Welcome and Opening Prayer                                                    ~ Elder Milton Parrish

Call to Worship                                                                              ~ Worship Team
      ~ “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)
      ~ “Raise A Hallelujah
      ~ “Trust In God”  

Worship in Tithes and Offerings

Children 5th grade and under released to Children's Church

Testimony                                                                                        ~ Mrs. Ashley Phillips

Sermon                                                                                            ~ Pastor Jeremy Phillips
     ~  Suffering Series Sermon 1: Why Does Suffering Exist?
        Genesis 1:1–2; 1:31; 2:8–10; 2:15; 3:5; 3:17–19; 3:23–24; 6–9; Psalm 69:1–2; Isaiah 57:20;
        Rom. 8:20–21; Gen, 4; Gen. 11; Ex. 1; Gal. 6:7; Job 1–2; Psalm 115:3; Deut. 32:4;
        Eph. 1:4–5; Luke 22:31; Gen. 50:20; Rom. 8:22

Invitation and Prayer                                                                     ~ Pastor Ryan
     ~   “Help My Unbelief”  

Benediction & Dismissal                                                                ~ Elder Mark White 

 ADULT DEVOTIONAL COMPANION
God and Suffering
Week 1: Why Does Suffering Exist?

Senior Pastor Dr. G. Ryan Perry PhD.
Good Hope Baptist Church
19 April 2026

The BIG Idea (repeat daily)
God did not create suffering as the design of creation. Suffering entered through a world broken by sin, yet God still rules over it with purpose.

DAY 1 — God Created Goodness, Not Chaos
Scripture: Genesis 1:31

When God finished creation, He called it “very good.” That means creation was ordered, whole, flourishing, and functioning as intended. Suffering was not part of the original blueprint. Pain, death, injustice, disease, and fear are intruders, not foundations. This matters because many people assume suffering proves God made a bad world. Scripture says the opposite. God made a good world that was later fractured.

Reflection:  Do you think of suffering as normal, or as something foreign to God’s design?  How does this change the way you view pain?
Prayer:  Lord, thank You that You created what is good. Help me trust Your original design even in a broken world.
 
DAY 2 — Sin Distorted What God Ordered
Scripture: Genesis 3:17–19

Sin is more than rule-breaking. Sin is rejecting God’s authority and choosing self-rule. When humanity turned from God, disorder entered creation. Relationships fractured. Work became toil. Fear entered the human heart. Death began its reign. Sin always promises freedom, but it produces bondage. We still see this today whenever people define good and evil for themselves rather than trusting God.

Reflection:  Where do you see disorder caused by sin in the world?  Where do you need to surrender self-rule to God?
Prayer:  Father, forgive me for trusting myself above You. Restore Your order in my life.

DAY 3 — The Whole World Feels the Fall
Scripture: Romans 8:20–22

Creation groans. That means suffering is not only personal, it is cosmic. The world does not function perfectly now. Bodies weaken. Storms destroy. Systems fail. Hearts break. The Bible explains what we all experience: something is wrong here. But groaning is not the same as dying. Groaning often comes before birth. Romans 8 says creation groans because restoration is coming.
Reflection:  What brokenness around you reminds you this world is not yet healed?  How does hope change the way you endure hardship?
Prayer:  God, when I feel the groaning of this world, remind me that renewal is coming.

DAY 4 — Some Suffering Comes from Human Evil
Scripture: Genesis 4:8

Cain killed Abel. Very early in Scripture, suffering comes through violence, jealousy, hatred, and sin. Some pain in the world exists because people choose evil. This includes abuse, oppression, betrayal, greed, and injustice. God does not celebrate evil. He sees it, judges it, and will one day end it fully.

Reflection:  How have you seen human sin harm others?  How can you be a force for righteousness and healing?
Prayer:  Lord, make me someone who resists evil and reflects Your goodness.

DAY 5 — God Still Rules in a Broken World
Scripture: Psalm 115:3

Suffering can make life feel random. Scripture says it is not random. God remains sovereign. Nothing escapes His authority. Nothing can overthrow His purposes. That does not mean all things are good. It means God is greater than all things. He rules even in what He hates, and He can bring redemption from what others meant for harm.

Reflection:  What suffering feels chaotic to you right now?  Can you trust God even before you understand?
Prayer:  King Jesus, help me trust Your rule when life feels uncertain.
 
DAY 6 — God Uses What He Does Not Approve
Scripture: Genesis 50:20

Joseph suffered betrayal, slavery, false accusation, and prison. Yet later he said: “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” Same event, different intentions. People can mean harm. God can mean redemption. This does not make evil good. It shows God is powerful enough to overrule evil.

Reflection:  Have you seen God bring good from pain in your past?  Where do you need faith for redemption you cannot yet see?
Prayer:  Lord, redeem what has wounded me, and use it for Your glory.

DAY 7 — Suffering Is Real, But Not Final
Scripture: Revelation 21:4

The Bible does not end with tears. It ends with restoration. No death. No mourning. No crying. No pain. Suffering is present, but temporary. Christ will bring the world to full healing. For believers, pain has an expiration date.

Reflection:  How would your daily life change if you truly believed suffering is temporary?  What hope do you need today?
Prayer:  Jesus, anchor my heart in the promise that suffering will not have the final word.

© 2026 Dr. G. Ryan Perry, PhD | Good Hope Baptist Church (GHBC) | Cross+Walk Ministries. All rights reserved. Permission granted for personal use, family discipleship, and local church ministry use. Not for resale or unauthorized commercial reproduction.

PARENT DISCIPLESHIP GUIDE
God and Suffering
Week 1 – Why does suffering exist?

Pastor Ryan Perry
Good Hope Baptist Church
19 April 2026

The BIG Idea (repeat every day) Suffering exists because sin brought brokenness into God’s good world, but God is still in control and bringing restoration.

DAY 1 — God Made the World Good
Scripture: Genesis 1:31

Parent Says:  When God finished creating the world, He said it was very good. God made a world full of life, beauty, and order. Suffering was not part of God’s first design.
Ask: What did God say about His creation? What are some good things God made?

Truth: God made the world good.
Prayer: God, thank You for making a good and beautiful world.

DAY 2 — People Were Made to Be Close to God
Scripture: Genesis 2:15

Parent Says:  God placed Adam in the garden to live with Him and care for what He made. People were created to know God and walk with Him. We are made for God’s presence, too.
Ask: Where did God place Adam? Why do we need to stay close to God?

Truth: We were made to live near God.
Prayer: Lord, help our family stay close to You.

DAY 3 — Sin Brought Pain
Scripture: Genesis 3:17–19

Parent Says:  Adam and Eve chose to disobey God. Because of sin, pain, struggle, and death entered the world. Sin means choosing our own way instead of God’s way.
Ask: What happens when people disobey God? Why is sin serious?

Truth: Sin brought brokenness into the world.
Prayer: God, forgive our sins and teach us to obey You.

DAY 4 — Brokenness Spreads
Scripture: Genesis 4:8

Parent Says:  After sin entered the world, Cain hurt his brother Abel. Sin did not stay small; it spread into families and communities. That is why the world needs God’s help.
Ask: What did Cain do wrong? How can sin hurt others?

Truth: Sin spreads hurt and pain.
Prayer: God, help us choose love instead of sin.
 
DAY 5 — The World Is Not Working Right
Scripture: Romans 8:22

Parent Says:  The Bible says creation is groaning. That means the world is broken and waiting for God to make it new. We feel sadness, sickness, and loss because the world is not as it should be.
Ask: Why does the world feel broken sometimes? What things do you want God to make new?

Truth: The world needs God’s restoration.
Prayer: Lord, bring healing and make all things new.

DAY 6 — God Is Still in Control
Scripture: Psalm 115:3

Parent Says:  Even when life is hard, God has not lost control. He still rules over heaven and earth. Nothing surprises God, and nothing is too hard for Him.
Ask: Is God still in control when life is hard? Why does that give us hope?

Truth: God is still ruling over all things.
Prayer: God, help us trust You in hard times.
 
DAY 7 — God Will Make Things Right
Scripture: Genesis 50:20

Parent Says:  Joseph’s brothers meant harm, but God used it for good. God can bring good even from painful things. One day, He will fully remove suffering forever.
Ask: How did God bring good from Joseph’s story? What hard thing can we trust God with today?

Truth: God is working all things toward His good plan.
Prayer: Father, help us trust that You are working even now.

© 2026 Dr. G. Ryan Perry, PhD | Good Hope Baptist Church (GHBC) | Cross+Walk Ministries. All rights reserved. Permission granted for personal use, family discipleship, and local church ministry use. Not for resale or unauthorized commercial reproduction.

Suffering Series Sermon 1: Why Does Suffering Exist?

Pastor Ryan Perry
Good Hope Baptist Church
19 April 2026

Big Idea: Suffering exists because creation is no longer aligned with God’s order—but it remains under His sovereign rule and is being moved toward His redemptive purposes.

Key Verses: 
Genesis 1:1–2; Genesis 1:31; Genesis 2:8–10; Genesis 2:15; Genesis 3:5; Genesis 3:17–19; Genesis 3:23–24; Genesis 6–9; Psalm 69:1–2; Isaiah 57:20; Romans 8:20–21; Genesis 4; Genesis 11; Exodus 1; Galatians 6:7; Job 1–2; Psalm 115:3; Deuteronomy 32:4; Ephesians 1:4–5; Luke 22:31; Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:22

Today, we are not starting with emotion; we are starting with Scripture.
Because, if we do not define suffering biblically, we will misdiagnose it completely.
 
