Passover Ceremony 2024

The Christian Passover ceremony is based on the Scriptures and Jesus' teachings. It symbolizes God's plan of salvation and the sacrifice of Jesus as the Lamb of God. The covenant with Abraham and the observance of the Passover in Egypt are significant events. Jesus instituted the new covenant Passover, which renews the covenant of eternal life. Foot washing is an important part of the ceremony. It is important to examine ourselves and remember God's love and mercy. This is the Christian Passover ceremony. This is patterned straight from the Scriptures. Everything that we cover tonight will refer to the Scriptures of the Bible and everything that Jesus told his disciples on that night. So, we have the Christian Passover ceremony booklet, so if you open to page 16, we will begin there. In the ages of eternity past, before the foundation of the world, God's awesome plan of salvation for mankind was instituted by God, who became the Father, and God, who became the Son. They preordained that Jesus would become God manifested in the flesh, that he, as creator of mankind, would be crucified, shed his blood on the Passover day of the 14th day of the first month, God's preordained appointed day as the perfect sacrifice for the sin, and that he is the Savior of the world. The book of Revelation confirms that Jesus Christ was the Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the world. After believing Satan's lie, Adam and Eve sinned by eating of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The Lord God spoke the first prophecy of his plan of salvation for mankind, revealing that he would be the future sacrifice for human sin and overcome Satan the devil. And I will put enmity between you, Satan the devil, and the woman type of the church, and between your seed, the demons and those men and women who follow Satan, and her seed, Jesus Christ and the men and women who would become the spiritual seed of Abraham. He, Jesus Christ, will bruise your head to destroy and annul the works of Satan, and you, Satan, shall bruise his heel, is a prophecy of the crucifixion for the forgiveness of human sin. Two thousand and twenty-five years later, and nearly four thousand years ago on this very night of the fourteenth day of the first month, the Lord God began to establish his covenant with Abraham. Behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, he that shall come forth out of your own loins shall be your heir, physical Israel, through Isaac. And he brought him outside and said to him, look not toward the heavens, and number the stars, if you're able to count them. And he said to him, so shall your seed be, the spiritual Israel, the church, through Jesus Christ. And he, Abraham, believed in the Lord, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. On the day portion of the fourteenth day of the first month, the Lord God pledged his own future death as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world for the seed of Abraham, and for the sins of the world. Thus, in Abraham's seed, Jesus Christ, all the nations of the world would be blessed. And that is through the whole plan of God, covering from the beginning to the end. And the way God's plan always works, it starts out small and grows and grows and grows, and the climax we find in the last three chapters of the book of Revelation. Later, when God asked Abraham to offer Isaac for a burnt offering, he provided a ram as a substitutionary sacrifice instead of Isaac. At that time, the Lord God again swore by himself that he would sacrifice himself as the future Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world. Now it's referred to as sin and sins, collectively sins because we all sin, but singularly sin because that is the law of sin and death that was the judgment given by God to Adam and Eve, and that is inherited by us, which is called human nature. The Lord promised in an oath, by myself. Now you can't get any greater oath than this. God who is righteous, who is holy, who cannot lie, who fulfills his word, is saying, I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, that in blessing, I will bless you, and in multiplying, I will multiply your seed like the stars of heaven, spiritual Israel, and as the sea which is upon the seashore, physical Israel. And as we look at the world today, we see physical Israel, but we won't see spiritual Israel until the resurrection. And your seed shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice. After Abraham died, God appeared to Isaac, the son of promise, to reaffirm the covenant that he had established with Abraham. And the Lord appeared to him, Isaac, and said, stay in this land, and I will be with you and bless you, for to you and your seed, physical Israel, I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to Abraham your father, and I will multiply your seed, spiritual Israel, as the stars of heaven, and will give your seed all these lands, and in your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. On the same night, the night of the fourteenth of the first month, four hundred and thirty years after God had first given the promises to Abraham, the twelve tribes of the children of Israel all observed the Passover in Egypt. At midnight, God passed over the houses and spared their firstborn, as he judged the gods of Egypt, and killed the Egyptian firstborn, both man and beast. On the same night, the night of the fourteenth day of the first month in 30 AD, as it was beginning to get dark, Jesus Christ, as God manifested in the flesh, instituted the new covenant Passover of eternal life with his chosen apostles. The new covenant Passover that Jesus instituted confirmed the promises of Abraham to the spiritual children of God. In the same way that Isaac was the son of Abraham by promise, the new covenant children of God are also children of promise through Jesus Christ. Now we brethren, like Isaac, are the children of promise. They are Abraham's spiritual seed and heirs of the promise, because you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ, there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female, that is, in relationship to receiving eternal life. We're still in the flesh, male and female. That is apparent. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. Now notice this next sentence, and if you are Christ's, then are you Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. Just as God had promised Abraham that his spiritual seed would be as the stars of heaven, Daniel also wrote of this promise, and many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, because death for the saints is counted as a sleep. Some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt, and they who are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they who turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars forever and ever. Those are awesome words to contemplate. This is why we must have the Passover. We do need mercy and forgiveness every day because human nature within is what God is changing and converting, and it is very apparent, and we have seen this happen, that when people cease obeying the voice of God and cease keeping the Passover, then they drift away. How far away can they go and still be recovered? We don't know, but pray for them. I get letters quite often that people left a long time ago, years and years, but God wasn't done with them yet, and so we're able to help them and in some cases re-baptize them. So we're thankful for that and God's mercy. Now continuing, during his ministry Jesus Christ confirmed this promise. In the parable of the sower, Jesus Christ explained that the good seed are the spiritual children of Abraham by promise who will be glorified at the resurrection to shine as the sun. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their father. So if you have things that discourage you and get you down and you have trials and difficulties, and of course a lot of people in the church, they're not getting younger, they're getting older, and there are difficulties that come with getting older, and that's just part of the process, but that doesn't mean that God is not with you. That doesn't mean that God doesn't love you. That just means you have an affliction and you have a trial and he'll see you through it. Continuing now, for the spiritual children of promise, the Christian Passover ceremony observed yearly on the night of the fourteenth day of the first month renews the covenant of eternal life through Jesus Christ. Yes it does renew it, because if we didn't have this ceremony we would never take the time to really examine ourselves and see what we actually are if left to our own. Eternal life through Jesus Christ to which God the Father himself has personally called you. As he foreordained in the ages of eternity passed before the foundation of the world. So Passover night begins as it's getting dark, and that shows we're right on schedule. So let's come to Luke 22. Now when the hour had come, he sat down and the twelve apostles with him and he said to them, with earnest desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. And he knew what was coming, because he gave all the prophecies of everything that would happen to him. So that made it doubly difficult being a human being, though God manifested in the flesh. For I tell you that I will not eat of it again until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. Jesus institutes the new covenant Passover part one, foot washing. Now foot washing becomes very important, and one of the first things that people neglect is foot washing. However, if you are alone at home, and no one there to wash your feet, what you do is read this section and you pray about it, and God knows and understands your circumstances. So let's begin. John 13, and during supper the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, that he should betray him. Jesus knowing that the father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside his garments and after taking a towel secured it around him. Next he poured water into a washing basin and began to wash the disciples feet, and to wipe them with the towel which he had secured. Then he came to Simon Peter and he said to him, Lord are you going to wash my feet? Jesus answered and said to him, what I'm doing you do not understand now, but you shall know after these things. Peter said to him, you shall not wash my feet, not ever. Now notice the answer that Jesus gave and why foot washing is of paramount importance. Jesus answered, if I do not wash you, you have no part with me. Simon Peter said to him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus said to him, the one who has been washed, now this is the washing of the way of your sins in baptism, does not need to wash anything other than the feet, but is completely clean, and you are clean, but not all. For he knew the one who was betraying him, this is the reason he said, not all of you are clean. Therefore when he had washed their feet and had taken his garments and had sat down again, he said to them, do you know what I've done to you? You call me the teacher and the Lord and you speak rightly, because I am. Therefore if I, the Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you also are duty bound to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example