Passover and Good Friday

I cannot explain how excited I am that Passover and Good Friday are on the same day this year! I don't know how often this happens, but I wish it happened every year.

Why?

Because Passover was the foreshadowing of Good Friday!

"Your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old...

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...

The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt."

Exodus 12:5a, 7, 13

God used the first Passover to free the Israelites from Egypt, where they were slaves to other men and falling into sin because of their evil hearts and their oppressors. God reached out His hand to smite Egypt and bring His people salvation. This happened thousands of years before Jesus came, but it was symbolic of what Jesus would do for God's people all over the World in the future. 

In fact, I find it even more incredible that Jesus celebrated Passover with His disciples the night He was arrested. He warns His disciples of this in Matthew 26:2:

"You know that after two days the Passover is coming and then the Son of Man is to be handed over for crucifixion."

Two days later Jesus celebrated the Passover with His disciples and instituted the Lord's Supper.

"While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing He broke it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, 'Take, eat; This is my body.' And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them saying, 'Drink for it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins." Matthew 26:26-28

That night Jesus was arrested, questioned, taken to Pilate and the next day was crucified for our sins, to free us from slavery and oppression. 

"Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine He said, 'It is finished!' And He bowed His head and gave up His Spirit." John 19:3

Jesus, our Passover Lamb, completed the work of salvation, so that we would not receive the punishment we deserve for our sins. He has made us new.

"Clean out the old leaven, so that you may be made a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ, our Passover, has also been sacrificed. Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." 1 Corinthians 5:7-8

This is what I am excited about today! Celebrating the Passover with family, remembering what Jesus did for us on this Good Friday, being our Passover Lamb all at the same time. 

Are you celebrating Passover and Good Friday today?