Date: 01-25-2020

Title: It Has Always Been Exclusive

(S) Scripture:
    Exodus 12:43-50 (NASB77)

 And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover: no foreigner is to eat of it; ⁴⁴  but every man’s slave purchased with money, after you have circumcised him, then he may eat of it. ⁴⁵  ” A sojourner or a hired servant shall not eat of it. ⁴⁶  “It is to be eaten in a single house; you are not to bring forth any of the flesh outside of the house, nor are you to break any bone of it. ⁴⁷  ” All the congregation of Israel are to celebrate this. ⁴⁸  “But if a stranger sojourns with you, and celebrates the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near to celebrate it; and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person may eat of it. ⁴⁹  ” The same law shall apply to the native as to the stranger who sojourns among you.” ⁵⁰  Then all the sons of Israel did so; they did just as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron.

(O) Observation
    These are the regulations of just who could eat the Passover. It was for all Israelites and those who bore the sign of the covenant, circumcision. The requirements for foreigners was severe but were the requirements just the same. These requirements and regulations made the celebration of Passover exclusive. Some were allowed and some were forbidden. This exclusivity is brought forward into the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. Jesus and the New Testament limited participation to those who are following Jesus. It is exclusive to Christians. Thos who do not believe in Jesus are excluded from participation. This was not new with Jesus but taken from the regulations for Passover. It should be remembered that the Lord’s Supper was first celebrated in the context of the Passover meal.

(A) Application
    On the days we share the Lord’s Supper I have found myself looking for ways not to offend those attending the service who are not Christians by excluding them from participation. Why am I so afraid when Jesus certainly was not. Paul was even more emphatic. Paul says that to participate in an “unworthy” manner brings God’s judgment on your life. The Lord’s Supper, like Passover, is only for those who are of the covenant. My task is to share with people how they can express their faith in Jesus and become part of the covenant people. The idea of exclusivity should not lead to pride but rather to an urgency to share my faith. The idea of God’s judgment should scare both the believer and the non-believer.

(P) Prayer
Lord I thank you for making a way for me to be part of the covenant people. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me new life in Jesus. Let me share that with others so that they too might be part of your family and never excluded again. Amen