to show that you also should do exactly as I have done to you. Truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his Lord, and a messenger, nor messenger, greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. So we will have the foot washing now. Bow your heads. Father in heaven above, we're going to have the foot washing now as Jesus had us do it, so we ask your blessing on it, and help us to understand that this is showing the humility of serving and doing as it was in the days of Jesus, that it was the household slave that washed the feet of the visitors and people who would come into the house. So we ask your blessing on helping us to understand and realize that this foot washing is that of humility and yieldedness to you, and service to one another, and we commit it into your hands now in Jesus' name. Amen. Now in the next section, Satan enters in. He had already put it in the heart of Judas Iscariot to betray him, and it's very interesting that Satan knows how important that the Passover foot washing, the bread and the wine, is all about. So he knows that if he can deceive people out of that, he thinks they won't be able to enter into the kingdom of God. But those that are blinded and God has not called will have an opportunity as we know in the second resurrection. But it shows you how powerful that it is to keep the Passover, and how it's so important for us, because Satan is there all the time. So let's continue. Matthew 26, And as they were eating, he said, Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you shall betray me. And being sorely grieved, each one of them began to say to him, Am I the one, Lord? And he answered and said, He who dipped his hand with me in the dish, he shall betray me. The Son of Man indeed goes, as it has been written concerting him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would have been better for him if that man had not been born. Then Judas, who was betraying him, answered and said, Am I the one, Master? Jesus said to him, You have said it. John 13, I'm not speaking of you all, for I know whom I have chosen. In order that the scripture might be fulfilled, he who eats bread with me is lifted up his heel against me. I'm telling you at this time before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe that I am. And that's one of the names of God. Next verse, Truly, truly, I tell you, the one who receives whomever I send is receiving me, and the one who receives me is receiving him who sent me. As he was saying these things, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, Truly, truly, I tell you, one of you shall betray me. Then the disciples looked at one another, wondering of whom he was speaking. Now one of his disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was leaning on Jesus' chest. And so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask who was the one of whom he was speaking. Then he leaned back on Jesus' chest and asked him, Lord, who is it? Jesus answered, It is the one to whom I shall give a sop after I have dipped it. And when he dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, Simon's son. And after the sop, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus said to him, What you do, do quickly. But not one of those sitting at the table knew why he said this to him. For some thought, sent Judas at the bank, that Jesus was telling him, buy the things we need for the feast, or that he should give something to the poor. So then, after receiving the sop, he went out, immediately went out, and it was night. When he was gone, Jesus said, Now has the Son of Man been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. And if God has been glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall immediately glorify him. Part 2, Eating the Broken, Unleavened Bread. Now here's one of the prophecies that tells us a lot about what Jesus understood was coming. Isaiah 53. He was despised and rejected of men. And understand that. A lot of us have the same thing happen to us, right? A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, and we hid as it were our faces from him. He was despised and we esteemed him not. Didn't understand what was happening. Surely he is born our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. That is, it was his fault. He gave his back to the smiters and his cheeks to them that pluck off the hair. He did not hide his face from shame and spitting, but he was wounded for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we ourselves are healed. All we are like sheep having gone astray, and we have turned each one to his own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed. He was afflicted. Yet he opened not his mouth. He was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before the shearer is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. That is in retaliation against. By precedent and judgment he was taken away, and with his generation, who did consider that he was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people, he was stricken. Disciples didn't know. Some of them probably thought when he gave up the last breath on the cross, it's over. They went and hid for fear of the Jews, and he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his debt, although he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. Yet the Lord willed to crush him and put him to grief. You shall make his life an offering for sin. Many were astonished at him, for his body was so disfigured, even his form beyond that of the sons of men, and that came because of the scourging. So shall he sprinkle many nations. He shall see his seed, the promised spiritual seed of Abraham. He shall prolong his days, and that the purpose of the Lord might prosper in his hand. He shall see the travail of his soul. He shall be fully satisfied. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide to him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he has poured out his soul unto death. And he was counted among transgressors, and he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for transgressors. That's the righteousness and grace of God, so that he can redeem us. First Peter 2, for to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow in his footsteps. Who committed no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. Who when he was reviled, he did not revile in return. When suffering, he threatened not, but committed himself to him who judges righteously. Who himself bore our sins within his own body, on that tree, so that we, being dead to sins, might live under righteousness, by whose stripes we are healed. Jesus breaks the bread, and he took the bread, and after giving thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, this is my body which is given for you. This do in the remembrance of me. Now notice how Paul wrote this. He individualizes it to show that God applies the sacrifice to each one of us individually when we repent. First Corinthians 11, for I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, this is Paul writing, that the Lord Jesus in the night he was betrayed took bread and after giving thanks, he broke it and said, take, eat, this is my body which is being, present tense, passive, broken for you. This do in the remembrance of me. So that's quite a thing. You read everything that happened to the body of Christ, and he did that because he loved the Father, he loved his creation, he loved those that he's calling to be in the first resurrection. He loves all of mankind, and in his plan, we'll have a time for them. So we'll ask the blessing on the bread. Father in heaven, we come to you now thankful for the tremendous blessing of being able to partake of the Passover and know that this broken unleavened bread symbolizes the broken and beaten body of Jesus Christ, which was part of the payment of the sins for all mankind, because he gave into us human nature, beginning with Adam and Eve. And Father, we thank you for your magnificent love, your tremendous concern for us, and we ask for your blessing now that as we take of this broken bread, that we will remember the broken and beaten body of Jesus that was, suffered so many different things upon him for the sake of saving us. So we ask your blessing on this bread now, and break it in Jesus' name. Amen. Now we come to the third part of the Passover ceremony, the drinking of the wine, which is symbolic of the blood of Jesus Christ. Let's begin in Mark 14, and he took the cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, this is my blood, the blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly I say to you, I will not drink again at all of the fruit of the vine until the day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God. Luke 22. And in like manner, he took the cup after supper, saying, this cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. Now 1st Corinthians 11, Paul writes, in like manner. He also took the cup after he had supper, saying, this is the cup of the new covenant in my blood. This do as often as you drink it in remembrance of me. Now that doesn't mean any time you decide. That means as often yearly from the time that Paul is writing what Jesus said from his time until he returns. So let's see that. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you solemnly proclaim the death of the Lord till he comes. For this reason, if anyone shall eat this bread or shall drink the cup of the Lord unworthily, he shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man or woman examine himself and let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup accordingly. Because the one who eats and drinks unworthily is eating and drinking judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Lord. Now unworthily means if you take it at a different time, on a different month, or you take it in a way that is rejecting the instructions of Jesus Christ, where he said this too. Now here's the meaning of it. And this is what we pledge ourselves to do. John 6. Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. The one who comes to me shall never hunger and the one who believes in me shall never thirst at any time. This is the bread that came down from heaven so that anyone may eat of it and not die. That means die forever or perish. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he shall live forever. And the bread that I will give is even my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day. Now this shows how important that the Passover is. Then he emphasized what it means for us on a continuous basis. For my flesh is truly food and my blood is truly drink. The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood is dwelling in me and I in him. As the living Father has sent me and I live by the Father, so also the one who eats shall live by me. Now we will ask the blessing on the wine. Father in heaven above, we come to you now very thankful and grateful for the tremendous sacrifice that Jesus Christ willingly gave so that we could come to you, Father, not because we're anything of ourselves, but because you have called us and we thank you and we love you and just cherish the opportunity to partake of the Passover and look forward to the promise of eternal life. So we thank you, Jesus, for shedding your