Let Us Prepare For the Feast

 

Exodus 12:1-11

 

Having health insurance was something new in Lebanon. In the last 15 years, more private companies started to sell health and life insurance. In the USA, having insurance is necessary, although unfortunately many do not have one.

As pastors in the Middle East, we were insured as a group with a well-known insurance company. After some years, the company went bankrupt; unfortunately, all of us lost our insurance and it was very difficult to find another agency to accept our group.

Although insurance companies are a great idea, yet all insurance companies are in the business to make profit, not to do consumers a favor.

 

We insure our houses from robbery. We can have the best alarm systems. Our church CACC has a good alarm system. In fact, Gladys will not give a tour of the church to a new pastor unless he learns about the alarm system! That was the first thing I learned here- that I need to learn how to use the alarm system.

There is nothing wrong in protecting our property.

 

I want to talk this morning about a new protection plan that police and alarm systems cannot provide: DIVINE PROTECTION.

We are starting a new academic year. Today, as you saw, we brought forward all of our ministries and committees to God. We asked God’s guidance and protection over all our groups. The alarm system works by punching the right secret code in the system. Our Divine Alarm system works when we learn to obey God.

We learn to obey God by spending time with Him. Therefore, our goal for this year is PLUG IN TO GOD. Our verse is: “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (II Peter 3:18)

 

For this wonderful renewal Sunday, I chose a passage from Exodus. I chose the Passover preparation as a model for our preparation for our FEAST. Yes, I want to call our year a year of feast. It is a feast because we are walking with our Lord Jesus Christ. The best feast in the world. We are part of this feast.

 

I found nine steps in this passage that can apply to our preparation.

 

1. “Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household.” (3)

Time is very important. God has given instructions to the Israelites to be ready at a certain time (on the 10th of the first month). We live in time. We are born in time. Christmas and Easter happened at certain times. There is a time for everything.

When you leave this service for Halladjian Hall, you will see sign up sheets. There are selected times and places for all the ministries of the church. We need to find out where we fit in these ministries. Each person is responsible to find the right time to plug in to God and sign up.

 

2. “Each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household”(3).

Each family, each household needs to have a lamb. God is interested in each family and household. God is revealing his DIVINE PROTECTION plan. God could save the Israelites without that lamb. He could ask Moses to pray collectively and God has that power to save collectively.

No, He did not choose that way. He asked each family, each household to be responsible for the lamb.

Likewise, each family and person in our church has the responsibility to plug in to God through our ministries.

 

3. “If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat.” (4)

We read about sharing, we read about not having more than what we need. God does not want any waste. Unfortunately, very often the world is wasting its resources. Share with the needy, help the one who is weaker than your family, try to be content with what you have.

We need to be cautious in our activates at CACC. There are senior citizens in our church. We will have more in the coming 5-10 years. Who needs a ride? We need to learn how to share it with our neighbor. There are many who cannot drive. Sometimes it is wise to carpool together so we will not waste our energy in vain. Share and don’t waste.

 

 

 

4. “The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats.” (5)

God wants the best and not the leftover. Our attitude towards God is “If I have time, if my work is done, if sport practices are done, then I have time for God.”

God gave His best on Calvary, His Son Jesus Christ. God did not compromise; He gave His best. How dare we compromise with God?

Therefore, find the right ministry for your growth, and bring in your best resources.

 

5. “Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month,” (6)

The Israelites were charged with responsibility to look after the animals. Now 14 days are not a long time. Perhaps you think it is not an important job. The point is we should not take lightly what God is asking us. Jesus told the parable of the talents. The one had one talent buried it in the ground.

I love the story of the lost sheep. We can leave the 99 and find the lost one. It does not mean that 99 are not important. The 99 are in a safe place. There are the lost ones who need more attention. We need to take care of the congregation. We need to find the lost one and get him/her plugged in to God.

 

6. “Slaughter them at twilight. 7 Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs.” (6-7)

The image can disturb you, but it was the main thing. The blood of the lamb was going to be the sign to be saved. Two images are very important: The blood, and the blood on the door. Jesus said: “this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”(Mathew 26:28)    He also said “I am the gate (door)”( John 10:7). This was God’s plan for protection of the Israelites. This was the insurance provided by God. We as Christians, have a new covenant with God. We do not need to slaughter and sacrifice lambs any more. Jesus is the Lamb of God. He is the door for our salvation. God is our protection and our refuge.

 

7. “That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast.” (8)

God gives instructions in details. God gives His will to us everyday. Just listen and obey. Therefore, plug in.

 

 

 

 

8. “This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand” (11)

While they are eating, they are dressed well and ready to go: belt, sandals and staff in the hand. It was food, or energy, for the next day. They have a long way to go. Food so that we are on our feet with belt ready to live the new life. This food is not to make us fat and lazy. Unfortunately, we have many churchgoers who are just “eating” without exercise and application.

I have a dream for our church. I would love to see that most of the congregation has a group for spiritual nourishment. That is not an end by itself, but it is helps us to bring forth the Kingdom of God and not our Kingdom. All these ministries and committees are not ends in themselves. They serve to help us “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (II Peter 3:18) and become more Christlike in our character.

 

 

9 “Eat it in haste; it is the LORD's Passover.”(11)

Haste, hurry up, life is too short, do not waste time. Time is valuable. Use it wisely. Therefore, let us prepare the feast. We don’t know when Jesus is coming back. We do know that we need to be obedient to God. We need to know that we have to be ready and PLUG IN TO GOD. We do not have any other choice. Because disobedience to God is death and destruction.

 

Let us go to celebrate the feast of the Lord. Let us go and plug in to God.

 

 

Amen