The Passover Assembly
Becoming one with Christ through His flesh and blood

ⓒ 2014 WATV

The people of Zion throughout the world celebrated the Passover the feast of life that they had been eagerly waiting for. It was even more meaningful as it was held in the year of jubilee. The members who gathered to commemorate the feast looked brighter and more beautiful than spring flowers in full bloom.

In the evening of April 13 (the fourteenth day of the first month by the sacred calendar) the Passover Assembly 2014 in the special year of jubilee was celebrated at around 2,500 Churches of God in 175 countries of the world including the New Jerusalem Temple in Bundang, Korea.

It began with the feet-washing ceremony at 6 p.m. and continued with the service for the Passover Holy Supper at 7 p.m.

ⓒ 2014 WATV

Celebrating the Passover, Mother gave thanks to God the Father for establishing the feast of life in His flesh and blood to give His children eternal life. Giving thanks to Father once again for letting His children escape all disasters by keeping the Passover in this age of rampant disaster, She prayed for all human beings to keep the Passover so that they would be protected from disasters and get eternal life. She continued praying that the children would keep the feast with all their heart, understanding its value, and in gratitude enough to take eternal life.

“Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” Saying this, Jesus washed His disciples’ feet. In the Old Testament, when the priests entered the Tent of Meeting, they washed their hands and feet with water from a bronze basin first so that they would not die (Jn 13:1–10; Ex 30:17–21). With these examples from the Bible, General Pastor Kim Joo-cheol emphasized the importance of the feet-washing ceremony.

During the service for the Passover Holy Supper, the members reconfirmed God’s blessing contained in the feast while remembering the value of the Passover. When we keep the Passover, we can escape disasters and keep ourselves from committing idolatry because all the other gods are destroyed, and so we come to be fully clothed with the blessing of eternal life and salvation (Ex 12:11–14; Ps 91:7–14; Isa 43:1–3). Because the Passover contains these great blessings, Jesus eagerly desired to keep the Passover even when the time for Him to take up the cross was imminent, whereas Satan the devil did not spare ways and means to eliminate it.

“There is only one sure way to guarantee eternal life in the uncertain future—it is to celebrate the Passover,” said General Pastor Kim Joo-cheol, placing emphasis on the feast once again. He encouraged the members to quickly preach this important truth to all people who do not know about it so that we will all live a happy life and move forward to the everlasting kingdom of heaven.

Realizing once again the significance of the feet-washing ceremony and the Pass-over, the members participated in all the ceremonies of the Passover Assembly holy, and gave thanks and glory to God.

The Passover

The Passover—meaning disasters pass over us—falls on the fourteenth day of the first month by the sacred calendar every year.

It is the day when the Israelites escaped from the disaster and were freed from over 400 years of slavery in Egypt by the blood of a lamb 3,500 years ago. God promised that no destructive plague would touch them on the Passover, and commanded them to commemorate the day for the generations to come as a lasting ordinance (Ex 12:1–14).

In the evening before Christ Jesus died on the cross 2,000 years ago, He promised that the Passover bread and wine is His flesh and blood. Eternal life as well as the protection from the last plague were given to all human beings through that—by eating Passover bread and wine representing Jesus’ flesh and blood (Jn 6:53–58; Mt 17–19, 26–28).

Jesus and His disciples, and the saints of the early Church all celebrated the Passover (Mt 26:17; 1 Co 11:23–26), but the Passover was abolished in A.D. 325 at the Council of Nicaea convened by Emperor Constantine. Since then, it has not been kept for about 1,600 years. According to the prophecies of the Bible, however, God Himself restored this feast; the Church of God is the only church that has observed the Passover holy for around 50 years (Isa 25:6–9).

ⓒ 2014 WATV

The Sacred Assembly of the Feast of Unleavened Bread
Reconfirming that we are one with Christ through suffering

All the members of the Church of God around the world celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread 2014 with one mind, and commemorated Christ’s love and sacrifice on April 14 (the fifteenth day of the first month by the sacred calendar), the following day after the Passover.

The members, who participated in the blessing of eternal life by eating the Passover bread and drinking the Passover wine on the previous day, partook of Christ’s suffering by fasting from midnight on the Passover until 3 p.m. on the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the time when Jesus died on the cross.

ⓒ 2014 WATV

On the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Mother gave thanks to Heavenly Father who suffered all alone on the cross and sacrificed to pay the wages of death-deserving sins in His children’s stead. Mother gave thanks again for His immeasurable love and grace of coming in the flesh a second time and walking the path of great tribulations to restore the Passover which disappeared by the evil scheme of Satan the devil. She also prayed that Her children who have kept the feast with realization will not only receive the forgiveness of sins but also win over the hindrance and persecution of Satan so that they will enjoy everlasting happiness in the heavenly kingdom.

Through the morning and afternoon services, the General Pastor gave sermons about God’s will and blessings through the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

God is almighty but He persevered on the cross despite shame and pain for the sake of sinners. There lies the profound will of God who wants His children to follow His example to the way of suffering. “Suffering is essential in our way of the gospel—in pursuit of heavenly blessings and rewards. Let us bear hardships that we face while preaching the gospel just as Christ did, and win praise from God” (1 Pe 2:19; Ro 8:12–24; Php 1:27–29; 1 Th 2:1–8; 2 Th 1:6–10; Mt 5:10–12), said the General Pastor.