blood, giving your life so that we could come to you and have our sins forgiven and that you will intervene for us in everything in our lives to see us into the kingdom. Whether it is difficult or whether it's not so difficult, but give us strength and give us forgiveness and give us your righteousness and holiness through the power of your Spirit. So we just thank you for this now and ask the blessing on this wine in Jesus' name. Amen. Now let's continue on. Let's come to the next page, Luke 22. And they were having an argument on the Passover night. So Jesus had to set the record straight. And there was an argument among them, even this, which of them should be considered the greatest. So they had an idea something big was up, but they didn't know. And he said to them, the kings of the nations lord over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called benefactors. Those are the religious leaders. But it shall not be this way among you. Rather, let the one who is greatest among you be as the younger and the one who is leading as the one who is serving. For who is greater, the one who is sitting at the table or the one who is serving? It's not the one who sits at the table, but I am among you as one who is serving. Very interesting. This is the Greek verb dikono, which is, we get the English word deacon, to serve. Now you are the ones who have continued with me in my temptations, and I appoint to you as my father has appointed to me a kingdom, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and may sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. So after that argument, he tells them how they ought to behave. John 13, little children, I'm with you yet a little while. You shall seek me, but as I told the Jews, where I'm going you cannot come, and I'm telling you also. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another in the same way that I have loved you. That is how you are to love one another. And since love is supreme, it is the hardest thing to really do. By this shall everyone know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. Now, Mark 14, then Jesus said to them, all of you shall be offended in me in this night, for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. But after I have risen, I will go before you into Galilee. Now they didn't understand the resurrection. Then Peter said to him, even if all shall be offended, yet I shall not. And Jesus said to him, truly I say to you today in this very night, before the cock crows twice, you shall deny me three times. But he spoke more adamantly, if it were necessary for me to die with you, I would not deny you in any way. And they all spoke in the same manner also. Now the account in John 13. Simon Peter said to him, Lord, where are you going? Jesus answered him, where I am going, you cannot follow me now, but you shall follow me afterwards. Peter said to him, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you. Now all of those people who think that they're going to really lay down their life for the Lord, better listen up here. Jesus answered, you will lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I tell you, the cock shall not crow until you have denied me three times. Now the rest is John 14, 15, 16, and 17. And this shows many things of the process of conversion, of overcoming, of growing in grace and knowledge, of how we need to love one another, and treat one another, and how that God wants us to be. So John 14, let not your heart be troubled, believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. Now you go to Revelation 21 and see the size of New Jerusalem. If it were otherwise, I would have told you, I'm going to prepare a place for you. Now think about that for a minute. Wherever it's going to be in New Jerusalem, Christ is preparing that. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself so that where I am, you may be also. And where I'm going you know, and the way you know. Thomas said to him, Lord we do not know where you're going, how then can we know the way? Jesus said to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. And no one comes to the Father except through me. And that is a key fundamental thing in true Christianity. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. But from this time forward you know Him and have seen Him. But they couldn't understand that. So Philip said to Him, Lord show us the Father and that will be sufficient for us. Jesus said to him, have I been with you so long a time and you've not known me Philip? The one who has seen me has seen the Father. Why then do you say show us the Father? Don't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak from my own self. But the Father Himself who dwells in me does the works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. But if not, believe me because of the works themselves. Truly, truly I say to you, the one who believes in me shall also do the works that I do and greater works than these shall he do because I am going to the Father. And if you go to Acts the fifth chapter, you will read that the very shadow of Peter healed people who were put at the edge of the street as he was passing by. Jesus did not do that. Verse 13, and whatever you shall ask in my name, this I will do that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in my name, I will do it. Of course that has to be according to the will of God as well. If you love me, keep the commandments, namely my commandments and I will ask the Father and he shall give you another comforter that it may be with you throughout the age, even the spirit of the truth, which the world cannot receive because it perceives it