Why Christians Should Keep The Annual Passover. What Does The Feast of Unleavened Bread Mean For Christians?

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Why Christians should keep the annual Passover.

“In ancient Israel the first Passover was a time of deliverance. The blood of the Passover lamb was smeared on the doorposts of those Israelites who put their trust in God, and they were spared (Exodus 12:23), while the firstborn of the Egyptians were slain.

Many years later, during His final Passover with His disciples, Jesus Christ introduced new symbols for the observance of the annual Passover, which commemorate Him as “our Passover, [who] was sacrificed for us” (1 Corinthians 5:7). The observance of the New Testament Passover was revealed as the first step toward salvation, reminding Christians not only of how God delivered ancient Israel, but of our deliverance from sin today.

Only 3½ years after He began His ministry, Jesus of Nazareth was apprehended by the religious authorities at the time of the Passover feast (Matthew 26:2; Mark 14:1). After a brief trial, while mocking and beating Him, they took Jesus before the Roman authorities and accused Him of "perverting the nation…saying that He Himself is Christ, a King" (Luke 23:2).

Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor in Jerusalem, after analyzing the charges, declared to the chief priests and the others present: "...having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man ... .no, neither did Herod….I will therefore chastise Him and release Him" (Luke 23:14-16). Pontius Pilate was then faced with angry shouts of, "Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas [a murderer]" (Luke 23:18), and "Crucify Him, crucify Him!" (Luke 23:21).The priests and the crowd eventually prevailed, and the Roman governor freed a murderer and sentenced an innocent man to death.

God's way of redeeming us from the death penalty without compromising His perfect law was for the penalty to be paid in our place by Jesus Christ, the Son of God: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). Our sins separated us from God, because through sin we lived hostile to God and His ways (Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 3:10-12 and 8:7). As sinners we had the death penalty hanging over us: "We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin" (Romans 6:6, New Revised Standard Version).

In order to observe the first New Testament Passover, when Jesus introduced the symbols of the bread and the wine, Jesus Christ and His disciples assembled on that evening, after sunset, in a large upper room. Assuming the role of a servant, Jesus washed His disciples' feet: "And supper being ended…[Jesus] rose from supper and laid aside His garments, and took a towel…and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel ..." (John 13:2-5), instructing them: "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you…If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them" (John 13:14-15 and 17).

Then Jesus "took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, 'This is [or 'means,' James Moffatt Translation; i.e., 'represents'] My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me'" (Luke 22:19). He also "took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, 'Drink from it, all of you. For this is [represents] My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins'" (Matthew 26:27-28).

The Bible makes it clear that all who will follow Christ should observe this New Testament Passover in remembrance of His love and sacrifice for our sins and as a reminder of our commitment to Him for what God has done in our lives (1 Corinthians 5:7-8; Luke 22:19-20). The observance of the annual New Testament Passover reminds Christians not only of how God delivered ancient Israel out of Egypt, but of our deliverance out of sin today.”  From: https://www.ucg.org.au/learn/read/bible-insights-weekly/biw-archive/why-christians-should-keep-the-annual-passover

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What does the Feast of Unleavened Bread mean for Christians?

“During the spring of each year (March-April in the northern hemisphere), immediately after Passover and before the Feast of Pentecost, another biblical feast is observed—the seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:6-8; Exodus 12:17-18).

The Exodus from Egypt, which took place immediately after Passover during the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Numbers 33:3), was one of the great events to occur during this time. The crossing of the Red Sea is traditionally assigned to the seventh or last day of Unleavened Bread.

After Israel entered the Promised Land, the miraculous conquest of Jericho also took place during the Days of Unleavened Bread. Other great events occurring during this time of year involved rededicating the people of God to their Creator. 2 Chronicles chapters 29 through 31 describe the religious reform led by Hezekiah, and chapters 34 and 35 tell of the reform by Josiah.

However, one other event that took place during the Days of Unleavened Bread had a much greater impact than any of these, and that was the resurrection of Jesus Christ. John 19:31 tells us He was crucified on the day before a Sabbath. While most people assume this was the regular weekly Sabbath (observed Friday sunset to Saturday sunset), John tells us this Sabbath "was a high day" — a term used for the seven annual Holy Days. A careful reading of the Gospels shows this "high day" was the first day of Unleavened Bread, a Holy Day (Leviticus 23:2, 6-7) that can fall on a weekday.

Jesus remained in the grave for three days and three nights just as He had prophesied (Matthew 12:40), making it impossible to reconcile Jesus' statement in Matthew 12 with a Friday afternoon crucifixion followed by a Sunday morning resurrection. (See "Jesus Wasn't Crucified on Friday—or Resurrected on Sunday!")

Three days and three nights from the time of His entombment, just before the beginning of the first Holy Day of Unleavened Bread, brings us to the sunset at the end of the weekly Sabbath, during the seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread, as the time Jesus was resurrected. On that Sunday, after His resurrection the day before, Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene (John 20:11-18) and then to others.

These Days of Unleavened Bread marked a turning point in the way the spring festival was celebrated. Christians observing these annual festivals would still recall the exodus from Egypt as a type of redemption from sin and release from the bondage of Satan. There would still be an emphasis on eating unleavened bread as a physical reminder we are to become spiritually unleavened by removing sin from our lives. But the core meaning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread is that Jesus Christ, the One who was resurrected during this time, now lives His life in every Christian.

Jesus repeatedly emphasized the importance of His own resurrection. During the last supper, He told the disciples that although He would soon be betrayed, He would live again: "Because I live, you will live also" (John 14:19). He had just promised they would not be left as orphans (verse 18)—that is, spiritually unprotected and vulnerable to Satan. Both the Father and He would live in the hearts and minds of Christians by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (verses 20-26), empowering us to overcome "the sin which so easily ensnares us" (Hebrews 12:1).

The Apostle Paul encouraged the church there to "keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness [lingering sinful attitudes], but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth"(1 Corinthians 5:8) —a clear reference to the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread is a festival that helps us focus on replacing sin with righteousness. We are reminded to "...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12), but the Apostle Paul was not preaching a works-based salvation. In verse 13 he explains "it is God who works in you both to will [that is, to have the desire to overcome] and to do [to act on that desire] for His good pleasure."   From: https://www.ucg.org/the-good-news/what-does-the-feast-of-unleavened-bread-mean-for-christians

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