Posted on 03/25/2005 12:29:50 PM PST by DouglasKC
The last activity Jesus Christ shared with His disciples, only hours before He was crucified, was the biblically commanded Passover celebration. He had observed this festival annually since His birth (Luke 2:41).
Accompanied by His 12 apostles for their final Passover meal together, "He said to them, 'With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer'" (Luke 22:15, emphasis added throughout). His intense longing to observe this Passover service reveals His deep devotion to celebrating it.
Not only does Jesus—merely hours before His crucifixion—still regard keeping the Passover as important, but also, as He explained to His disciples that evening, He fully intends to observe it with them again when "it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God" (verse 16).
Why did Jesus set such a committed example of observing this festival if He intended soon afterward—as is commonly believed today—to abolish this festival? Does that really make any sense?
Most people claiming to follow Christ's example today know little or nothing about the Passover or the other biblically commanded festivals. Nor do they understand why He considered them important. And most of them certainly have never thought of these days as meaningful to them personally. But should they?
After instituting important symbols in that last Passover observance before His crucifixion, Jesus told those gathered with Him: "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 13:15-17).
This is direct instruction to them to continue observing "these things"—that is, the elements of the Passover service—in exactly the same manner as He had done with them. Years later it becomes even clearer that Christ's instruction is applicable to all Christians. The apostle Paul plainly tells even the non-Jewish Christians in the Greek city of Corinth to follow the example Jesus Christ set on that Passover evening.
"For I received from the Lord," wrote Paul, "that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, 'Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.'
"In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.' For as often [meaning year after year according to God's command] as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes" (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
Yes, Christ's apostles believed and taught that we must follow the example He set and live as He lived. As the apostle John wrote, "He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked" (1 John 2:6).
The religious days observed by Jesus and His countrymen during His physical lifetime included the weekly Sabbath day as well as a series of annual festivals, all commanded directly by God (see Leviticus 23). These days are biblically consecrated as holy convocations in the Scriptures (verse 2).
Since the festivals first appear in the Old Testament, let's briefly consider Jesus' attitude toward those ancient Scriptures. How highly did He regard them? Even more importantly, how does He want us to regard them today?
The Hebrew Scriptures made up the only "Bible" available to Jesus and the early Church. The New Testament was written years after His crucifixion. To Jesus the "Word of God" and the Old Testament Scriptures were one and the same.
Jesus' loyalty to these Scriptures is plain. He explains, "The Scripture cannot be broken" (John 10:35). He tells us that "it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail" (Luke 16:17). And He points out, "It is written [in Deuteronomy 8:3], 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God'" (Matthew 4:4).
He also forcefully exclaims that anyone who "breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least [by those] in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:19).
Jesus expects those who would follow His example both to practice and teach the clear commands of God written in the Old Testament Scriptures. Of course, He expects this obedience to be fully compliant with His example and teachings recorded in the New Testament. But there is no conflict between the two. One is not pitted against the other.
Consider, for example, the principle that the sacrificial shedding of blood is necessary before sins can be forgiven. That is just as valid in the teaching of the New Testament as it was in the Old. The difference is that under the Old Testament administrative system animals were sacrificed to represent the better sacrifice that would be made in the future—the sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 10:12).
Yet the law requiring this spilling of blood for the forgiveness of sin was not abolished (Hebrews 9:22-26). Only by being justified through Christ's shed blood can we be saved (Romans 5:9).
This brings us back to why Jesus was so committed to keeping the Passover with His apostles just before He was crucified. For centuries the keeping of the Passover had represented the fact that Jesus, as mankind's Redeemer, would be sacrificed by the shedding of His blood for the remission of sins.
Jesus was crucified on Passover day, on the 14th day of the first month in the sacred calendar followed by the Jews. Anciently it was observed by the slaying of an unblemished lamb or kid goat (Exodus 12:5-11). But its real focus was on a different sacrifice. We find this explained in the New Testament when "John [the Baptist] saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, 'Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!'" (John 1:29).
As the apostle Paul also explains: "For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth" (1 Corinthians 5:7-8). Here Paul is instructing Christians to keep both the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread as Christian observances (compare Leviticus 23:5-6).
Therefore, we now have direct New Testament evidence that at least two of the seven annual festivals—the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread—are also Christian festivals. Logically then the other five would be also. But before we consider any other festivals, let's understand what the overall significance of all of these sacred occasions is to Christians today.
All of the sacred biblical festivals are closely linked to the harvest seasons of the Holy Land. And Jesus often compared what God was doing through Him to a harvest.
For example, He said: "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white [ripe] for harvest! And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together'" (John 4:34-36).
