A Beautiful and Terrible Commemoration

by Timothy Howe

Passover
This week commemorates one of most important season for Christians. It is a time when we remember the central truth of our faith - that Jesus left heaven and came to earth for us. The events that unfold during this week took place at a very holy time of the year for the Hebrew people. It was a time of the celebration of Passover. Passover was an institution that commemorated the night that God struck down the first born son of the Egyptians who kept the Hebrews as slaves.


On that terrible night the Hebrews had to adhere to certain commands in order to evade the same destruction that befell the Egyptians. These commands concerning the actions required are found in Exodus 12:1-14.

Take time to read Exodus 12:1-14 to understand these events.

On the night prescribed, the Hebrews did as they were commanded. Then the death angel came and destroyed the firstborn from every house which did not have the mark of the blood of the lamb.  In the morning, when the Pharaoh saw this terrible thing, he finally relented and let the people of Israel be freed of their slavery.

This festival commemorates a beautiful and also terrible thing. Passover is beautiful as it commemorates the rescue of people from slavery and death. It is terrible as it commemorates the blood that was shed in this process.

Our Passover

Jesus's ministry results in his execution. The last meal Jesus has with His disciples is the Passover meal (Luke 22:7-20). It is no accident that Jesus was executed at this time time of year. Passover pictures His terrible death as the beautiful act of our freedom from the slavery of sin and death. He has become our Passover lamb. The Lord’s Supper is our Passover Commemoration.

As a result of Christ's work, He redefined the meaning of the Passover meal retaining two chief components - the wine and the bread. The bread represents His body that was broken as a sacrifice for His followers. The wine represents His blood as it inaugurated the new covenant spoken of in Jeremiah 31:31-34. 

This new meal goes by various names - the Lord's Supper, Communion, Eucharist. It is one of the few things that Christ directly commands us to adhere to in His memory and it binds all Christians throughout the world together regardless of our background. It is not to be taken lightly (1 Corinthians 11:27-29).

Keys to understanding this ceremony are that it reminds us of the terrible sacrifice made by Christ on our behalf and that it reminds us of the beautiful result of that sacrifice and of His ongoing presence in our lives. The meal serves as both a beautiful and terrible commemoration. 

May you contemplate what our Lord endured for you this week.

May you experience the Lord's presence in your life today.