The Passover: A New Beginning | The Solution for Sin

Hey everybody, you're listening to A New Beginning, which is a podcast made possible by Harvest Partners.

If this program has impacted you, I'd love to hear from you. So just send an email to me at greg.harvest.org. Again, it's greg.harvest.org.

You can learn more about becoming a Harvest Partner by going to harvest.org. Today, Pastor Greg Laurie has good reassurance that God's forgiveness is complete forgiveness. God has taken his delete key, if you will, to your sin and he's removed it as far as the east is from the west. So quit dragging it up again.

Oh, I did this many years ago. Hey, he says he'll forgive your sin and forget your sin. I should not choose to remember what God has chosen to forget.

Apply the blood. That's what it means. Nearly all pain relievers on the market use the phrase for fast, temporary relief.

Aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, they give a little relief for a little while. But when it comes to forgiveness of our sin, we're more interested in immediate, everlasting relief from our guilt and guile. Today on A New Beginning, as Pastor Greg Laurie takes us to the story of the first Passover, we'll see God provided a solution for sin that forever pays the price that had to be paid. Exodus chapter 12 and also Matthew chapter 26. We're going to talk about the cross and the blood in the Passover celebration and also in communion.

And the Passover is very important to both Jews and to Christians. And here are God's instructions for observing the Passover. Let's read them in Exodus chapter 12. I'll read verses one to five. I'm reading from the New Living Translation. While the Israelites are still in the land of Egypt, the Lord gives the following instructions to Moses and Aaron.

From now on, this month will be the first month of the year for you. Announce to the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month, each family must choose a lamb or a young goat for a sacrifice, one animal for each household. If a family is too small to eat a whole animal, let them share with another family in the neighborhood. Divide the animal according to the size of each family and how much they can eat. The animal you select must be a one-year-old male, either a sheep or goat with no defects.

We'll stop there. So the Passover, as I said, is important to the Jews. This is to remember what God did for them. That He passed over them in His judgment upon Egypt because they observed this and did what He told them to do. But Passover is important to believers as well to Christians because Jesus celebrated Passover with His disciples because He knew it pointed to Him. Everything in the Old Testament points to what is fulfilled in the New Testament. Christ is concealed in the Old Testament.

He's revealed in the New Testament. Jesus was the fulfillment of the Passover lamb. So here's some takeaway points from the Passover that apply to you.

And if you're taking notes, here's point number one. The Passover was to be a new beginning. The Passover was to be a new beginning. Verse two, from now on, this month will be the first month of the year for you. So God starts by making this a new beginning for the nation Israel. Right in the middle of the year, God gives to the people a new beginning. And in the same way, it doesn't matter if it's June, October, or March, or whenever, you ask Christ to come into your life and ask for His forgiveness, you can have a fresh start as well. Jesus says in Revelation 21 5, Behold, I make all things new. I don't know what the narrative of your life is right now, but I can tell you this. God can change your story.

It can have a different ending than you are expecting if you'll turn it over to Him, because today can be a fresh start for you, and I'll tell you how in a few minutes. So point number one, the Passover was a new beginning. Number two, the lamb that they were to offer was to be the very best. It was to be carefully chosen and examined.

The very best. We should bring our very best to God, not our leftovers, because He gave His very best for you. Number three, the lamb had to be slain. It wasn't the life of the lamb that saved the people from judgment.

It was the death of it. In Hebrews 9 22 says, Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin. Some people claim to admire the life and teachings of Jesus, but they don't want the death of the lamb, or they don't want the cross. You know, we love the idea of heaven and hope and forgiveness and all those great features of our faith, but none of it would have happened without the death of Jesus on the cross. Matthew 26 28, Jesus said, This is my blood of the new covenant, shed for many for the remission of sins. It's just blood that does it. You can't have the benefits without the sacrifice. Point number four, this is a big one.

Don't miss this one. The blood had to be applied. The blood had to be applied. Having an unblemished lamb was not enough. Even slaying the lamb was not enough. You had to apply the blood of the slain lamb to your doorposts.

Look at Exodus 12 verse 13. The blood on the doorposts will serve as a sign, marking the houses where you're staying. Underline this. When I see the blood, I'll pass over.

Just underline that. When I see the blood, I'll pass over. The plague of death will not touch you when I strike the land of Egypt.

Imagine for a moment, if you can, a doorway right here. Now, imagine that you've just slain the lamb, and you've taken the blood of the lamb on a hyssop or a little bush, and you're taking the blood now because you know the judgment of God is coming on the firstborn of Egypt. You don't want that judgment to come on your firstborn.

