EXODUS 12:43-45

And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover. No foreigner

shall eat it. But every man’s servant who is bought for money, when you have circumcised him,

then he may eat it. A sojourner and a hired servant shall not eat it.’’

I have spent a lot of money feeding my family, providing clothing and shelter for them, paying

college tuition, even offering opportunities for them to enjoy themselves. I haven’t minded doing

that—after all, they are my family!

But unless there were extenuating circumstances, I would not have been so joyful about doing

that for someone who did not belong to my family. Some privileges are for family members

only.

That’s the way God felt about the Passover. It was a celebration for His family. As children of

Abraham, the Jews were given the right to look to God as their Father, and the Passover was for

them.

Those just passing through (sojourners) and those who were paid to be part of the group (hired

servants) were not family members and therefore were not eligible to enjoy family privileges.

In the church age, we also have a family-only celebration—the Lord’s Supper. This service is

modeled after the Passover feast. As Passover reminds the Jews of their deliverance from

bondage in Egypt, Communion reminds Christians of their deliverance from the bondage of sin,

which Christ provided through His death on the cross.

To participate in this service, one must be a member of the family, and the only way to become

a part of the family is to receive Christ as Savior.The next time you prepare to partake in the

Communion service, ask yourself. “Have I become part of God’s family? Have I trusted Jesus

Christ as my Savior? Am I a member in good standing by confessing my sins?”

If the answers to these questions are yes, do what the Israelites did. Celebrate your freedom.

Enjoy being a member of the family.

FAMILY PRIVILEGES ARE FOR MEMBERS ONLY.

WOODROW KROLL

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