The Work of Jesus Christ is Far From Finished

Many people assume that Christ’s death finished the plan of God. We [United Church of God] do not believe that is so.

John 19:28-30

My purpose today is to show you that God’s plan and purpose for humanity is not finished with the death of Jesus… rather His death is the beginning. The beginning of a plan far more satisfying, comprehensive, and complete.

What Then Was Finished?

John 17:1-5 Jesus completed the work the Father had given Him to do.

1 Corinthians 5:7 that work included the sacrifice of His life as “our Passover” to pay the penalty of our sins [see also Luke 12:50].

That was not the end of the salvation plan, it was the beginning.

John 4:34-36 reference to work as the calling of many people to enter the path of life and teach them to walk in it. Jesus began this enormous project and has handed it over to His church to continue [Matt 28:18-20].

The First Passover Pictured Christ’s Sacrifice

God’s had to inflict a terrible punishment upon Egypt to get them to finally release Israel from bondage. God had to put to death every first born child in the land to force Pharaoh to give in.

But, through the blood of a lamb, smeared on the doorposts or their houses God would pass over the firstborn of Israel, and spare [or save] them from death.

The blood of that lamb, at that first Passover, was a symbol… and a prophecy... of the blood of Christ, the lamb of God [John 1:29]

With the institution of the Passover God began to reveal His salvation plan in prophetic form to His Church. Acts 7:38 at that time Israel was His Church. He gave them 7 annual festivals and commanded them be observed forever.

Why Do We Keep The Festivals?

Under the new covenant the Israel of God was reformed and is now made up of people from all nations begotten by His Holy Spirit. The new covenant Israel of God [aka Church of God] is tasked with the ongoing proclamation of God’s salvation plan.

When someone comes to the Church they are discipled. Part of that discipleship or training is through the keeping of the Holy Days.

• Passover = fulfilled
• Unleavened Bread = in process
• Pentecost = in process
• Trumpets = future and prophetic
• Atonement = future and prophetic
• Feast of Tabernacles = future and prophetic
• Last Day = future and prophetic

In this way we reveal, rehearse, and re-affirm the outline of God’s step-by-step plan of salvation. It is an understanding you may take for granted… but the vast majority of humanity has never known and even today does not know. When you know the plan… you have answers to many of the biggest and most perplexing questions humanity has regarding, immortality, freedom of the will, and the true justice, compassion and righteousness of our Creator.

Here is an outline of that plan presented in the cycle of God’s Holy Days:

• Passover = repentance and forgiveness
• Unleavened Bread = overcoming sin and developing the mind of God
• Pentecost = receipt of the Holy Spirit, the foretaste of eternity
• Trumpets = the resurrection of first-fruits at Christ’s return
• Atonement = the removal of Satan and re-dedication of the world
• Feast of Tabernacles = the 1,000 year rule of Jesus Christ
• Last Day = the final resurrection of all flesh, truth revealed to all who have ever lived

Just as the weekly Sabbath cycle keeps us in a right relationship with God as our Creator, the annual Sabbaths [festivals] keep His church in a right relationship and understanding of His plan of salvation.

The holy days are for the Church of God… to keep us on track!

False and deceived teachers replace these biblical revealed holy days with counterfeit celebrations [like christmas]. Such substitution goes hand in hand with replacing the truth of God for a false understanding of the very who, what, when, where, and how of God’s actual plan.

The new covenant Passover is a memorial of Christ’s death and a yearly reminder of your personal deliverance from sin and reconciliation with your Creator. It is the 1^st step in the amazing plan to bring about salvation and life for the untold billions of human history.

We Must Not Stop With The Passover!

Many people and popular preachers teach that Christ’s sacrifice completed/finished the plan of salvation and there is nothing more to be done except believe.

That is a teaching and understanding FAR removed from the truth.

Romans 3:23-25 Jesus sacrifice pays for past sins. It does not give us permission to break God’s laws in future thinking the penalty has already been paid.

After that first step of accepting His death in place of our own we don’t stop… we go on to the next step!

Romans 3:31 this is what the Feast of Unleavened Bread teaches! Uphold the law… to do our part in putting sin out of our lives just as we put the leaven out of our homes.

Galatians 2:17 Christ ministry is not about crating a new reality where sin and obedience have no consequences… where everything is DONE. Christ’s purpose is to free us from sin so we might go on and live a life of righteousness.

He is our living High Priest, active and at work to help us in the ongoing project of removing sin from our lives to prepare us for eternal life. He said:

“my sustenance is to complete the assignment the Father sent me to perform… look the fields are ready for harvest… even now the reaper draws his wages and harvests the crop of eternal life…”

He also said this:

Matthew 19:16-17 the path to eternal life is living by the commandments. Through walking that path we develop holy, righteous, spiritual character which prepares us for that eternal promise.

Christ’s death by itself does not create that mind in us. It only clears the way to make the process begin… to make it even possible. Our rap sheet may be erased but we still need to be taught how to live and think in a manner that will sin no more.

It is the project of a lifetime… only “finished” when we are resurrected to life at Christ’s return.

That is the project pictured by, brought to our remembrance by… the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

We Must Forsake Sin

Our acceptance of Christ’s sacrifice in payment for the penalty of our sins is only the first step. Once we have repented of our sins and been forgiven by God… He wants us to forsake sin.

Revelation 18:4 God commands us to come out of the world’s ways of sin just like Israel left Egypt. Hebrews 11:25-26 Egypt is a picture of a world, a culture, a life soaked in sin… we must make every effort to come out of it. With the help and guidance of our living High Priest.

1. Get out of sin… 2. Get sin out of us… both the inner and the outer! An all encompassing removal.

To keep us in remembrance of this second step in God’s plan, Christ our LORD, the LORD who was with Israel before us instituted this second annual festival… the Feast of Unleavened Bread. To remind His people that we must do our part to keep the sins Jesus covered with His blood out of our lives from here on out!

After repentance and baptism God expects us to follow His laws… to spiritually unleaven our lives… just as we are to physically unleaven our homes before the Feast and keep them unleavened for the duration of the Feast. The act of eating unleavened bread during the feast teaches us the opposite of sin… OBEDIENCE to God… putting the mind of God in us.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread teaches us about our need to go forward and live by God’s commandments.

Let Us Keep The Feast

1 Corinthians 5:7-8 this is a simple and direct new testament command to observe God’s annual festivals and Holy Days.

We keep the Feast… WHY?... because Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us!

He said, “it is finished”… the sacrifice and redeeming payment has been made.

Phase one has been completed.

Move forward to phase two…. KEEP THE FEAST