Here Jesus links the idea of a harvest to His work of bringing humanity into a relationship with God the Father that leads to eternal life. On another occasion "He said to His disciples, 'The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest'" (Matthew 9:37).
God's annual festivals depict the work of Jesus Christ in "harvesting" human beings into the Kingdom of God. They are God-given annual reminders of Christ's role in securing redemption and salvation for all humanity.
God began revealing parts of His plan of salvation when He evicted Adam and Eve from the garden in Eden. Because they had succumbed to the serpent's influence and sinned, God spoke to the serpent, saying, "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you [the serpent] shall bruise His [Christ's] heel" (Genesis 3:15).
Here God revealed that, at a future time, a very special descendant of Eve would crush the head of "that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan" (Revelation 12:9)—bringing Satan's control over mankind to an end.
God began revealing more details of His plan through Moses—by instituting His annual festivals at the same time He selected the ancient Israelites to be His servants. Some of these festivals even had an immediate meaning and application within the history of ancient Israel.
But the long-term, primary reason that God established them was to depict the relationship of all human beings to the mission of the Messiah. As mentioned earlier, Paul pointed out: "For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast ..." (1 Corinthians 5:7-8). The relationship of the Passover festival to the death of Christ, and our redemption through that death, has always been its primary purpose.
In addition to Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Pentecost likewise is clearly a Christian festival. According to Jewish tradition, the Israelites received the Ten Commandments at the time of the festival of Pentecost. It was then that God made a covenant with them and they became the "congregation of God."
Yet a far more important relationship would be established on a later Day of Pentecost—through the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:4-5 tells us: "And being assembled together with them [Jesus' disciples], He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, 'which,' He said, 'you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.'"
Then, "when the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire ... And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit . . ." (Acts 2:1-4).
Since Paul tells us, "If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His" (Romans 8:9), there can be no doubt that this festival sets an important milestone for all Christians for all time. It is a Christian festival. And Paul observed it as such (Acts 20:16; 1 Corinthians 16:8).
The other four biblical festivals listed in Leviticus 23 occur around the time of the fall harvest season (in the northern hemisphere).
All depict the main events to occur at or following Christ's return. For example, the Feast of Trumpets points to His second coming. Seven trumpet blasts are to announce the seven major events leading up to and including Christ's return (Revelation 8-11). At that time, "He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect ..." (Matthew 24:31; compare 1 Corinthians 15:52).
How much more "Christian" could these festivals be? Their focus is primarily on all that Jesus Christ has done, is doing and will do to ensure our salvation.
When Christ returns, not only will He keep the Passover, along with His resurrected apostles, but He also will require all nations to join Him in keeping the Feast of Tabernacles (Zechariah 14:16).
Therefore, should not all Christians today acknowledge the example Christ has set for them? Then all can join the apostle Paul in declaring, as recorded in Acts 18:21: "I must by all means keep this coming feast" (compare Acts 20:16).
There are several sites on the internet that I looked at. I happened to choose this one because it succinctly summarized some groups that were thought to keep the sabbath during the time period in question. I had no idea the term "Romish" was considered an insult. I'm not sure if the author meant it as an insult or as a term referring to the church in Rome.
As for the rest of the post, I'm not going to analyze the believes and practices of each group. I'm certain that the church/state in prominence at the time wouldn't necessarily portray their beliefs in a fair and unbiased manner.
Then you are saying Jesus changed the Passover from how it was previously celebrated. How do you celebrate it? As jews celebrate it or changed as you believe Jesus changed it. What is your passover celebration, how does it vary from that of the jews?
Passover not only portended the sacrifice of Christ, but he commanded us to observe it as a remembrance of his sacrifice
I'm not jewish but I don't think the jewish celebration of Passover includes: "this is my body, eat.." does it? Again, how does your celebration of Passover differ from that of the jews before Jesus changed it?
Because Jesus Christ had already created all of the holy days that mankind would ever need…
So you say.
God didn't need man to invent…God had plenty of opportunities to tell us that we should have new holy days…
He established His Church. God doesn't "need" man for anything. He, obviously uses man in His work.
You adhere to the teachings of a church organization. It has it's own tradition.You can rail against organization or tradition, but no human starts from scratch and develops in a vacuum.
I do attend worship services
I'm very glad to hear that. Too often the "modern" view is "I don't need no organized religion" when religion most deeply involves community.
United was formed by approximately 20,000 former members of the Worldwide Church of God.
I have a close friend who belonged to the WWWCG. I would think the experience would make one even more appreciative of a church that manages in this world to persevere for centuries. New churches, new teachings come and go in waves, making their predictions and proclamations, then splitting and falling and passing away and usually shouting some "revelation" that the church that has stood for millennia preaching the Word of God "has it all wrong.".
I hope you will understand my skepticism.
