Jesus had to be about his Father’s business. You might think that would mean he was working on his fine carpentry skills. Jesus knew that his Father was in Heaven and that his work was saving the world.
When people talk about Jesus, Christianity and the heart of our faith, we focus on the cross and Jesus’ sacrifice to pay for our sins. That is all true and good. Jesus’ perfect life made his innocent sacrifice possible. From the time Jesus was born, he was under God’s Law, following every Old Testament command God gave to his people. That includes keeping the command to celebrate the festivals.
Jesus family was on a trip to Jerusalem for the Passover. There were three big Old Testament Festivals: The Passover, Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles.
The Passover festival was a celebration remembering the powerful way that God rescued his people from Egypt. The Angel of Death passed over the homes that had the blood of a lamb painted on the doorframe, sparing the 1st born in that house. This 10th plague on the Egyptians was enough to push Pharaoh to let God’s people go.
Pentecost had a two-fold focus. It was a harvest festival for God’s people. That first sheave of barley from the fields didn’t go to the dinner plate, it went to the temple for a first-fruit offering. This was a statement of faith for Old Testament Christians who knew that God would give them more. They knew they could never out give the giver. The other side of Pentecost was a focus and celebration of God’s Law, the first five books of the Bible.
The Festival of Booths was when God’s people went camping. They did this to remember how they were camping for 40 years in the wilderness.
Jesus kept these festivals for you! Want to hear more about how you can be about the Father’s business? Watch this week’s sermon taken from Luke 2.
Book(s): Luke
Tag(s): Christmas