Scripture Reading
Hebrews 10:5–13 (LSB)
5 Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says,
“SACRIFICE AND OFFERING YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED,
BUT A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME;
6 IN BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE TAKEN NO PLEASURE.
7 “THEN I SAID, ‘BEHOLD, I HAVE COME,
IN THE SCROLL OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME,
TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD.’”
8 After saying above, “SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS AND BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, NOR HAVE YOU TAKEN PLEASURE in them” (which are offered according to the Law),
9 then He said, “BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL.” He takes away the first in order to establish the second.
10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11 And every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins;
12 but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD,
13 waiting from that time UNTIL HIS ENEMIES ARE PUT AS A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET.
Introduction
1 Corinthians 5:7 (LSB)
7 Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, also was sacrificed.
It is without question that the Lord Jesus Christ died on a cross of Rome, by the demand of the Jews, and the mockery of the Romans.
It is further without questions that the Lord Jesus Christ died on a cross of Rome in the place of men, particular men.
However, how this death produced the relief to men, their salvation, is often unclear, forgotten, or simply overlooked for a more simple statement: “Jesus died on the cross for our sins.”
But, we cannot do that.
For us, the death of Jesus Christ is the clear purpose of God, motivated by His own glorious will, and purpose, and is to be remembered perpetually, until He comes back for us.
Because of the important nature of the death of Christ, as well as the importance of the Lord’s death itself as stated by Him during His last supper with His disciples, for the church to disregard, neglect, or misrepresent His death, is simply a sin without equal.
We cannot set His death aside, or eclipse it for anything in the church.
We must have a real accounting of it so that we might worship Him in spirit and truth.
What does this have to do with Resurrection Sunday?
The priority of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead necessitates that He die.
And, the necessity of the presence of death in the world, which was the purpose of the Father in His eternal plan and yet He is not guilty of its presence, is the very tool which would accomplish the glorious redemption of His beloved.
Today, somewhat within our series on the Lord’s Supper and the New Covenant, we are going to give more attention to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, what it was, how it fits into the plan of God, and how it resulted in the resurrection of the Lord from the dead.
The Blood of the Lamb
1 Corinthians 5:7 (LSB)
7 Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, also was sacrificed.
When we went through that text a few months ago,1 we saw then that it is appropriate to worship God with holiness and without the hypocritical worship of hidden malice and wickedness.
However, within that text Paul wrote something that I don’t feel I gave the best attention to back then.
Paul comes back to this meal, somewhat, in his explanation of the Lord’s Supper, which was taken during the Passover.
The significance of this is without question one of the most important facts of the redemption of God in all of Scripture.
If we don’t understand these things, we can’t rightly “do this in remembrance of (Him).”
The Passover of Israel
Exodus 12:1–8 (LSB)
1 Now Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,
2 “This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year to you.
3 “Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth of this month they are each one to take a lamb for themselves, according to their fathers’ households, a lamb for each household.
4 ‘Now if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his neighbor nearest to his house are to take one according to the number of persons in them; according to what each man should eat, you are to apportion the lamb.
5 ‘Your lamb shall be a male, without blemish, a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats.
6 ‘And you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall slaughter it at twilight.
7 ‘Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.
8 ‘And they shall eat the flesh that night, roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
The Lord’s commands to the nation of Israel were given in order to remember the delivery from Egypt, that stupendous and magnificent act of God’s power over the nations, and love for Israel in reference to Abraham.2
YHWH delivered the sons of Jacob from the mightiest nation on the planet at that time, Egypt.
This deliverance was, simultaneously, a deliverance of the sons of Abraham, and a judgment on the nation of Egypt.3
Each year, at the first month of their calendar, the children of Israel were to “reenact” that meal that they had that night,4 a meal which provided the blood that covered their lintels and doorposts, which, then, protected them from the angel of death.
Exodus 12:14 (LSB)
14 ‘Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to Yahweh; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as a perpetual statute.
This was Israel’s Passover, the “Paschal Lamb.”
