is just down the road from Jerusalem. The typical story which you hear from the churches of the world is that Jesus was born on December 25th. In that part of the country, you do not keep sheep in that frigid climate. It snows in Jerusalem! At that time of year – in December 25th – the sheep would be taken way down much lower in altitude where it’s much warmer, where they were much safer. This didn’t happen on December 25th. One more example that Jesus Christ was not born on or anywhere near December 25th. But most likely He was born on the very first day of what the Bible calls the Feast of Tabernacles. Different subject, but notice the shepherds are in the fields – in that neighborhood. Verse 9 – “And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.” – they were scared.  Verse 10 – “Then the angel said to them [these shepherds], ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11) For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.’” – that’s what His name means, He’s a Savior. Because He is the great Sacrifice. 

John 1 – this is where we meet John the Baptist. John 1:29 – “The next day John [John the Baptist] saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’” -  that’s what John uttered or exclaimed! Notice the similarity – in the Old Testament, what was the very first Passover!? It was the consuming of a lamb – and here the analogy continues, “BEHOLD! THE LAMB OF GOD!” “The sacrifice of God which takes away the sin of the world.” 

John 1:34 – “’And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.’” – the Christos – the Messiah. Verse 35 – “Again, the next day, John [John the Baptist] stood with two of his disciples. 36) And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, ‘Behold the Lamb of God!’” That’s what this ceremony is all about! Remembering that Jesus is our great sacrifice! 

Revelation – a powerful description! Revelation 1:5 – “and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first[begotten] from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins [by and through] His own blood, …” His great Sacrifice! 

Acts 20 – where Paul is speaking. Paul actually saying goodbye to these people. He knows he’s never going to see them again. Acts 20:25 – He’s giving them his last minute encouragement and information. “’And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the Kingdom of God, will see my face no more.’” Paul knows, “I’m leaving here, and eventually I’m gonna end-up in Rome, and I’m probably gonna end-up dead.” Verse 27 – “’For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel [the wisdom] of God. 28) Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers [the teacher’s, the preacher’s, the servant’s], to [FEED] the Church of God [the Body of Christ] which He purchased with His own blood.’” The members of the Body of Christ – they’ve been brought into that organization, because they were purchased – literally – by the shed blood of Jesus Christ! 

Romans 5 – we see another quick description. Romans 5:5 – “Now hope [makes not ashamed], because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit [the mind of God; the mind of Christ] [which] was given to us. 6) For when we were still without strength, …” – without any of God’s Spirit. “…in due time Christ died for the ungodly. … 8) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9) Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10) For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” And He walked out of that tomb – establishing an example that all who follow Him will also walk out of their tomb! 

1 Corinthians 6:9 – the apostle Paul says, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God?” – and then he gives a WARNING! “…Do not be deceived. …” – don’t deceive yourself! “…Neither fornicators [lewdness], nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate [a man having or showing characteristics typical of that of a woman], nor sodomites [nor catamites], 10) nor thieves, nor covetous …” and in other places Paul said that covetousness was a form of idolatry. “…nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the Kingdom of God.” - He bunches a lot of thing’s in there. Verse 11 – “And such were some of you. But you were washed, …” – washed by what!?  The shed blood of Jesus Christ! And washed by the symbolic baptism into water. “…but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” Verse 19 – “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of [God’s Spirit] [which] is in you, …” – if you are truly a child of God, a future brother or sister of Jesus Christ. The Spirit of God – the mind of God resides in you! “…whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” – you don’t get to make the rules anymore! Humans are stubborn. And it’s my observation that Americans are just about as hardheaded as they come! Now, you hear about the Chinese culture, the Japanese culture – everyone’s very polite, everyone’s very submissive, they bow to each other, they’re very calm and meek. But Americans!? Hardheaded, arrogant, know-it-all, self-righteous, filled with hubris. Americans can be just obnoxious as can be at times! Well, guess what folks!? You don’t own yourself anymore! If indeed you have submitted to Jesus Christ – because see… He owns you! Verse 20 – “For you were bought at a price [that was the shed blood of Jesus Christ; that was the broken body of Jesus Christ!]; therefore glorify God in your body and in your [mind], which are God’s.”

