There are some stories in the Old Testament, which helps us understand Easter; Jesus death and resurrection better. The first one we will look at is Passover. This was a celebration of when God freed the Israelites from captivity in Egypt. Every year they had a meal prepared in a special way to be reminded of it. Jesus last supper together with his disciples before he died was this Passover meal. Now Jesus gave it a totally new meaning. It is what we today know as the “Lords supper” or “communion”.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYZ1H74qzl0]
In Exodus we read about how the Israelites settled down in Egypt. As they grew bigger, the Egyptians felt threatened. Because of this they did something horrible. They made the whole people into slaves, and they killed all baby boys!
This movie begins with the Egyptians starting to kill all the baby boys in Israel. One of the moms is trying out a last desperate solution. She put her baby boy in a basket and sends him on the river; in hope of a small chance someone will save him.
You can see the whole movie through YouTube. It is a wonderful movie!
As we are walking toward Easter, we are having a series in OIC called “The empty tomb”. 11th of March, Maicon started out talking about the Passover. The following is a summary of his preaching.
PASSOVER
God choose to free Israel from their enslavement. Through Moses he commanded the Farao to let the Israelites go. Each time Moses gave him the message, and each time Farao said “no”, God sent a plague. Altogether he sent 10 different plagues. After the last plague, finally Farao is letting the people go.
The last plague is what gives us the name PASSOVER. God went through the country and killed all the first born. But before this he instructed Israel through Moses that they should slaughter a lamb. All the families should stay inside and paint their doorposts with the blood of the lamb. When the Lord came to the doors covered with blood, he PASSED OVER. The wrath of God passed over Israel. For us today, Jesus is that lamb that died. His blood saves those who receive him.
You can read the story in Exodus chapter 1-15
CROSS OVER AND ENTER THE STORY OF GOD
The whole story of how God raised up Abraham and made him into the nation Israel is a story of how God is making his own story through the people. It is a story of how God made them into a people that was going to be a blessing to all nations. And in its final stage they would be a blessing to all nations through Jesus Christ. So the Israelites now received God´s salvation from the Egyptians. In this way they again enter the story that God is writing.
When the people walked out, they suddenly came to the sea. They were horrified to notice that the Egyptians now came after them with their army! Israel was trapped between the Egyptians behind them, and the sea in front of them. Now God makes a great miracle. He let them cross over through dry land. When the Egyptians come, he again closes the sea. This was their last view of the Egyptians. They had crossed over from death to life!
As we receive Jesus sacrifice, his salvation, we also cross over from death to life. We stop trying to make our own story. And we enter instead into God’s wonderful story!
Jesus says:
“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word
and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged
but has crossed over from death to life.
John 5,24