2010 – November 18 – The Perfect Passover Lamb

Study from God’s Word… Documentation of Christ’s Passion from selected/edited chronological passages from Matt 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, and John 19 – the crucifixion, death, and burial of Jesus at Golgotha (i.e., Calvary) … Passage for Reflection: John 19: 33 … NIV But when they (the Roman soldiers) came to Jesus and found that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.

My Journal for Today: And why is this latter fact (in today’s text) so important – i.e., that Jesus’ bones would not be broken as was the practice to hasten death at a crucifixion? Well, we know that Jesus was God’s Lamb, the perfect paschal Lamb being sacrificed for mankind at the ultimate Passover; and according to Jewish law, the selected Passover lamb had to be perfect, with no broken bones (see Exod 12: 46 or Num 9: 12). And in Ps 34: 20 we have the Messianic prophesy of no broken bones at the time of Messiah sacrificing for mankind. Hence, when the Jewish leaders asked that the Romans hasten Jesus’ death to avoid having to take down the body on the Sabbath, the soldiers went to break his legs but discovered that he was already dead; and this allowed for God’s Passover Lamb to be bruised, but not broken [see also Is 53: 10].

Many times, being an Elder in our church I’ve been called upon to serve the Eucharist; and during the service, offering up the bread, I have said, “Christ’s body, broken for you.” But from now on, I will not say that, learning this small, but very important detail. I’m now led to say, “Christ’s body, bruised for you” to be more in accord with Scriptural truth. Oh, well … moving on >>>

The more one reads, studies, and meditates upon Christ’s passion, the Christian has to come away in awe of how all of the events fit together to cry out the truth that of that fate-filled day; and, having been prophesied by many Old Testament prophets, God, the Father, sacrificed His beloved Son as the perfect Passover Lamb so that the sins of all mankind would be propitiated. And if you’ve seen the Mel Gibson portrayal in movie version of The Passion of The Christ, you probably wept, as I did, during the visual representation of the mocking, the cruelty, and the degradation of the cross; and that it happened all for you and for me, is almost overwhelming.

A couple of years ago I was in Jerusalem; and our pilgrimage group was led to the place where archeologists strongly believe they’ve uncovered where Jesus was nailed to the cross. I stood on those very stones; and looking down at my feet on the place where the Roman soldiers pounded those three nails into Christ’s wrists and feet; and I wept – almost uncontrollably; because I realized that it was MY SIN which nailed my Lord and Savior to that cross; and it was for MY SIN for which He hung on that tree; and it was for MY SIN that He died, was buried, and was resurrected again … to save ME from MY SIN.

Yes, again I say … HALLELUJAH !!!

My Prayer for Today: You became God’s Lamb FOR ME! Praise Your Holy Name!!! Amen