Intro: For our Advent season this year, I have chosen to enjoy the Jesse Tree by sharing a 24-day practice to prepare us for the celebration of Christ’s birth; the event we celebrate and honor at Christmas. From the root of Jesse’s stump, we will discover or rediscover the people in the family Tree of Jesus Messiah who were instrumental in bringing the presence of God near to us in order to revive the Spirit-led family of faith. With each day’s reading, we will add a new symbol—an ornament—to our family tree.
Today, is day nine of our journey and our symbol is the Cup.
Have you noticed some things are crisp in your memory and other things not so much? I write down many more things these days, because I don’t want to forget something important. If I don’t have a way to write something down, I associate what I want to remember with a person, place, or life event. It works pretty well most of the time! lol!
In the Old Testament, God rescued the Israelites from bondage in Egypt; yet, in spite of all God had done for them, they quickly forgot His goodness. So, God called them to remember what He had done to deliver them by celebrating the Passover table every year. During this celebration, they would retell the event of when they wiped the blood of a spotless lamb over the doorframes of their dwelling. Through the retelling, the people would remember and focus on the goodness of God to spare their lives; to save them from death.
In the New Testament, Jesus used His final Passover meal with the disciples to show that His sacrificial death would give new meaning to the festival. Jesus came to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). He shed His blood on the cross to fulfill the Passover; He died for you. Just as there had to be an act of faith and obedience in which the blood was applied to the doorframes of the Israelites’ homes in Egypt, so there must be an act of faith in which Christ’s shed blood is applied to our lives. If you have never done so, by faith ask for Christ’s blood to cover you.
Exodus 12:21-27 NLT
21 Then Moses called all the elders of Israel together and said to them, “Go, pick out a lamb or young goat for each of your families, and slaughter the Passover animal. 22 Drain the blood into a basin. Then take a bundle of hyssop branches and dip it into the blood. Brush the hyssop across the top and sides of the doorframes of your houses. And no one may go out through the door until morning. 23 For the Lord will pass through the land to strike down the Egyptians. But when he sees the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe, the Lord will pass over your home. He will not permit his death angel to enter your house and strike you down.
24 “Remember, these instructions are a permanent law that you and your descendants must observe forever. 25 When you enter the land the Lord has promised to give you, you will continue to observe this ceremony. 26 Then your children will ask, ‘What does this ceremony mean?’ 27 And you will reply, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, for he passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt. And though he struck the Egyptians, he spared our families.’” When Moses had finished speaking, all the people bowed down to the ground and worshiped.
Matthew 26:26-28 NLT
26 As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.”
27 And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, 28 for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many.
Hebrews 9:22 NLT In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for the cup of salvation; the shedding of your blood applied to the lives of your children. The blood confirms the covenant we have with you. Thank you for the rest this gives our lives. We know you will bring us safely through the day of judgment. In Jesus’ name. Amen.