not, nor knows it, but you know it because it dwells with you and shall be within you. And this is the power of God to help us in the things that we need help with. And also to convict us when we do things that we shouldn't do and sin, to lead us to repentance so we can overcome. I will not leave you orphans, I will come to you. Yet a little while the world shall see me no longer, but you shall see me because I live, you shall live also. In that day you shall know that I am in my Father and you are in me and I am in you. The one who has my commandments and is keeping them, that is the one who loves me and shall be loved by the Father. And I will love him and will manifest myself to him. That's the calling of God. The book of Revelation shows that there are seven spirits of God that are the eyes of God sent through the whole earth. And these are the ones who are searching out for those who are seeking God. That's the call. But many are called, but few are chosen because few repent. Verse 22, Judas not Iscariot said to him, Lord, what has happened that you're about to manifest yourself to us but not to the world? Jesus answered and said to him, now you can see this is a spiritual operation. God's spirit in us, Christ's spirit in us. Notice this is perhaps the most important verse in the whole New Testament right here. Verse 23, Jesus answered and said to him, if anyone loves me, he will keep my word and my Father will love him and we will come to him and make our abode with him. So there's two aspects of the Holy Spirit. The begettal of the Father to become a son or daughter of God and the spirit of Christ to develop the mind of Christ. Now notice the difference. Verse 24, the one who does not love me does not keep my words and the word that you hear is not mine, but the Father's who sent me. I've spoken these things to you while I'm yet present with you. But when the Comforter comes, even the Holy Spirit, which the Father will send in my name, that one will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance everything I have told you. Now when you read Acts the sixth chapter where the apostle said they need to devote themselves to the ministry of the word, they were writing down many of these things at that time and it said, and the word of God increased and the number of disciples multiplied. And remember, all of those at the beginning were Jews. They didn't have to be taught about the Sabbath. They didn't have to be taught about the Holy Days. They didn't have to be taught about all the things that we have to be taught about because they were living in a society that was already known. Verse 27, peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you, not as the world gives it do I give it to you. Let not your heart be troubled nor let it fear. You have heard me say to you that I'm going away and that I will come to you again. If you loved me, you would have rejoiced that I said I'm going to the Father because the Father is greater than I. This also shows that the disciples didn't love him as much as they should have until after his resurrection because he said if you loved me. And now I've told you before it happens so that when it happens you may believe. I will not speak with you much longer because the ruler of this world is coming but he does not have a single thing in me. Yet he comes so that the world may know that I love the Father and I do exactly as the Father commanded me. Arise, let us go up. John 15, Jesus said I am the vine and my Father is the husbandman. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit but he cleanses each one that bears fruit in order that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean through the word which I've spoken to you. Those words that we have tonight and the words that he taught them all during his ministry. Dwell in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself but only if it remains in the vine neither can you bear fruit unless you're dwelling in me. I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who is dwelling in me and I in him bears much fruit but apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not dwell in me he is cast out as a branch and is dried up and men gather them and cast them into a fire and they are burned. If you dwell in me and my words dwell in you, you shall ask whatever you desire and it shall come to pass for you. In this is my Father glorified that you bear much fruit so shall you be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Live in my love. If you keep my commandments you shall live in my love just as I have kept my Father's commandments and live in his love. These things I've spoken to you in order that my joy may dwell in you and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this that one lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants because the servant does not know what his master is doing but I have called you friends because I have made known to you all the things that I have heard from my Father. You yourselves did not choose me but I have personally chosen you and ordained you that you should go forth and bear fruit. Now this applies to all of us not in the sense of being ordained but when we're baptized we have hands laid on us, correct? And that's setting you aside. And that your fruit should remain so that whatever you shall ask the Father in my name. Now notice how he says a number of times ask the Father in Jesus' name. He may give you. These things I command you that you love one another. If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. However, because you're not of the world but I've personally chosen you out of the world, the world