1 Corinthians 7:23 – once again, in case you missed it in chapter 6 – “You were bought at a price [with the shed blood of Jesus Christ; with the death of your Savior]; do not become slaves of men.” – don’t be the servants of men. And don’t be your own servant. Some people go, “I’m gonna do what I’m gonna do and you can’t tell me nothin’!” Alright, well I’m not gonna waste my time trying to tell you very much. But when God tells you – through His Word – just SHUT-UP and LISTEN! And drop the attitude. And let the mind of God speak to you through His Word and through His Spirit. 

the “Last Supper” 

Foot washing

Let’s turn to John. Now we’re going to read what happened that night when Jesus kept His last supper. You hear that term a lot – “the Last Supper.” And it was His last supper. And He was keeping the Passover. And in keeping the Passover He established new rules and new guidelines and new symbols. And so He CHANGED the old and made it something new. And that’s what we’re gonna talk about here. 

John 13:1 – “Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.” – especially His disciples and His followers. Verse 2 – “And supper being ended, …” – so, keep in mind, they had an Old Testament type meal. And it probably had roasted lamb, and it probably had some bitter herbs, and probably had some unleavened bread. They kept that. 

“…the devil having already put  it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, 3) Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all thing’s into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, 4) rose from supper …” -  now they’re just sitting around. And they tell me that back in that day they didn’t eat at tables – you know that very famous painting The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci, I think they’re all sitting at a table, aren’t they!? [Sister says, “Like a picnic table.”]. Well I’m told back in that day they didn’t use tables like we use tables and chairs, but they often used a lot of pillows and rugs and they sort-of half sat, and ate their food’s from these low lying tables. That’s what I’m told – I wasn’t there. But that’s what you hear people talk about. So, He “…rose from supper and laid aside His garments, …” probably his outer garment, His more formal robe, “…took a towel and girded Himself.” – now you don’t have to wrap the towel around you. Verse 5 “After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.” – Now, in that society – people, if you were a fairly rich person you had a nice home, and if you invited people to your home, you probably had some servants. And it was the job of a servant to wash your feet – keep in mind, back in that day there’s no pavement, no asphalt, you have to share these dusty roads with donkey’s – and I won’t tell you what comes out of donkey’s, but it’s green. And it plops on the ground, and after awhile you’re walking around on part soil and part donkey fecal material. No, not very hygienic. So, if you did much walking your feet and your ankles got pretty dirty. And that’s why the custom was to wash the feet of your guest. Verse 6 – “Then He came to Simon Peter. …” – good ol’ rambunctious Simon Peter! “…And Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, are You washing my feet?’ 7) Jesus answered and said to him, ‘What I AM doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.’” – here after. Verse 8 – “Peter said to Him, ‘You shall never was my feet!’” – now, why is Peter saying this!? Peter had great respect for Jesus, and great love. And he thought it was beneath Jesus to act like a servant. But that is the very thing Jesus is trying to point out. ‘I AM your servant.’ ‘I AM your servant so much, that I AM actually going to die for you!’ But Peter just thought that was wrong. It wasn’t that Peter didn’t want his feet touched. It was very common in that society to have somebody wash your feet. “…Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not wash you [meaning his feet], you have no part with Me.’” – well that stunned Peter. Verse 9 – “Simon Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!’”

Now, I have often said - and I’m being a little bit facetious, a little bit comical, but I’m serious about this – I’m glad the custom was to wash your feet. As apposed to other body parts He could have said to wash …. and I’ll let your imagination go on from there. I often think about, what if He had said wash each other’s arm pits!? Now, if that’s what He says, then, alright, we’re gonna wash each other’s arm pits. But I am so glad that that wasn’t a part of the custom. And I’ll be truthful with you, I don’t like somebody washing my feet. It just seems as if they’re invading my space. But… I don’t have any choice. And so I gladly submit to the command’s, and that’s what we do. Isn’t it interesting in the Christian religion – the so-called Christian religion – every year about this time you’ll see photograph’s or video’s of the pope washing the feet of some of the cardinal’s!? And he’s making believe he’s doing this thing here. But I’m sure the cardinal’s feet aren’t dusty with dirt and donkey fecal material and everything else that’s on the ground. Yeah, he’s doing it for like a publicity stunt! Just to be honest about it! – or, that’s my observation. 

Verse 10 – “Jesus said to him, ‘He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.’” – remember, He washed every disciple’s feet. Including who!? Judas Iscariot – who’s already made a deal with Satan to betray Jesus for 30-pieces of silver. And Jesus knows it!  I’m sure Judas didn’t look quite-right that night, and  his body language – plus Jesus, hey He’s God, He can read your mind if He wants! Verse 11 – “For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, ‘You are not all clean.’” -  here’s an amazing part of the story, Jesus knew that Judas was going to betray Him, and He still washed his feet also! Amazing example of humility, and service. Verse 12 – “So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, ‘Do you know what I have  done to you?’” – well, they were probably thinking, well You just washed our feet. But there was a bigger Message, a bigger meaning behind it. Verse 13 – “’You call Me [Master] and Lord, and you say well, for so I AM. 14) If I then, your Lord and [Master], have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15) For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16) Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17) If you know these things …’” – and the implication is, ‘if you follow this example,’ “…’blessed are you if you do them.’” – happy and fulfilled spiritually if you follow the example and do the same thing.

