In 21 days Passover is celebrated by thousands of Christians and Jews all over the world. Those who celebrate have about 20 days to ‘prepare’ themselves. But what does that mean exactly, ,how does one “prepare” themselves and this question i pose to Christians who observe Passover. We may have an inkling as to how Jewish people prepare Passover and that is to clean out every crumb of leaven from their dwelling.
In Exodus when we first learn about the Passover it is in reference to the freedom and deliverance of the Hebrews enslaved in Egypt to Pharaoh. God instructed Israel to celebrate the Passover as a memorial, to remember their deliverance and the Judgements that fell upon Egypt but mostly remember that you were “passed over” when God smote the firstborn of Egypt.” This refers to those who had by faith and obedience slaughtered a lamb and applied its blood to their actual doors.
God established the laws around Passover with a festival and a feast, the feast of unleavened bread. “you must clear out all the leaven from your dwellings and for 7 days you are to eat unleavened bread and eating bitter herbs. so they did and they do. in a way i think God was saying, “cleanse Egypt from your lives, you are no longer slaves with false gods and a multitude of idols, you are God’s nation and you must remember again and again and again, year after year since we are prone to forget, ,that it was the blood of a lamb which set you free, the Hand of the God which passed over your home and spared your children. Do not live and act as that heathen nation.
Thousands of years later the Jewish people still continued to celebrate Passover in the first month. They remembered the Passover and then one year in the first century something unique in all history happened. On this very night that thousands Jewish people were slaying a lamb in remembrance – the lamb of God was being slain just outside the temple in Jerusalem, the city of peace. The lamb of God was slain for the sins not just of Hebrews slaves, but all slaves who would follow him out of sin and death. Darkness fell and God’s firstborn was not spared so that you and i might be spared. He died and was raised to life again. Yesterday the christian and churches all over the world celebrated the resurrection of the Lamb of God, perhaps the single most important event in the claim and life of Christians.
so what do we do with Passover? Do we continue to keep it as prescribed, do we adjust it? Do we ignore it, do we replace it? And am I comfortable with not knowing or having the answer? I have to be, for now I will focus on preparing my heart and using the word of God as the cleansing water.
The christian faith claims that the Passover in its deepest and most meaningful purpose has most surely been fulfilled by Christ the true Passover lamb. There is no more Passover lamb, there is no other blood to be shed. and the really good news there is no more cutting you off if you don’t keep the Passover under the new covenant. Christ is our Covenant, the word that became flesh. We are not saved by what we do but by what Christ has done. We get to celebrate, we can in order to remember what Christ has done for us and all the many beautiful parallels of freedom from Egypt and freedom from sin. We don’t keep Passover to gain favor, we don’t do it so that God saves us or even in fear that God will snip us from his family. We don’t clean out our kitchens and leaven because we’re afraid to get cut off from the body, because our obedience doesn’t hold us or connect us or keep us tethered to the commonwealth, it is by blood we are connected and brought near.
It’s always a good practice to clean out your kitchen once a year, but it’s not necessary for holiness. It does help folks remember as they are “searching for leaven” in every label, ingredient and corner; to search for hidden sin in the heart. This practice encourages all to think about and clean out our lives as Paul reminds us to “clean out the old leaven so that you may become a new lump.” He is not actually talking about yeast but sin. He is talking about the new life that we gain in Christ, just as Israel had a new life post Egypt.
We can prepare our kitchens for Passover, but that doesn’t save us. We can clean out our leaven because we want to and God’s word never fails. But it is Christ shed blood that truly washes and consecrates us and empowers us to live holy lives dedicated to God and preparing for his presence. Whether we do or don’t remove the macaroni and bread products from our kitchen. Thank God his love, mercy and salvation do not hinge upon it. What is far more important than cleaning out leaven or keeping the Passover, or having a seder is reflecting upon our hearts condition and consecrating yourself to the lamb of God whose blood spares those who trust him. How? read his word. Jesus said to his disciples, You are already clean because of the word i spoke to you. Jesus word is the best way that I know to wash , consecrate dedicate prepare myself for him and learn the way of holiness and godliness.
God always told his people to consecrate before he appeared, even before Jesus appeared in glory, John came baptizing men and preaching repentance. This surely produces in us a posture of readiness to receive at the times and seasons that the Lord has set aside for us as memorials.
If you want to clean out the leaven, clean it out if you want to eat bitter herbs and unleavened bread go for it, but not to gain favor with God and put the Lord’s death on the shelf while you sew yourself to his side with good deeds. rather do it as an act of remembrance, that we were once enslaved to sin but were freed by shed blood and immeasurable grace.
do it in expectation that God’s word is a means and a way to get us in the correct heart and mindset to draw closer to him through repentance, humility and seeking and to help us remember who we are – not slaves of sin but servants of righteousness, and beloved children, free, clean and smelling of the sweet aroma of Christ and heaven.
my faith place 