“Jesus was eager to eat the Passover meal with the disciples, and probably He knew that it was the last meal He would eat with them before the crucifixion“

This week is special; not only for Christians but also for the Jews. Passover and Good Friday coincides this year. The reason this coincidence is special is that the very first Good Friday–the one 2,000 years ago when Jesus died–was Passover. In Judaism, Passover commemorates the story of the Israelites’ departure from ancient Egypt, which appears in the Hebrew Bible’s books of Exodus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, among other texts, and their entry into the Promise Land. Jews observe the weeklong festival with a number of important rituals, including a traditional Passover meal.

And we, as believers of Jesus, remember Our Saviour’s bloodshed on the cross of Calvary–the perfect Passover lamb. The common factors in both are:
1. Freedom: For the Jews, it was liberty from Egyptian reign and for us, it is a celebration of Jesus setting us free from the clutches of sin, and, of course, God’s victory over Satan.

2. The Lamb: You find the usage of this word in both the cases. While one was the animal literally, the other was Jesus, who is tagged the Lamb of God.

You might have comes across the text in the Scripture that talks about how Jesus celebrated a Passover meal with His disciples, the day before His crucifixion. 

In Luke 22: 1-2, we read,
Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, ² and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people.

Therefore, just before the Passover feast, there was a plot to kill Jesus. In the eighth verse of the same chapter, we read,

Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”

We notice a significant connection between Passover and Good Friday. Jesus was eager to eat the Passover meal with the disciples, and probably He knew that it was the last meal He would eat with them before the crucifixion. This is, of course, until the meal together in the kingdom of God mentioned in Revelations 19: 9,

⁹ Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”

In 1 Corinthians 6-8, we read,

⁶Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? ⁷ Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.⁸ Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

On that cross, Christ had a brutal death. God permitted it. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, our sins are forgiven; this is for everyone who believes and trusts in God. It was God’s sovereign will and part of a plan that was established long ago. God’s love for us was so tremendous that through Jesus, we are absolved of our sins and given authority for those who put their trust in Him.

Now, let us look at Hebrews 12: 2

fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Now, let us go to the first verse in this chapter:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,

Jesus completed the race while focusing on the joy that was put in front of him. He suffered on the cross and went through unbearable pain, yet He refused to give up or halt mid-way. We are commanded to complete the race the same way: with tenacity and persistence!  Not just on the day we gave our lives to the Lord or in the early days of our faith. We are crucified with Christ when we accept the Lord. We no longer exist; instead, Christ lives in us, and because of this, we are able to live a life of sacrifice. 

Because Jesus underwent these trials, we are able to withstand the suffering, the humiliation, and the anguish, and afterward, just like Him, we too will have a resurrected life.

I hope and pray that this will be your greatest hope and delight as you push through the hurdles and criticism to finish the race. I have been emphasising the need of keeping our thoughts on things above and away from the material world. I urge you to persist. When you’re running, keep your eyes on Jesus’ example, and when you’re feeling tired, keep running with the joyous prize in mind. Live with the fullest intentionality and a great deal of hope, and we will also experience joy and wholeness in our resurrected bodies.

Like the singer Jim Reeves sang:

This world is not my home
I'm just a-passing through
My treasures are laid up
Somewhere beyond the blue

Consider this

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As we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, I want to remind you once again to RUN with perseverance:

1. R-Reach out to Jesus during your season in the pit, and hold on to Him during your climb up the mountain. He will not let your feet stumble. Remember to not lean on your own strength but trust in Jesus even when everything seems blurry.
2. U– Understand the Lord’s purpose for your life. You are here for a reason so ask God to reveal His plans and purposes for your life. This will help you to be intentional and focussed on living a life that is pleasing unto the Lord.
3. N– Nourish your spirit with the Word of God. The Scripture contains instructions that helps\ one run with passion and fervour. So, keep feeding your spirit God’s Word.