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Grace unto you, and peace, from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ.

We are now drawing near to the season of the death of our Savior on the Cross of Calvary.? One of the prophecies of His death is found in Exodus: the first Passover.? The wrath of the Lord had come upon the house of Egypt, and God gave instructions to the children of Israel to kill a lamb and apply its blood to the doorposts and lintels of their dwelling places.? In so doing, their houses would be passed over by the plague of death of the firstborn.? This last, dreadful plague secured the freedom of the Israelites, and they set out for the promised land.

When the Red Sea swallowed up the armies of Pharaoh, all Israel rejoiced ? singing and dancing and playing the timbrels ? all because of the great salvation of the Lord.

The Lord commanded that the Feast of Passover be a perpetual feast.? He said, ?And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?? That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord?s passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses.?? (Ex. 12:26-27.)? It is a somber feast, a solemn assembly, kept in memory not only of the salvation of the Lord, but also of His dreadful wrath.

Jesus Christ has become ?our Passover.?? When we apply His blood to the doorposts and lintels of our hearts, the second death loses all power over us.? By His suffering, the price of our sins has been paid.

?He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.?? (John 3:18.)

We rejoice at our Lord?s resurrection and at the hope of our own victory over death through His name, but as we partake of the Lord?s Supper, in memory of His body, broken for us, and of His blood, shed for us, we look back to the price that was paid that we might have such hope.? It is in memory of Him that we shall gather for the Lord?s Supper on April 13^th at our worship center in South Hadley.

Likewise, we are preparing for the Feast of Firstfruits (or Pentecost) which will be celebrated June 5-8.? Make preparations now to join with us in obedience to God during this time of revival and worship!? God bless you!