I. God’s Design and the Fracture of Creation (Creation → Fall)
Genesis 1:1–2 — Creation begins תֹּהוּ (tohu) — formless, unstructured,  בֹּהוּ (bohu) — empty, unfilled
 
This is not evil, this is unordered potential. Genesis 1 shows us what God does with that: He separates, He names, and He fills. The repeated Hebrew word is: בָּדַל (badal) — to separate/divide.

Genesis 1:31 — מְאֹד (tov me’od) completely ordered, fully functioning, flourishing, literally very good.  

God did not create suffering. God created order, life, and flourishing.
 
Genesis 2:8–10 — A river flows out and divides.  This is not random; this is structured life flowing from God’s presence.

Genesis 2:15 — The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden… to work it (עָבַד ʿābad) and keep it (שָׁמַר šāmar). These are priestly terms (Numbers 3:7–8).

Genesis 3:5 — The serpents lie to humanity. Sin is rejecting God’s authority and redefining good and evil on your own terms.

Genesis 3:17–19 — Curse, toil, and death. Suffering begins where God’s life-giving presence is lost.

II. Disorder Spreads Through Creation
Genesis 6–9 — The Flood (de-creation, creation returning to disorder)

Psalm 69:1–2 & Isaiah 57:20 — Waters represent chaos (תֹּהוּ בֹּהוּ – Chaos)
and instability, lack of order.

Romans 8:20–21 — Creation subjected to futility. The world is not working correctly, creation is disordered, life is not functioning (ματαιότης mataiotēs) as it was intended.    

III. The Four Sources (Categories) of Suffering
Moral Evil — This is not just individual sin; it expands into systems.

• Genesis 4 — Cain kills Abel, representing the uprising of personal evil.

• Genesis 11 — Babel builds a system against God, the entire human system arranged around rebellion.

• Exodus 1 — Egypt enslaves Israel, creation of a structure of oppression.

Natural Evil

• Genesis 3:17–18 — Cursed is the ground because of you…Creation itself now resists life

Personal Consequence

• Galatians 6:7 — Whatever one sows, that will he also reap. Some suffering is not mysterious it flows from our own choices

Spiritual Warfare

• Job 1–2 — There are realities you cannot see; forces at work beyond human understanding; heavenly beings opposed to God with their own agenda. Yet even here, we will notice there are limits.

Suffering is not one-dimensional. It is layered. It is complex. It is the result of a world no longer in alignment with God’s order.

We must understand something foundational: What does it actually mean that God is sovereign? Because if we misunderstand this, we will either blame God for evil or remove God from control.

Scripture does not illustrate either one of these approaches.

IV. God’s Sovereignty and His Work in Suffering
1. God is Fully Sovereign and Perfectly Good

• Psalm 115:3 — God does all He pleases.

Sovereignty means: God’s absolute right, authority, and power to rule over all creation, such that nothing exists, acts, or occurs outside of His ultimate governance, while His rule always remains perfectly consistent with His righteous character.

• Deuteronomy 32:4 — God is just and upright

God is not just powerful, He is perfectly good. God is fully sovereign, and God is fully righteous.

Nothing exists outside His rule, happens beyond His authority, or can ultimately overturn His purposes. And yet Scripture clearly shows evil exists, sin exists, and suffering exists.
How is this possible? God is sovereign over all things, but He is not the source of all things.

He rules over what He allows, and He works through what He hates to accomplish what He has purposed. This is not a contradiction; it is the complexity of a fallen world under a sovereign God.

2. God Relates to Suffering in Three Ways
a. God Wills (What He directly brings about)

• Creation — Genesis 1
• Salvation — Ephesians 1:4–5

b. God Permits (What He allows within His rule)

• Job’s testing (Satan acts, but only within limits) — Job 1–2
• Peter’s sifting (“Satan demanded… but I have prayed for you.”)— Luke 22:31

God is not absent in permission; He is governing even what He allows.

c. God Works Through (What He redeems for His purposes)

• Genesis 50:20 — You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.

One event, two intentions: human intention is evil, and God’s intention is redemption. God does not call evil good. He overrules it for good.

This is the biblical picture of sovereignty: God is not the source of evil, God is never out of control, and God is always working toward His purposes.

God does not cause evil in the sense of producing it, but He does ordain a world in which it is temporarily allowed and ultimately overruled.

That means: Evil is real, suffering is real, but neither is ultimate.

Some situations feel chaotic, like it is outside of God’s control. Scripture says: No creation itself is fractured, but it is not outside of God’s rule.

V. Living in the Tension: A Groaning World with a Certain Future
Romans 8:22 — Creation groaning together

This is not random pain. This is a world under strain waiting for restoration.

If God is sovereign and God is good, why does He allow this to continue? Why not stop it now? Why allow suffering at all? These questions are not doubt; it is exactly where Scripture wants you to wrestle.

Forward Movement (Series Connection):

• Week 2: What is God doing in suffering?
• Week 3: How does God ultimately end suffering?

God is not out of control in your suffering and He is not absent from it.

He is ruling over it and moving it toward something you cannot yet see.

Welcome and Opening Prayer                                                    ~ Elder Mark White

Call to Worship                                                                              ~ Worship Team
      ~ “How Good It Is”
      ~ “Can’t Steal My Joy”
      ~ “What An Awesome God”                              
      ~ “Breathe”

Worship in Tithes and Offerings

Children 5th grade and under released to Children's Church

Pastor Ordination for Jeremy Phillips as Youth Pastor               ~ Pastor Ryan Perry

Sermon                                                                                            ~ Pastor Jeremy Phillips
     ~  God Doesn’t Call the Qualified—He Qualifies the Called
        2 Corinthians 3:5; 2 Corinthians 12:9; 1 Timothy 4:12; Isaiah 6:8

Invitation and Prayer                                                                     ~ Pastor Jeremy
     ~   “Walk With Me”  

Benediction & Dismissal                                                                ~ Elder Tom Noss 

God Doesn’t Call the Qualified—He Qualifies the Called

Pastor Jeremy Phillips
Good Hope Baptist Church
Sunday 12 April 2026

Big Idea: God’s strength, not our qualification, is what fulfills His calling.
 
Personal honesty: “I am not qualified to be here…”

Key Verses

• 2 Corinthians 3:5 – Our sufficiency is from God
• 2 Corinthians 12:9 – His power is made perfect in weakness
• 1 Timothy 4:12 – Be an example regardless of age

• Isaiah 6:8 – “Here am I. Send me!”

1. God Calls the Unlikely

• Exodus 3:11–12 – “Who am I?” → “I will be with you”
• Exodus 4:10–15 – Moses’ excuses vs. God’s assurance

2. God Uses the Overlooked

• 1 Samuel 16:11 – Forgotten in the field
• 1 Samuel 16:7 – God looks at the heart
• 1 Samuel 17:45 – Faith over physical strength

3. God Strengthens the Weak

• Judges 6:12–15 – “Mighty warrior” who felt insignificant
• Judges 7:2 – God reduces numbers to ensure His glory

4. God Honors the Faithful

• Daniel 1:8 – Commitment to purity
• Daniel 6:10 – Consistency in prayer
• Daniel 6:22 – God’s deliverance

Main Takeaway
God does not call the qualified—He qualifies the called.

How We Apply It
1. 1 Timothy 4:12 – Be an example regardless of age
2. Isaiah 6:8 – “Here am I. Send me!”

Closing Challenge

Welcome and Opening Prayer                                                    ~ Pastor Ryan Perry

Communion Lord's Supper

Call to Worship                                                                             ~ Worship Team
      ~  “Low in the Grave He Lay” Hymnal #160
      ~  “Come Alive (Dry Bones)”
      ~  “King of Kings”

Worship in Tithes and Offerings

Children 5th grade and under released to Children's Church

Sermon                                                                                            ~ Pastor Ryan Perry
      ~ PASSOVER 2026 Sermon 6: Firstfruits - Why Resurrection Was Always Required
         Texts: Genesis 2:7, 17; Exodus 13:14–15; Leviticus 23:9–14; Psalm 16:9–11; Isaiah 25:6–9;
         Hosea 6:1–2; Luke 24:1–12; 1 Corinthians 15:20–26; Romans 8:18–23

Invitation and Prayer                                                                      ~ Pastor Perry
     ~  "O Praise The Name (Anástasis)”

Benediction & Dismissal                                                                 ~ Elder Mark White

PARENT DISCIPLESHIP GUIDE
Helping Your Children Understand God’s Gospel Calendar
WEEK 6 — Firstfruits - Jesus is Alive!

Pastor Ryan Perry
Good Hope Baptist Church
05 April 2026

The BIG Idea (repeat every day) Jesus is alive, and because He lives, we will live too.

Day 1 — God Gives Life
Scripture: Genesis 2:7

Parent Says: God made people in a special way.
He didn’t just form them, He gave them life.
We live because God gives us life.
Ask:

• Who gives us life?
• Why do we need God every day?

Truth: God is the giver of life.
 
Prayer: God, thank You for giving us life.