 [video stopped for foot washing] …

the blessing and the eating of the unleavened bread 

So, I would like to continue on now with the ideas which we need to follow here on Passover evening.

1 Corinthians 11 – there are several different places you could go – the “gospel” accounts – and then Paul gives a very nice summary of what happened that night in 1 Corinthians 11:20 – “Therefore when you come together in one place it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper.” – he’s chiding them. The people of Corinth, again, and they were Greeks, and they had heard about some of the ceremonies that was supposed to follow. But some of them weren’t doing a very good job. They were basically making it into a sort-of a drunken bash. Verse 21 – “For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another drunk.” – now, Paul’s writing this letter to them to correct them. To chide them, to say, “You’re not doing this right. You’ve got to get this cleaned up.” Again, there was some people who were showing up very hungry, and some people were just probably chewing on a big chicken leg or a turkey leg! And pouring the wine left and right! Verse 22 – “What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the Church of God and shame those who have nothing? …” – so the people who were gluttonous weren’t even sharing their food with the people who were hungry. “…What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you.” – he was very disgusted with them! Verse 23 – “For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you …” – so Paul is saying, “I heard this directly from Jesus Christ.” “…that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24) and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body [this represents, is symbolic – the bread doesn’t change into human flesh, as a major church organization says, and that’s (if you think about it would really be creepy, that would be cannibalism) not what’s going on here, it’s just symbolic] which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’”

[video stopped for the blessing and the eating of the unleavened bread] …

the blessing and drinking of the wine

Welcome back friends. We’re still in 1 Corinthians 11, if you would, go to verse 25 – we just had the eating of the unleavened bread, and we did that here off camera, and now we go to the next part of the ceremony. “In the same manner He took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the New Covenant [represented by] My blood.’” – again, for the people who are stuck in this Old Covenant mentality, you’re not in the spirit of the Passover. Because here, right before your eyes, ‘this cup represents the New Covenant. Which is associated with My shed blood.’ “…’This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’” – how often do you drink it!? Once a year. It’s an anniversary. It’s not day after day, or week after week, or month after month. And it goes on to say, verse 26 – “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim [represent, remember, pay homage] the Lord’s death till He comes.” – His sacrifice. Verse 27 – “Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.” – now, what does that mean!? A lot of people get psyched out at times, over the years I’ve met people, “O’ I may have done it unworthily!” If you, during your service, you had deep respect for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ – for what He did, and why He did it – for Jesus Christ lived a perfect life and allowed Himself to be tortured to death. And He could have stopped it and anytime in the process! He could have cried out to His angelic helper’s, and they would have came in and killed the Roman soldier’s and taken Him away and nursed Him back to health! He could have done it! But if He had done that – if He would have done that – we would not have a sacrifice. So, we would be without hope. We would still be in our sin and we would die in our sin. And with great perseverance and with great dedication and with great love for all of us He allowed Himself to be murdered! To be tortured to death. Verse 28 – “But let a man [or a woman] examine himself [herself], and so let him [her] eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29) For he [she] who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner [not respecting what Jesus Christ did] eats and drinks judgment to himself [herself], …” – remember at the beginning of this passage!? Paul is chiding the Corinthian people because some of them were making this into an all out drunken bash! A gluttonous feast. While other’s without many  provisions, they were in the corner with nothing! “…not discerning the Lord’s body.” – not realizing and appreciating what He went through! Verse 30 – “For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.” 

Now, if you would, go back to that verse 28 – “But let a man examine himself, …” – we read something very similar in 2 Corinthians 13:5 – “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? …” – otherwise you are reprobates, you are not accounted in the Body of Christ. And so this idea of periodically examining yourself whether you be in the faith. So again, how do you determine if you’re in the faith!? You can only do that by going by the Word of God. And you can only do that by living under the provisions and the concepts and the principles of the New Covenant. If you live your life according to the Old Covenant – the Old Testament ideas – if you sort-of wanna be Jewish in your heart and mind your missing the picture. And it saddens me to say that I have known dozens and scores, probably hundreds of people, who because of the tradition’s of the Worldwide Church of God (which was indeed an Old Testament church; an Old Covenant church – based upon those principles) and some of you have come from that background, and to this day you haven’t shaken off the bonds, the constraint’s, the bondage of which you’re in. There is new life in the New Covenant! But you have to listen to the Bible and not what your minister’s say. Because the minister’s of so many of the other churches of God are stuck in the past. They’re simply repeated what they heard 20, 30, 40, 50-years ago! And many of them have not progressed one iota into understanding more truth, more ideas – presented in the Bible! Well, it’s a very important concept – examine yourselves whether you be in the faith. Or as he says back in 1 Corinthians chapter 11 – “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.”

