Sabbath Before Passover – 2018

Our Part in the Covenant Sacrifice

How we die to sin through repentance and baptism uniting with the death of Christ
set before the foundation of the world

Fred R. Coulter—March 24, 2018

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Greetings, everyone! Welcome to Sabbath services! Quite an amazing year that we have gone through; so many different things have happened! Here we are again at the Passover time.

This Passover marks my 57th Passover. Where the time went I don't know, but it's gone! Whatever it is for you, your first one, your 5th , 10th, 20th, 30th, 40th or 50th, the Passover is the most important thing, and the very fulcrum of God's plan. Without the Passover, there is no plan!

Let's keep in mind the importance of this, and the importance that it is a covenant ceremony to renew the New Covenant for those who are Christ's. Paul wrote that 'Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us' (1-Cor. 5). That means that we, who are the called and chosen, have this Passover for us. It's not for the world.

The Christianity of this world has nothing to do with the true Passover, and know nothing about the true righteousness of God. Even some brethren during this past year have:

• gone astray
• followed other doctrines
• believed things that aren't true
• get carried away with spiritual insanity

We hope they will repent! But when we understand the true significance of the New Covenant Passover, then we have every reason to love God and be faithful and endure to the end!

We find in Rev. 13 that John wrote, 'The Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world!' Jesus said, 'I'm the Beginning and the Ending, the First and the Last, the Alpha and Omega, I'm the One Who was dead, yet alive evermore in to the ages of eternity' (Rev. 1).  That's out into the plan of God way beyond what we can comprehend. It is true, we still 'look through a glass darkly,' even with the knowledge that we have.

Really, when you understand it, our knowledge—though we may have more than past times—is very infinitesimal compared to what God is going to teach us when we enter the Kingdom of God. But we're not going to get there without the Passover.

The first mention of the need of a Savior is back in Gen. 3. Let's review this and see what happened. All human being have gone their way, all human beings have been cutoff from God, and only God can solve the problem!

But I think the most important thing that we understand concerning the world today is that man cannot live his life without the true knowledge of God! He can, but look at the mess! Look at the trouble! They do not understand one of the most important factors, which is Satan the devil. Some may have a grasp of it, but unless you really believe the Bible and believe the Truth you will never understand the fullness of God's plan. It just works out that way, and it's that simple!

As we have seen, and we need to understand this even more, we have independent free moral agency, and God gave us that!

• He will not violate it!
• He will not annul it!
• He will not cancel it!
• He will not remove it!

God doesn't want robots! He wants those:

• who love Him
• who believe Him
• who serve Him
• who follow His laws and commandments in Truth

by choice! This was the test in Gen. 3: What would Adam and Eve choose to do?Because if you give free moral agency there has to be a test to find out what you're going to do!

Human being today can make robots and artificial intelligence, but there is no choice involved, no emotions involved, no love at all. It's cold and hard; 'just digital facts, Mam!' So, let's see how Adam and Eve set the way for the need of a Savior of all mankind.

Genesis 3:1: "Now, the serpent was more cunning than any creature of the field, which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, 'Is it true that God has said, "You shall not eat of any tree of the garden"?'"

Satan comes with a proposition and she knew better than that. He wanted to engage her so that she would fall for his lie. Satan always comes with a benefit. Oh yes, without a doubt, a benefit! But:

• he doesn't tell you that it is wrong
• he doesn't tell you that it's going to end in death

because his benefit will 'lead to life through the false doctrine of the immortality of the soul!' Satan always accuses God! Satan always accuses the brethren! Here he is accusing God:

Verse 2: "And the woman said to the serpent, 'We may freely eat the fruit of the trees of the garden, but of the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has indeed said, "You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die."' And the serpent said to the woman, 'In dying, you shall not surely die!'" (vs 2-3). So, he admitted that death is going to take place, but he has a 'better way.'

Verse 5: "'For God knows that in the day you eat of it, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be like God, deciding good and evil.'" Don't we have that today? You decide for yourself! Independent free moral agency (IFMA)!

Verse 6: "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasing to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate."

Most renditions show that she 'took a bite,' but here it says that she ate of it: "took of its fruit…" It doesn't say she plucked a fruit, but "…took of its fruit…" How much she had, we don't know, but she ate, and "…gave to her husband…" who ate also.

Verse 7: "And the eyes of both of them were opened…"—to evil!