Day 2 — Sin Brings Death
Scripture: Genesis 2:17

Parent Says:
God warned Adam that sin would bring death.
Death means being separated from God.
Ask:

• What happens when we disobey God?
• Why is being close to God important?

Truth: Sin leads to death, but God has a plan.

Prayer: God, help us choose what is right.

Day 3 — God Rescued His People
Scripture: Exodus 13:14

Parent Says:
God rescued His people from Egypt.
He told them to remember what He had done.
Ask:

• What did God save His people from?
• Why should we remember what God does?

Truth: God saves His people.

Prayer: God, thank You for rescuing us.

Day 4 — Firstfruits Means More Is Coming
Scripture: Leviticus 23:10

Parent Says:
God told His people to bring the first part of their harvest to Him.
This showed they trusted God to give them the rest.
Ask:

• Why did they give the first part?
• How can we trust God?

Truth: God always keeps His promises.

Prayer: God, help us trust You.

Day 5 — God Promised Life After Death
Scripture: Psalm 16:10

Parent Says:
God promised that death would not win.
He promised life would come again.
Ask:

• Is death the end?
• What does God promise instead?

Truth: God promises life.

Prayer: God, thank You that death is not the end.

Day 6 — Jesus Is Alive
Scripture: Luke 24:1–3

Parent Says:
When people went to Jesus’ tomb, He was not there.
Jesus had risen from the dead!
Ask:

• What did they find at the tomb?
• Why is it important that Jesus is alive?

Truth: Jesus is alive!

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for rising from the dead.
 
DAY 7 — We Will Live Too
Scripture: John 14:19

Parent Says:
Jesus said that because He lives, we will live too.
That means we don’t have to be afraid of death.
Ask:

• Why don’t we have to be afraid?
• What does it mean to have life with Jesus?

Truth: Because Jesus lives, we will live too.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for giving us life forever.

Passover 2026 Sermon 6: FIRSTFRUITS - Why Resurrection Was Always Required
Daily Devotional - Passover Week 6

Pastor Ryan Perry
Good Hope Baptist Church
05 April 2026

The BIG Idea (repeat daily)
“Because Christ lives, death is not the end; resurrection is our future.”

Day 1 — God Is the Source of Life
Scripture: Genesis 2:7; Genesis 2:17

God did not simply create humanity; He breathed life into us. Life is not something we own; it is something we receive from Him.

That means death is not just physical. It is separation from the source of life.
From the beginning, the problem was never just sin.

The problem was always death.

Reflection:

• How does seeing God as the source of life change how you view your daily dependence on Him?
• Where are you trying to “live” apart from Him?

Prayer: God, remind me that my life comes from You. Draw me back to You as my source.

Day 2 — Passover Was the Beginning, Not the End
Scripture: Exodus 13:14–15

Passover was not just about being spared; it was about being brought into life.
God commanded Israel to teach their children: “This means something.”
Salvation is not just rescue from something. It is movement into something greater.

Reflection:

• Do you view salvation as escape or transformation?
• What does it mean that God brought you out to bring you in?

Prayer: Lord, help me see that Your salvation is not just rescue but new life.

Day 3 — Firstfruits: The Promise of More
Scripture: Leviticus 23:9–14

The firstfruits offering came before the harvest was complete. It was a declaration: What God has started, He will finish. The first sheaf was not the harvest; it was the guarantee of the harvest.

Reflection:

• Where do you need to trust that God will finish what He started?
• What “firstfruits” has God already given you as a promise?

Prayer: God, help me trust Your promises even when I have not yet seen the full harvest.

Day 4 — Resurrection Was Always the Plan
Scripture: Psalm 16:10; Isaiah 25:8; Hosea 6:2

Resurrection is not a New Testament idea.
It is woven into the entire story of Scripture.

God promised:
Death would not win
The grave would not hold
Life would be restored

If God is faithful, then resurrection is necessary.

Reflection:

• How does seeing resurrection in the Old Testament strengthen your faith?
• What does it mean that God’s plan has always included victory over death?

Prayer: Father, thank You that Your plan has always been bigger than death.

Day 5 — Jesus Is the Firstfruits
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:20–26

Jesus is called the firstfruits.
That means: His resurrection is not the end; it is the beginning of the harvest.
If He rose, then all who belong to Him will rise.

Reflection:

• How does Jesus’ resurrection change how you view your future?
• Do you live with resurrection hope or temporary thinking?

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for rising from the dead. Help me live in the hope of what is coming.
 
Day 6 — Resurrection Begins Restoration
Scripture: Romans 8:18–23

Creation itself is waiting.
Not to be destroyed but to be restored.
God’s plan is not escape from the world. It is renewal of all things.

Reflection:

• How does this reshape your understanding of eternity?
• Where do you see glimpses of God restoring things even now?

Prayer: God, help me long for restoration, not just relief.

Day 7 — Because He Lives, We Will Live
Scripture: John 14:19

Jesus said: “Because I live, you also will live.”
This is not wishful thinking.
This is a promise secured by the empty tomb.
The story ends where it began:
Life with God.

Reflection:

• Do you truly believe death is not the end?
• How would your life change if you fully lived in resurrection hope?

Prayer: Jesus, anchor my life in Your resurrection. Help me live like eternity is real.

PASSOVER 2026 Sermon 6:
Firstfruits – Why Resurrection Was Always Required

Pastor Ryan Perry
Good Hope Baptist Church
05 April 2026
 
Primary Texts

• Genesis 2:7, 17
• Exodus 13:14–15
  Redemption of the firstborn tied to God’s deliverance.
• Leviticus 23:9–14
  The offering of firstfruits before the Lord.
• Psalms 16:9–11
  “You will not abandon my soul to Sheol… you make known to me the path of life.”
• Isaiah 25:6–9
  The feast of victory and the swallowing up of death.
• Hosea 6:1–2
  “After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up.”
• Luke 24:1–12
  The resurrection of Jesus.
• 1 Corinthians 15:20–26
  “Christ has been raised… the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.”
• Romans 8:18–23
  Creation groaning and awaiting redemption.

For the last several weeks, we have been walking through the story God gave His people long before Jesus was born. We’ve seen that Passover is not about God skipping His people, but about God standing between His people and judgment.
We’ve seen that salvation required a substitute, that blood had to be shed, and that God Himself chose to absorb the cost of covering.

We’ve sat at the table. We’ve listened as Jesus said, “This is my body.” “This is my blood.”
But Passover does not end at the table. And, it does not end at the cross.

Today, we come to the question the story has been moving toward all along:
Why was resurrection not optional?

I. The Problem: Death, Not Just Sin
From the beginning of Scripture, God’s problem has never been forgiveness alone. God’s problem has always been death.
 
Genesis 2:7 - Life begins with God’s breath.

Genesis 2:17 - Death enters through separation from God.

Death is not merely punishment. Death is separation from the source of life.
So, if God intends to save His people, forgiveness alone is not enough. Sin must be dealt with. And death must be undone.

II. From Passover to Firstfruits as a Guarantee of Life
Passover was never only about surviving judgment.

Exodus 13:14- God told Israel that the story must continue beyond the night of death.

Leviticus 23:10 - Firstfruits immediately follows Passover—movement from rescue to life.

Leviticus 23:10–11 - The first sheaf offered as a declaration of the coming harvest. Before the full harvest. Before the fields were gathered. Before the work was finished…

The firstfruits were not the end. They were the guarantee. When the firstfruits were lifted, Israel was declaring: “What God has begun, God will complete.”

Passover said, “We were spared.” Firstfruits said, “We will live.”

III. Resurrection Promised  -- and Required!
Psalms 16:10; Isaiah 25:8; Hosea 6:2 - David understood this. Isaiah proclaimed it. Hosea pointed to it.

Resurrection is not a New Testament idea. It is the logical outcome of covenant faithfulness.

Exodus 3:6 - God introduces Himself this way

Luke 20:38 - Jesus draws the conclusion.

If God remains God to those who have died, then death cannot be the end. Resurrection is required if God keeps covenant.

The cross answers guilt – Resurrection answers corruption – The cross removes condemnation – Resurrection restores creation.

1 Corinthians 15:17 - Without resurrection: Sin may be forgiven, but death still reigns, Love may sacrifice, but evil still wins, God may pardon, but creation remains broken.

Resurrection is God’s verdict on death itself.

IV. Jesus the Christ as Firstfruits
The cross deals with guilt. The resurrection deals with death.

Luke 24:1–3 - Jesus did not rise randomly. He rose on the Feast of Firstfruits.

1 Corinthians 15:20 - Firstfruits is not the full harvest and not the end of the story, but it IS the certainty of what is coming.

V. God’s Path to Salvation and Restoration
Scripture presents salvation as an ordered work of God, unfolding in stages.

At the cross, sin is judged. At the resurrection, death is defeated. At Pentecost, life is applied from within. And at Christ’s return, restoration is completed.
 
1 Corinthians 15:23–26 - The resurrection is not the beginning of salvation. It is the decisive turning point.

Ezekiel 36:27 - Without the Spirit, salvation would remain external –  announced but not inhabited. That is why Pentecost is necessary.

Notice what God does not say. He does not say, “I will force you.” He does not say, “I will bypass you.” He says, “I will put my Spirit within you.”

Pentecost is where God addresses the human will from the inside. The Spirit does not replace the will. The Spirit restores it.
 
