Don't Lose Sight of the Cross!

     This weekend we find Believers celebrating both Passover and Easter. There is so much significance in these holy days. The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth is the most important event in human history, yet I wonder what people really focus on when they contemplate those events?
     For many, I suspect that Easter means their sins are forgiven; or that it is a picture of their own resurrection into eternal life. The Body of Christ certainly celebrates that Christ rose from the dead, making way for us to enter the heavenly realm and presence of God, the Father. And in this present day and age, we are recognizing that His substitutionary death not only paid the debt for our sins, but allowed for the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, so that by His power we could live in victory over the Enemy's attacks upon our souls.
     More Christians, every day, are living in the power and authority Christ transferred to us, so that His Father's Kingdom would come on earth, as it is in Heaven. That knowledge of our power and authority has led to redemption and freedom for many Christians locked in spiritual prisons created by the lies and deception of Satan. That's a good thing. But we must not become so consumed with the "show" of that power if it diminishes the Source of the power, or what it cost our Lord to give it to us.

     So, that's why, as we get ready to celebrate this weekend, I want to make sure we don't lose sight of Jesus on the Cross. Remember, Jesus was one of probably tens, if not hundreds, of thousands crucified throughout history. There were 6,000 crucified on a single day in 71 BCE, in the aftermath of Spartacus’ rebellion. So, as horrific as the act was, it is not the crucifixion itself that we should be focused on, but what was accomplished by it.
     The power of the Cross is this: in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, God conquered death, hell, and sin! At the Cross, Jesus paid a tremendous price for every person on earth to receive Life and Glory and Freedom. The Cross should be at the center of our faith! Without the Cross, our power and authority would have no spiritual muscle behind it. We would be locked in continuous spiritual battle without any assurance of victory. But at the Cross, Jesus guaranteed our victory!
     The Cross opens the way for us to be reconciled to God, or as the dictionary defines reconciliation, to restore friendly relations. Before the Cross, we were estranged from our Father; separated by a debt we could never pay. But Jesus agreed to pay that debt by going to the Cross; it was the only way to regain our position and status as children of God. 
     I think you would agree that it is difficult to wrap our heads around the concept that Jesus came to earth to die. That was His ultimate goal. Along the way, He proclaimed that His Father's Kingdom had come to earth; He established the rules and government of that Kingdom; and He displayed the power of the Kingdom through the Holy Spirit. That was part of His mission, too, so that when He accomplished His goal of dying on the Cross, we would have a Kingdom model to live by. 
     But I don't know how many Believers understand all that the Cross represents. Put very simply, the Cross is the doorway to a life with God. Sadly, it can become overshadowed by other Godly principles such as Grace and Judgment. As important as those concepts are, ultimately, all other foundational truths of our faith rest upon the existence of the Cross. 
     Today, we must be careful of becoming so focused on, and infatuated with, the latest "movement"; the expression of power; or of looking to the future for the next great revival. There's nothing wrong with looking towards the future and yearning for the glory of the riches in Christ to come. But until that moment, perhaps we should never forget to take a look back at the Cross -- all that we need and desire is there! There we will find our redemption; our promise of victory in this life and the next; and the restoration of our relationship with our Father.  
     Jesus's act of dying on that Cross offers us a way to be transformed into a new nature and a new life; for with His death on the Cross, I have died to this life, yet am fully alive with Him. I am being transformed into learning to trust in the Word of God, seeking a way to live a righteous life, finding joy and peace in the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life, and enjoying the entire journey all along the way. 
     When Jesus declared on the Cross, "It is finished!", He set empowerment in motion for every Believer -- empowerment to walk as He did; empowerment to declare victory over the god of this world; empowerment to set the captives free; and empowerment to overcome the obstacles in sharing the Gospel message.  In other words, the Cross is the ignition point where God’s power becomes operative [and real], with the ability to convert, transform, and save [for both ourselves and others]. And that power is available to us because of what Jesus and God achieved at the Cross! So, let us focus on the power and the glory of the Cross this weekend. When we understand what was accomplished for us over 2000 years ago, we will see the magnitude of the glory of God and the greatness of our inheritance. Praise Jesus, the Light of the World!

1 Corinthians 1:18    "To preach the message of the Cross seems like sheer nonsense to those who are on their way to destruction, but to us who are on our way to salvation, it is the mighty power of God released within us". 
     