Before that time they were kind of in a neutral position. God created them, gave them a language, taught them and set before them everything that there is. He told them about the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, but they were not inherently evil. They became that way when the disobeyed God!

What happens when people disobey God? They bring a penalty on themselves that they don't even realize at the time that they do it. If they're told, like Adam and Eve: 'Well this will be okay, try it you'll like it, it's really, really good, and you will really be wise.'

You know what happened. God came around, they were hiding themselves; God knew where they were. One atheist said, 'How can God be God if He didn't know where Adam was?' Of course God knew where Adam was, and He knew what happened! But God wanted to hear it from their own mouths. So, when they finally came out of the bushes and showed themselves to God, He said, 'Have you eaten of the tree that I told you not to eat of?'

Immediately, v12: "The man said, 'The woman… [Yes, Lord, it's Your fault! It's the woman] …whom You gave to be with me…' And the LORD God said to the woman, 'What is this you have done?' And the woman said… [it's not my fault] …'The serpent deceived me, and I ate.' And the LORD God said to the serpent, 'Because you have done this you are cursed above all livestock, and above every animal of the field. You shall go upon your belly, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life'" (vs 12-14).

Then, because of God's judgment to Adam and Eve for the sin that they committed, the whole environment was changed. Their relationship with God was changed. When they were living in the Garden of Eden, He was there, He appeared to them as flesh and bone. Of course, they could say, 'Well, we're not too much different than God. Maybe the serpent is right; maybe we can know a lot of things that God isn't going to tell us.'

So, here comes the judgment with the sentencing, v 15: "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed…'" That is ultimately Christ!

So, right at the beginning, when the first sins of human beings occurred… The first sins were of Satan the devil and the angels that followed him that became demons. They didn't repent! Adam and Eve didn't repent! Where does it say, 'O Lord, forgive me, I'm sorry.' Nowhere to be found. So, there's that enmity.

"'…He will bruise your head… [annul everything that you do] …and you shall bruise His heel'" (v 15).

So, when we come to the time of the Passover and crucifixion, this was a tremendous thing going on right there in Jerusalem between God, the angels of God, Satan and the demons and the authorities and people with Christ, God manifested in the flesh dying on the cross for the sins of mankind that began with Adam and Eve.

Verse 16: "To the woman He said, 'I will greatly increase your sorrow and your conception—in sorrow shall you bring forth children….'"

Not just the birth process, but the whole process of the emotional attachment that mothers have in a special way for their children. How many older women today have sorrow because of their children as adults.
"'…Your desire shall be toward your husband, and he shall rule over you'" (v 16).

That's the way that God set it up. There are a lot of women out there in the world following Satan the devil that don't like that. Do we go with the world? or Do we go with God? How was the man to rule? In love!

Verse 17: "And to Adam He said, 'Because you have hearkened to the voice of your wife…'"—instead of Me! Remember the three words: obey My voice! Isn't that the problem of all people down through the history of the world? Without a doubt!

"'…and have eaten of the tree—of which I commanded you, saying, "You shall not eat of it!"….'" (v17). Think about that! So important that when they ate of that, they put themselves also under the authority of Satan.

How do you suppose Satan said to Jesus during the temptation, that 'if You bow down and worship me, I'll give you all these nations and the glory of them for it has been given to me. And I give it to whomsoever I will!' How did Satan get it? Because whenever people reject God, go against God and break His commandments, there's an entrance for Satan! We know that in the end-time he's got the whole world deceived.

So, here's how it all started, and here's why we need a Savior and Redeemer. It cannot be just another man, an ordinary human being, because even justice wouldn't be served with that. God is interested in the whole human race, everyone who comes into the world.

• that's why God has His plan
• that's why there's a second resurrection

also

• that's why there will be a lake of fire

These things are never going to be repeated again in the Kingdom of God. So, God told them:

"…the ground is cursed for your sake. In sorrow shall you eat of it all the days of your life. It shall also bring forth thorns and thistles to you, and thus you shall eat the herbs of the field; in the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return" (vs 17-19).

So, here's the first prophecy of a Savior, and a prophecy that He would be crucified.

Let's fast forward all the way to John 3:16, the verse that the world knows by rote, but doesn't understand in the heart and spiritually. Oh yes, they all like to quote this. But this tells us a lot about God.
John 3:16: "For God so loved the world…"—everything that has been created, but in particularly all those things were created for mankind.

