Weekly Watch Focus: Hosanna! Worship the Passover Lamb

March 18, 2016, We come to the Holiest of weeks as we approach Palm Sunday. Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey to offer Himself as our Atoning Lamb of God. He is the fulfillment of Passover. This was the first step of His road to Calvary where His precious blood would redeem us all when He cried, “It is finished!”

We come afresh to honor the Lamb of God. Pray for a renewed heart of worship. Behold Calvary’s glorious work. Bow in awe to worship our Lord and our God. Give thanks to the Lord for redeeming us, our families, and all the families on earth. Give glory and praise for the Passover Lamb.

The Old Testament Day of Atonement provided only a temporary covering for sin. Jesus Christ took our sins away permanently. All humanity suffers from the problem of sin. The remedy God provided for us all: the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross, when Jesus offered Himself through the Eternal Spirit to God the Father (Heb. 9:13-14) providing one complete all sufficient sacrifice for every family in every nation. Therefore, we cry out, “Worthy is the Lamb!”

He took our sins, our sicknesses, and all our sorrows. As we focus on the sacrificial Lamb, welcome a new season of evangelism, healing, deliverance from demonic oppressions, and the lifting of curses, including the poverty curse. On the basis of the shed blood of the Lamb, we welcome waves of glory, grace, and refreshing from the presence of the Lord.

Luke 19:28-40, “When He had said this, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. And it came to pass, when He drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mountain called Olivet, that He sent two of His disciples, saying, ‘Go into the village opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Loose it and bring it here. And if anyone asks you, “Why are you loosing it?” thus you shall say to him, “Because the Lord has need of it.”’ So those who were sent went their way and found it just as He had said to them. But as they were loosing the colt, the owners of it said to them, ‘Why are you loosing the colt?’ And they said, ‘The Lord has need of him.’ Then they brought him to Jesus. And they threw their own clothes on the colt, and they set Jesus on him. And as He went, many spread their clothes on the road. Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, saying:  ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!’ And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, ‘Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.’ But He answered and said to them, ‘I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.’”

Gal. 3:13-14; Isa. 53:4-10; 1 Cor. 2:2; 2 Cor. 5:21; 2 Cor. 8:9; 2 Cor. 9:8; Deut. 28:2-13; Lev. 16:22

Part 2: Purim - Pray God's Deliverence for His Persecuted People

This is the time that believing Jews celebrate the festival of Purim on the 14th of the Hebrew month of Adar. It commemorates the amazing deliverance God brought to the Jewish people in ancient Persia from Haman’s plot “to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jews, young and old, infants and women, in a single day.” Esther and Mordecai convinced all the Jews to repent, fast, and pray to God for their salvation. The same murderous spirit of Haman that sought to destroy God’s people in ancient Persia is actively roaming the earth targeting Jews and Christians today.

In this spiritually strategic time as we see genocide of Christians by radical Islamic extremists purposed to destroy Israel and "nations of the cross." It is reminiscent of Haman's plot to destroy the Jewish people. May we be inspired by Esther and Mordecai in prayer and fasting. Let us bind back the hate-filled spirit of Haman. As Mordecai said to Esther, "For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"

Bless Israel and pray for our persecuted Christian brothers and sisters. Pray for pastors, priests, and the families of leaders in prison. Pray for the imperiled Christians in the Middle East. May the Lord who delivered the Jews in Persia once again deliver and protect His people. 

Esther 4:14, “For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Gen. 12:3; Heb. 13:3; Matt. 5:10-12; Rom. 8:36; 2 Cor. 2:10.