Philippians 2:13 - Before the Spirit, God’s commands stood outside us. After the Spirit, God’s life lives within us.

God works in the will, not against it. Obedience does not disappear. It becomes possible. Faith and obedience were never opposites. They have always been the same response to God’s provision.

At Passover, trusting God meant placing blood where He said it belonged. That trust was obedience. God did not evaluate intent. He looked for the blood.

At the cross, trusting Christ means placing ourselves under the blood God has provided. That trust is obedience. God still does not evaluate effort. He looks for the covering.

The resurrection guarantees that death has been broken.

Pentecost guarantees that this life can now be lived.
 
1 Corinthians 15:25–26 - Christ’s return guarantees that what has begun will be finished. Resurrection does not finish restoration. It makes restoration inevitable.

The gospel is not a single event. It is a divine sequence. And every step addresses what humanity lost: the cross answers guilt, the resurrection answers death, the Spirit answers inability, the kingdom answers exile.

This is why the story could not end at the tomb.

And this is why Passover always pointed beyond the night.

The cross forgives, the resurrection conquers, the Spirit restores the will, and the kingdom completes the story.
 
Romans 8:19–21 - Creation is not longing to be discarded. Creation is longing to be resurrected.

God’s goal has always been a redeemed people in a renewed creation dwelling permanently with Him.

Passover begins with blood on wood, but it ends with life from the grave. The lamb dies and the people live. Christ dies and death itself is undone.

Resurrection is God’s final answer to Egypt, exile, sin, and the grave.

Resurrection is not merely something that happened to Jesus. It is the future God has promised to those covered by the blood.

Invitation
We do not hope for escape. We hope for restoration.

John 14:19 - “Because I live, you also will live.”

Passover was not the end of the story. The table was not the end of the story. The cross was not the end of the story.

Firstfruits tells us that what God has begun, God will finish.

Some of us live as though death still has the final word. The resurrection says it does not. If you are under the blood, you are promised life.

Today, we do not celebrate survival. We celebrate resurrection.

Christ is risen!
And because He lives, so shall we.
 

Call to Worship                                                                             ~Worship Team
      ~  “Hosanna (Praise is Rising)”  
      ~  “We Praise You”
      ~  “Abide”

Worship in Tithes and Offerings

Children 5th grade and under released to Children's Church

Sermon                                                                                            ~ Pastor Ryan Perry
      ~ PASSOVER 2026 Sermon 5: BEHOLD THE LAMB - How John Shows the Whole 
         Bible at the Cross
         Texts: Ex. 12; Lev. 14–16; Num. 19; Ps.51; Isa. 53; Zech. 12–13; John 18–20; Gal. 3:13;
         1 Peter 2:24

Invitation and Prayer                                                                      ~ Pastor Perry
     ~  "The Old Rugged Cross"    Hymnal #141

Benediction & Dismissal                                                                 ~Elder Tom Noss

PARENT DISCIPLESHIP GUIDE
Helping Your Children Understand God’s Gospel Calendar
WEEK 5 — Behold the Lamb: Seeing What Jesus Did on the Cross

Pastor Ryan Perry
Good Hope Baptist Church
29 March 2026

Big Idea (repeat every day)  “Jesus is the Lamb who takes away our sin.”

DAY 1 — God Had a Plan for the Cross
Scripture: John 19:28
Parent Says: Jesus did not go to the cross by accident.
The Bible says He knew everything was being finished.
That means God had a plan all along.
From the very beginning, God was preparing to save His people through Jesus.

Ask:

• Do you think God ever gets surprised?
• Why is it important that God had a plan?

Truth: God planned to save us through Jesus.
Prayer: God, thank You for having a plan to save us.

DAY 2 — Jesus Took the Curse
Scripture: Genesis 3:18; John 19:2
Parent Says: When sin entered the world, the ground grew thorns.
Thorns were a sign that something was broken.
Then the soldiers made a crown of thorns and put it on Jesus.
Jesus took the sign of the curse and wore it Himself.

Ask:

• Why would Jesus take something painful for us?
• What does it mean that Jesus took our place?

Truth: Jesus took the curse so we don’t have to.
Prayer: Jesus, thank You for taking the curse for us.

DAY 3 — Jesus Is the King
Scripture: John 19:2–3, 19
Parent Says:
The soldiers dressed Jesus like a king to make fun of Him.
But they didn’t realize something. He really is the King.
Even the sign on the cross said: “King of the Jews.”
God was showing the truth, even when people didn’t understand it.

Ask:

• What does a good king do?
• How does Jesus show He is a good King?

b: Jesus is the true King.
Prayer: Jesus, You are our King. Help us follow You.

DAY 4 — Jesus Gave Himself
Scripture: John 19:23; Hebrews 7:27
Parent Says:
The Bible says Jesus wore a special robe like a priest would wear.
Priests offered sacrifices to God. But Jesus didn’t offer something else.
He offered Himself. He gave His own life to save us.

Ask:

• What is the biggest gift someone can give?
• Why is Jesus’ gift so special?

Truth: Jesus gave Himself for us.
Prayer: Jesus, thank You for giving Yourself for us.

DAY 5 — Jesus Took the Punishment
Scripture: John 19:28–30
Parent Says:
Jesus said, “I thirst.” Then He finished the work on the cross.
He took the punishment for sin. And then He said: “It is finished.”
That means nothing else is needed. The work is done.

Ask:

• What do you think “It is finished” means?
• How does it feel to know the work is done?

Truth: Jesus finished the work of saving us.
Prayer: Jesus, thank You for finishing the work for us.

DAY 6 — Jesus Makes Us Clean
Scripture: John 19:34; Psalm 51:7
Parent Says:
When Jesus died, blood and water came from His side.
The Bible teaches us something important. Blood means our sins are forgiven.
Water means we are made clean.
Jesus doesn’t just forgive us. He makes us new.

Ask:

• What happens when you wash something dirty?
• How does Jesus clean our hearts?

Truth: Jesus forgives us and makes us clean.
Prayer: Jesus, thank You for forgiving us and making us clean.

DAY 7 — Jesus Brings New Life
Scripture: John 20:15; 1 Corinthians 15:22
Parent Says:
Jesus was buried in a garden. Then He rose again.
Mary thought He was the gardener.
And in a way, she was right. Because Jesus came to fix what was broken
and bring new life.

Ask:

• What grows in a garden?
• What does new life mean?

Truth: Jesus brings new life.
Prayer: Jesus, thank You for giving us new life.

Passover 2026 Sermon 5: BEHOLD THE LAMB -
How John Shows the Whole Bible at the Cross
Daily Devotional - Passover Week 5

Pastor Ryan Perry
Good Hope Baptist Church
29 March 2026

Day 1 — The Cross Was Not Random
Scripture: John 19:28; Luke 24:27

Jesus did not arrive at the cross by accident.

John tells us, “Jesus, knowing that all was now finished…”
This moment was not unfolding. It was completed.

From Moses to the prophets, God had been telling one story.

Passover.
Sacrifice.
Priesthood.
Cleansing.

All of it was moving toward this hour. The cross is not a break in the story. It is the point of it.

Reflection: Do you see the cross as central to your faith, or as something added to it?
Prayer: Lord, teach me to see that everything You have done in the Old Testament leads to Christ.

Day 2 — The Curse Was Carried
Scripture: Genesis 3:18; John 19:2; Galatians 3:13

Thorns entered the world when sin did.
They were not decoration. They were declaration.

The ground was cursed. Creation resisted. And now Jesus wears them.
Not near Him. On Him.

The curse that marked the world is now placed on the Savior.
He does not avoid it. He absorbs it.

Reflection: Where in your life are you still living as if the curse still has authority over you?
Prayer: Jesus, thank You for taking what I could never carry.
 
Day 3 — The King Was Revealed
Scripture: John 19:2–5, 19; Psalm 2:12

They dressed Him in purple. They crowned Him with thorns.
They meant mockery. God meant revelation.

Pilate said, “Behold the man.” But what stood before them was more than a man.
The true human. The obedient Son. The rightful King.

Even the inscription declared it: “King of the Jews.”
The world rejected Him. But truth was still proclaimed.

Reflection: Do you recognize Jesus as King only in belief or in submission?
Prayer: King Jesus, I give You not just my words, but my authority.
 
Day 4 — The Priest Became the Sacrifice
Scripture: John 19:23; Exodus 28:31–32; Hebrews 7:27

John tells us His tunic was seamless. That detail matters.
The high priest wore a garment like that. It could not be torn.
Jesus is not only the Lamb. He is the Priest offering the Lamb.

But there is no second offering. No separate sacrifice. He offers Himself.

At the cross, the priest and the sacrifice become one.

Reflection: What does it mean to you that Jesus did not offer something, but gave Himself?
Prayer: Jesus, thank You for holding nothing back.

Day 5 — The Cup Was Finished
Scripture: Psalm 75:8; John 19:28–30

“I thirst.” Not for relief. For completion.
The cup of wrath had been lifted. The judgment of God against sin was being poured out.
And Jesus drank it. Not partially. Fully.

Then He said: “It is finished.”
Nothing remains. Nothing is left unpaid. The work is complete.

Reflection: Do you live as if something is still required or as one who is fully redeemed?
Prayer: Lord, help me rest in what You have already finished.