God's told you what to do. Slay the lamb and apply the blood. So now you've got the blood on your little hyssop bush, and you put it on the left. Now you put it on the right.

Now you put it up on the top. The Lord sees the blood, and He passes over in His judgment. What does this remind you of? Blood on the right. Blood on the left. Blood on the top. It's a cross. The left and the right hand of Jesus pierced with the Roman spike, His head having the crown of thorns on it, causing laceration.

So you have to apply the blood. And He promises to cleanse me from all sin. Not some sin. All sin. And we're told in 1 John, if I walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another.

Listen. And the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses me from all sin. But if I say I have no sin, the truth is not in me. But if I will confess my sin, He's faithful and just to forgive me my sin and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. So you say effectively, Lord, you suffered on the cross for my sin. Now I confess it. I repent of it.

And I accept your forgiveness made available to me through your shed blood. Now listen. Now you drop it. Drop it. Quit dragging it up again.

Oh I did this many years ago. Hey He says He'll forgive your sin and forget your sin. I should not choose to remember what God has chosen to forget. Apply the blood. That's what it means.

Apply the blood. And I mentioned the word justify. Justified before God.

Every believer is. There's a lot of ways to define that phrase justified. But one definition is you change your status.

I like that. You change your status. It used to be sinner, lost person.

Now you change it to saved person and more specifically justified person. On my keyboard I have a key. It says delete. And if I have some text in the document and I want to get rid of it, I highlight it and I hit the delete key and it all disappears. I don't know where it goes. God has taken His delete key if you will to your sin and He has removed it as far as the east is from the west. So apply the blood.

Number five. They were ready to be moving at a moment's notice. So when they celebrated Passover they had to be ready to move at a moment's notice.

Look at Exodus 12 11. These are your instructions for eating this meal. Be fully dressed. Wear your sandals. Carry your walking stick in your hand. Eat the meal with urgency.

For this is the Lord's Passover. Let's update it. Have your running shoes on. Have your suitcase packed. Have your cell phone charged. Have your passport ready and be ready to go out that door.

Meaning what? Meaning live in a sense of expectancy of the imminent return of Jesus Christ. Be ready to go. Are you ready to go? Lord if you call me I'm ready. And also be ready for opportunities that will come in your path. Like here here's a way to share the gospel.

Those things pop up often unexpectedly. Be ready. Be alert.

Do these things. This is how we are to live. Pastor Greg Laurie will have the second half of his message in just a moment. We're encouraged when we hear stories of people who've had their lives changed because of the ministry of harvest. I just wanted to say I was a drug addict for 10 years.

I've been pleased since 2019. And having a dog was saying to Greg on the radio and truly helped me through some hard times. I give all the praise and glory to Jesus. I just want to say thank you for everything you do. I turn on the radio and my day just gets brighter. So thank you.

Do you have a story to share? If so would you let Pastor Greg know? Just drop him an email. Greg at harvest dot org. Again that's Greg at harvest dot o-r-g. Well glad you're along for today's message from Pastor Greg called The Passover A New Beginning.

And our thanks to our harvest partners for helping to make today's study possible with their consistent support. Now I want to shift gears to what we're going to look at here in Matthew 26 as we look at the final Passover meal that Jesus celebrated with his disciples. It was a bittersweet night because Jesus was having a final meal with them. He knew it but they did not know it.

And so now he is telling them what they need to be aware of as this great event is about to unfold before their eyes. He's already revealed to them that one of them is going to betray him and it's Judas Iscariot who leaves a room. And by the way the Bible says Satan entered him. That's the only time the Bible ever says Satan entered anyone.

So if the devil ever had a son it would be Judas. And so he leaves a room and now Jesus breaks bread with his disciples in this Passover dinner. Matthew 26 starting in verse 26. I'm reading from the New King James translation. As they were eating Jesus took bread blessed it and broke it and gave it to his disciples and said take and eat this is my body. Then he took the cup and gave thanks and gave it to them saying drink from it all of you this is my blood of the new covenant which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Now imagine for a moment if you're one of the disciples you don't really know what's happening. You've had other Passover meals with Jesus. In fact you've had a lot of meals with him. And usually they're fun times as a meal might be with family and friends. Profound times.