I don't care what Prime Minister Trudeau in Canada say about 'people-kind.' That's and effrontery to God! The word is mankind. Where did woman come from? From man! And the three letters at the end of 'woman' is man. You can re-define it and change it.

"…that He gave His only begotten Son…" (v 16). We're going to see some of the things that He had to do to become a man. Remember, all of this relates back to the original creation, which was 'Let Us—God the Father and Jesus Christ—make man in Our image after Our likeness, male and female, and let them have dominion over the whole earth.' That's the gift that God gave to all mankind!

"…His only begotten Son…" We'll talk about this a little bit more as we go through this message.

"…so that everyone who believes in Him…" (v 16)—continuously believing, not just professing, not just accepting, but believing unto action beginning with repentance! When you understand what God did, this was the greatest most manifest act of love, justice, righteousness and goodness, to rescue all mankind who will repent!

"…may not perish…" (v 16). This is in the Greek subjunctive, which is there are conditions applied to may that are very akin to if. That ties in with IFMA and free moral agency. You may! What are the conditions? We know that the New Testament says to repent and be baptized, love God and keep His commandments!

There's a difference between dying and perishing. Perishing means there's no longer anything about you that exists! That perishing is a complete consumption in the Lake of Fire.

Those who die sleep in Christ, and everybody else who dies sleep waiting for the second resurrection. The vast majority of them do not have a clue that that is going to happen. That's why we have the plan of God. That's why it starts with the Passover.

"…but may have everlasting life" (v 16). The world not understanding that thinks: 'we believe that we're saved.' They don't even realize that repenting of sins and having them forgiven is only the first step.

Now let's see what Jesus said about this. The book of John is full of a lot of things for us. God spoke to the people through Jesus Christ; He was God manifested in the flesh. He had to divest Himself of all of His glory and Divinity and become a pinprick of life to be begotten in the womb of the virgin Mary.

Follow this carefully: All life has male and female. The seed from the father must impregnate the egg of the mother. That impregnation is called begettal. The only Begotten Son of God the Father, none other! This becomes vitally important for God to do, because He cannot save mankind unless He Himself bears within Him the same judgment that He gave to Adam and Eve, yet, live in the flesh without sinning!

Like believing the Truth, they want to accept what they want and add to it what they desire. That's the whole story of mankind simply explained for their actions.

Since God made them, they have a spiritual component within called the spirit of man, so they get 'religious' and they have 'religions' and they have all of the things that they invent to try and make themselves right with God. They can never get right with God without the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Look at the 'religions' and what they've done to the Passover.

Why do you think we have a 500 page book on the Passover? Because of the sins and corruption of all men and women wanting to do their own way! That's why!

Jesus made it very clear, and keep this in mind concerning the coming Passover, which is the New Covenant renewal.

John 6:53: "Therefore, Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, you do not have life in yourselves.'" In other to do that:

• it has to be the way that God has provided
• it has to be as Jesus commanded
• it has to be at the time and the day that God gave with the things we are told in the Bible to use:
  • unleavened bread
  • wine
  • foot-washing

All of those combined, and it starts out, as we know, with foot-washing.

"…you do not have life in yourselves" (v 53). In other words, they do not have the Holy Spirit. You cannot keep and retain the Holy Spirit of God unless:

• you love God
• obey Him
• keep His Sabbaths
• keep His Holy Days

All of those are His commandments—are they not? Yes, indeed! Then live by every word of God!

This is speaking to them spiritually, and they didn't understand Him because they were carnal and they didn't believe.

Verse 54: "The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up in the last day." That tells a lot right there.

• the whole life of Christ
• the crucifixion of Christ
• His death
• His burial
• His resurrection
• His ascension to heaven
• the calling of the firstfruits, which are us
• the developing of His Church
• the carrying out of prophecy to the end-time

All of that's contained right there "…the last day"!

Verse 55: "For My flesh is truly food, and My blood is truly drink. The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood is dwelling in Me, and I in him."

Now, here's the reason why, and I want you to grasp this very important v 57.

• this is why we have the Passover
• this is why God made it special
• this is why only those who have the Spirit of God and have entered into a covenant relationship with God the Father and Jesus Christ should partake of the Passover

Verse 57: "As the living Father has sent Me, and I live by the Father; so also the one who eats Me shall live by Me." Remember what Jesus said when tempted by Satan the devil? When Satan said:

• Look at how much weight You have lost
• You're in sad condition, aren't You?
• You're weak, aren't You?
• You haven't eaten anything for 40 days and 40 nights!
• If You're the Son of God, You see these stones right here?
• Why don't You command them to become bread, fresh baked, very aromic bread?
• You can just smell the goodness of the bread coming right out of the rocks!
• That will be a benefit for You!