The Flesh vs The Kingdom

   This is going to be a very personal blog post. I just want to reveal some truths that I know my Father in Heaven wants each of us, whom He calls His children, to grasp. My testimony today involves what I have been experiencing in these last few days, and what I have seen people whom I am close to experience. Furthermore, I know that so many other followers of Jesus can identify with what I'm about to share...
     To begin with, it has been nearly two weeks since my precious father-in-law began a journey into, and through, a serious health episode. He has been experiencing the increasing ramifications of rheumatoid arthritis, COPD, and various other health conditions.  He has valiantly and bravely endured a loss in the quality of his life, and as hard as that has been to watch, I have witnessed a growth in his spirit and relationship with the Lord that might not have occurred without him experiencing a decline in his health.
     No one wants to face a serious health situation, and our family is facing a very high risk surgery today. The last two weeks have seen an acceleration towards this life event and, as scary as it has been to experience, there have been so many blessings as I watch this man who loves his family and his Lord have supernatural encounters with Jesus all along the way. Jesus has helped him get through an exhausting and painful MRI, counseled him on critical surgical decisions, and calmed him during frightening realizations of the fragility of this human life.
     I have also been a party to the opportunities the Holy Spirit has given my husband, Mark, and I to lead our family from inexperience and indifference about the importance of spiritual warfare into dynamic participation on behalf of our patriarch. So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together to fit into God’s perfect plan of bringing good into our lives, for we are His lovers who have been called to fulfill His designed purpose (Romans 8:28). 
     I had once prophesied over my father-in-law, [who questioned why Jesus had not healed him from all his infirmities], that God had a purpose for him. He wanted him to help his daughter grow her relationship with Jesus in the spirit. And here we were, witnessing her praying in the spirit for Jesus and warring angels to protect her dad! 

     So now we wait to see what God's designed purpose is tomorrow for this life-saving surgery. No matter the outcome, we know that my father-in-law will be in Jesus's hands -- whether he still has time to serve God here on this earth, or he enters into eternity with his Savior. In addition, we now, as a family, are using our power and authority to see our own spirits work in union with the Holy Spirit.
     On top of dealing with the emotional and spiritual aspects of this family event, my husband and I had to attend an art event in the middle of this situation. We always approach this business side of our life with the knowledge that God will provide our needs as He also works His sovereign will. The outcome may not always be as profitable for our fleshly needs, but He has never disappointed when it comes to meeting the needs of His Kingdom. 
     These events are always stressful, because the world tells us to focus on the outcome -- paintings sold means bills are paid. And you are in the midst of 60 or more artists whose own anxiety over sales adds to a rather secular and ungodly atmosphere. It can be difficult to take every thought captive and shut out the lies of the Enemy. Plus we were operating under emotional and physical exhaustion from making long trips to the hospital to see Mark's dad.  But the Holy Spirit woke me up in the early morning hours of the day of the Show and told me that I needed to make sure that I ministered to an artist's wife who was having to fill in for her husband because he was back home fighting a very serious bone infection after back surgery.
     So when we arrived at the event, I sought her out, but she had not yet arrived. I had hoped to find her before the buying public showed up and the chaos of the night ensued. It wasn't until a couple of hours later that I even spoke of this Holy Spirit prompting to Mark and he immediately said, "Go now! Find her and pray with her". So I left in search of her and this time, I found her. I explained about my early morning prompting and told her I knew this wasn't a very convenient time, but she stopped me and said, "No, now is the perfect time!" So we stood there in the midst of the crowds swirling around us, holding hands; two women believing that I could lay hands [in the spirit] on her husband's back while he was receiving treatment back home in Arizona, and that the healing power of Heaven could do a supernatural work in the flesh of her husband. I will tell you that I felt the power of her faith in that moment, and as I finished praying, she ended our time together by declaring that Jesus was Lord and Savior, and "By His stripes, her husband would be healed!" We didn't notice what the crowd thought about our spiritual warfare, and frankly, we didn't care. We were just obedient to do what Jesus commanded us.  And I am standing on God's promise that when two people are in agreement over what they ask for in prayer [in His Name[, that it will be received.
     And previously, Mark had prayed over a Board Member of the Museum, who was incapacitated by herniated discs in his back, and would be having surgery in a few days. As I returned to stand [in the physical sphere before the paintings we were exhibiting], all the anxiety I had been feeling disappeared. I told Mark, "You know what? I don't think this Art Show is about whether we sell paintings or not. What if the reason we are here tonight is to be the conduit between Heaven and Earth? What if the primary reason we came to the Show was not to seek provision for us, but to pray over those two men and release the power of the Holy Spirit into their situations and see them healed?" Mark just looked at me, and I saw the exhaustion of the last couple of weeks slip away, and the strain of the evening disappear. He said, "I think you're right. It's about doing Kingdom work; not about us".
     And you know something interesting? As soon as we put the Kingdom first, the atmosphere changed, and people began bidding on his work, and the Lord surpassed any expectancy we had about receiving His provision! And the joy at the end of the evening was not about number of dollars, but that we had been willing to hear the Holy Spirit and help Him invade that event with His Presence! 
     But it doesn't stop there! I have heard testimonies from my Brothers and Sisters in Christ of the opportunities they are receiving -- and acting on -- to minister to people; to heal them and to share the gospel. We are all discerning that the Holy Spirit is active and zealous for partners to work with. We are sensing He is on the move in the Body of Christ for those who are willing to hear Him and respond! The opportunities to do Kingdom work abound, and I pray that your heart and spirit are sensitive to hear the Lord calling, even as you answer Him, "Send me!"  