Enjoyable times. This is different. You can see something is on the mind of Jesus. Something is troubling him. But suddenly everything you're doing is taking on new meaning. Now as you're talking about the Passover lamb it might be occurring to you I'm looking at the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

This is pointing to him. You know something I left out was when the Jewish people celebrated the Passover they were to get rid of all of the leaven in their house or the east. And in the Bible leaven is often a symbol of sin or compromise. In fact in the church of Corinth there was a memorality going on and this couple that were engaged were not only allowed but they were welcomed into the church. And Paul is saying, what are you guys doing?

You need to get these people out of the church while they're living in sin. And then he goes on to say, don't you know that a little leaven leavens a lump or a little yeast affects the dough. So deal with that. So there's that picture. My wife and I were traveling recently and they gave us a little jar of pretzels. But the ones with peanut butter in them. You ever had those? These things are addictive to me. I don't know why.

It's just a little bit of peanut butter and saltiness. And so I knew I shouldn't try them but I had one. Oh it was so good. So I went over had another. Walked across the room.

Come back again. I'm having a third. Now I'm having a fourth.

Now I'm into my fifth and I thought I'm going to eat this whole thing. So I couldn't resist it. I was too weak. So I walked over and I hated to do this. I walked over to the toilet and I flushed the rest down the toilet. Gone.

Temptation eliminated. Kathy my wife comes walking into the kitchen. She sees the empty jar. You ate all of those pretzels? I said, no I flushed them down the toilet. She's like, mm-hmm.

I don't think she's believing it. No I did really. Well I did. And sometimes in your life there might be something that is such a temptation the best way to deal with it is if possible literally get it out. You say, well be specific. Let's say you have a problem with drinking and you keep bottles of booze in your house. Get rid of them.

Well what do I do? Pour them out. Let's say you have drugs in your house. Get rid of it. Could I sell it? No you don't. Don't sell it.

You'll be arrested. You shouldn't have it and you definitely shouldn't sell it. Get rid of it. Isn't that bad stewardship?

No that's smart thinking. Get rid of these things if you have to. Sometimes we have to take drastic measures in our life.

So as we come to the communion table I want you to be honest before God. And as we pray just say, Lord is there anything in my life that's like 11? That's hurting me. That's dragging me down. Maybe it's a relationship. Maybe it's a thing I'm so excited about doing as soon as I get out of church it's actually not a good thing at all.

Maybe it's something else. Lord would you show that to me right now. Going back to Exodus 12. Notice this. In verse three the Passover lamb is called a lamb. In verse four it's called the lamb. And in verse five it's your lamb. A lamb. The lamb.

Your lamb. And these verses show our reactions to Christ from the day we first learned of Him. First He was a lamb. That's how He was to me. When I first heard of Jesus I admired Him.

He's out there. He was a lamb. But then one day He became the lamb. You realize oh this isn't just one of many gods. This is the one and true and only God.

The lamb of God. But then one day He became your lamb. So one day He's just a God. The next day you realize He's the God. And then finally He becomes your God.

That's where it happens. I said earlier that you can have a new beginning. A fresh start.

Remember Passover was to be a new beginning for Israel. Today can be a new beginning for you. No matter what sin you've committed. No matter how egregious or horrible it is. You can have it forgiven by God and it can be under the blood. But only you can confess your sin. I can't do it for you. Somebody else can't do it for you.

But listen again the Bible says if you will confess your sin He is faithful and just to forgive you your sin and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. And it can be in your rear view mirror and a part of your past. Not a part of your present.

And certainly not a part of your future. He can make all things new. Do you need that? Would you like to hit the reset button in your life? It can happen if you will call out to Him. And we are going to pray in a moment. And I am going to give you an opportunity to ask Jesus Christ to come into your life and be your Savior. Not just a Savior. Not even the Savior. Your Savior. Your Lord.

Your friend. Your God. He is just a prayer away. So if you need Jesus in your life respond to this invitation as we close in prayer. And if some of you need to maybe make a recommitment to the Lord you can do it now as well.

Let's all bow our heads. And everybody praying. Father thank you for loving us so much. You sent Jesus to die on the cross in our place.

Lord Jesus you came as the very Lamb of God and you took away the sin of the world and you died there in our place. And now you are here with us in this room risen alive ready to change lives. And I pray for any person here or listening wherever they may be if they don't have a relationship with you let it start right here right now. In Jesus name I pray.

Amen. Pastor Greg Laurie with an important prayer for those who would like to make a change in their relationship with God today. If you would like to do that Pastor Greg will come back to help you before today's edition of A New Beginning concludes. Well Pastor Greg you've mentioned that there are other documentaries on the life of Johnny Cash but your new movie Johnny Cash the redemption of an American icon is the only one that tells Johnny's story from a spiritual perspective.