I have but a vague idea of how Jews celebrate the Passover. Churches of God in general have a Passover service. In that service scripture is read concerning the Passover (from both old and new testaments) and a short sermon is given. Unleavened bread and wine is passed out and consumed by the congregation in remembrance of Christ and his sacrifice. Footwashing (as commanded by Christ in John 13:14,15) is then performed...men wash men's feet and women wash women's feet. It's a pretty solemn occassion, meant to bring to remembrance the gravity of what Christ accomplished.
We celebrate Passover too.
Sheesh.
Sounds somewhat similar. Ours is the end of Lent - 40 days.
Footwashing is on Holy Thursday, Good Friday is about Jesus's passion.
Easter Vigil starts with the Liturgy of Light, symbolic of Jesus Christ the new creation, the Light of the World.
The first reading was Genesis 1:1-22; the second Genesis 22: 1-18; third, Exodus 14L15-15:1; fourth, Isaiah 54:5-14 (my favorite this time); fifth Isaiah 55:1-11; sixth Baruch 3:9-15, 32, 4:4; seventh Ezekiel 36:16-28.
Then came Glory to God.
Then Romans 6:3-11 and then Luke 24: 1-12. Psalm were read and sung between each scripture reading.
Then the Bishop spoke on the revelation of God, the resurrection of Christ and the sanctity of life everlasting.
Then came baptisms. Then confirmations. Then renewal of baptismal promises, renunciation of sin, profession of faith.
The the Liturgy of the Eucharist, including the Lord's Prayer and Holy Communion. Then we sang "Lamb of God" had the final blessing and closing song of "Jesus Christ is Risen Today"
O. K. by you?
Let me repeat myself:
The church I belong to is the body of Christ. It is not an organization, but the spiritual body of believers who follow the teachings of Christ and believe on him for salvation. This is the same church established in Acts 2 and that is the church of which I am a member.
United Church of God could cease to exist and I would still be a member of the church described above.
Now certainly United has traditions, some of which I agree with and some which I don't. But those traditions could disappear and it wouldn't make much of a difference in how I worship God.
I have a close friend who belonged to the WWWCG. I would think the experience would make one even more appreciative of a church that manages in this world to persevere for centuries.
I can not speak from actual experience about the World Wide Church of God because I was never a member. However, I know many people who were. Most I know had great experiences, some I know had bad experiences. However the bad experiences came about (I believe) because of poor decisions and/or poor interpretation of scripture by individual ministers, not corporate policy. In short, some ministers got on power trips.
Now I also happen to believe that the church has persevered for centuries...just not as one corporate entity. I don't think United or Worldwide represents the whole Church of God anymore than I think Roman Catholicism represents the whole Church of God. I think God calls people out of all sects and denominations.
Naturally though I do believe that United most faithfully follows the doctrines of the first century church established by Christ. It is for that reason I worship with them.
I do understand your skepticism. I get it a lot. I'm well aware that many considered Worldwide a cult and that some today, by extension, believe that United is similar. However, the only things really the same is some of the doctrine. I think the biggest difference is the attitude of the ministry. The ministry makes a true effort toward "servant led" leadership and don't consider themselves above the flock. They recognize that each member, including themselves, plays a role in both the body of Christ and the corporate church.
Interesting post...
BTW, our Liturgy of Eucharist has many similarities to the jewish passover. We have many similarities with judaism in the altar and priest, etc. We're often criticized from that direction too.
I've said many times to Catholics in this forum that I won't argue with their tradition. Even though I don't think it's right it's at least logical because Catholics believe that they have the authority of God to make any and all changes they want.
Personally I want to follow the biblical examples as closely as possible because I believe that this is the expressed mind of God to man. That is why I keep the sabbath and the holy days.
Do you read Acts to find when and where they're meeting?
Doug, gimme a break, you go to a church with people, it has "principles and beliefs" and meeting times and services, it raises money and pays bills, rent or mortgage, it has business meetings and meetings to decide how things are to be done. It's ORGANIZED. If you're not a "member" then you're only fooling yourself and cheating them on their rolls.
I'm well aware that many considered Worldwide a cult and that some today, by extension, believe that United is similar. However, the only things really the same is some of the doctrine.
Not a cult to me, but "new" and based on the teaching of Garner Ted Armstrong in the last 20-30 years or so. If it helps you fine, but you're not getting anywhere telling me it's "old time Christianity."
Catholics believe that they have the authority of God to make any and all changes they want… Personally I want to follow the biblical examples…
This right after you tell me the "variations" on passover celebration your church has made with their "authority."
You didn't dream this up, Doug, it's Armstrong's. You don't go find some random group of "body of Christ," you go to the UCG, an organized group of like followers of the teachings of Garner Ted Armstrong, that's your authority.