hates you for this. Remember the word that I spoke to you. A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they kept my word, they will keep your word also. But they will do all these things to you for my name's sake because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have had sin. But now they have nothing to cover their sin. The one who hates me hates my father also. If I had not done among them the works that no other man has done, they would not have had sin. But now they have both seen and hated both me and my father. And as we went through the last ten days of Jesus' life in preparation for the Passover, think about what it was like during his whole three and a half year of ministry. Every day was an uphill battle. Verse 25, but this has happened so that the saying might be fulfilled which is written in their law, they hated me without a cause. But when the Comforter has come, which I will send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of the truth which proceeds from the Father, that one shall bear witness of me. Then you also shall bear witness because you have been with me from the beginning. Now then he begins to tell them some things that he didn't tell them before. And remember some of the things that happened to the Apostle Paul. He was chased out of almost every synagogue he went into. He was beaten. Well, so were the others. John 16, I have spoken these things to you so that you will not be offended. They shall cast you out of the synagogues. Furthermore, the time is coming that everyone who kills you will think that he is rendering service to God. And they shall do these things to you because they do not know the Father nor me. But I have told you these things so that when the time comes, you may remember that I said them to you. However, I did not say these things to you at the beginning because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me and none of you ask me, where are you going? But because I've spoken these things to you, grief has filled your hearts. But I'm telling you the truth. And he always told the truth, didn't he? It is profitable for you that I go away because if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you. However, if I go, I will send it to you. And when that one is come, it will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment. Concerning sin, because they do not believe in me. Now think about that for a minute. If you don't believe in Jesus Christ, that is a sin, right? Concerning righteousness, because I'm going to the Father and you no longer will see me. Concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged, but not yet having the sentence executed. I have yet many things to tell you, but you are not able to bear them now. However, when that one is come, even the Spirit of the truth, it will lead you into all truth because it shall not speak of itself, but whatever it shall hear, it will speak and it shall disclose to you the things to come. That one shall glorify me because it shall disclose to you the things that it receives from me. Everything that the Father has is mine. For this reason, I said that it shall receive from me and shall disclose these things to you. A little while, you shall not see me. Again, a little while, you shall see me because I'm going to the Father. Then some of his disciples said to one another, what is this that he's saying to us? A little while and you shall not see me. And again, a little while you shall see me and because I'm going to the Father. Therefore, they said, what is this that he is saying a little while? We do not understand what he's saying. Then Jesus, knowing that they desired to ask him, said to them, why are you inquiring among one another about this that I said? A little while and you shall not see me. And again, a little while you shall see me. Now, verse 20, truly, truly, I tell you that you shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice. You shall be grieved, but your grief shall be turned into joy. Now, imagine what that was. They saw him on the cross dying, buried, and then he appears in the room. A woman, when she's giving birth, has grief because her time of travail has come, but after she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world. And likewise, you indeed have grief now, but I will see you again and your heart shall rejoice and no one shall take your joy from you. And in that day, you shall ask me nothing. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you shall ask the Father in my name, he will give you until this day. You have asked nothing in my name. Ask and you shall receive that your joy may be full. These things I've spoken to you in allegories, but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in allegories, but I will plainly disclose to you the things of the Father. In that day, you shall ask in my name and I do not tell you that I will beseech the Father for you, for the Father himself loves you. So always keep that in mind. He loved the son, but he had him just crushed to a smithereen, so to speak. And he said, Because you have loved me and have believed that I came forth from God. I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I am leaving the world and I am going to the Father. Then his disciples said to him, Behold, now you are speaking plainly and are not speaking in an allegory. Now we know you understand all things and do not need to have someone ask you. But by this, rather, we know that you came forth from God. Jesus answered them, Do you now believe at this minute? They believed a whole lot more after they saw him raised from the dead. You can be guaranteed that. Listen, the time