Ephesians 3:20     "Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for His miraculous power constantly energizes you".   

Oh, The Glorious Richness Of The Word!

     For the last few days, I have been meditating on the Word -- namely, what does it mean to attain "the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ"? I have spent many hours reading through different Scriptures, trying to receive the revelation of God and His understanding of what it means to have the fullness of Christ. And here is what I have discerned....
     When it comes to "fullness", that term refers to completeness, thoroughness, all-inclusiveness. And Colossians 2:9-10 says, For He (Christ) is the complete fullness of deity living in human form. And our own completeness is now found in Him. We are completely filled with God as Christ’s fullness overflows within us. He is the Head of every kingdom and authority in the universe! We have been made complete in our stature as spiritual beings when we overflow with the knowledge of who Christ is.    

      And as I contemplate what "knowing" Christ means and involves, I am cognizant that seeking to know Him more has become a battleground within the Body of Christ. Because I have a hunger to know Jesus as much as I am spiritually able, there are those of my fellow believers who caution against being deceived by false teachings. It's almost an indictment of my faith if I am not content to be dependent on traditional doctrine, but rather have a heartfelt desire to seek more revelation than the institutional understanding that has come down through the centuries in the Church.
     But when I read what Paul expresses to the body of believers in Ephesus, I am convicted that my hunger is Spirit-led. In Ephesians 1:17-21, Paul writes, I pray that the Father of glory, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, would impart to you the riches of the Spirit of wisdom and the Spirit of revelation to know Him through your deepening intimacy with him.
¹⁸ I pray that the light of God will illuminate the eyes of your imagination, flooding you with light, until you experience the full revelation of the hope of His calling—that is, the wealth of God’s glorious inheritances that He finds in us, His holy ones!
¹⁹ I pray that you will continually experience the immeasurable greatness of God’s power made available to you through faith. Then your lives will be an advertisement of this immense power as it works through you! This is the mighty power ²⁰ that was released when God raised Christ from the dead and exalted Him to the place of highest honor and supreme authority in the heavenly realm! ²¹ And now He is exalted as first above every ruler, authority, government, and realm of power in existence! He is gloriously enthroned over every name that is ever praised, not only in this age, but in the age that is coming!
     It is clear to me that Paul is hopeful that the body of believers will receive wisdom and revelation from the Holy Spirit in order to know Jesus through a deepening relationship that is growing in intimacy.  In fact, in the Aramaic "revelation" means "discovery". We are to be active in seeking and discovering knowledge of the Lord we serve! Furthermore, Paul prays that the light of God will illuminate our imagination, which in Aramaic, was understood to be the innermost heart of a person. His prayer is that we will receive a full revelation [or discovery] of all the hope that is in God's calling on your life.

     So why is the Church so afraid of a desire to be in a more intimate relationship with Jesus; to know Him more? All I ever hear is a fear of being deceived, which usually comes attached with a stigma of being a false teacher if you try to share what the Holy Spirit imparts to you through His wisdom and revelation. I will refer back to my husband's favorite verse: God conceals the revelation of His Word in the hiding place of His Glory. But the honor of kings is revealed by how they thoroughly search out the deeper meaning of all that God says (Proverbs 25:2). And remember, we have all been made kings and priests because of God's grace and Christ's redeeming blood.