• What did Jesus say since He was a man—God in the flesh? He was speaking to Himself!
• Did not Jesus have to apply all the commandments of God to Himself? Yes, indeed!
• If He didn't, would He not sin? Yes, indeed!

So, when He said, 'man,' quoting the Scripture, He said, 'it's written.' Understand that God has it written down for a great and marvelous purpose that we can understand His way:

• if we have the Holy Spirit of God
• if we believe God
• if we keep His commandments
• if we hunger and thirst for Truth

God isn't going to give it any other way! He made that the standard!

Verse 57: "As the living Father has sent Me, and I live by the Father; so also the one who eats Me shall live by Me."

How did He live? Perfectly! And through Him, we can be perfected! We can't live perfectly, because we're still human beings. This is why we have the Passover, and why we renew the New Covenant every year.

Let's see what else Jesus said. It's quite a thing! The whole Gospel of John is a marvelous book, and tells us so many more things. In John 10 He talks about the only way you're going to get eternal life is through Him, He's the door! In:

John 14:6: "Jesus said to him, 'I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life…"

• You can't do it without Jesus Christ—period!
• You can't do it without the Father—period!
• You need Both!

God does a very interesting thing, you'll see this pattern throughout the Bible: He let's the detractors come first! Just like the thing with Elijah and the priests of Baal and the high places. Remember the sacrifice in 1-Kings 18; that was quite a day!

Look at all the prayers that all of these pagan priests did to try and prove that their Baal really lived, but they couldn't even wake him up. Even by pounding drums and jumping on the altar, cutting themselves and bleeding everywhere on the ground. So, when they got all done, Elijah said to set up the altar, put the wood and sacrifice on it, pour water on it three times and let the water run down. Remember, this is after three and a half years of drought, so water was pretty precious.

So, they put it on there and he gave a 21-second prayer: 'Lord God, show who is the true God in Israel!' BAM! Fire came down from heaven and devoured everything! All the water and everything! Israel had to admit that God was God, and not Baal!

But even Elijah, as strong as he was, had his weakness. He got afraid because Jezebel said, 'You killed all those priests and I'm going to some and get you.' He ran down to Mt. Horeb and hid in a cave, so God had to send a still voice saying, 'There there, Elijah, quit having a pity-party in a cave. I have 7,000 who have not bowed their knee to Baal. Now get up and go and do what I tell you to do.'

So, likewise here, John 10:8: "All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers…"

Verse 11: "I am the good Shepherd. The good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. But the one who is a hireling, and who is not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep, and flees…." (vs 11-12).

That is exactly what's happened over and over again during our day in the Church. Those who are supposed to be ministers are not studying and praying and repenting to keep established with God and understand the Truth. So, Satan comes along just like the Garden of Eden and says, 'Hey, here's some new doctrine. Think of what you could do with this new doctrine.' How many times has that happened? And it's happening right while you're listening to this.

Verse 14: "I am the good Shepherd, and I know those who are Mine, and am known of those who are Mine." How do you know? Because you love and obey by choice! IFMA: independent free moral agency!

Verse 15: "Just as the Father knows Me, I also know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep." Understand that Jesus did this because He loves all mankind. The Father loves the world! There are other sheep that have to come. There will be one flock and one Shepherd!

Verse 17: "On account of this, the Father loves Me: because I lay down My life, that I may receive it back again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have authority to lay it down and authority to receive it back again. This commandment I received from My Father" (vs 17-18).

That tells the whole story of the Passover!

(go to the next track)

Now let's look at some of the things that Jesus had to do, what He had to go through and how it was prophesied. He gave all of these prophecies of what was going to happen to Him.

Remember that He was slain from the foundation of the world, which means that He knew at the laying of the foundation of the world that this would have to happen. The plan of God is so great, so good and magnificent, that God had to come, manifested in the flesh—Jesus Christ—the only Begotten of the Father, to redeem mankind from their sins from Satan the devil and from themselves.

Philippians 2:6—concerning Jesus Christ: "Who, although He existed in the form of God…"  He existed! He was God!

John 1:1: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

Verse 3: "All things came into being through Him, and not even one thing that was created came into being without Him."