There are a few things to note here:- the lamb was to be the best offering
Exodus 12:5 (LSB)
5 ‘Your lamb shall be a male, without blemish, a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats.
- the leg bones of the lamb must not be broken
Exodus 12:46 (LSB)
46 “It shall be eaten in a single house; you shall not bring forth any of the flesh outside of the house, and you shall not break any bone of it.
- the lamb was to be eaten “in haste.”
Exodus 12:11 (LSB)
11 ‘Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste—it is the Passover of Yahweh.
- the lamb was to be eaten at home, and not in the Temple.
Exodus 12:46 (LSB)
46 “It shall be eaten in a single house; you shall not bring forth any of the flesh outside of the house, and you shall not break any bone of it.
- the lamb was a demonstration of the obedience to the command of YHWH, which, when witnessed by the Angel of Death, he will “pass over” that household and not take the life of anyone in that household.
Exodus 12:23 (LSB)
23 “And Yahweh will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and He will see the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, and Yahweh will pass over the doorway and will not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to smite you.
This lamb, eaten in the home, is to be recounted each year and this event was one of three main feasts in the nation each year (the first the three; Passover, Feast of Weeks, Feast of Booths5).
Testimony of Jesus Christ
Connections and similarities to Jesus Christ, our Passover, which testifies that He is the Lamb of God, God’s Lamb, whose blood covers the one who believes His Words.– the Lamb was the most beloved by the Father.
Hebrews 9:13–14 (LSB)
13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh,
14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
– the Lamb’s legs were not broken
John 19:30–37 (LSB)
30 Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.
31 Then the Jews, because it was the day of Preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.
32 So the soldiers came, and broke the legs of the first man and of the other who was crucified with Him;
33 but coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.
34 But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.
35 And he who has seen has borne witness, and his witness is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe.
36 For these things came to pass in order that the Scripture would be fulfilled, “NOT A BONE OF HIM SHALL BE BROKEN.”
37 And again another Scripture says, “THEY SHALL LOOK ON HIM WHOM THEY PIERCED.”
– His flesh and blood were to be consumed, a reference to faith/belief
John 6:48 (LSB)
48 “I am the bread of life.
John 6:51 (LSB)
51 “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and also the bread which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.”
– He was offered outside of the Temple
Hebrews 13:12–13 (LSB)
12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate.
13 So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach.
Jesus Christ, Himself, the Son ofGod, is “our Passover.”
And, like the Passover of Israel, our “Passover Lamb” is to be remembered as well.
And, like the Passover of Israel, our “Passover Lamb’s” death is to be proclaimed.
:But, what does that mean?!
The New Covenant
The animal of the Mosaic Covenant, was not the Passover Lamb.
The bulls, goats which were offered in the Temple, on the altar were other than the Passover Lamb for Israel.
The atonement those animals made for Israel were temporary, insufficient, and did not please the Father.
Those offerings were offered in obedience to the Mosaic structure, and never took away sins.
Further, the Passover Lamb was offered for a one-time, immediate death threat situation.
And, its annual offering was not for sins, but for a memorial of an event, a one-time event.
1 Corinthians 11:24–25 (LSB)
24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.”
25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
The New Covenant was inaugurated by the blood, death, of Jesus Christ when He died.
This New Covenant, the New Covenant made with Israel, but now extended to the Gentiles because of Israel’s execution of the Messiah and their unwillingness to believe in Him, has been secured because the blood of “our”Passover Lamb has covered us.
His death was an offering of sacrifice which gave sin no place to reside.
His death removed sins from those who are called.
Hebrews 10:10 (LSB)
10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
The Body Of The Lord
Hebrews 10:12–13 (LSB)
12 but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD,
13 waiting from that time UNTIL HIS ENEMIES ARE PUT AS A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET.
After His offering, His body and His blood, as a Passover, as an offering of a superior kind, He was clearly received back to heaven, the glory which He had before the world began.
John 17:5 (LSB)
5 “Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.
The Lord was received back into heaven by the Father in order that He would serve the Father as a priest in the Temple.
His service was a better service, allowed upon a better offering, and results in a better condition-the cleansing of sins.