     Therefore, we are called to serve the Lord in the Kingdom of God, which Jesus instituted when He was incarnate. We all have a particular calling. Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:10-13 that Jesus ascended above the heights of the first and second heavens, to sit enthroned in the third heaven in order to begin the restoration and fulfillment of all things. ¹¹ And He has appointed some with grace to be apostles, and some with grace to be prophets, and some with grace to be evangelists, and some with grace to be pastors, and some with grace to be teachers. ¹² And their calling is to nurture and prepare all the holy believers to do their own works of ministry, and as they do this they will enlarge and build up the body of Christ. ¹³ These grace ministries will function until we all attain oneness in the faith, until we all experience the fullness of what it means to know the Son of God, and finally we become one perfect man with the full dimensions of spiritual maturity and fully developed in the abundance of Christ.
     When we are obedient to our callings, we have what Paul calls "grace ministries", and we are to be occupied with "nurturing and preparing all the holy believers to do their own works of ministry, enlarging and building up the body of Christ".  And notice what else Paul says: these grace ministries will exist and function until we ALL experience "the fullness of what it means to know the Son of God!" In the Greek, that means until we have the full knowledge of Jesus. So, the pursuit of knowing more of Jesus, and the teaching or sharing of the revelations about Him from the Holy Spirit, are important to establishing a strong foundation within the body of Christ. 
     God, the Father, wants everyone to be filled with the complete knowledge of His Son, in turn becoming the complete image of His Nature to all we come in contact with. We are to live new lives empowered with the fullness of Jesus in us -- As Galatians 2:20 says, And now the essence of this new life is no longer mine, for the Anointed One lives his life through me—we live in union as one! 
     And that brings me back to my post of several days ago, titled "Does Jesus Know You?" There were disciples who were going around doing the work He asks us to do... prophesying, casting out demons, healing the sick, or as they said, "doing many miracles"; and they did it all in His Name. But what does Jesus say? ‘Go away from me, you lawless rebels! I’ve never been joined to you!’  In other words, they were not living in union with Him that a new life [in Him] would reveal. They had His power and authority to do the miracles, but it was not from a heart joined to His.
     Can you see how this all ties together? And can you see that seeking to know more about Jesus and to receive wisdom and revelation from the Holy Spirit is not a bad thing? And how can I be deceived if I know --- TRULY KNOW --- my Lord through the Holy Spirit? And if one thinks I'm being deceived, there is another Scripture that comes into play... Look at the obvious fruit of their lives and ministries, and then you’ll know whether they are true or false.” (Matthew 7:20). 
     In the end, we all must make a decision whether our heart hungers to know more about Jesus than what our traditions have taught us, and whether we trust the Holy Spirit in us to reveal Him to us. And that trust will make us bold witnesses and unafraid of condemnation and skepticism. I don't know about you, but I want to live in union with my Lord and be joined Spirit-to-spirit with Him!

Ephesians 3:19    "... to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God".

    

Our Own Passover Celebration

     As promised, I am sharing the particular way that our Home Church celebrates the Lord's Feast of Passover. I could never find any definitive commentary on how a Christian should celebrate this important occasion, so I guess you could say that the way in which we observe Passover is Spirit-led.
     But it is important to note that this is both a solemn observance and a joyous celebration. We are recognizing the tremendous sacrifice the Lord has made on our behalf and celebrating the freedom from sin that His sacrifice has afforded us. We have everyone bring their own lamb and a side dish. You can easily find traditional Jewish side dishes or start your own traditions. Mark and I provide the unleavened bread, the bitter herbs (horseradish) and the wine (or grape juice). 
     We incorporate solemn prayers, borrowed from the Jewish faith, while pointing out the significance to our Christian faith.  In no way, do I maintain that all Christians have to celebrate Passover -- that is a decision that you must make on an individual basis. But I simply offer the following to you as a guideline for your own celebration, should you decide to observe this holy Feast. We begin by making a statement about the significance of this Feast and then proceed to honor the traditions of the Jewish faith, while identifying with the meaning and importance for us, as Christians. And I would love to hear from others how you honor the Lord's Feast in your Christian observances.
     

     Our Statement of Faith: The Passover Festival is a call to REMEMBER what God has delivered us from; a call of GRATITUDE for the work He is doing in our lives today; and a call to look forward to the HOPE of our Resurrection into Eternal Life.

      The Feasts of Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits all foreshadow the work God would do through His Son, Jesus Christ. Within these eight days of Passover, Jesus was crucified, buried, and resurrected, and each Feast speaks of Him and His redemptive work on our behalf.

      We are gathered here today to REMEMBER Jesus as our Passover Lamb, sacrificed to deliver us out of the bondage of sin. He is the Unleavened Bread of Life – without Sin; unblemished and spotless – and He is the First Fruit of God’s Harvest of Souls.   

     Today, we will eat a meal of Lamb, Unleavened bread, and Bitter Herbs as God instructed the Israelites to do in Exodus 12:8.  We will share in the cups of wine that Jesus partook of in His last Passover meal. And we will celebrate His Life and His Blood, which were poured out for us.     

     Before the first Passover in Egypt, God told Israel, “Remove the leaven from your homes.”  Leaven is a symbol of sin.  Let us take a moment to remove any leaven that hides in our hearts and minds.  Let us remove any sin that would separate us from God. 

     MOMENT OF SILENCE AS WE CONTEMPLATE.  Pray (Together):  Search me, O God, and know my heart.  Test me and know my thoughts.  See if there is any offensive thing in me that needs to be removed, and sweep me clean of leaven.  Lead me in Your way everlasting. Amen. 

