Today is Good Friday, the day we remember the sacrifice Jesus paid on behalf of our sin to redeem us and restore us to a right relationship with God. Many will attend Good Friday Communion services, and others will attend a Messianic Passover Seder, but all of our minds will be on Jesus, our Lord, and Savior.

I want to share three passages of Scripture for us to reflect on, not just today; but throughout the weekend and even in the coming weeks. Let this special time renew a strengthened devotion to Jesus, the reading and studying of Scripture, and prayer.

Exodus 12:26-27 CJB “When your children ask you, ‘What do you mean by this ceremony?’ ²⁷ say, ‘It is the sacrifice of Adonai’s Pesach [Passover], because [Adonai] passed over the houses of the people of Isra’el in Egypt, when he killed the Egyptians but spared our houses.’” The people of Isra’el bowed their heads and worshipped.”

Deuteronomy 6:1-9 CJB “Now this is the mitzvah, the laws and rulings which Adonai your God ordered me to teach you for you to obey in the land you are crossing over to possess, ² so that you will fear Adonai your God and observe all his regulations and mitzvot that I am giving you — you, your child and your grandchild — as long as you live, and so that you will have long life. ³ Therefore listen, Isra’el, and take care to obey, so that things will go well with you, and so that you will increase greatly, as Adonai, the God of your ancestors, promised you by giving you a land flowing with milk and honey. ⁴ “Sh’ma, Yisra’el! Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai echad [Hear, Isra’el! Adonai our God, Adonai is one]; ⁵ and you are to love Adonai your God with all your heart, all your being and all your resources. ⁶ These words, which I am ordering you today, are to be on your heart; ⁷ and you are to teach them carefully to your children. You are to talk about them when you sit at home, when you are traveling on the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ⁸ Tie them on your hand as a sign, put them at the front of a headband around your forehead, ⁹ and write them on the door-frames of your house and on your gates.”

These two passages of Scripture show us the centrality of the Word of God in the life of the family. Knowing God begins at home, serving God begins at home, and discipleship occurs in the home.

Passover was a small family event. Yes, it was permitted to bring neighbors into your home, but they were treated like family. Let Passover, the beginning of months, be the start of a new family emphasis in your home. Set aside time on Friday nights to have a family meal and discuss how God has blessed you during the week. Read Scripture together and discuss it. Springtime signals new life; let today be a day that you remember the sacrifice of Jesus and make a decision that God’s Word will become the center of your family.

As you prepare your heart for a Good Friday service or Passover Seder, reflect on these words from the Apostle Paul,

1 Corinthians 5:7-8 CJB “Get rid of the old hametz, so that you can be a new batch of dough, because in reality you are unleavened. For our Pesach (Passover) lamb, the Messiah, has been sacrificed. ⁸ So let us celebrate the Seder not with leftover hametz, the hametz of wickedness and evil, but with the matzah of purity and truth.”

Hametz is leaven, and leaven is a picture of sin. Get rid of corruption, malice, and wickedness, and celebrate your Messiah with the matzah of sincerity and truth. Jesus said those who worship Me must worship in spirit and truth. We must have the spirit with the truth. All truth with no Holy Spirit leads to legalism, and all spirit without Truth (Jesus and the Scripture) will lead to a perverted grace that produces lawlessness in the end.

Jesus has died, risen, and will soon come again! Therefore, let us celebrate the feast in the joy of our sins being forgiven and the blessed hope of the coming Kingdom.