Think about how great this is. I want you think about how marvelous the plan of God is. As we go through these things that Jesus went through, I want you to ask yourself, and I will of myself: What have I really done to deserve this? None of us do! It's through the grace of God and through the shed blood of Jesus Christ!  

Philippians 2:6: "Who, although He existed in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but emptied Himself…" (vs 6-7).

He had to divest Himself of His glory. Remember what God told Moses when Moses asked Him, 'Show me Your glory.' God said, 'No man can look upon My face and live.' So, He had to give up His glory! How much of being God did He retain? We don't know! But enough to be God manifested in the flesh, the only Begotten of the Father in this particular manner. We are begotten of the Father in a different way. We're already born, already adults. The only Begotten—the One Who became Jesus, Immanuel: God with us—the Firstborn of the virgin Mary had to divest Himself of His glory to become a human being.

"…emptied Himself, and was made in the likeness of men, and took the form of a servant… [Greek: 'doulous' or slave] …and being found in the manner of man… [everything about how a human being functions he had, did and went through] …He humbled Himself…" (vs 7-8).

How much have we really humbled ourselves? Very little! But He greatly! "…and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (v 8).

Let's see what it was like. Christ prophesied of His own death. He knew exactly what was going to happen. We see elements of The Most High in here, as well. We have covered that doctrinal problem.

There are quite a few chapters in Isaiah that talk about God, the suffering of Jesus Christ, especially:

Isaiah 53:1: "Who has believed our report?…. [Who would have believed that God would do this?] …And to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant… [the childhood of Christ] …and as a root out of a dry ground; He has no form nor comeliness that we should look upon Him, nor beauty that we should desire Him" (vs 1-2). Isn't that interesting?

Notice that every rotten thing that every human being has to go through, He went through, though He was God manifested in the flesh.

Verse 3: "He is despised and rejected of men…" Read the Gospels, very few actually believed, especially of those in authority in government.

"…a Man of sorrows… [heavily burdened down] …and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from Him, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not" (v 3). We'll cover some of those things concerning what happened at the cross.

They got up there and shook their fists and said, 'Well, if You're the Son of God, get down from there and save Yourself, then we'll believe that you are God.'

He was "…stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted" (v 4). All prophesied to happen. As Creator of all mankind, only He and His death and shed blood would be sufficient payment to pay for all the sins of mankind.

Verse 5: "But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace…" In order to have peace with God, He had to be chastened, beaten and scourge!

Isaiah 52:14: "Many were astonished at Him—for His body was so disfigured—even His form beyond that of the sons of men." We know nothing about scourging—do we? Brutal! Terrible! Oppressive!

Isaiah 53:5: "…He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we ourselves are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned each one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (vs 5-6). Think about that!

Verse 7: "He was oppressed, and He was afflicted; yet, He opened not His mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter; and as a sheep before its shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth. By oppression and judgment He was taken away…" (vs 7-8).

Oh yes all the lies, all the super self-righteous 'religious' leaders. A lot of people want to know who killed Christ. Well, if you read the book: The Day Jesus the Christ Died, you will find this:

• the religious leaders represented all the religions in the world
• Pontus Pilate represented all the governments in the world
• the people who cried out 'Crucify Him!' represented all the people of the world

Symbolically crying out 'Crucify Him! Crucify Him!'

"…and with His generation who did consider that He was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgression of My people He was stricken" (v 8).

Everything that happened on that Passover Day when Christ died were all prophesied, all carried out, even to the parting of His vesture and casting lots.

Verse 9: "And He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death; although He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. Yet, the LORD willed to crush Him and He has put Him to grief: You shall make His life an offering for sin…." (vs 9-10). Out of that comes the good news.

Let's see what it was like coming before those soldiers; Isaiah 50:6: "I gave My back to the smiters, and My cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting, for the Lord GOD will help Me; therefore, I have not been disgraced. On account of this I have set My face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed" (vs 6-7).

Think of that! "…willed to crush Him…" to make and offering for sin.

Isaiah 53:10: "…He shall prolong His days… [He's resurrected afterward] …and that the purpose of the LORD might prosper in His hand"—the whole plan of God!
Brethren, I want us to understand what a fantastic and magnificent thing that it is that God has called us to be His very sons and daughters, and to be in the Kingdom of God, and live forever! Let that sink in. But He had to do this to make it possible.

