Sunday service, Erlo Stegen, 27 March 2016
1Cor 5:7-8
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.
There was a certain man from China who had murdered someone. He was sentenced to death by hanging. A pastor went to visit him and told him the good news that Jesus died to carry his guilt and sin so that he could be completely forgiven and cleaned. The man was overcome with emotion and replied, “do Christians everywhere believe this?” The pastor affirmed it. He said that he was familiar with many Christians who don’t believe it, for had they believed it, their faces would not be downcast and sad, but radiant. He also said that if it was really true he’d be willing to walk throughout China on glass on his hands and knees in thankfulness.
Judas was weighed down under the crushing burden that he had betrayed the Lord and so he went out and hanged himself. But Peter, when his eyes met the eyes of Jesus, humbled himself because of his sin and found forgiveness.
When Peter heard that Christ had risen he was so thrilled that he ran to the tomb, and found the burial clothes lying there, but the tomb was empty and he knew Christ had risen indeed (John 20). Jesus went out of the cocoon of the grave clothes. He had grave clothes from his head to his feet, embalmed like in plaster of Paris, but when He arose the grave clothes were left behind.
Sin brings hell to us. But forgiveness of sin brings heaven. Jesus rose from the dead and we arose with Him. For when Jesus hung on the Cross God put us into Him. We have our Passover now. We died with Him, and we rose with Him. Jesus removed His people from their bondage in Egypt. He released you from your sin, your temper, your sexual immorality etc.
When Israel was redeemer from Egypt they rejoiced, but in Egypt there was mourning, the firstborn having been killed by the angel of death.
We have our Lamb that was slain for us. In confessing our sins we’re taking the Blood and smearing it on the doorposts. When the angel comes he sees that we have been redeemed, not with silver or gold but by the precious Blood of the Lamb (1Pet 1:18). He was slain for us to redeem us from our sins. Now we have this wonderful resurrection day where we have been redeemed from our sins.
When we receive the Lord’s supper we say thank you Lord that you have redeemed us and set us free from our sins.
If we claim to have no sin we lie but if we confess our sins we find forgiveness (1John 1:8-9). Through Him we find forgiveness and cleansing, we who were cursed because of our sins. Nothing can condemn us. Hell had been defeated and lost its power.