Well, we have one last part, in the eating and drinking. We have not yet consumed the wine. And again, as we have so far, we’ll stop the video as we have our wine. Now, if you’re at home, this is the point in time you would also drink your wine in remembrance of Jesus Christ – of His shed blood. That’s what the wine represents. 

[video stopped for the drinking of the wine] …

Hello again friends. We have consumed our wine, and now the last passage I want to read that has a little length to it is in the Book of John.

John 6:3 – “And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples. 4) Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, …” – a feast which was kept in that culture by the Jewish people, but Passover is not limited to only being observed by the Jews. It’s for everyone who feels a need to be connected and associated with God Almighty and Jesus Christ. Keep in mind, this passage is directly dealing with Passover time followed by the Days of Unleavened Bread. So, when He talks about bread coming up, what type of bread is it going to be? Is it going to be a leavened bread!? No. It’s going to be unleavened bread. Verse 5 – “Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, ‘Where shall we buy bread that these may eat?’” – well, we’re not going to go through this entire part, but, out of five barley loaves the whole cornucopia of food flowed. And from two small fishes, there was enough fish, as it says in verse 10, the men “in number about five thousand.” So you have to guess there were five thousand women, and then you have to guess there were some children – there’s 15, 20, 25,000 people most likely that attending this event. And, they were all filled. Verse 13 – “Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves …” – so a powerful miracle! Verse 32 – “Then Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from Heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from Heaven. 33) For the bread of God is He who comes down from Heaven and gives life to the world.’” – obviously referring to Himself. Verse 34 – “Then they said to Him, ‘Lord, give us this bread always.’ 35) And Jesus said to them, ‘I AM the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. 36) But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. 37) All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. 38) For I have come down from [the third-Heaven, the throne of God], not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39) This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.’” – or rather the resurrection. Verse 40 – “’And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the [resurrection].’ 41) The Jews then complained about Him, because He said, ‘I am the bread which came down from Heaven.’ 42) And they said, ‘Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? …” – ‘you know, Mary wasn’t married, she got pregnant!?’ That was always their implication to their words. “…How is it then that He says, ‘I have come down from Heaven’? 43) Jesus therefore answered and said to them, ‘Do not murmur among yourselves.’” – then verse 44, a powerful verse here! A powerful principle! “’No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the [resurrection].’” – so again, we don’t come to the truth of God on our own. We only come to the truth of God, if God the Father calls us and begins to work with us, and eventually we get enough knowledge, enough understanding, and God grants us the gift of repentance, and eventually we can be baptized, we can receive God’s Spirit, and we can have our name written in the Book of Life! Verse 47 – “’Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes [on] Me has everlasting life. 48) I AM the bread of life.’” – and we’re going to be talking about these verses when it comes to the Days of Unleavened Bread. Verse 49 – “’Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and [they eventually died]. 50) This is the bread which comes down from Heaven, that one may eat of it and not die.’” – He’s talking about eternal death. He’s talking about spiritual death. A lot of people have physically died, but they don’t know that they’re dead. And in the very next moment of their consciousness, they will know that they are alive with Jesus Christ in the Kingdom of God – if their name is written in the Book of Life. Verse 51 – “’I AM the living bread which came down from Heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.’ 52) The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, ‘How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?’ 53) Then Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.’” – well that’s what we have just done! We have symbolically consumed through the bread symbolically linking it with the body of Christ. And we have consumed the wine, which symbolically stands for the shed blood of Jesus. Verse 54 – “’Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the [resurrection]. 55) For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. 56) He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.’” – Jesus Christ dwells in us – and that’s what the Days of Unleavened Bread are going to represent. That for seven days we are told to eat unleavened bread, which symbolically represents Jesus Christ. So, for those seven days we’re consuming the unleavened bread which represents Jesus. It’s a teaching point. That we need Jesus inside of us. And we can’t change on our own, but if we have Jesus Christ coming into us, we can change, as it were, from the inside out. Jesus can fill us with His Spirit, His heart, His mind. Verse 58 – “’This is the bread which came down from Heaven – not as your fathers ate the manna, and [they eventually died]. He who eats this bread will live forever.’ … 63) ‘It is the Spirit [which] gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The Words I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.’”