     This day, we will drink 4 cups of wine to recall God’s four promises to Israel in Exodus 6:6-7.  Jesus, along with His disciples, drank two cups before their meal.

     (Pour the First Cup):  The Cup of Sanctification – I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will free you from their bondage. (Exodus 6:6)

     This first Cup of Wine sanctifies our meal.  Let us LIFT UP the first cup, the Cup of Sanctification and Pray (Together):  Blessed are You, O Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who creates the fruit of the vine. Thank you for the blood of Yeshua that was shed for us. Amen.

 DRINK. 

     Now, as we pour the Second Cup, everyone should take a piece of the unleavened bread and a spoonful of horseradish on their plate. We recognize the symbolism: The Lamb is Yeshua, our Passover Lamb; Matza is unleavened bread; pierced for our transgressions; bruised for our iniquities;

Horseradish is the bitterness of our bondage to sin; and Wine is Christ’s blood, shed for us to redeem us.

     (Lift Up The Second Cup) The Cup of Judgment:  – I will rescue you with an outstretched arm, and by mighty acts of judgment. (Exodus 6:6)

     Let us raise the Cup of Judgment, and remember that Yeshua delivers us from the slavery of darkness and brings us into the kingdom of Light.

     Pray (Together):  Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, our Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy. Amen. (DRINK).

     Everyone should now hold up a piece of matza. Pray (Together):  Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who brings forth bread from the earth.  Thank you for Yeshua, the Bread of Life, who rose from the earth. And thank you, O Lord, that by His stripes we are healed. Amen.

     The Lord Jesus ate His Passover meal on the night when he was betrayed.  He, who is our Bread of Life, gave thanks, broke the unleavened bread, and said to His disciples, “This is my body which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” (EAT BREAD).

EVERYONE EATS AND CELEBRATES THE WORK OF THE LORD IN OUR LIVES. Then after the meal ...

      (Pour Third Cup) The Cup of Redemption.  I will take you to Me for a people. (Exodus 6:7)

      The blood of the Lamb on the doorposts saved Israel. The blood of Yeshua on our hearts saves us, right here and now. As Scripture tells us, God will redeem our life from the grave, and take us to Himself.  No one who takes refuge in Him will be condemned.  He will write His law on our minds and hearts.  Everyone will know Him, from the least of them to the greatest.

      Lift up the Cup:  At the last Passover Supper, Yeshua took this third cup, the Cup of Redemption, and said, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is My blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins”.

 Let us Pray (Together):  Blessed are You, O Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who creates the fruit of the vine.  Thank you for the Blood of Yeshua that was poured out for us. Amen.  (DRINK).

      (Pour Fourth Cup) The Cup of the Future Kingdom.  This will be a kingdom of truth, peace, and freedom… I will be to you a God. (Exodus 6:7)

      During Yeshua’s last Passover Supper, He did not drink this fourth cup.  He said, “I will not drink this cup now until that day when I drink it with you in My Father’s Kingdom.”  As we drink the fourth cup, we look forward to a future kingdom, when we drink this cup with Him.  He will return, and there will be a better feast to come, the Wedding Banquet of the Passover Lamb.

     Have each of the men read one of the words of Gratitude listed below:

    •  In praise of the Lord’s salvation in the past and the future, we raise the Cup of the Kingdom.  O Lord, You redeemed us and brought us to this night.  Bring us also to Your Holy City, the New Jerusalem.

    •  You have put a new song in our hearts, a song of praise and thanksgiving for the redemption of our souls.  Blessed are you, O Lord our God.

    •  Blessed are you, O Lord our God, who gives eternal life.  Eternal life is that we might know You, the one true God, and the Messiah, Yeshua, whom You Sent.

    •  I know that my Redeemer lives.  He will stand on the earth in the latter days, and I will see Him as He is.

    •  Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive glory and honor and praise.  Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!

    •  O God who dwells on high, we are free on a day like this.  Raise up Your numberless congregation.  Soon, and with rejoicing, lead us to Zion.  Praise and Glory and Wisdom and Thanks and Honor and Power and Strength be to our God forever and ever.

    •  These are the words of our Lord: Fear not for I am with you.  Be not dismayed for I am Your God.  I will strengthen you; yes, I will help you.  I will uphold you with My righteous right hand! 

   

     Let us all lift up THE CUP OF THE KINGDOM.

     PRAY (TOGETHER):  Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who creates the fruit of the vine.  Thank you for Your Coming Kingdom.  Amen.  

    When the Lord returns, the survivors from all the nations will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles and God dwelling with us. Let us declare (SAY TOGETHER):  Next year in Jerusalem!  Amen.  (DRINK).

