"Jesus" The Lamb that was Slain SInce the Foundation of the World

Text: 1 Pet 1:18-20

     The Jewish valued feast of the Passover as covenant from God, they don’t have to work they just worship during the week. This was originated during the time of Moses which God commanded them to kill the animal during this feast in order for the angel of death would not harm them. Since then, every year the high priest would kill the animal and offer the blood to the Ark of the Covenant as a forgiveness of sins for the whole Israelite. However this is not only the first time that God used the concept of killing animal to wipe away the sins of mankind.  The blood of the animal is the only way man can be free from sin as example in Genesis 3. When Adam and Eve sinned God kill the animal “remove the skin of the animal to cloth them” Gen 3:1-17, God did not only pioneered garments making but also the pioneered restoration of the relationship between us. Abel used animal sacrifices as an offering; God pleases him, Abraham used animal sacrifices to replace Isaac as an animal sacrifices. All throughout the Old Testament animal sacrifices was very important not only in human perspective but also to God.

       Let us understand the concept of yearly corporate forgiveness of sins for the whole Israelite by just offering one animal Heb 5:1-3. Jesus was crucified the day during Passover. Let us understand that Jesus inter the city during Passover week Luke 22:1-2. In this chapter, the story of Jesus that was captured, sentenced to death and crucified and resurrected was clearly during the feast of Passover or “Yomkippur”. It was obvious in this chapter that High priest and religious officials weren't busy on preparing animal sacrifices instead of busying themselves in finding opportunity to capture Jesus and kill Him (Matt 22:56-65). Therefore the logic that follows here is that; priest during this time instead of doing their job to inspect animals and prepare for blood sacrifices as culmination of feast of Passover, they were busy on interrogating Jesus until he was crucified on the day of Passover. I think this time “they did not officiate Passover and bringing blood to the Holy of Holies” because they were during that time busy in accusing Jesus to Pilate and governors offices.

      Priest and religious officials during this time was absent or taking a leave on the height of Passover feast to accused Jesus and put him to death.  Passover was supposed to be none working holiday and this is serious offense that used to accused Jesus of healing the blind man and yet they violate their own laws and made a court hearing to sentence Jesus. What we can learn a lesson here is that, while we are passionate and zealous on serving our God; when it comes to relationship and life of somebody this should be prioritize rather than prioritizing religious orders and doctrines that latter we be violated for personal purposes. Our way of worship to God is not based on how good we can follow rules and laws in our church, nobody gets perfects instead everybody sinned. What no matter how sinful we are, God forgives us. God does not count and record how many times we sinned and how many times we offended him and that He will base this statistic on how much love He will give to us? No! God overlook offenses and valued relationship rather. No matter how sinful we are, if we keep our relationship to Him and love Him then this will lead us to perfection.  Therefore, let’s not make same mistakes like High Priest and Religious leaders during the time of Jesus. We don’t own the church, therefore we don’t have the right to close our church to anybody wither anti-doctrine or pro-doctrine. The concept of excommunication is highly political scheme inside the church. This kind of politics is played not by politicians but by religious leaders. This does not what God expected unto us. Let’s keep our church open and accessible to anyone who wants to repent and get close to God. Let’s not discriminate people, shame on us if we keep and dominate the so called “church” and made it a den of a selected few and reject poor and needy. This is not a church; this is a company or club if we do this. To those people who are fortunate to attend exclusive Church, remember church is not NFA “national food authority” that we can expect food supply when we need. Let’s not take advantage of the generosity of the church by keeping on asking financial help and will not do our part to find job. Church is a house of God where poor and rich gather together to worship and praise God and having fellowship in each other. This is the place where we can share our gifts, talents and skills. When I say gifts, this does not limit to gifts in music, singing or dancing, but this is a whole gifts. Gifts could be material, emotional, financial or even sacrifices. If we come to church just to become a sucker of the resources, then you are robbing the church of Jesus. If we receive something from the church then we will also give something to the church of Jesus. The thin line difference between lovers of money between rich and poor is that “money”; the poor has no money yet the crabbing to have some is the same intensity like the rich who corrupt; this kind of attitude does not have the part in heaven. Some poor people became poor because of wrong use of money; mostly poor are change smoker, gambler, womanizers and party goers, one day millionaire. The love money is the sole issue of Jesus’ comments in Luke 18:24.  "How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!, For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.". Let’s not be deceived, the needles eye here is refer to a needle for garment factory, not the small gate of the palace. Garments making was one of the best selling and buying items during Jesus time in trade market in Pax Romania. Therefore Jesus did not refer the chances of getting into the heaven by just looking to a human access “small gate” to palace used as entrance for a camel to illustrate his view, this is a false teaching! If this what the verse mean, then the disciples of Jesus does not react?  However Jesus explain this again to support his point of view “Luke 18: 26-27”.

            We behave in some situation like those priests during Jesus time, and sometimes like Judas who crave for more money than relationship to Him. Jesus did not destroy the market place in the temple but he also destroys the financial engine of the religious leaders in the temple. The priest gradually lost it’s influence and slowly decreasing their sales and their market target are now getting far away from them. There was only one reason why the loss their market and it was Jesus, so therefore they sought to kill Jesus.

               Let us understand that the priest itself did the duty to offer a lamb sacrifices as it was mandated by Moses as law of God. This time it was not the animal was being sacrificed during Passover, it was Jesus Christ. It is interesting to know the statement of the High Priest Caipas in John 18:24 that one man should die for the people. The scripture is consistent and no conflict when it comes to the truth. It is and is always be the high Priest will always do the sacrifices of sin for the whole World. Jesus was a sacrificial Lamb by High Priest Caipas for the whole World. Jesus is our savior and in this season we should put value on remembering Christ death on the cross. Jesus could escape himself from this but he chose to die for us. Without Jesus it is impossible for us to be save. Jesus is the only way and he is the only Man who died and rose again. If we put our faith to Jesus then we will be save. As he promised in John 1:12 that those who receive and believed him, He gave them a right to become children of God. The condition to become a child of God is receiving and accepting Jesus, what are we waiting for? Accept Jesus today, believe Him that he died for your sins and accept Him as your Lord and Savior. Once we say Lord, we need to serve Him and follow him, and let’s also think that we are his. He is the owner of our life, he will then who will take care of us all we have to do to surrender to him fully. The he will become the savior of our life by saving us from the punishment in hell, but not limited to hell but to all situations and circumstances where we need him most. He will save us not only from hell but also from destruction, accident, financial crisis, health etc. Once he is the owner of us, he will never leave us nor forsake us because he loved us. God bless.