Again, whatever helps you in your path toward a closer walk with God - is fine with me.
But don't tell fellow Christians they're too "new," too "organized" or acting without proper authority .
You are too vulnerable of that criticism to project it on others, so why would you want to; it comes back on you so easily? Why not just wish all members of the Body of Christ come together in love and awe and gratitude of Our God.
best wishes to you and yours on this Holy Day.
I don't think you understand what I'm saying and I'm not sure why you're having a problem. I'm assuming it's because you don't see a difference between a church organization and the body of Christ...correct?
Not a cult to me, but "new" and based on the teaching of Garner Ted Armstrong in the last 20-30 years or so. If it helps you fine, but you're not getting anywhere telling me it's "old time Christianity."
Incorrect. It's based on the bible. Herbert Armstrong didn't come up with anything new. All basic doctrine he expoused had been expoused by others in the past and all had its origins in the pages of the bible.
This right after you tell me the "variations" on passover celebration your church has made with their "authority."
I'm a little puzzled. The Passover service I described varies little from how Christ commanded it be kept. The basic elements are the bread, wine and foot washing, all commanded by Christ to be done on Passover. Now I will admit that the reading of scripture and the sermon are traditions for the service based on biblical examples. We could just as easily lose them as they are not essential to the service.
But don't tell fellow Christians they're too "new," too "organized" or acting without proper authority . You are too vulnerable of that criticism to project it on others, so why would you want to; it comes back on you so easily? Why not just wish all members of the Body of Christ come together in love and awe and gratitude of Our God.
I think members of the body of Christ exist in all organizations, but no organization is composed wholly of the body of Christ. This isn't radical. As Christ said, there are tares among the wheat. This is true in United as it is in Catholicism. I'm sorry if you're offended by this attitude. I certainly wish all members of the body of Christ to come together in awe and gratitude of our God, but that doesn't include compromising on the doctrines that God set forth in the bible and that Christ taught us to observe.
Read the posts again. I'll reply tomorrow if you still wish.
Forgive me for butting in.....but after reading Acts 15 as you suggested I still do not see any abolishment of God's Holy Days. God establised these Sabbaths and Feast Days forever(for all generations),Leviticus Chapter 23 and Jesus observed all of these Days and Sabbaths.
You are confusing the abolishment of the ritualistic civil code of Moses(Deuteronomy Chapter 27) with the establishment of God's Holy Days, a different thing altogether. The Levitical priesthood was also abolished and Jesus became our new High Priest....Hebrews Chapter 8....but still no abolishment of God's Sabbaths and Feast days.
By the way, this would have been an excellent time for Peter to tell everyone that the Sabbath was now abolished(Acts 15:21)....but he did not!
What does,"This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live", mean to you?
Leviticus 23:14
Leviticus 23:21
Leviticus 23:31
Leviticus 23:41
The 23rd chapter begins...."The Lord said to Moses".
We are talking God's appointed Feasts and Sabbaths....not the civil code, or law, of Moses, Deuteronomy 27....ot the rituals of the Levitical priesthood,ie. the sacifices, ritualistic washings etc.,etc.
Is it your position that the letter included anything and everything that the gentiles were to observe and anything else was up to them?
For example the letter mentions nothing about not killing, nothing about having false gods, nothing about hating your neighbor and nothing about greed. In fact, there are thousands of things NOT mentioned that any Christian would recognize as sinful behavior.
The answer of course is that this letter didn't occur in a vacuum. The gentiles WERE being taught to obey and observe the basic tenents of Judaism and early Christianty...in other words they were being taught about the sabbath, holy days and ten commandments. Thankfully God left us clear scriptural record that this was so:
Act 15:20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
Act 15:21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
See there...verse 21? Every sabbath the gentiles were learning about God's law in the synagogues.
You can't have it both ways on this. If you are saying that omission of specific instruction in the bible is permission to disregard the bible on God's holy days then it's also permission to disregard the bible in every other moral precept and law that God enumerated in the old testament.
I was going to say the same about you!
Read the posts again. I'll reply tomorrow if you still wish.
I read them again. I still don't get it. Yes, United is an organization. Yes, I associate with United. Yes United has a corporate charter. But actually my local congregation is incorporated on it's own separate and apart from United. I am an officer of our local board and we choose to associate ourselves with United. Many United congregations operate in this same fashion.
But all that is just "business" if you will. I am first and foremost a member of the body of Christ, the same body of Christ that Peter, Paul, Luke and John were members of. Christ is the only place where my allegience is. If you doubt that then there's not much more left to say about the subject.
How are the fundamental beliefs of your local church determined? How are teachers/preachers of these beliefs disciplined or held to teaching according to these beliefs?
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