     So, this is just a suggestion of how to observe the Feast of Passover as a Christian. It is by no means a definitive way to celebrate, but as I said earlier, we have tried to be Spirit-led in honoring the redemptive work of our Lord and Savior on our behalf, while honoring the roots of our faith and the Jewish traditions. May you be blessed and encouraged during these holy days, and may your assembly know the pleasure and favor of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 5:7    So remove every trace of your “leaven” of compromise with sin so that you might become new and pure again. For indeed, you are clean because Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us.  

 

 

  

     

Christians Celebrating Passover

     It is extremely exciting for me to see more and more Christians celebrating the Passover Feast. That wasn't the case when my heart was first awakened to the seven appointed feasts of the Lord over five years ago.
     It was then that Mark and I decided to begin a deep study on how Scripture said they applied to us, as Christians. When speaking of the Feasts, the Lord said, "Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as an ordinance forever". It quickly became apparent that all of the seven feasts pointed not only to the historical experiences of the nation of Israel, but to those who called themselves "the children of Abraham". Since Abraham is the father of our faith, too, then these Feasts of the Lord must also have great significance for us.  
     As we approach the first of the Feasts, I would like to share a basic understanding of Passover and why it has such special meaning to both the Jewish and Christian faiths. In Leviticus 23, God commands Moses to tell the children of Israel, "The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts... to be proclaimed at their appointed times... and to be followed by all generations."  Since we have been adopted and grafted into His chosen people, we are also the children of Israel.  I am encouraged that so many Christians are now seeing the picture that these feasts show us of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and are agreeing to approach these sacred times as humble seekers of God's revelations.

     We know that this approaching Passover "season" and the feasts of Pesach, Unleavened Bread and First Fruits have all been incorporated into the celebration of Passover, and reference to Passover means all three of these feasts.  In 2018, Passover will be celebrated from sundown Friday, March 30th, to sundown on Saturday, April 7th. If you are celebrating as a church or a small gathering, I pray that God will recognize your desire to please Him in this effort and that He will bless your assembly.

     We all know the Passover story from the Sixth chapter of Exodus.  We know the story of the Lord sending Moses to lead the children of Israel from Egypt to the Promised Land, and we know that Pharaoh refused to let them go.  After sending the nine plagues that did not touch Pharaoh’s heart, the Lord said the firstborn males of every house would die unless the door frame of that house was covered with the blood of a perfect lamb.  That night the Lord “passed over” those homes that were covered with the blood of the lamb, and Pharaoh, losing his own son, let the people of Israel go.  Passover was to be a lasting ordinance (and memorial) for generations to come.

     The Passover Seder meal commemorates the Israelite’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt nearly 3500 years ago..  Jesus honored the Passover while on earth, and I believe that it was at this Seder meal that He spoke the words in today's closing verse.  But what significance does it have for us?  First, we have to understand the significance of what was served at this Seder and why Jesus wanted to experience this meal with His disciples.

     First, there must be served a perfect lamb, without blemish.  It must be sacrificed and served in remembrance of the blood of the lamb that allowed them to leave Egypt.  You may be aware that Egypt has always symbolized bondage and slavery to sin.   During this very Seder meal, Jesus reveals that He is the Sacrificial Lamb that delivers us from the bondage of sin.

     The only type of bread eaten during the eight days of Passover was unleavened bread or Matzah.  It was made with flour and water only, no leaven or yeast, in remembrance of their hasty departure from Egypt.  They had to have a form of sustenance that would last and not spoil.  They were specifically instructed that the bread was to be striped and pierced during baking.  This is a picture that should remind us that Jesus was striped (scourged) and pierced for us; and that He is the "living bread from Heaven."

     Also, in the Jewish Seder, there is a ritual in which the matzah or unleavened bread is broken, hidden, found, bought for a price, and then eaten to end the meal.  This is not only a picture of the Jewish experience during their captivity in Egypt and their Exodus ... read the actions again that are taken with the bread ... but Jesus is also telling His disciples (and us), "I was broken, hidden, found, bought for a price."  When he breaks the unleavened bread in Luke 22:19, and says, "“This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me", He is saying "I did that for you, and I am the only sustenance you need."  

     The Passover meal also included bitter herbs, so that the Jews would remember the harshness and bitterness of slavery, so that their freedom (symbolically, from sin) would taste sweeter.  Jesus wished His disciples (and us) to see that our freedom from sin is sweeter, too.  We no longer have to taste the bitterness of sin because of what He did for us on the cross.  But the presence of the bitter herbs at the Passover meal should be a reminder of the temptation of sin.  It is real and distasteful.

