Tonight, we gather not merely to eat, but to remember a great and terrible night long ago when the Lord God showed His mighty hand. In the land of Egypt, God’s people were servants to a hard-hearted King called Pharaoh. They cried out in their bondage, and the Lord heard them. He sent a message to His people: every house must take a lamb, a lamb without blemish, and keep it until the fourteenth day. Then, they were to kill the lamb and strike its blood upon the two side posts and the upper door post of their houses. The Lord promised, “And when I see the blood, I will pass over you” (Exodus 12:13).
That night, death came to Egypt, but the homes marked by the blood of the lamb were safe. This was the first Passover, a day for the children of Israel to remember forever. But little ones, you must know that this was also a “shadow” of a much greater story. Just as that little lamb had no spots and died so the families could live, God promised that one day He would send the perfect Lamb. This Lamb would not just save one family from a King in Egypt, but would save the whole world from the power of sin and death.
Many years later, the Lord Jesus sat at a table just like this one. He took the bread, and when He had given thanks, He brake it, and said, “Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:24). He was telling His friends that He was the true Passover Lamb. He was pure, kind, and without any sin “blemish.” Just as the blood was put on the wooden doorposts in Egypt, Jesus’ blood was shed upon the wooden cross to cover us and keep us safe from the judgment of God.
But the story does not end at the cross. After the Lamb was slain, He was buried in a tomb, hidden away. For three days, the world waited in silence. Then, on the third day, which was the Sabbath, the Lord of Glory rose from the dead! He is no longer in the grave; He is alive forevermore! Because He rose on the Sabbath, He showed us that He is our true rest. When we trust in Him, we don’t have to be afraid of the dark or even of death, because the Lamb has won the victory.
Now, as we eat this unleavened bread and remember the bitter herbs of Egypt, let us look forward with a “Blessed Hope.” The same Jesus who was the Passover Lamb is coming back again as the King of Kings. We wait for Him with watching eyes and happy hearts, knowing that the blood of the Lamb has set us free. “Stand fast, for the King is at the door.”
A Question for the Children: If the blood on the door kept the families safe in Egypt, how does knowing Jesus is our Passover Lamb make you feel safe today?