Holy Week is Significant

Easter is one of the most sacred days of Christianity. At this time of year, I often wonder how many Christians think Jesus could have died on any day and still fulfill his mission.

The reality is that Jesus had to die on the exact day that he died. Did you know that?

If we believe, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!" Then, we simultaneously must believe that Jesus was the ultimate Passover Lamb. According to multiple verses in the Old Testament, the passover lamb was killed for the atonement of sins on Nisan 14. The Feast of Unleavened Bread began on Nisan 15 with a Sabbath Day. This does not necessarily mean that Nisan 15 fell on a Saturday.

According to www.messianicbible.com, the passover lamb would have been chosen on Nisan 10 so the family could observe the animal to ensure it was without blemish. Therefore, what we refer to as THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY (Mark 11) would have taken place on Nisan 10.

Another important steps of preparation was to clean the entire house so that is was free from any bacteria, yeast, fungus - anything that would cause the unleavened bread to become impure. This practice was done after the lamb was chosen, but before the passover meal. In Mark 11:15-19, Jesus went into the temple and chased away that which caused his house to become impure. Jesus was preparing his home for passover.

It is likely that you know the events of the last supper, Jesus' arrest and crucifixion. Did you know that the priest would have filled a cup with the passover lamb's blood for the family to take as a token of their covenant redemption? When Jesus took the cup and said, "This is the new covenant in my blood...", the disciples knew precisely that a cup of blood came from a passover lamb that died.

The next day, Jesus died on a cross and paid for the sins of all mankind and offered the free gift of salvation to all who believe.

Of course, Jesus rose from the grave on Sunday morning. All of these events were strategically managing and fulfilled so Jesus Christ could be the atonement and redeemer for you and me.

How do you intentionally prepare for Easter morning? If you do not have a church family, you are invited to join us Sunday at 11am.