     Finally, the Passover meal always included wine, four cups to be exact, in remembrance of the redemption from Egypt (Exodus 6:6-8) in which God told the Israelites, ""I will lead you forth... I will deliver you... I will ransom you... I will take you to Me....".

     In this particular Passover Seder, Luke 22:20 reveals that "Likewise He also took the cup after supper (The Third Cup), saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you."  This cup of wine was to be drunk in remembrance of that third part of the covenant God made with them when He brought them out of Israel ... I will ransom you.   Jesus is showing them (and us) that yes, God ransomed them from Egypt and the Pharaoh; but now He, Jesus, is the new covenant that ransoms. His blood ransoms us, and He says it right there in the Scripture!

     So the Passover Seder, which had been observed for nearly a century and a half, and religiously observed by Jesus, who was a Jew, is a picture of the Lord's Supper that night in the upper room before His crucifixion, burial, and resurrection a few days later.  The celebration of the Feast of First Fruits completes the picture.

      The Lord instructed the Israelites on how to conduct the Feast of First Fruits: the people offered the first ripe sheaf (their first fruit) of barley to the Lord as an act of dedicating the harvest to Him.  On Passover, a marked sheaf of grain was bundled and left standing in the field.  On the next day, the first day of Unleavened Bread, the sheaf was cut and prepared for the offering on the third day.  

On this third day, which was the actual Feast day, the priest waved the sheaf before the Lord.  They then began counting 50 days until Pentecost, which is the next feast to be celebrated.  

     It is easy to see the picture of Jesus in the Feast of First Fruits.  It is a picture of Jesus’s resurrection, which Christians celebrate as Easter, (with all of its Constantine influences).  His resurrection is the first fruit of God’s redemption of mankind …. and we see a picture of “things to come” … the harvest and promise of the future resurrection of believers.  

     So we now have the historical significance of the Passover Seder.  We have the meaning behind Pesach and the Exodus; we know the significance of the unleavened bread and the first fruits of the harvest.  We see the picture of what God did for the Israelites, and what Christ has done for us, in the Seder Meal and what is eaten.  And we see the picture of His death and resurrection in that somber assembly at the Last (Passover) Supper.  And most importantly, I hope we see that we are called to observe these Feasts by our Lord, in remembrance of what He has done for those He calls His own, both Jewish and Christian.   Jesus may have instituted the Lord's Supper from rituals of the Passover Seder, but neither negates the other.  I believe that it pleases the Lord for us to be obedient to His command to observe the Feasts; to see that they point to Christ; and to worship His Son's death, burial and resurrection as the fulfillment of the promises of these Feasts.  

     In the spirit of praise and worship, I say "Pesach Same'ach (Happy Passover), and I hope you will be blessed by observing the first of the Lord's ordained Feasts!

Next post I will share how our Home Church celebrates this solemn, yet joyous occasion.

Luke 22:14-16      When Jesus arrived at the upper room, He took His place at the table along with all the apostles. Then He told them, “I have longed with passion and desire to eat this Passover lamb with you before I endure my sufferings.  I promise you that the next time we eat this, we will be together in the banquet of God’s kingdom realm.”

 

Does Jesus Know You?

     I only feel confident in asking you this question because I have asked it of myself. And if you are a serious student of Scripture then how you answer the question is a serious matter, and the consequences of your answer can be frightening.  I am, of course, referring to the passage in Matthew 7:21-23 where Jesus warns against false prophets and pretenders of the faith. If you have never regarded these verses, I hope you will now...
     Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.  Many will say to Me on that day [when I judge them], ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and driven out demons in Your name, and done many miracles in Your name?’  And then I will declare to them publicly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me [you are banished from My presence], you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands].’

