Christ Is In Control 

Prophecy: The sun will go dark, no bone will be broken, and He will cry, “Into your hands I commit my spirit.”

We are in the season that we commemorate and celebrate the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ! Because of this day and because of these events, we have been extended the privilege of the forgiveness of our sin, and of being spared from eternal separation from our creator God!

God in His sovereign providence gave us His wonderful Word, revealing Himself and His intentions to His people. Hundreds of years before the crucifixion of Christ, God instructed His chosen people in the preparation of the sacrificial lamb that would symbolize God’s deliverance of His people from their sin and ultimate death. The historical Passover was associated with the tenth plague, which was the death of the firstborn in Egypt. Israel was instructed to prepare a lamb in each household. The blood of the lamb was to be put on the lintel and doorposts of each house (Exodus 12:7). By doing so, it would provide safety for those in the house. 

The death of Christ during the Passover season is significant to the Jew and to the Christian. For the Jew and the Gentile, it should demonstrate that Christ Himself is the promised Messiah and the Sacrificial Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). The Apostle Paul called Christ our Passover in 1 Corinthians 5. That means that Jesus Christ is the means by which we are spared from our sin and ultimate separation from God if we have Him as our Passover Lamb. 

There were very important instructions given to the Jews in the preparation of the lamb in this important meal. The command in Exodus 12:46 is that the bones of the lamb were not to be broken. In the New Testament in John 19:36, speaking about Jesus Christ on the cross, it says, “For these things came to pass to fulfill the Scripture, ‘Not a bone of Him shall be broken.’” This corresponds with the Psalmist in Psalm 34:20, “He keeps all his bones, not one of them is broken.”

We see God’s sovereignty in the details of the day of Jesus’ crucifixion. The Friday Christ was hung on the cross was the day of preparation for the Jews, and the Passover was on the next day. The Jews asked Pilate that the legs of those crucified might be broken to hasten their death, so they could be taken down prior to the Sabbath Day. The soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man, and then the other that was crucified with Jesus. “. . . but, coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.” (John 19:33) Jesus is our Passover Lamb!

In John 10:17-18, Jesus said, “For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have the authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.” Prior to the soldiers coming to break the legs of Jesus and the two criminals hanging on either side of Him, “Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, ‘Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.’” (Luke 23:46) Jesus was quoting Psalm 31:5, indicating His control of giving up His soul and committing it to God. Thus, Jesus “offered Himself up without blemish to God” (Hebrews 9:14). Christ on His own, gave His life as a ransom for many! In so doing, Christ is the fulfillment of many of the Scriptures written long before He came to earth to pay the penalty for our sin.

So, Christ on His own initiative laid down His life for you and for me and for the sins of the world. He gave up His life and committed His Spirit into the hands of God. He took it up again in order that He may defeat sin and death, in order that we may have an abundant life here on earth and eternal life with God in heaven. Jesus met the criteria for the Passover Lamb, and as we receive Him, we receive the right to become children of God. What an incredible action from Christ and a wonderful gift that is extended to all who will receive Him as we celebrate Palm Sunday and Resurrection Day!

Questions for Thought

1. Who do you know in your family or circle of influence needs to receive the Lord Jesus Christ?
2. How can you invite them to come to church so they can hear the gospel of Jesus Christ on these special days?

Daily Challenge

Pray every day to see what God wants you to do so that more people that you know may come to know Him. Pray, asking God to bring people into your life that need to know about Him. God is faithful, and He will do it!