March 14, 2010

Mark 14:1-26
Like many families when I was a kid, we raised many things. At one time or another we had a cat a dog, a covey of rabbits, a parakeet, a hamster, and a variety of fish. But I will never forget raising a bunch of roosters. We bought them as chicks from Stillwater Hatchery. We raised them to the right size and age to eat. Mom was really good at killing those guys. I suppose that I could tell a story or two here, but I will spare you. But one of the things I remember was that having raised the roosters, it put a new light on eating chicken, especially those chickens. One of the roosters I had named Crooked Finger because he had a crooked toe. As we ate the fowl, I often wondered, "Is this Crooked Finger?" Somehow that chicken meat didn't taste quite as good to me as the chicken purchased at the grocery store. (Oh in case you are wondering, we didn't eat our other animals. Just thought you ought to know.)
The Passover meal had been celebrated for over 1470 years by the Jewish people by the time of Jesus' death. Oh sure, there were generations of the nation where the feast was almost lost, but God was the one who initiated the feast, and He always brought back a revival of it. Understanding the Passover is central to understanding the Bible and the whole earthly ministry of Jesus, the Christ. Exodus 12 gives the instructions for how the original Passover was to be carried out. On the tenth day of the first month of the Jewish calendar, each family was to select one lamb. It was to be a lamb without blemish. They essentially lived with the lamb until the 14th day of the month. At twilight they were to slay the lamb, to put blood on the doorposts and lintel, to roast the lamb, and to eat it. All who participated in this event would be spared the visit of the Death Angel that night.
I think selecting the lamb 4 days before slaying it did more than just make sure it was a lamb without blemish. I think it reinforced the whole idea that this innocent being was dying in your place and you could live only by consuming it. Chickens are not the brightest of animals, but they certainly are not as cuddly as a lamb. Was there any emotional bonding between the people and the sacrificial lamb? Who knows! But I suspect there was some.
Jesus makes it very clear to the disciples that He is the central figure in the Passover meal. Covenants at the time of Moses were sealed with a meal. The Passover meal was the covenant meal between God and Israel. He was calling them out of Egypt, calling them out of bondage. But Israel was unable to keep the commands of the covenant. Because of their inability to obey, Jeremiah, at the destruction of Israel, promised a New Covenant which Israel would be able to keep.
Jesus says that His body is the New Covenant through which we are spared the visit of the death angel and given the ability to obey Him. It is one thing to know of Him sacrificing His body for me. It is entirely another to know Him and consider that it was for me that He literally chose to die in my place. The chickens and the lambs didn't have a choice in the matter. He chose to die knowing full well what He was doing. That is part of His glory. He knew. He chose. He died that we might live. It adds a whole different light to communion, particularly when we have bonded to Him in a daily pursuit of His glory. It reminds us of His great love. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john