     Is the thought of not entering the Kingdom of Heaven and being banished from the presence of Jesus as upsetting and disturbing to you as it is to me? I don't think we can read this passage and not contemplate whether we are somehow identified with whomever Jesus is speaking. And, at first glance, when considering this passage on its own, it can be confusing. These individuals are apparently prophesying in the Name of Jesus, and casting out demons and doing miracles, all in His Name. Some might ask, "Isn't that what He tells us to do in John 14:13? Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. And what about John 15:16? You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He may give it to you. Then there is John 14:12. “I tell you this timeless truth: The person who follows me in faith, believing in me, will do the same mighty miracles that I do—even greater miracles than these because I go to be with my Father!
     So, again, at first glance it would appear that these people have followed all the rules. They appear to be doing the works of Jesus -- and in His Name. So what is so egregious that Jesus tells them to depart from Him? And why does He describe them as disregarding His commands; or as the various translations label them, lawless rebels, workers of lawlessness, or plain old wicked?  And, if on the surface, they appear to be doing everything He has asked of us, how can we avoid their fate?
     To get the answers to those questions [and to settle our hearts about our own destinies] we must look at the verses before and after this unsettling indictment.  It is important to note that up to now, Jesus has been teaching His disciples about the Kingdom of God; it's rules and government; the characteristics of the realm in which God resides -- beginning with the Sermon on the Mount. He has warned that entering this Kingdom is by a narrow gate; many will be those who choose the wider and more popular path, and few will be those who even find that narrow gate. 
     Then He warns those who would be His disciples to be on their guard against phony prophets. They appear to be genuine by their actions; pretending to be like the true sheep that hear their Master's voice and obey. But their motives are all wrong, and you can tell they are false and counterfeit by the fruit of their ministries. Yes, they might have used His Name as a sort of lucky charm, or part of a formula, but notice that they asked, "Lord, have we not [done the works]...". Remember, Jesus makes it very clear ... Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. So, likely, the fruit of their ministries was the recognition they gained for themselves, and not for the glory of God. No new disciples were made and the power from Heaven to drive out demons and perform miracles, while not wasted, did not bear fruit for the Kingdom.
     NOTE: I want to give a word of caution at this point. I have heard many Christians leaders and commentators use this explanation to promote their theology that anyone who is doing the miracles Jesus commanded us to do are false prophets and teachers. Just like the Pharisees that accused Jesus of using the power of Beelzebul to heal the demon-possessed man (Matthew 12), these modern religious hypocrites accuse anyone who heals or does deliverance ministry of doing it by the power of Satan. Obviously, if you remember what the Lord has shown me, then you know that I disagree with this position. 
     Jesus, Himself, tells us in Mark 16:15-18, “As you go into all the world, preach openly the wonderful news of the gospel to the entire human race! Whoever believes the good news and is baptized will be saved, and whoever does not believe the good news will be condemned. And these miracle signs will accompany those who believe: They will drive out demons in the power of my name. They will speak in tongues. They will be supernaturally protected from snakes and from drinking anything poisonous. And they will lay hands on the sick and heal them.” and Matthew 28:19-20, Now go in My authority and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And teach them to faithfully follow all that I have commanded you. 

     Now, back to my original thesis. I believe that Jesus tells these misguided followers that He doesn't know them because there is no experiential knowledge of Jesus in their hearts. Were they doing the miracles and prophesying? Oh, yes! But, we've looked at the verses preceding Jesus's dire statement. Now, let's look at the verses that immediately follow. 
     Jesus talks about two different groups that have heard His teachings -- those that apply it to their lives, and those who don't. Simply put, those who "take it to heart" and those who don't. See where I'm going? Those who do the works from a heart that seeks to glorify God and His Kingdom are in a heart and spirit-filled relationship with Jesus. They know Him from experience and are on solid ground. Those who are not joined to Him in that heart relationship will still be given the power to do the miracles by God, because they did them in Jesus' Name. But they did it for their own glory and never experienced Him in the process. They are on risky ground.
     But what about those who never attempt to do what He commanded? They got the first half right -- preaching the gospel and baptizing. But they didn't read the next sentence He spoke! He said there would be miracle signs that accompanied those who believe:  they will cast out demons in the power of His name; they will speak in tongues; they will be supernaturally protected from snakes and from drinking anything poisonous; and they will lay hands on the sick and heal them. (Some scholars believe that the sentence about snakes and poison contains two Aramaic idioms. To pick up snakes could be a picture of overcoming one’s enemies (“snakes”), and drinking poison may be speaking of dealing with attacks on one’s character (poisonous words).
     These are the signs and wonders so many in the modern Church deny. But then there is Luke 6:46, which in the Passion Translation says it better than I ever could: What good does it do for you to say I am your Lord and Master if what I teach you is not put into practice? So, here, we get another admonition by Jesus that calling Him Lord comes with great responsibility to not only do His commands, but do them out of a heart that has known and experienced Him, which will rightly give the glory to the Father.
     Jesus makes it very clear in Matthew 6:21, Where your treasure is, there will be your heart also. He wants to be the treasure of our heart. He wants to know us personally, intimately, and experientially. Anything less, is unacceptable to Him. And that should make all of us Christians examine our hearts and our motives. Are we serving Him and doing the works He commanded us to do? And even more importantly, are we doing them from a heart that is joined to His? Or are we pretenders of the true faith? Those are very serious questions to ponder, and ones that we should not take lightly. I can't imagine standing before Him on that day of judgment, and looking into His eyes, realizing that He doesn't even recognize me! Lord, search my heart and find an obedient follower who has placed You securely upon the throne of her heart!

1 John 2:5-6    We can be sure that we’ve truly come to live in intimacy with God not just by saying, “I am intimate with God,” but by walking in the footsteps of Jesus.