His offering accomplished all of this.
But, it was His resurrection from the dead which demonstrated to the world, that what He did was received by the Father as good, acceptable, and sufficient.
As such, this resurrection is our message to the world, as a testimony of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
We can, and must, therefore, call all men of every nation to repent and submit to Christ, to believe in Him-“eat His flesh; drink His blood.”
Acts 17:30–31 (LSB)
30 “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now commanding men that everyone everywhere should repent,
31 because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He determined, having furnished proof to all by raising Him from the dead.”
Romans 1:1–4 (LSB)
1 Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, having been set apart for the gospel of God,
2 which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures,
3 concerning His Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,
4 who was designated as the Son of God in power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,
“The Son of God”
= Psalm 2 reference.
Psalm 2:6–7 (LSB)
6 “But as for Me, I have installed My King
Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”
7 “I will surely tell of the decree of Yahweh:
He said to Me, ‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
In the Old Testament, the Messiah would be known as the “Son of God.”
2 Samuel 7:12–14 (LSB)
12 “When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up one of your seed after you, who will come forth from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 “He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
14 “I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will reprove him with the rod of men and the strikes from the sons of men,
The Messiah was spoken of in the OT as a Son.
The Father referred to Jesus as a “Son”:
Luke 1:35 (LSB)
35 The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.
Matthew 3:16–17 (LSB)
16 And after being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon Him,
17 and behold, there was a voice out of the heavens saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”
Matthew 17:5–6 (LSB)
5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!”
6 And when the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified.
His Sonship was the point of confirmation of Satan as well.
Matthew 4:1–7 (LSB)
1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
2 And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry.
3 And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’”
5 Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple,
6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written,
‘HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU’;
and
‘ON their HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP,
LEST YOU STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.’”
7 Jesus said to him, “Again, it is written, ‘YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.’”
The point is that only the Son was to be raised from the dead, bodily, in order to demonstrate His Sonship, and the perfection of His sacrifice.
His resurrection, therefore, demonstrates that He is, indeed, the Son of God.
And, if He is the Son of God, then He is the heir of the world:
Hebrews 1:1–2 (LSB)
1 God, having spoken long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways,
2 in these last days spoke to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds,
Psalm 2:7 (LSB)
7 “I will surely tell of the decree of Yahweh:
He said to Me, ‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
“Begotten” = bodily resurrection
It is the pinnacle of God’s eternal plan.
Without the bodily resurrection, there would be no reception of the inheritance.
Without the bodily resurrection, we would not be raised from the dead, and have new bodies, and be like Jesus Christ.
The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is absolutely vital to the purpose of God.
Conclusion
We praise God for His Son’s sacrifice-His body and blood for our eternal life.
We praise God for His Son’s resurrection-a new body fit for His glory.
Revelation 1:12–18 (LSB)
12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands;
13 and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash.
14 And His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire.
15 His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters,
16 and having in His right hand seven stars, and a sharp two-edged sword which comes out of His mouth, and His face was like the sun shining in its power.
17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not fear; I am the first and the last,
18 and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.
- I started 1 Corinthians on September 24, 2023. I preached 1 Corinthians 5:7 on 12/9/2024 ↩
- Genesis 15:12–16 (LSB)
12Now it happened that when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, terror and great darkness fell upon him.
13Then God said to Abram, “Know for certain that your seed will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.
14“But I will also judge the nation to whom they are enslaved, and afterward they will come out with many possessions.
15“As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you will be buried at a good old age.
16“Then in the fourth generation they will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete.” ↩ - Genesis 15:14 (LSB)
14“But I will also judge the nation to whom they are enslaved, and afterward they will come out with many possessions. ↩ - Exodus 12:11 (LSB)
11‘Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste—it is the Passover of Yahweh. ↩ - Deuteronomy 16:16 (LSB)
16 “Three times in a year all your males shall appear before Yahweh your God in the place which He chooses, at the Feast of Unleavened Bread and at the Feast of Weeks and at the Feast of Booths, and they shall not appear before Yahweh empty-handed. ↩