That's right. I think you've called it an evangelistic documentary. And I'm wondering wouldn't wouldn't Johnny have wanted his story told from that context? Oh I think so and in fact I'm sure of it his sister Joanna Cash Yates said of the book and of this film this is the best thing ever done about my brother because Johnny was very upfront about his faith.

You know he wanted people to know about Jesus and from the beginning of his life to the very end he was talking about his faith in Christ. And so this comes out in this film that we've done but listen why don't I let you listen to Johnny himself. Now this is a recording of Johnny talking about a time in his life when he was really despondent.

In fact he didn't even know if he wanted to live anymore. So he went into this cave called the Nickajack Cave and he went in as far as you can go this is a really deep long cave people have actually gone into this cave and never come out again. And he tells a story of how he encountered God in this cave. This is from our film Johnny Cash the redemption of an American icon.

Give a listen. In that cave Chattanooga I was as far away from God that I had ever been could ever be. I went into this cave and kept walking and crawling and climbing till my life had run out. Every fiber of my being totally exhausted and I lay there in the darkness at the end of the line. At the end of the line I lay there to die. And in the darkness laid down and basically gave up his life gave up everything. Then the urging came over me to get up and start crawling. I don't have any idea how long I crawled and it was like this feeling came over me that that he wanted to speak to my heart you do not control your destiny that it's my will that you do not die now. Finally I felt the wind for long I saw light the entrance to the cave and God's love brought him back. A moving moment from the film Johnny Cash the redemption of an American icon. And you know God's love brought Johnny back time after time.

It's such an inspiring film and what a great source of hope for parents of prodigal children or for the spouse of a prodigal or for the prodigal himself or herself who's searching. Well we want to send you a copy of Johnny Cash the redemption of an American icon on DVD along with a streaming code so you can watch on your tablet or phone or computer. We're sending it to say thank you for your partnership that allows us to bring Pastor Greg studies to you each day. So get in touch today with your investment. Call 1-800-821-3300.

Call anytime that's 1-800-821-3300 or write a new beginning box 4000 Riverside California 92514 or go online to harvest.org. Well Pastor Greg today you wrapped up your message by talking about eternity. How can someone listening know they're going to heaven?

Well that's a great question and I guess let me take it a step further I know that is the most important question you can ask. How can a person know they're going to heaven? Let me say at the outset I believe I'm going to heaven in fact I'll take it a step further I know I'm going to heaven.

Is it Greg isn't that kind of arrogant not really because I know this because God has made a promise to me and I've believed that promise. The bible says we write these things to you that believe on the name of the son of God that you may know that you have eternal life. I've believed on the name of the son of God thus I know I'll go to heaven when I die. Here's my question to you do you believe on the name of the son of God?

Is there any more important issue than that? I can't think of one so I'd like to lead you in a simple prayer and this is a prayer where you will be asking Jesus to forgive you of your sin and you'll be asking him to be your own savior friend lord it's a prayer only you can pray pray these words if you would Lord Jesus I know I am a sinner but I know that you are the savior who died on the cross for my sin and rose from the dead. Jesus come into my life I want to believe in you I want to follow you I want this relationship with you thank you for dying on the cross for my sin and rising again from the dead and I thank you that you've heard this prayer and I believe you've come into my life in Jesus name I pray amen. I want to help you grow in your faith I want to help you grow spiritually so I have a free gift for you it's called the new believers growth packet what's in it no not a bag of seeds to plant in your backyard I guess it's sort of a form of a bag of seeds because I want to sow some spiritual seed in your life to help you develop as a follower of Christ so I'm going to send you a copy of the new testament in the new living translation but it's a special edition it's called the new believers bible and it's filled with notes that I wrote that will encourage you in this new commitment or recommitment you've made to Christ and there's some other materials in the new believers packet as well so order your copy today and I'm so glad I had this privilege today to lead you in that prayer God bless you you've made the right decision the decision to follow Jesus Christ yeah and here's how to get that new believers packet you can call us anytime around the clock at 1-800-821-3300 that's 1-800-821-3300 and we'll be glad to send it to you free of charge or write us at a new beginning box 4000 riverside california 92514 or just go online to harvest.org and click the words know God you know sometimes we find ourselves in a real fix what do we do when we don't know what to do next time pastor Greg brings a message called between impossible and more impossible join us here on a new beginning with pastor and bible teacher Greg Laurie thanks for listening to a new beginning with Greg Laurie a podcast made possible by harvest partners helping people everywhere know God sign up for daily devotions and learn how to become a harvest partner at harvest.org