Day 6 — The Cleansing Was Released
Scripture: John 19:29, 34; Leviticus 17:11; Zechariah 13:1

Hyssop is lifted. The same instrument used at Passover. The same used for cleansing.
But now it touches Christ. Then His side is pierced.

Blood flows. Water flows. Atonement and cleansing together.
What rituals once symbolized now flows from Him.
The fountain has been opened. Not in a place. In a Person.

Reflection: Are you trying to clean yourself, or are you living from the cleansing Christ provides?
Prayer: Jesus, let me live from the cleansing that flows from You.

Day 7 — The Garden Was Reopened
Scripture: John 19:41; John 20:15; 1 Corinthians 15:22

John tells us there was a garden. That detail is not incidental.
In a garden, humanity fell. In a garden, Christ is buried. In a garden, resurrection begins.

Mary mistakes Him for the gardener. And John does not correct her. Because something is happening.
The curse is being undone. Creation is being restored. The Gardener has returned.

Reflection: Where do you need to start living as if new creation is already true?
Prayer: Risen Lord, teach me to live in the life You have already begun.

PASSOVER 2026 Sermon 5: BEHOLD THE LAMB –
How John Shows the Whole Bible at the Cross

Pastor Ryan Perry
Good Hope Baptist Church
29 March 2026
 
Primary Texts

• Exodus 12
  The Passover lamb and the foundational pattern of redemption.
• Leviticus 14–16
  Cleansing, atonement, and priestly sacrifice.
• Numbers 19
  Purification through water and sacrifice.
• Psalms 51
  The cry for cleansing and renewal.
• Isaiah 53
  The suffering servant who bears sin.
• Zechariah 12–13
  The pierced one and the fountain of cleansing.
• John 18–20
  The crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
• Galatians 3:13
  “Christ redeemed us from the curse… becoming a curse for us.”
• 1 Peter 2:24
  “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree.”

Today we come to the moment John calls “the hour.” The hour when the Lamb of God is lifted up. The hour when every symbol God ever gave, Passover, sacrifice, temple, priesthood, cleansing, covenant, comes crashing together at a wooden cross.

John does not describe the crucifixion as a bare historical event. John interprets the crucifixion. He pulls every thread of Scripture: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Psalms, Prophets and ties them around Jesus.

John wants the church to see that nothing happening at Golgotha is random. It is revelation.

Today we are going to see every symbol John places at the cross and why he includes them: The crown of thorns, The purple robe, The mocked kingship, The inscription “King of the Jews”, The seamless tunic, The sour wine, The hyssop branch, The blood and water, Golgotha, The garden tomb.

All of these are deliberate. All of them are biblical. All of them are telling the same story.
The Lamb is fulfilling the Scriptures. The Passover is reaching its goal. Redemption is being completed.

I. Golgotha and the Second Adam
John 19:17 - “He went out to the place of a skull.”
John gives the location because the location preaches. In Jewish memory, “the place of the skull” was connected to the burial place of Adam.

Whether historically exact or not, the symbolism is clear: The Second Adam dies where the First Adam is remembered.

Where death began, death is undone.
 
1 Corinthians 15:22 - Paul says it directly: “As in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.”

1 Corinthians 15:45 - “The last Adam became a life-giving Spirit.”
Golgotha preaches this silently: Humanity’s fall is answered by humanity’s Redeemer.

II. The Curse and the Crown of Thorns
John 19:2; Genesis 3:18 - Thorns are the sign of the curse.

John wants you to see that Jesus is wearing the curse. He is bearing the ground’s rebellion. He is carrying Adam’s judgment on His brow.

Deuteronomy 21:23; Galatians 3:13 - This is how Paul explains it.

The thorns are not mockery alone. They are theology. He is the cursed One, so that you may be the blessed one.

III. The True King Revealed
John 19:2–3 - Purple is the color of royalty. The soldiers mock Him as a fake king. John shows Him as the true King.

Psalms 2:12 - Psalm 2 warned the nations.
Instead, they strike Him. But their mockery becomes a proclamation. The King reigns from a cross, not a throne.

John 19:5 - Pilate speaks more truth than he knows.
John is showing us: Here is the True Human. The righteous Adam. The faithful Israel. The obedient Son.

He is what humanity was meant to be.

John 19:19–21 - Pilate wrote an inscription… ‘Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.’  The priests object, but Pilate refuses to change it.

Why? Because the nations are testifying without knowing: This is David’s Son. This is Israel’s King. This is the Messiah.

John shows sovereignty: God puts the title above His Son even through a pagan governor.

IV. The High Priest and the Offering
John 19:23; Exodus 28:31–32 - The seamless tunic detail is not fashion commentary. The High Priest wore a seamless garment.

John is showing us that Jesus is not only the Lamb. He is the High Priest offering the Lamb. He is both Offerer and Offering.
 
Hebrews 7:27 - “He offered Himself.”

V. The Cup of Wrath and Fulfilled Scripture
John 19:28; Psalms 69:21 - The soldiers are dividing priestly garments at the foot of the true Priest. Jesus said… ‘I thirst.’ to fulfill the Scripture.

Sour wine in the Psalms is not refreshment, it is symbolic of God’s judgment.
Jesus is drinking the cup He prayed about in Gethsemane: Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me.

Isaiah 51:17 - Not a cup of water –A cup of wrath.
The cup of staggering… the bowl of the wrath of the LORD.

When Jesus says “I thirst,”, He is fulfilling Scripture and declaring that He is drinking the judgment His people deserved.

VI. Hyssop and Cleansing
John 19:29; Exodus 12:22 - Hyssop is NEVER random in Scripture. Hyssop is God’s appointed instrument for applying cleansing.

Hyssop is used to restore the unclean back into the camp.
Hyssop cleanses those touched by corpses, the highest impurity.
Not external ritual internal cleansing.

So what is John doing?

He places hyssop at the exact moment Jesus drinks the judgment wine.

Why?
Because: The instrument that once applied lamb’s blood now touches the Lamb of God.
The purifier now touches the One who becomes our purification.

Hyssop moves toward Jesus not to cleanse Him but to show that He is absorbing uncleanness.

VII. “It Is Finished” — Fulfillment of Redemption
John 19:30 - Immediately after the hyssop, the entire purification system reaches its end at that moment.

Though John does not use the word “tree,” the New Testament explains the meaning.

He is bearing Adam’s curse.
He is bearing Israel’s curse.
He is bearing our curse.

The Lamb becomes the cursed One so the cursed may become blessed.

VIII. Blood and Water — Atonement and Purification
John 19:34; Leviticus 17:11; Numbers 19 - Blood = atonement. Water = purification. Together they echo EXACTLY what hyssop applied in the Old Covenant.

Everything hyssop ever applied now flows from Christ Himself. He is the sacrifice. He is the cleansing. He is the purification. He is the fountain Zechariah promised.

Zechariah 13:1 - The fountain is the crucified Christ.

IX. The Garden and New Creation
John 19:41 - John is the ONLY evangelist to say “garden.” He is deliberately echoing Genesis.

Eden → fall → curse → death
Garden → cross → burial → resurrection

Where death entered in a garden, life rises in a garden.
Where Adam fell, the Last Adam stands.

John 20:15 - This is why Mary mistakes Him for “the gardener”. John does not correct her. Because it is true. The Gardener has returned. New creation has begun.

The thorns → the curse
The robe → the King
The inscription → the Messiah
The tunic → the High Priest
The sour wine → the cup of wrath
The hyssop → applied purification
The blood and water → atonement + cleansing
Golgotha → Adam’s death answered
The garden → Eden restored
The tree → curse removed

These symbols are not random. They are revelation. All of Scripture — Law, Prophets, Writings — meets at the cross.

The Lamb is slain.
The curse is borne.
The cleansing is applied.
The wrath is drunk.
The blood is poured.
The water flows.
The garden dawns.
New creation begins.

None of this is accidental.

God spent 1,500 years teaching Israel Passover, purification, sacrifice, kingdom, curse, cleansing, because He planned to fulfill it all in one Person.

Not one symbol misses. Not one promise fails.

And the question remains: Are you under the blood?

Not: “Are you good enough?”
Not: “Are you religious enough?”
Not: “Are you knowledgeable enough?”

Are you covered?

Because The Lamb has died. The blood has been applied. The curse has been lifted. The fountain has been opened. New creation has begun.

And because He lives, you shall live also!

Welcome & Opening Prayer                                                       ~Elder Milton Parrish
 
Call to Worship                                                                             ~Worship Team
      ~  “Sweet Sweet Spirit”  Hymnal #243
      ~  “Another in the Fire”
      ~  “To the Table”
      ~  “Sunday is Coming”

Worship in Tithes and Offerings
      ~  “Doxology” - Sanctify the Offering

Children 5th grade and under released to Children's Church

Sermon                                                                                            ~ Pastor Ryan Perry
     ~  PASSOVER 2026 Sermon 4: Pesach -The Table, The Cup, and the Cost of Covering
         Text: Luke 22:7–20; Ex. 12:7–14; Jer. 31:31–34; 1 Cor. 11:23–26

Invitation and Prayer                                                                      ~ Pastor Perry
     ~  "The Lamb The Lion The King"

Benediction & Dismissal                                                                 ~Elder Mark White

PARENT DISCIPLESHIP GUIDE
Helping Your Children Understand God’s Gospel Calendar
WEEK 4 — PASSOVER: The Table, The Cup, and the Cost of Covering

Pastor Ryan Perry
Good Hope Baptist Church
22 March 2026

Big Idea (repeat every day) -- “Jesus is the Lamb who saves us.”