Verse 11: "He shall see of the travail of His soul…. [yes, He looked down and saw His ribs exposed] …He shall be fully satisfied. By His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many; and He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore, I will divide to Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because He has poured out His soul to death…" (vs 11-12).

The soul that sins shall die, and He took upon Him the sins of the world. And He poured out of His soul every drop of blood.

"…and He was counted among the transgressors; and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for transgressors" (v 12).

Isn't that something! Think of what Jesus has done! This is absolutely marvelous, loving and fantastic beyond our comprehension. We can grasp it a little bit, but we need God's Spirit to let it sink deeply into our consciousness, and into our mind and heart.

Like Jesus told the apostles when He was going up to be crucified, He was telling them about it and said, 'Let this sink deep into your ears.' So, let these things sink deep into our heart and mind.

Now we're going to look at the three parts of the Passover Ceremony, the renewing of the New Covenant through the blood and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, in the King James they got it wrong. One among many things that they have gotten wrong.

John 13:1: "Now, before the Feast of the Passover, knowing that His time had come to depart from this world to the Father, Jesus, having loved His own who were in the world, loved them to the end. And after supper began… [as it was beginning] …(the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, that he should betray Him)" (vs 1-2).

There is always a betrayer from Satan, who likes to stealthily come in and confuse and change doctrine. That's why we always need to be alert. This also tells us that Satan can put it into the heart of people.

Verse 3: "Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God." Then He washed the disciples feet.

Here is the lesson, and it's quite a thing. How many churches in the world have foot-washing? Some do! But do they do it on the Passover. Most Protestant have it on the first Sunday of every quarter. How did they get that out of the Bible? They didn't! Whatever they do is meaningless! It's their own righteousness. It's their own tradition! But here foot-washing has great and tremendous meaning for us.

Verse 12: "Therefore, when He had washed their feet, and had taken His garments, and had sat down again, He said to them, 'Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me the Teacher and the Lord, and you speak rightly, because I am'" (vs 12-13).

Now, listen to these verses, because this is what Jesus commanded us to do because He did it. Here's the purpose and the lesson. With everything concerning the Passover, there's:

• a purpose
• a meaning
• a lesson
• an application

Foot-washing is to help us have the right attitude, humbling accepting what Jesus did.

Verse 13: "You call Me the Teacher and the Lord, and you speak rightly, because I am Therefore, if I, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also are duty-bound to wash one another's feet" (vs 13-14).

It's not optional! If someone doesn't like it, go! You have not part with us! The way that the pope does it is absolutely blasphemous indeed!

Verse 15: "For I have given you an example, to show that you also should do exactly as I have done to you." That's why we have the foot-washing.

Verse 16—here is the lesson: "Truly, truly I tell you, a servant… ['doulous': slave] …is not greater than his lord, nor a messenger greater than he who sent him."

What happens with all of these ministers of worldly Christianity? They have all of these things that they do, and these are their own ideas and they're supposedly representing Jesus Christ. How can they when they supposedly are the messengers, but they bring the wrong confused message?

You could say that they're well-intentioned. That may be true, but well-intentioned by whose inspiration? God's? or Satan's? Yes, Satan wants them to do those things! Desecrate what is a covenant renewal into a different practice. Let them think that they are doing something that God wants, but it's contrary to the will of God!

Just exactly the message that Satan brought in the Garden of Eden: 'God knows that in the day that you eat thereof, you shall be wise and you will be like God, to decide good and evil.' That's what people do with their own carnal minds and methods!

That's the first thing. Now let's see that eating Jesus' flesh and drinking His blood is symbolic of the bread and wine. Someone is going to say that it doesn't say wine, it says 'fruit of the vine.' Well, are grapes harvested right after the winter? No! What happens if you juice out the grapes. It ferments into wine because there is yeast right on the skins of the grapes. It's wine; Greek: 'oinos.'

Sidebar: If you have been an alcoholic and you no longer are an alcoholic, or if you have made a vow to God not to drink any alcohol, then and only then would grape juice be allowed.

Matthew 26:26: "And as they were eating, Jesus took the bread and blessed it; then He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, 'Take, eat; this is My body.'" Eating the flesh of Jesus, as we saw in John 6, is symbolically fulfilled by eating the Passover bread.

Now let's see what He did after that; v 27: "And He took the cup; and after giving thanks, He gave it to them, saying, 'All of you drink of it; for this is My blood, the blood of the New Covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins.'" (vs 27-28). 'Many' means all of those who come to repentance, and during the Millennium that will be everyone there.

