Christ Our Passover

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1 Corinthians 5:7-8

Purge out therefore the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, as you are unleavened…

I. CHRIST IS TYPIFIED HERE UNDER THE PASCHAL LAMB. Read Exodus 12. Note —

1. The victim — the lamb. No other creature could so well have typified Him who was "holy, harmless," &c., and a sacrifice for sin.

(1) It was a lamb without blemish. And was not Jesus Christ even such? Born of the pure Virgin, begotten of the Holy Ghost, His soul was pure, and His life was the same. In Him was no sin. Ye who have known the Lord, say, can ye find any fault with your Saviour?

(2) "A male of the first year." Then it was in its prime. And so our Lord had just come to the ripeness of manhood when He was offered. He did not give Himself to die for us when He was a youth, for He would not then have given all He was to be, nor in old age, when He was in decay. And, moreover, at His death, "He cried with a loud voice," &c., a sign that His soul was strong within Him. And does not the thought rise up — if Jesus gave His all to me, should I not give my little all to Him?

2. The place where this lamb was to be killed. The first passover was held in Egypt, the second in the wilderness; but there were no more until Israel came to Canaan. And then (Deuteronomy 16:5) God no longer allowed them to slay the lamb in their own houses, but appointed a place for its celebration, viz., Jerusalem. In Jerusalem our Lamb was sacrificed for us; it was at the precise spot where God had ordained that it should be. If that mob at Nazareth had been able to compass His death, type and prophecy could not have been fulfilled.

3. The manner of its death. It was to be slaughtered, and its blood caught in a basin. Next it was to be roasted, but it was not to have a bone of its body broken. Now nothing but crucifixion can answer all these three things. Crucifixion has in it the shedding of blood — the hands and feet were pierced. It has in it the idea of roasting, which signifies a long torment. Moreover, not a bone was broken, which could not have been the case with any other punishment.

II. HOW WE DERIVE BENEFIT FROM HIM.

1. By having His blood sprinkled on us for our redemption. Note that the blood of the paschal lamb was not sprinkled on the threshold, but on the top of the door, on the side-post, for woe unto him who trampleth under foot the blood of the Son of God! tits blood must be on our right hand to be our constant guard, and on our left to be our continual support. It is not alone the blood of Christ poured out on Calvary that saves a sinner; it is that blood sprinkled on the heart. It is not enough to say "He loved the world, and gave His Son"; you must say, "He loved me, and gave Himself for me." There is an hour coming when God will say, "Angel of death, thou knowest thy prey. Unsheath thy sword." If we have the blood on us, when we see the angel coming, we shall smile at him. "Bold shall I stand in that great day," &c.

2. Christ is not only a Saviour for sinners, but He is food for them after they are saved. We must live on Christ as well as by Christ.

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