DAY 1 — God Gave a Meal to Teach His People
Scripture: Exodus 12:26–27
Parent Says:  

• God’s people were slaves in Egypt. God rescued them.
• Then God gave them a special meal called Passover.
• Every time they ate it, they would remember: God saved us.

Ask:

• Why do we eat meals together as a family?
• Why do you think God used a meal to teach His people?

Truth: God teaches His people through stories we repeat.
Prayer: God, thank You for saving Your people. Help us remember what You have done.

DAY 2 — The Lamb Took Their Place
Scripture: Exodus 12:13
Parent Says:

• God told His people to take a lamb and put its blood on their door.
• When God saw the blood, He passed over them.
• The lamb died so the people could live.

Ask:

• Why did the lamb have to die?
• What does it mean to take someone’s place?

Truth: Someone had to take the place of the people.
Prayer: God, thank You for providing a way to save Your people.

DAY 3 — The Meal Told the Story
Scripture: Exodus 12:14
Parent Says: Every year, families ate the Passover meal again.
Kids would ask: What does this mean? And parents would tell the story again.
Ask:

• Why is it important to remember what God has done?
• What is something God has done for our family?

Truth: God wants us to remember His work again and again.
Prayer: God, help us never forget what You have done.

DAY 4 — Jesus Ate the Passover
Scripture: Luke 22:19–20
Parent Says:

• When Jesus came, He ate the Passover meal with His disciples.
• But then He said something new:
• “This is my body.”
• “This is my blood.”
• He was showing them: I am the Lamb.

Ask:

• Why do you think Jesus said the bread was His body?
• What does the cup represent?

Truth: Jesus is the Lamb God promised.
Simple Object: Use bread + juice and explain simply.
Prayer: Jesus, thank You for giving Your life for us.

DAY 5 — Jesus Served Like a Priest
Scripture: John 13:8
Parent Says:

• Before the meal, Jesus washed His disciples’ feet.
• The King became a servant.
• He showed them: This is what my people do.

Ask:

• How can we serve others in our family?
• What is one way you can help someone today?

Truth: God’s people serve one another.
Prayer: Jesus, help us love and serve like You.

DAY 6 — The Table Led to the Cross
Scripture: John 19:30
Parent Says:

• After the meal, Jesus went to the cross.
• He gave His life.
• And He said: “It is finished.”
• That means the work of saving us was complete.

Ask:

• What do you think “It is finished” means?
• Why did Jesus have to die?

Truth: Jesus finished the work of saving us.
Prayer: Jesus, thank You for finishing the work for us.

DAY 7 — We Remember and Celebrate
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:26
Parent Says:

• Today, we still remember what Jesus did.
• When we take communion, we are saying: Jesus saved us.
• And one day, we will celebrate with Him forever.

Ask:

• Why do we remember Jesus at church?
• What are you thankful for today?

Truth: We remember what Jesus has done and trust Him.
Prayer: Jesus, thank You for saving us. Help us follow You every day.

Weekly Family Practice:
One night this week, sit at the table and ask: What has God done for us?

• Let each person answer. This is how Passover worked. This is how discipleship grows.

Passover 2026 Sermon 4: Pesach - The Table, The Cup, and the Cost of Covering
Daily Devotional - Passover Week 4

Pastor Ryan Perry
Good Hope Baptist Church
22 March 2026

Day 1 — The Table Was Planned
Scripture: Luke 22:15; Exodus 12:14

Jesus did not stumble into the Passover meal.
He said, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you.”
This was not a new ritual.
This was a story God had been telling for centuries.
Every year, Israel gathered at the table.
Every year, the same question was asked:
“What does this mean?”
And every year, the answer was the same:
God rescues His people.
Passover was never about information.
It was about formation.
God was shaping His people through a repeated story.

Reflection:  Where in your life is God forming you through repetition?
Prayer: Lord, help me see that Your work in my life is not random. You are forming me through rhythms, not just moments.

Day 2 — The Meal Teaches the Story
Scripture: Exodus 12:26–27; Colossians 2:17

Passover was designed to be explained.
The meal itself asked the question.
The story gave the answer.
The lamb.
The bread.
The cup.
Each element pointed beyond itself.
Paul tells us these were shadows.
Jesus is the substance.
That means the meal was never the destination.
It was always pointing forward.

Reflection:  Are you clinging to symbols or following the Savior they point to?
Prayer:  Jesus, help me not settle for shadows. Lead me to the reality of who You are.

Day 3 — The Table Requires Cleansing
Scripture: John 13:8–10; Exodus 30:19–21

Before the meal, Jesus washed their feet.
This was not just humility.
It was preparation.
Priests were washed before serving in God’s presence.
Jesus was showing His disciples:
You don’t come to God casually.
You come cleansed.
But notice this, they were already His.
The washing was not to make them His.
It was to prepare them to serve.

Reflection:  Are you living in the cleansing Christ has already given you?
Prayer:  Lord, cleanse my heart and prepare me to serve in Your presence.

Day 4 — The Bread and the Cup
Scripture: Luke 22:19–20; 1 Corinthians 5:7

When Jesus lifted the bread, He said:
“This is my body.”
When He lifted the cup, He said:
“This is my blood.”
He was not adding to Passover.
He was revealing it.
The lamb was always pointing to Him.
The cup of redemption was always about His blood.
The table was not the end of the story.
It was pointing to the cross.

Reflection:  Do you see the cross as the center of your life or just part of your belief?
Prayer:  Jesus, help me live under the reality of Your sacrifice every day.

Day 5 — The Table Leads to the Cross
Scripture: Psalm 118:22, 27; John 19:30

They sang:
“The stone the builders rejected…”
“Bind the sacrifice…”
Then they walked out with Jesus.
The Lamb.
The table led to the cross.
And the cross finished the meal.
When Jesus said, “It is finished,”
He was not ending His life.
He was completing the story.

Reflection: What does it mean for you that the work is finished?
Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, that nothing is left undone. Help me rest in what You have finished.

PASSOVER 2026 Sermon 4: Pesakh – The Table, The Cup, and the Cost of Covering

Pastor Ryan Perry
Good Hope Baptist Church
22 March 2026
 
Primary Texts

• Luke 22:7–20
  The Passover meal where Jesus reveals fulfillment:
  “This is my body… this cup… is the new covenant in my blood.”
• Exodus 12:7–14
  The blood on the doorposts and the memorial command of Passover.
• Jeremiah 31:31–34
  “I will make a new covenant… I will forgive their iniquity.”
• 1 Corinthians 11:23–26
  “As often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death…”

In this series we are walking toward Easter by entering the story of Passover – the story God gave long before Jesus was born, to teach His people how He saves.

Last week we asked. “Why did a lamb have to die?” We saw that God does not ignore sin. Because God set creation apart for life and covenant, sin cannot go unanswered. And instead of demanding that cost from us, God chose to absorb it Himself.

Today we come to the table what Christians often call the Last Supper. But before we read a single verse, we must understand something crucial. This was not a spontaneous meal. This was not a new ritual.
 
Thesis:
From the very beginning, God’s plan was to restore the life that was lost when sin first entered the world.

The Passover meal that began in the upper room is completed on the cross. The Lamb is sacrificed. The redemption cup is fulfilled. The final cup is finished.

The table leads to the cross. And the cross finishes the meal.

I. The Passover as Teaching & Memorial
Luke 22:15 – This was the Passover Seder – a memorial established by God around 1446 BC – over a thousand years before Jesus and His disciples sat at that table.
For centuries God had been teaching His people how salvation works. Passover was never meant to be an empty ritual.

It was designed to be explained.

Exodus 12:26–27 –God built the question into the meal because the meal itself was meant to teach the story of redemption.

Exodus 12:14 – And every year that story was repeated: “This day shall be for you a memorial day… throughout your generations.”

In modern language, a memorial means remembering something from the past. But in Scripture remembrance means something deeper.  It means remembering in a way that brings God’s saving act into the present.

Passover was not just about remembering the Exodus. Every generation was meant to step into the story and say: God rescued me.

II. The Feasts Point to Christ
Colossians 2:17 – The New Testament later explains that these practices were never the final destination.

John 5:39 – “The Scriptures… bear witness about me.”

Jesus Himself told the religious leaders that they believed the Scriptures themselves would save them. But all of Scripture was pointing to the One who would.

Passover was not created on a whim. It was a curriculum God teaching salvation not through abstract theology, but through an ordered meal.

Every year families gathered. Children asked questions, and parents told the story of how God rescued His people. The meal itself became the classroom of redemption. Over time this meal became known as the Seder. The word seder simply means order.

God designed the meal with a structure, a sequence, and a story.

The disciples did not walk into that upper room confused about the meal. They knew the Passover. They had practiced its order since childhood.

They knew the bread. They knew the cups of wine. They knew the ancient story of deliverance from Egypt.

What they did not yet realize was that the rescue Passover had been pointing toward for centuries was unfolding in front of them that very night.

By the time of Jesus, the Passover meal followed a familiar pattern much like Jewish families follow today. It included a lamb, unleavened bread, bitter herbs and four cups of wine.

