Passover Eucharist

In many countries around the world, Easter is called Pascha, which means Passover. And in many of our prayers and hymns, we recognize that Easter is our Passover, our great Exodus event. But this meal reminds us of this fact as well. In the original Passover there was a lamb that was slain, and the blood was smeared over the door posts of every family’s house. Then the lamb was cooked and eaten in haste, standing up with sandals and a walking staff in hand. Passover was a sacrament which implied travel; it looked forward to salvation and rest but it was future. This meal is our Passover meal. In the book of Revelation, Jesus is pictured a number of times as the lamb that was slain. He is still the lamb that was slain even now, seated on the right hand of the Father in glory. And He feeds us with his own flesh and blood in this sacrament. In this meal, we partake of the lamb that was slain, the lamb whose blood covers our doors. That blood cries out to God for justice, and the angel passes over us. But we do not eat in haste. We may have our shoes on, but we are seated. We are at rest. We do not look for another land. We are being given this land. This is the great Passover feast, the great Exodus event in the death and resurrection of Jesus. But the great victory, the great glory is that the land of promise has been turned inside out. Now the whole world is the promised land, and this meal is proof of that. And one last point: We should not fail to realize that our celebration of this Passover is not only for us but for the world. As Christians celebrate this Great and Final Passover here in Moscow and throughout the world, we are showing forth the death of the lamb. We are displaying the blood of the Passover Lamb, and the angel of death passes over. And as we do this, we are the New Covenant rainbow. We are the sign of God’s grace and mercy, and His promise not only not to destroy the world but to save it and to fill it with his knowledge and glory. So come worship, come eat, drink, and rejoice, in the lamb who was slain but now lives and reigns forever. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!