And so these Words which we have covered tonight, they are spirit – they are spiritual. And they represent the pathway to life. 

 sing a hymn

If you would, turn to Matthew 26 – we come to the fourth major segment of this ceremony. 

1) Foot washing 

2) the bread 

3) the wine 

– and we have one more thing to do. 

Matthew 26:28 “’For this is My blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.’” – this is that final supper. And then he says, verse 30 – “And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” – again, I just try to point out, like I said early on, does it say they took the bread outside and burned it!? Did Jesus say, ‘you take the bread and do this’? No it doesn’t, and again, I’m not trying to hurt anybody’s feelings, I’m just trying to say, honestly look at the Scriptures, and try to divorce yourself from traditions which do not have their roots in the Word of God. And again, one more time – Mark 14 – a similar account to what we just read. Mark 14:26 – “And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” – and He was there for a time in prayer, and eventually the soldier’s – the temple militia – showed up at the direction of Judas Iscariot, and He was arrested, and then began His long agonizing, torturing, being questioned, being mocked, being scourged, and eventually being nailed to a cross until His life drained from Him.

So, this is the final part of our ceremony, is to have a hymn. 

Suggested hymn - Mary Did You Know?

          

[End service with a prayer].

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If you are unable to attend GOD’S Passover in a congregation (usually called by this world the LORD’S Supper, or COMMUNION), or to observe it with any other  church, you may observe it in your home alone or with your family, as follows:

In advance, purchase or prepare a small amount of unleavened bread. Jewish Matzoth,  or Matzos, may be purchased at many grocery stores. Rye Krisp is unleavened (look  for the words “unleavened” on the package) and may be used, or you may make some flat cakes, made without any leavening agent (no yeast, soda, baking powder, cream of  tartar, etc.). Also, have ready a small amount of natural red wine. Grape juice was never  used at Passover by Jesus, ancient Israel, or the original pure New Testament Church of  GOD. They used only wine, contrary to the wrong teachings of many sects that have  sprung up during the past 350 or 400 years. There was no way to preserve grape juice in BIBLE times. Grape juice id dead, wine has LIFE – therefore symbolizes the blood of  Jesus which was His LIFE (as a man). Jesus Himself used wine. Nothing else is proper.

Use red wine. Be sure you obtain a natural, unfortified wine if possible.

Alcoholic content will be between 10% and 13%. Wines containing 19% to 20% are  fortified with grape brandy and should not be used. The label will tell you the percent  of alcohol. It should be a red wine – preferably claret or burgundy, but any natural wine could be used.

Be prepared to observe the sacred ordinance in the early evening, soon after dark. Be sure the room is prepared very neatly, and clean. Have a small amount of unleavened bread,  and very small glasses of wine (one for each person) prepared on a tray or table. Place not  more than a tablespoon of wine in each small glass, and prior to the ordinance have these emblems covered with an immaculate white napkin.

When the time has arrived for the ordinance, let the family quietly, solemnly, come into  the room prepared. Let the head of the family (the husband or father) conduct the brief  and solemn service. No un-converted, un-baptized children should participate. No adults should be present but truly converted sons of GOD who have been baptized. There should be no visiting, talking, laughing, joking, or conversation. You are meeting on the most solemn and serious occasion of the entire year. All should come into the room reverently.

Let the one who conducts the service open the BIBLE and read Luke 22:7-8, 14-15; then Matthew 26:17, 26-30; then Paul’s instruction in 1 Corinthians 11:23-30. Next read John  6:53-54, noticing this ordinance is commanded as necessary for all Christians. Then read  John 13:1-17. Then, if two or more people are participating, wash one another’s feet. (Wash pans and clean towels should be provided before starting service). If one person is observing it alone, this part of the ordinance must, of course, be omitted.

Then the leader will read aloud portions from John 13:18 on thru the 17th chapter of John. These are the words Jesus spoke to His disciples after His last Passover Supper with them, just before He was seized to be taken and crucified. Since it is rather long, the leader may, in advance of the service, mark certain portions of these chapters to be read instead of  reading it all. 

After this Scripture reading, sing a hymn if possible, and dismiss, quietly leaving the room without conversation. It is well for the leader to remind the others at the start of the service that this is the most solemn and sacred occasion of the year – the anniversary of the death of our Lord and Savior, and a service observed IN MEMORY of His death. 

This service may be observed, if necessary, by one person alone, or by two, or more. If  two or more, the foot-washing should be included.

  

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