We know this from the writings of the historian Flavius Josephus and from the rabbinic teachings preserved in the Mishnah.

III. The Promises Behind the Passover Meal
Exodus 6:6–7 - The four cups were tied to four promises God made in Exodus: I will bring you out…I will deliver you…I will redeem you…I will take you as my people.

Each element told part of the story of Israel’s deliverance.

Every year Israel rehearsed those promises through the meal.

Luke 22:7 - Luke is clear. This is Passover. This is the day when the lamb is sacrificed. Jerusalem is filled with memories of blood on wood and of God standing between His people and judgment.

IV. The Prophetic Promise of Covenant Wine
Earlier in Jesus’ ministry, John records a moment that at first seems strange and out of place. But when we arrive at the Last Supper, its meaning becomes clear.

At a wedding in Cana, Jesus stood before six stone jars used for Jewish purification. Then He filled them with water and turned that water into wine. This was not simply generosity. It was a sign.

Amos 9:13 – The prophets had promised that when God’s kingdom arrived the mountains shall drip with sweet wine.

Joel 3:18 – And, “The hills shall flow with it…”

Isaiah 25:6 – And, “A feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine.”

At Cana Jesus was announcing that the age of fulfillment had begun. Purification water became covenant wine. But John does not leave the water symbolism there.

V. Priestly Washing and Preparation
John 13:8 – In John 13 Jesus takes up water again.

But this time the water is not in jars. It is in a basin. And instead of transforming the water, Jesus begins transforming the disciples.

He kneels and washes their feet.

When Peter objects, Jesus says: If I do not wash you, you have no share with me. To modern ears this may sound like an act of humility. But to Jewish ears it sounded priestly.

Exodus 29:4; Exodus 30:19–21 – In the Old Testament priests experienced two kinds of washing. First, a once-for-all washing when their ministry began. Then, repeated washings before entering God’s presence to serve.

In other words, priests were consecrated once for their ministry, but they still washed regularly before serving in God’s presence.

That is exactly the distinction Jesus makes in the upper room.

Even the Greek reflects this distinction. Louō refers to full washing. Niptō refers to washing hands or feet.

When Jesus says, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet,” He is using the same two ideas.

The disciples already belong to Him. They have been washed.

But those who serve in God’s presence must continue to live in the humility and cleansing that prepares them to serve.

That is why Jesus kneels and washes their feet.

John 13:10 – Jesus was not creating a new ritual. He was showing what life in His kingdom looks like. The Lord kneels. The Teacher serves. The Master washes.

John 13:15 –In that moment Jesus is not only revealing Himself as the Passover Lamb. He is acting as the High Priest.

Because something Israel had never experienced before was about to happen. The veil separating humanity from God was about to be torn.

Hebrews 10:19 – Under the old covenant only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies. But through Jesus the way into God’s presence would be opened.

Jesus was preparing His disciples for priestly service in the presence of God. And the very meal He was preparing them to serve through had been teaching that story for centuries.

VI. The Bread and the Lamb
Exodus 12:8 – At the first Passover God commanded Israel to eat unleavened bread.

Exodus 12:39 – Originally this bread symbolized haste. They didn’t have time to wait for it to rise. But over time its meaning deepened. Because it contained no leaven, it became a symbol of purity.

1 Corinthians 5:7 – By the time of Jesus the bread carried two truths: Urgent deliverance. Uncorrupted purity. And when Jesus lifts the bread and says, “This is my body”, He is saying something extraordinary. He doesn’t say my teaching or my example, He says My body.

The body that will stand between judgment and sinners.

VII. The Cup and the Covenant
Then Jesus lifts the cup.

Luke 22:20 – This was the third cup of Passover the Cup of Redemption. Every person at that table knew what it meant. It celebrated God’s promise: I will redeem you.

But then Jesus says something striking, “I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”  

And then the Gospels tell us something important.

Matthew 26:30 – That hymn was almost certainly the Hallel Psalms, the songs Israel sang every year at Passover Psalms 113 through 118.

VIII. The Hallel and the Coming Sacrifice
Think about what that means. The last thing Jesus and His disciples did before leaving the upper room was sing the Scriptures that celebrate God’s deliverance.

They sang about God lifting the poor from the dust. They sang about Israel’s rescue from Egypt. They sang about trusting the living God instead of idols. They sang about deliverance from death. They sang about salvation reaching the nations. And the final psalm of the Hallel contains words that suddenly take on an entirely new meaning that night.

Psalms 118:22 –Within hours, Jesus Himself would be rejected.
And then the psalm says something even more striking:

Psalms 118:27 – The disciples sang about a sacrifice being bound to the altar…and then they walked out into the night with the Lamb who would be sacrificed.

The Passover meal ends with songs of praise, but the story those songs celebrate is about to unfold in real time.

The Lamb they just sang about is about to be given.

At the crucifixion Jesus says, “I thirst.”

They lift sour wine to Him on a hyssop branch—the same plant used in Exodus to apply the Passover blood. Jesus receives the sour wine. And then He says, “It is finished.”

The Passover meal that began in the upper room is completed on the cross. The Lamb is sacrificed. The redemption cup is fulfilled. The final cup is finished.

The table leads to the cross. And the cross finishes the meal.

From the very beginning, God’s plan was to restore the life that was lost when sin first entered the world.

IX. The Table as Proclamation and Community
1 Corinthians 11:26 – Every time believers come to this table they announce something to the world: The Lamb has died. The blood has been shed. The rescue has come.

1 Corinthians 11:29 – Paul is not saying we must make ourselves worthy before coming to the table. Our worthiness comes from Christ, the Passover Lamb who was sacrificed for us.

The problem in Corinth was that believers were coming to the Lord’s Supper while dishonoring one another. So when Paul says we must discern the body, he means we must recognize what Christ’s sacrifice has created.

1 Corinthians 10:17 – This bread proclaims the body of Christ given for us. And it also proclaims the one body of believers His sacrifice has made.

This takes us back to what Jesus showed His disciples in the upper room. When the Lord washed their feet, He showed them that those who belong to Him are called to serve one another.

In Christ we are not rivals. We are one people, one priestly family serving the same Lord. To come to the table rightly is to remember the Lamb who was sacrificed and the people that sacrifice created.

This is not an ordinary meal. This is a covenant proclamation. And the sacrifice that saved us also created us.

The cross did not just forgive individuals. It created a people one body redeemed by the Lamb and gathered at His table.

Invitation
Some of us approach the table like a ritual to endure.
Passover says it is a gift to receive.
You do not come because you are worthy. You come because the Lamb was slain.
At Passover God did not look for perfect houses. He looked for blood on the door.
At this table God does not look for perfect people. He looks for people willing to stand under the blood of Christ.
God had been teaching this story for centuries.
Jesus did not change the story. He fulfilled it.
And the meal that began in bondage will end in celebration when the Lamb drinks the cup again in the Kingdom of God.

Passover 2026 Sermon 3: Pesach -Why Did The Lamb Have To Die?
Daily Devotional - Passover Week 3

Pastor Ryan Perry
Good Hope Baptist Church
15 March 2026

Day 1 — Life and Separation
Read: Genesis 2:16–17
Questions:

• What warning did God give Adam in the garden?
• What would happen if Adam disobeyed God?
• Why does separation from God lead to death?

Key Insight: Life is found in fellowship with God, and separation from Him brings death.

Day 2 — Life Must Be Given
Read: Leviticus 17:11
Questions:

• What does Scripture say is in the blood?
• What did God say the blood was given for?
• Why does atonement require life?

Key Insight: Blood represents life given to restore life.

Day 3 — The Substitute on the Mountain
Read: Genesis 22:12–14
Questions:

• What was Abraham about to sacrifice?
• What did God provide instead of Isaac?
• What did Abraham name the place where God provided the ram?

Key Insight:  God revealed that He Himself would provide the substitute.

Day 4 — The Passover Lamb
Read: Exodus 12:5–13
Questions:

• What kind of lamb did God require for Passover?
• Where was the lamb’s blood placed?
• What would happen when God saw the blood?

Key Insight:  The lamb’s life stood in the place of the firstborn.

Day 5 — The Suffering Lamb
Read: Isaiah 53:4–7
Questions:

• What does Isaiah say the servant carried?
• How is the servant compared to a lamb?
• What does this prophecy reveal about God’s plan of salvation?

Key Insight: Isaiah foretells the coming Lamb who would bear the sins of others.

Day 6 — The Lamb of God
Read: John 1:29
Questions:

• What title does John the Baptist give Jesus?
• What does it mean that Jesus takes away the sin of the world?
• How does Jesus fulfill the pattern of the Passover lamb?

Key Insight: Jesus is the Lamb God promised to provide.

Day 7 — The Lamb Who Died for Us
Read: Romans 5:8 and 1 Peter 2:24
Questions:

• What does Romans say Christ did for sinners?
• What does Peter say Jesus carried on the cross?
• Why is Jesus’ death described as substitution?

Key Insight:  Jesus took our place so we could be restored to God.

PARENT DISCIPLESHIP GUIDE
Helping Your Children Understand God’s Gospel Calendar
WEEK 3 — PASSOVER: Why Did The Lamb Have To Die?