is coming and it has already come that you shall be scattered each to his own and you shall leave me alone. And yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. These things I have spoken to you so that in me you may have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation, but be courageous, I have overcome the world. John 17. Now John 17 is one of the most magnificent chapters in the Bible. And this also teaches us a great lesson. Through all of this that Jesus was going through, he kept his mind on the Father, on the kingdom, on the goal, on the purpose, and that gave him the strength to suffer through everything that he went. Now, I don't know, I don't think that Peter, James, and John were there taking notes in the Garden of Gethsemane when he prayed. Jesus said they were sleeping. So, Jesus had to give this prayer directly to John 17. And John sometime during the time he was writing this gospel. Verse 1, Jesus spoke these words and lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour has come. Glorify your own son so that your son may also glorify you. Since you have given him authority over all flesh, in order that he may give eternal life to all whom you have given him. For this is eternal life, that they may know you the only true God, because at the time Jesus was praying, he was still in the flesh. And at that time, the Father was the only true God. After he was resurrected back to God's status, then he was God and the Father is also God. And Jesus Christ whom you did send. I have glorified you on the earth. I have finished the work that you gave me to do. Now, that's the work of preaching the gospel. That's the work of training the disciples. The work that he had yet to do was the one day work of the crucifixion. And now, Father, glorify me with your own self, with the glory that I had with you in the ages of eternity past before the world existed. I have manifested your name to the men whom you have given me out of the world. They were yours and you have given them to me. And they have kept your word. Notice he didn't say they have kept my word, because all that Jesus taught was from the Father. Now they have known that all things that you have given me are from you. And I have given them the words that you gave to me and they have received them and truly have known that I came from you and they have believed that you did send me. I'm praying for them. Now think about that. Jesus prays for us. I'm not praying for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours and all yours are mine and I've been glorified in them. And I'm no longer in the world, but these are in the world and I'm coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name. That's the name, the sacred name, Father. That's what the New Testament teaches. Those whom you have given me so that they may be one even as we are one is mine fixed right on the goal. When I was with them in the world, I kept them in your name. I protected those whom you have given me and not one of them has perished except the son of perdition in order that the scriptures might be fulfilled. But now I'm coming to you and these things I'm speaking while yet in the world that they may have my joy fulfilled in them. I've given them your words and the world has hated them because they are not of the world just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that you should take them out of the world, but that you would keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them, that means make them holy in your truth. Your word is the truth. Even as you did sanctify them, you sanctify them and send me into the world, I also have sent them into the world and for their sakes I sanctify myself so that they may also be sanctified in your truth. I do not pray for these only, but also for those who shall believe in me through their word and that's us today and down through all time. That they all may be one, now here it is, the family of God. Even as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be one in us in order that the world may believe that you did send me. And a lot of that is going to happen when Christ returns. I've given them the glory that you gave to me in order that they may be one in the same way that we are one. I in them and you in me that they may be perfected, a process into one that the world may know that you did send me and have loved them as you have loved me. Father, I desire that those whom you have given me may also be with me where I am so that they may behold my glory which you have given me because you did love me before the foundation of the world. Righteous Father, the world has not known you, but I've known you and these have known that you did send me. And I have made known your name to them and will make it known so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them and I in them. After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Let's have a closing prayer here. Father in heaven above, we come to you now at the close of this Passover service. We thank you for it very much. We thank you for your mercy, your kindness, your love, your strength, the things that you watch over us, care for us even in our difficulties, forgive us our sins, heal us of our diseases, strengthen us in our weakness, uplift us out of our depressions, help us through all the things through Jesus Christ that you have promised in your word that you would do. So we thank you for this tremendous Passover service that you give to us and every year we look forward to it to renew and reaffirm the covenant of eternal life. So place your angels about us and watch over us and we ask all this in Jesus' name. Amen.