This video is a Maundy Thursday sermon that explores the deep theological connection between the Old Testament Passover and the New Testament Sacrament of Holy Communion, explaining how Jesus fulfilled the ancient sacrificial tradition.
The sermon begins by focusing on Maundy Thursday, explaining that the word “Maundy” comes from the Latin mandatum (commandment), referring to Jesus’ “new commandment” to love as he loved [00:58]. Jesus demonstrated this love by instituting Holy Communion at the Last Supper [01:27].
The core of the sermon analyzes how Jesus transformed the Jewish Passover memorial—which commemorated God rescuing Israel from slavery in Egypt through a lamb’s sacrifice—into a memorial for all people, rescuing them from slavery to sin and death through the sacrifice of Jesus, the Lamb of God [02:14].
Pastor Steve discusses two key details from the Old Testament Passover instructions (Exodus 12):
The Quick Departure: God commanded the Israelites to eat the meal in a hurry, with traveling clothes on [07:34]. The sermon speculates this was a psychological necessity to prevent the Israelites from lingering over sentimental memories of their life in Egypt, which was ultimately a life of slavery [09:05]. They needed to be ready to leave the past behind and start their new beginning toward the Promised Land [11:22].
The Sacrificial Lamb: The family had to take a cute, perfect lamb into their home for four days before slaughtering it [05:02]. This was a painful, traumatic event intended to make the cost of salvation real and personal [12:31]. This costly sacrifice of the lamb foreshadowed the immense pain and sacrifice of Jesus, the perfect Son, whose death was required to carry away the sins of His people, thereby granting forgiveness and bringing them into a right relationship with God [14:18].
The sermon concludes that the actions God ordained in Passover and the actions Jesus instituted in Holy Communion are God’s way of bringing us into a right relationship with Him, achieved entirely through God’s efforts [18:20].