Remember that whenever a covenant is made, blood must be shed by both parties. The other way is that you devote your whole being instead of a little blood. That's what baptism is all about. It's greater than producing a little blood.

When the Indians made a covenant, they sliced their thumb or hand and put their hand or thumb together and the blood mingled and that was covenant. We're going to see that that New Covenant is greater. The death of Christ is the whole focal part of it. That's God's part of the covenant and we will see that we have a part with the covenant, too.

Mark 14:21: "'The Son of man indeed goes, just as it has been written of Him… [everything was laid out and written] …but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would be better for that man if he had not been born.'…. [talking about Judas Iscariot] …And as they were eating, Jesus took bread; and after blessing it, He broke it and gave it to them, and said, 'Take, eat; this is My body'" (vs 21-22). Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man—symbolically eaten by this bread—you have no life in you!

Verse 23: "And He took the cup; and after giving thanks, He gave it to them; and they all drank of it. And He said to them, 'This is My blood, the blood of the New Covenant, which is poured out for many'" (vs 23-24).

So, you have foot-washing, the unleavened bread that we eat and the wine that we drink; those are emblems of the New Covenant. How do these things fit in with us? Because Jesus took upon Him 'the law of sin and death' and never sinned, His sacrifice and shed blood covers the sins of all who repent.

We have a sermon series and in-depth studies the book of Romans. Romans has some very difficult things to understand, and in the King James Version and other versions is so bad that it's difficult to understand the critical, important parts you need to do.

Romans 3:20: "Therefore, by works of law there shall no flesh be justified before Him…" That means any work of any law. Whatever you may do, it cannot bring justification.

• Why?
• Is anything greater than the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and His shed blood?
• Any animal sacrifice?
• Any great work that a person could do?

Nothing! Nothing!

The "…works of law…" here were the traditions of the Jews and the animal sacrifices at the temple. Or whatever works of law that any religion has can never reconcile you to God! Only the shed blood of Jesus Christ applied to the life of the repentant sinner!

"…for through the Law is the knowledge of sin…. [there is a place for Law and we have to obey it] …But now the righteousness of God that is separate from law… [any law that has been designed to bring justification; that's what the sacrifices were for] …has been revealed… [life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and His shed blood]  being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets" (vs 20-21).

Didn't we read in the Prophets the prophecy of the coming Passover sacrifice of Christ? Yes!

Verse 22: "Even the righteousness of God that is through the faith of Jesus Christ…"

• you must believe in Christ
• you must believe in His sacrifice
• you must look to Him

That is greater than any law of justification!

"…toward all and upon all those who believe… [belief and repentance go hand-in-hand] …for there is no difference. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; but are being justified freely by His grace…" (vs 22-24):

• His mercy
• His kindness
• His love
• His grace

Everything about God!

"…through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (v 24). Nothing else can redeem anyone from anything except the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and His shed blood, and His resurrection to administer it! Nothing!

Verse 25: "Whom God has openly manifested to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, in respect to the remission of sins that are past."

Not going to get a blanket coverage ahead of time! When you sin, in an instant of time it's already past. All sins that are past are forgiven. Just think of what kind of behavior you would have if you were given carte blanche for all sins in the future for all time! That there wouldn't be anything you could do that would take that away! That is the deception of the statement that:

 'The love of God is unconditional and it doesn't matter what you do.If you just believe in Jesus you are saved and there's nothing you can do to get rid of it.'

How do they justify rejecting the Lake of Fire? That tells us that, yes, there are some things you can do that will not receive God's love! You will receive His judgment in death!

Verse 26: "Through the forbearance of God; yes, to publicly declare His righteousness in the present time, that He might be just, and the One Who justifies the one who is of the faith of Jesus."

Our faith is to grow to become the faith of Christ within us! The faith of Christ is applied to us because He willingly gave His life and laid it down in faith on the promise that He could lay it down and receive it back! Christ had total absolute faith in God the Father!

Because God graciously does this, there are no plaques, no cups of victory, no medals, none of these things. That's what the Jews had: phylacteries. Every time they did a good deed they put a little medal on there. The more good deeds they had, the more medals they had on their phylacteries. They would boast, 'Oh look at the one, the mighty righteous rabbi.'

