God's Passover Lamb (Part 1)

Summary of sermon by Erlo Stegen, 18 Apr 2014

Matthew 19

19 And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.

20 This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin.

21 Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews.

22 Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.

Few understand the meaning of the Cross, or the meaning of the Passover. It's more than 2000 years since He died and rose again, yet many don't know about it. Have you grasped it? When last have you shared the meaning of Passover with someone else?

There's a book in heaven recording everything you say and do. What will it be like when your book is read on the Judgment Day?

2Cor 4

10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

Paul experienced Christ's death working daily in his life.

There was a time early in the revival when many blind people received their sight. A certain blind man came because he heard many received their sight from his area. But rev Stegen said to him, 'before you see with your physical eyes, you must see with your spiritual eyes. Have you seen Jesus Christ dying for your sins? ' He replied that he wasn't part of those that killed Jesus. But then rev Stegen explained to him that Jesus died so that we could have peace with God and the wall of enmity be removed. He replied that he never saw it like that before but now he understood and saw Jesus for the first time. As he said that his eyes were opened.

Have you seen and experienced the power of the risen Lord?

Kanaan is symbolic for being set free. Much is made of freedom today but freedom only comes through Jesus Christ (Gal 5:1).

Someone had a small child that died. After they had buried the child in a shallow grave, as they walked away they heard the child cry. Imagine what went through the mother as she heard the child cry. They dug up the grave and found the child still alive.

Do you hear the cry of souls that are lost? A person without the Holy Spirit always sees the sins of everyone else except their own.

Remember how the Pharisees brought the woman caught in adultery to Jesus to have her stoned. But Jesus told them that the one without sin could throw the first stone. No one threw a stone for they were convicted of their own sin.

But they accused Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God, and condemned Him to death.

He bore our sin on the tree, as we read in Isaiah 53 and in Peter how that He bore our sins. Have you realised that? Has it been revealed to you?

The Lamb of God had to suffer because of you. Every sin you've committed is recorded in heaven.

Even what Pilot wrote and placed on His Cross was wrong. It was only half true. He was not just the King of the Jews, but He is the King of us all. And He was not just Jesus of Nazareth, but He is the Alpha and Omega. He was born in Bethlehem. They wrote what they wrote just to mock Him. Pilot was playing politics. He was mocking both Jesus and the Jews.

In Deuteronomy we read that the one who hangs on a tree is cursed, and so He was cursed for us (Deut 21:23).

In heaven so much was taking place, the Lamb of God, the High Priest above any other priest, had overcome and changed History, yet they were mocking.

They mocked but for 2000 years the Jews are suffering for it. They even said "may His blood come upon us and our children" (Matt 27:25).

Don't mock God and put your finger in His eye. You will suffer for it in time and eternity. How blessed the Jews could have been but they are suffering for it till today.

Pray that God will keep you from making the wrong decision. Jesus humbled Himself and God exalted Him and gave Him a Name above every other name (Philippians 2:8-11).

Humble yourself under God's hand. If you're not prepared to humble yourself your end will be terrible.