April 4, 2026 - The Final Passover
- brooks16055
- 14 hours ago
- 5 min read
Saturday. The Sabbath day. Shabbat. The day of rest. But this is no ordinary Shabbat. This is the Passover. Pesach. The day that the Israelites remembered how God saved them from death. How the angel of death passed over every house that had the blood of the lamb on their door posts. A day of remembrance and celebration. I can't imagine what a painful day this had to be for the disciples. They were mourning the death of Jesus. They were frightened for their lives. Would they be next? |And if you have ever watched the movie "The Passion of the Christ", you understand how much brutality they watched Jesus endure throughout the day before. I imagine that what they saw had to be replayed in their minds over and over again. I am sure that they only saw the suffering, pain and loss at the time but afterward they saw the faithfulness and power of Jesus through it all.
Luke 23:34 NIV
[34] Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
They saw Jesus forgiving those who had mocked Him and spit on Him. Those who had beaten Him and nailed Him to the cross. And He forgives them. He is faithful to forgive just as He had taught His disciples to forgive. There is power in forgiveness.
Forgive without limits.
Matthew 18:21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
Forgive even your enemies and those who would harm you.
Matthews 5:38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.
Forgive and pray for them.
Matthew 5:43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
That is exactly what Jesus does. He forgives them then He prays for them. He asks the Father to forgive them not because He needs to (He is God) but so that everyone would hear it. He sets the ultimate example of forgiveness.
Luke 23:35-43 NIV
[35] The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” [36] The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar [37] and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.” [38] There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews. [39] One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” [40] But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? [41] We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” [42] Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” [43] Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
They witnessed Jesus go through more abuse, mockery and ridicule while on the cross, but they also saw that Jesus was still influencing people for truth. I imagine that His verbalization of forgiveness was part of that influence on the criminal. Even in this moment that seems dark and sad in the eyes of the disciples they get to see that even in pain and about to die He has concern for those who turn to Him. He has the power to change the eternity of the lost.
Luke 23:44-49 NIV
[44] It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, [45] for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. [46] Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. [47] The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” [48] When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. [49] But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
They saw the power in creation responding to His situation. Jesus was on the cross by choice. No one could put Him on the cross unless He allowed it. And He would only die in His time. It was His choice to give up His spirit into the Father's hands. They saw His power to continue to save the lost. Even the crowd who had ridiculed Him and the centurion who crucified Him came to recognize His power.
Luke 23:50-56 NIV
[50] Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, [51] who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he himself was waiting for the kingdom of God. [52] Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. [53] Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. [54] It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. [55] The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. [56] Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.
They saw a member of the Jewish leaders arranging for Jesus body to be placed in His own tomb. They saw exactly where that tomb was. They had to be sure be sure because they couldn't prepare the body in time to be ready for Passover. They did all they could by getting the spices and perfumes ready to prepare the body ahead of time so they could go first thing in the morning on Sunday. So, this day is the day that they stayed home and rested. The day of rest. The day of remembrance. The day after the blood of the perfect lamb, Jesus, was shed. The blood that covers every person who puts their faith in Him. The blood that signals the angel of death to pass over not only all of them but over all those who believe in Him.
The final Passover, "It is finished"!
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