“Fasting on the Feast of Unleavened Bread is participating in the suffering of Christ, and this is the way to reaffirm that we have become one with Christ by eating and drinking the Passover bread and wine,” said the General Pastor. He also cheered up the members to gain more faith and strength by saying, “Whenever the forefathers of faith had difficulties, they regarded them as the marks of Christ. They boldly fought against them and overcame with joy. When we peel off the suffering, there will be a fruit of blessing inside. Let’s work for the gospel with the mindset” (1 Pe 4:12, 16–19; 5:10–11; Ps 119:67–71; 2 Co 4:7–10).

Somebody said that when we overcome hardship, it will become our victorious career. The members engraved the words, “If you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God” (1 Pe 2:20) on their minds, and resolved to overcome all the adversity and suffering of the gospel and record spiritual résumés with triumphs in faith so that they could please God just as Christ, Apostles Paul and Peter, and Job did.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread

The Feast of Unleavened Bread—the feast of suffering—is kept on the fifteenth day of the first month by the sacred calendar every year. It symbolizes the suffering that Jesus had on the cross.

The origin of the feast traces back to Old Testament when the Israelites went through sufferings until they crossed the Red Sea, being chased by the Egyptian army, after they survived from disasters with the blood of a lamb on the Passover (Ex 14:1–31; Lev 23:6). This prophetic origin was fulfilled when Jesus breathed his last in extreme distress; when Jesus was captured after keeping the Passover the New Covenant with His disciples on that night, He was persecuted, insulted and humiliated by the Roman soldiers till the next day.

In the Old Testament times, people ate bitter herbs and bread made without yeast (unleavened bread, also known as bread of affliction) to remember God’s grace and the affliction that they had during the Exodus (Ex 12:17–18; Dt 16:3). In the New Testament times, people participate in the suffering of Christ by fasting according to the word, “The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast” (Mk 2:20).

The Sacred Assembly of the Day of Resurrection
Step Forward to the Kingdom of Heaven through the Resurrection to Life

The day (Sunday) after the first Sabbath following the Feast of Unleavened Bread is the Resurrection Day. This year, it fell on April 20. The Churches of God throughout the world kept the Day of Resurrection to commemorate the resurrection of Christ Jesus.

ⓒ 2014 WATV

During the service, Mother gave thanks to God the Father for allowing all mankind to have the living hope for resurrection by His bearing all the pains of the crucifixion to save sinners and rising from the dead on the third day. Mother also earnestly prayed that all the people of the world as well as God’s children would participate in the resurrection of Christ and reach eternal life.

Above all, Mother could not hide Her sorrow over the victims of South Korea’s ferry disaster and the bereaved families who were suffering from inexpressible grief. She expressed Her deepest condolences over the deceased and Her wish for the survivors’ safe return, hoping that the blessing and miracle of the Resurrection Day would occur on them. Mother also prayed that all Her children would lead people to Zion the safe shelter quickly by carrying out their duties as spiritual rescuers.

General Pastor Kim Joo-cheol let the members ruminate on the origin and meaning of the Resurrection Day during the morning service. At the afternoon service, he preached about the relationship between the Day of Firstfruits of the Old Testament and the Resurrection Day of the New Testament; Jesus’ being raised from the dead as the firstfruits of those who had fallen asleep was to give conviction and hope for the resurrection of eternal life to mankind in chains of death (Ex 14:1–31; Mt 28:1–8; Lev 23:9–14; 1 Co 15:20–23). And he mentioned Jesus’ resurrection and the sign of Jonah (Mt 12:38–40), saying, “After a short period of suffering, there must be eternal glory. So, don’t be dismayed even in hardships. Let’s march towards the kingdom of heaven just like Christ who destroyed the dominion of darkness and resurrected.”

Pastor Kim said, “In order to rise to live, we must drink the water of life which the Spirit and the Bride give. Let’s give thanks to the Spirit and the Bride for coming to the earth with the tree of life to open the way to the kingdom of heaven, and participate in the resurrection of life by spreading this truth quickly” (Ac 24:13–15; Rev 22:17). And he added, “Just as Jonah and Jesus raised again after being in darkness for three days and delivered the new hope to people, I hope that the Sewol-ho ferry survivors will return safely and give hope and joy to their families and the country in despair.”

Just as Jesus’ disciples recognized the Christ after eating the bread Jesus gave, our members, too, kept the Resurrection Day holy by eating the bread according to the example of Jesus and His disciples, hoping their spiritual eyes would be opened wide. After the service, the members shared the blessing of the feast and the living hope for resurrection by delivering the bread of the Resurrection Day to their neighbors with the love of God who wants all people to be saved.

The Day of Resurrection

The Day of Resurrection is the feast to commemorate the power of Jesus who was resurrected on the third day after His death, defeating the power of death and darkness. It is celebrated on the day after the first Sabbath [on the first Sunday] following the Feast of Unleavened Bread every year.

Although the Israelites were terrified when the Egyptian army pursued them, they could cross the Red Sea as God protected them; and the Egyptian army running after them was buried in the waters. The Day of Firstfruits—one of seven feasts of God in three times in the Old Testament Law—came from the day when the Israelites crossed the Red Sea.

In the Old Testament times, the Israelites brought a sheaf of the first grain to give sacrifices to God on the day after the Sabbath [on Sunday]. Jesus was raised from the dead as the firstfruits of those who had fallen asleep. Just as the Israelites could eat the new crop of grain only after offering a sheaf of the first grain to God, after the resurrection of Jesus, mankind in the pit of death can have part in resurrection and enter heaven (Lev 23:9–14; 1 Co 15:20; Mt 27:50).