Verse 27: "Therefore, where is boasting? It is excluded. Through what law? The law of works? By no means! Rather, it is through a law of faith."

• your belief
• your repentance
• taking your IFMA—independent free moral agency
• you choose to repent

• God's Spirit convicts you to that repentance
• God applies the blood and sacrifice of Christ to you

• That's what the Passover is all about!
• That is the law of faith for the forgiveness of sins!

And entering into the New Covenant, because the New Covenant goes on way beyond just the forgiveness of sins that are past.

Verse 28: "Consequently, we reckon that a man is justified by faith, separate from works of law. Is He the God of the Jews only?…." (vs 28-29).

They boast that they're the 'chosen people'; yet, they don't even know where to build the temple in Jerusalem.

"…Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? YES! He is also God of the Gentiles since it is indeed one God Who will justify the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through faith…. [same Greek word with two different meanings, though meaning virtually the same thing] …Are we, then, abolishing the Law through faith? MAY IT NEVER BE! Rather, we are establishing the Law" (vs 29-31).

Why? Because now you desire to keep it! Rather than live in sin and transgress it! Think on that!

Now we will see what our covenant sacrifice is when we come to Christ, and what God does; Romans 6:1: "What then shall we say? Shall we continue in sin so that grace may abound? MAY IT NEVER BE! We who died to sin… [How do we die to sin?] …how shall we live any longer therein?" (vs 1-2).

You die to sin through baptism! Baptism is your covenant sacrifice, my covenant sacrifice; Christ has already done His. Both parties have to have a sacrifice. God gave His life:

• beaten
• scourged
• crucified
• spit upon
• rejected
• mocked

to have that blood be the sacrifice for the sins of all mankind!

We have our sacrifice, which is a symbolic sacrifice, and is greater than shedding blood and greater than any work of law, because it involves your whole being. That sacrifice is baptism! How do you die to sin? Baptism is a symbolic death! Your covenant death to be united with the death of Christ!

Verse 3: "Or are you ignorant that we, as many as were baptized into Christ Jesus, were baptized into His death? Therefore, we were buried with Him through the baptism into the death… [conjoined to the death of Christ] …so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, in the same way, we also should walk in newness of life" (vs 3-4)—because the rest of our life is walking in God's way!

Jesus proved what He did and righteousness unto His death. We have been living in sin and those sins are buried in the watery grave of baptism. Now then, in order to receive eternal life, we must be faithful in love and Truth unto repentance and service to God the rest of our lives to inherit eternal life at the return of Jesus Christ.

Verse 4: "Therefore, we were buried with Him through the baptism into the death so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, in the same way, we also should walk in newness of life." What is that "…newness of life"? With the Spirit of God:

• keeping the commandments of God
• loving God with all of heart, mind and being
• loving Jesus Christ

This is what the Passover is all about, to renew that covenant! Yes, we all fall short—don't we? That's why we have the Passover every year, to renew it! Notice the promise:

Verse 5: "For if we have been conjoined together in the likeness of His death, so also shall we be in the likeness of His resurrection." We are looking forward to that through eternal life!

The rest of it blends into the Feast of Unleavened Bread. How do we live once we are baptized and have been conjoined to the death of Jesus Christ in the watery grave, which is our pledge of our future death if we are not faithful?

See you at the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Take the time between now and then to:

• pray
• examine yourself
• look at your life
• cry out to God
• take time in extra prayer and study

So that you, when you come to the Passover, will have full conscious understanding and meaning of what this Passover is all about, when Jesus said, 'He who eats My flesh shall live by Me.'

Scriptural References:

• Genesis 3:1-7, 12-19
• John 3:16
• John 6:53-57
• John 14:6
• John 10:8, 11-12, 14-15, 17-18
• Philippians 2:6
• John 1:1, 3
• Philippians 2:6-8
• Isaiah 53:1-5
• Isaiah 52:14
• Isaiah 53:5-10
• Isaiah 50:6-7
• Isaiah 53:10-12
• John 13:1-3, 12-16
• Matthew 26:26-28
• Mark 14:21-24
• Romans 3:20-31
• Romans 6:1-5

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• 1 Corinthians 5
• Revelation 13; 1
• 1 Kings 18

Also referenced:

Books:

• The Christian Passover by Fred R. Coulter
• The Day Jesus the Christ Died by Fred R. Coulter

Sermon Series: Paul's Epistle to the Romans

FRC: bo
Transcribed: 2/26/18

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