Readings: Exodus 11:1-8; 12:1-14, 22-33, 37-51; Hebrews 11:27-28;
John 19:34-36
In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
The Passover. It was so significant to the Israelites, so life altering to their destiny as a people that the Lord ordered them to shape their whole year around it. (Exod. 12:1-6) The Lord rewrote their calendar. That month became the beginning of their year. Throughout their generations they would remember it. The First Month. Passover Month. Just like in our culture how even though few believe in what happened on that day, Christmas is fixed date, a festival that always reminds people of Jesus’ birth, His coming in the flesh to pass over our sin. So their calendar would always remind them of this event. Just as Jesus’ death and resurrection changed the day of rest and worship for Christians from Saturday, Sabbath day, to Sunday. Our Lord’s Day. (Rev. 1:10; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2) The day He rose in victory. (John 20:1) His innocent suffering and death on a Friday and perfect rest in the tomb on the Sabbath day has set aside the ceremonial command to rest on Saturday (Col. 2:16-17; Heb. 4:9-10), and given us instead Sunday, the Lord’s Day. It has reoriented our week. It rewrites cultures wherever Christianity takes hold, rewriting the very calendar. As our culture turns from Christianity we are seeing another rewriting of our calendar, and not for the better. A rewriting of the meaning of the days of the week, and of the weekend. A return, you might say to a slavery to work, as no day is set aside to hear God’s Word and have your soul set at rest (Matt. 11:28). But for you and for me, and for all who will hear, salvation has a way of changing things just as it did for the Israelites.
John 19:34-36
In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
The Passover. It was so significant to the Israelites, so life altering to their destiny as a people that the Lord ordered them to shape their whole year around it. (Exod. 12:1-6) The Lord rewrote their calendar. That month became the beginning of their year. Throughout their generations they would remember it. The First Month. Passover Month. Just like in our culture how even though few believe in what happened on that day, Christmas is fixed date, a festival that always reminds people of Jesus’ birth, His coming in the flesh to pass over our sin. So their calendar would always remind them of this event. Just as Jesus’ death and resurrection changed the day of rest and worship for Christians from Saturday, Sabbath day, to Sunday. Our Lord’s Day. (Rev. 1:10; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2) The day He rose in victory. (John 20:1) His innocent suffering and death on a Friday and perfect rest in the tomb on the Sabbath day has set aside the ceremonial command to rest on Saturday (Col. 2:16-17; Heb. 4:9-10), and given us instead Sunday, the Lord’s Day. It has reoriented our week. It rewrites cultures wherever Christianity takes hold, rewriting the very calendar. As our culture turns from Christianity we are seeing another rewriting of our calendar, and not for the better. A rewriting of the meaning of the days of the week, and of the weekend. A return, you might say to a slavery to work, as no day is set aside to hear God’s Word and have your soul set at rest (Matt. 11:28). But for you and for me, and for all who will hear, salvation has a way of changing things just as it did for the Israelites.
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