Pastor Ryan Perry
Good Hope Baptist Church
15 March 2026

DAY 1 — LIFE COMES FROM GOD
Read Together: Genesis 2:16–17
Key Truth for Kids: Life comes from being close to God.

Talk About:

• Why did God tell Adam not to eat from the tree?
• What did God say would happen if Adam disobeyed?
• Why do you think being separated from God leads to death?
• What does this teach us about how important God is to our lives?

Activity: Stand close together as a family.
Explain: When we are close together, we can hear each other and help each other.
Now take several steps apart.
Explain:  When people move away from God’s ways, they move away from the source of life.

Family Prayer: God, thank You for being the source of life. Help our family stay close to You.
Memory Verse: Psalm 16:11 (simplified) – You show me the path of life.

DAY 2 — LIFE FOR LIFE
Read Together: Leviticus 17:11
Key Truth for Kids: Life must be given to restore life.

Talk About:

• What does the Bible say is in the blood?
• Why did God say blood was needed for atonement?
• Why couldn't people simply ignore their sin?
• Why does this show that sin is serious?

Activity: Hold a cup of water.
Explain: Water helps our bodies live.
Now explain:  Blood carries life through our bodies. In the Bible, blood represents life. God showed His people that restoring life required a life.
 
Family Prayer: God, thank You for teaching us how serious sin is and how much You care about bringing us back to You.
Memory Verse: Leviticus 17:11 (simplified) – The life of the body is in the blood.

DAY 3 — THE SUBSTITUTE
Read Together: Genesis 22:12–14
Key Truth for Kids: God provided a substitute.

Talk About:

• Who was Abraham about to sacrifice?
• What did God provide instead of Isaac?
• What did Abraham name that place?
• Why do you think God showed Abraham this before Passover happened?

Activity: Take two small objects (like toys).
Explain:  One object represents Isaac. The other represents the ram.
Swap the ram in place of Isaac and say: The ram took Isaac’s place.
Explain:  This is what a substitute does; it stands where someone else should stand.

Family Prayer: Lord, thank You for providing what we could never provide ourselves.
Memory Verse: Genesis 22:14 (simplified) – The Lord will provide.

DAY 4 — THE LAMB TAKES THE PLACE
Read Together: Exodus 12:5–6
Key Truth for Kids: The lamb died so the family could live.

Talk About:

• What kind of lamb did God require?
• Why did every family need a lamb?
• What happened to the lamb?
• How did the lamb protect the family?

Activity: Ask your child to imagine a family caring for a lamb for several days.
Explain:  They fed it.  They watched it.  They knew it.
Then say:  When the lamb died, the family understood that its life saved theirs.
 
Family Prayer: God, thank You for teaching Your people that a life could stand in the place of another life.
Memory Verse: Exodus 12:5 (simplified) – Your lamb must be perfect.

DAY 5 — JESUS IS THE TRUE LAMB
Read Together: 1 Peter 2:24
Key Truth for Kids: Jesus took our sins on Himself.

Talk About:

• What does this verse say Jesus carried?
• Why did Jesus die on the cross?
• How is Jesus like the Passover lamb?
• What does it mean that Jesus took our place?

Activity: Draw three pictures together:

• A lamb
• A door with blood
• A cross

Explain:  The lamb in Egypt helped people understand what Jesus would do one day for the whole world.

Family Prayer: Jesus, thank You for loving us so much that You took our place.
Memory Verse: 1 Peter 2:24 (simplified) – Jesus carried our sins on the cross.

Parent Note
This week focuses on understanding why the lamb had to die.
Children should come away knowing:

• Life comes from God
• Sin separates people from God
• Life must be given to restore life
• God provides a substitute
• Jesus is the true Lamb who took our place

PASSOVER 2026 Sermon 3: Pesakh – Why Did the Lamb Have to Die?

Pastor Ryan Perry
Good Hope Baptist Church
15 March 2026
 
Primary Texts

• Exodus 12:1–13
  The institution of Passover and the promise:
  “When I see the blood, I will pass over you.”
• Leviticus 17:11
  “For the life of the flesh is in the blood… it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.”
• Ezekiel 18:4
  “The soul who sins shall die.”
• Isaiah 53:4–7
  The Suffering Servant who bears the sins of others and is led “like a lamb to the slaughter.”
• 1 Peter 2:24
  “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree.”
• Romans 5:8
  “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

In this series we are walking toward Easter by entering the story of Passover – the story God gave long before Jesus was born, to teach His people how He saves.

Last week, we saw how God saves. We saw that Passover is not about God bypassing His people. It is about God standing between His people and death.

God does not remove judgment. He provides a covering that judgment cannot penetrate, which is Himself!

But that truth raises questions we cannot ignore. Why does it require blood? If God is holy, why can’t He simply forgive without a cost?

Today, we ask the question Passover itself forces us to ask, “Why did a lamb have to die?”
Thesis:

Thesis: Passover taught Israel how salvation works, long before Jesus arrived. This is where Passover becomes uncomfortable. Covering is never free. A lamb had to die… because Love chose to stand in your place.

I. The Passover Lamb
Exodus 12:5–6 – God’s instructions in Exodus were precise.

God does not accept substitutes at random. He does not accept grain, effort, or regret. He requires life.

Leviticus 17:11 – Scripture explains why. Blood is not magic. Blood represents life. When blood is shed, life is given.

Passover teaches us that deliverance always comes at the cost of a life.

Many people assume God simply overlooked sin in Egypt. He did not. Judgment still came. Death still passed through the land.

Ezekiel 18:4 – Because God set creation apart for life and covenant, disorder cannot go unanswered.

The question was never whether judgment would fall. The question was where it would fall. Either death would take the firstborn or death would take the lamb.

God did not cancel judgment. He redirected it. This is substitution. The innocent stands in the place of the guilty.

God did not choose a lamb by accident. Lambs are defenseless. They do not fight back. They do not resist.

II. The Lamb as the Suffering Substitute
Isaiah 53:7 – The lamb does not argue innocence. The lamb absorbs what it did not deserve.

Passover taught Israel how salvation works, long before Jesus arrived.

This is where Passover becomes uncomfortable. Covering is never free.

• In Noah’s day, the ark was covered with atonement.
• In Egypt, the houses were covered with blood.
• At the cross, sinners are covered by Christ.

In every case, life stands between judgment and people.
 
1 Peter 2:24 - Judgment does not disappear. It just does not fall on those who are covered.

This is the turning point of Passover. God does not merely require a lamb. He provides one.

III. The Fulfillment in Christ
Isaiah 53:4–6; Romans 5:8 – The lamb dies so the people live. God steps into the place of judgment Himself.

Every year, Israel repeated the same question, “Why must another lamb die?” Because every lamb was temporary. Every sacrifice pointed forward.

Until one day, John the Baptist saw Jesus and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”

• Passover was a rehearsal. Jesus was the fulfillment.
• Salvation is not achieved. It is received.
• You are not saved because you behaved better. You are saved because Someone stood in your place.
• Judgment did not vanish. It fell on Christ.
• At Passover, God stood between Israel and death. At the cross, God stands between humanity and judgment.

Invitation
Some of us still believe protection must be earned.
Passover says protection is received.
The question has never been whether judgment exists.
The question is whether you are trusting God’s provision.
Are you under the blood?

Next week, we will see how Jesus fulfills Passover at the table when bread is broken, when the cup is lifted, and when He says, “This is my body… this is my blood.”

But today, hear this clearly:
A lamb had to die… because love chose to stand in your place.

Welcome & Opening Prayer                                                       ~Elder Milton Parrish
 
Announcements                                                                           ~Deacon Hunter Jones

Call to Worship                                                                             ~Worship Team
      ~  “Death Was Arrested”
      ~  “At the Cross (Love Ran Red)”
      ~  “Lead Me To The Cross”

Worship in Tithes and Offerings
      ~  “Doxology” - Sanctify the Offering

Children 5th grade and under released to Children's Church

Sermon                                                                                            ~ Pastor Ryan Perry
     ~  PASSOVER 2026 Sermon 3: Pesach - Why Did The Lamb Have To Die?
         Text: Exodus 12:1–13; Leviticus 17:11; Ezekiel 18:4; Isaiah 53:4–7; 1 Peter 2:24; Rom. 5:8

Invitation and Prayer                                                                      ~ Pastor Perry
     ~  "O Praise The Name (Anástasis)"

Benediction & Dismissal                                                                 ~Elder Mark White

Welcome & Opening Prayer                                                       ~Elder Milton Parrish
 
Announcements                                                                           ~Deaconess Doni O'Connor

Children’s Presentation                                                               ~ GHBCKids
Children 5th grade and under released to Children's Church

Call to Worship                                                                             ~Worship Team
      ~  “Mighty Name of Jesus”
      ~  “Good Good Father”
      ~  “Trust in God”

Worship in Tithes and Offerings
      ~  “Doxology” - Sanctify the Offering

Presentation of Youth Pastor Candidate                                    ~ Mr. Jeremy Phillips
 
Sermon                                                                                            ~ Pastor Ryan Perry
     ~  PASSOVER 2026 Sermon 2: Pesach - The God Who Stands
         Between  
         Text: Gen. 7:15–16; Ex. 12:1–13; Isa. 31:5; Matt. 23:37

Invitation and Prayer                                                                      ~ Pastor Perry
     ~   Hymn

Benediction & Dismissal                                                                 ~Elder Mark White