He is our Passover

Ever played Monopoly? Great game . . . if you’re winning! Even though it’s been a few years since I played the board game, I can still see in my mind the image of the cop - GO TO JAIL hahahaha. Good times! One of the best “Chance” cards to get is the “Get out of jail” card - you get to get out of jail and back into the game! Then you hope to roll 10 on the dice because you then get to get all the cash in the middle of the board by landing on “Free parking”! That’s the ideal play - not only do you get out of jail but on your very next turn you get the cash as well!

When you read Exodus 12, you see how the Lord provided a get-out-of-jail-for-free card for the people of Israel and also provided the cash with the Free parking:

• The lamb was to be the sacrifice so that they did not experience the judgement

• The people would then leave Egypt loaded with all the goods of the Egyptians

Jesus fulfilled all of this ONCE AND FOR ALL when He entered Jerusalem as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world . . .

He then partook of the Passover, noting that He Himself was both the bread and lamb, with His blood being the atoning sacrifice for ALL of our sin, past, present and future.

JESUS IS OUR ONCE AND FOR ALL

Whanau, know that your sin CANNOT and DOES NOT compare to the PERFECTNESS of His sacrifice. Do not glorify your past sins, pain, regret, hurt, loss and memories over His complete, perfect and atoning sacrifice.

What He did on the cross was FINAL.

As Christians, followers of Christ, we are not perfect - no way! But we are forgiven.

Accept His forgiveness today but repenting of all sin and choosing His freedom.

Father God, thank You for Your sacrifice on the cross. Thank You for dying for all of my sin and bearing my pain and judgement. I repent from those ways and turn away from them. Today, I receive Your complete forgiveness and I choose today to walk in Your freedom . . . both now and forever. Amen!

There is sooooooooooooooooo much freedom and release when we turn from sin and accept His freedom! Smile whanau - you’re forgiven! Now go and do likewise to those who have hurt you!

But don’t just stop there! Remember, Jesus did not “just” die for your sin . . . He also rose from the dead and conquered death itself!

You see, when the people were set free from Egypt they did not simply leave . . . they left loaded!

I encourage you to read over Genesis 17 and Hebrews to KNOW that you are not only forgiven, but you are blessed! God is calling you to live life . . . abundantly and to its full! The promises God made to Abraham are also yours through the blood of Jesus, shed on the cross thousands of years ago. That’s a MASSIVE reason to celebrate!

At this time of the year whanau, we celebrate, recognise and remember Passover - a time when the Lord passed through the land with judgement, passed over with His grace and way out, and then prospered the people greatly. Now, that’s a GREAT way to live!

Bless you whanau!