They shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. Exodus 12:3-4.

THE lamb was to be eaten, all eaten, eaten by all, and eaten at once. The Lord Jesus is to be received into the soul as its food, and this is to be done with a whole Christ, by each one of his people, and done just now. The whole subject of the Passover is rich in instruction; we will confine ourselves to the particulars within this verse.

I. THE TEXT REMINDS US OF A PRIMARY PRIVILEGE.

1. That each man of Israel ate the passover for himself; "every man according to his eating" So do we feed upon Jesus, each one as his appetite, capacity, and strength enable him to do.

2. But this same delicious fare should be enjoyed by all the family: "a lamb for an house;' Oh, that each of the parents, and all the children and servants may be partakers of Christ! By teaching, training, prayer, and holy example, this favor may be secured, for the Holy Spirit will add his blessing.

Let not these two favors be despised. Let no man be content without personal salvation, nor without the salvation of his whole house. We have both promised in that famous text, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."

II. THE TEXT IS SILENT AS TO A CERTAIN CONTINGENCY.

1. The lamb was never too little for the family; and assuredly the Lord Jesus is never too little even for the largest families, nor for the most sinful persons.

2. There is no reason to stint our prayers for fear we ask too much.

3. Nor to stay our labors because the Lord Jesus cannot give us strength enough, or grace enough.

4. Nor to restrain our hopes of salvation for the whole family because of some supposed narrowness in the purpose, provision, or willingness of the Lord to bless.

"Every man according to his eating" may feast to the full upon Christ. Every believing sinner may take Christ to himself, and there is no fear that one will be refused, for "it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell."

III. THE TEXT MENTIONS A POSSIBILITY, AND PROVIDES FOR IT.

There may be a want of persons to feed upon the Lamb, though there can be no lack of food for them to feed upon. The last thing that was supplied to the great marriage feast was guests. The oxen and the fatlings were killed, and all things were ready, long before "the wedding was furnished with guests."

1. One family is certainly too small a reward for Jesus, too little for the Lamb.

2. One family is too little to render him all the praise, worship, service, and love which he deserves.

3. One family is too little to do all the work of proclaiming the Lamb of God, maintaining the truth, visiting the church, winning the world. Therefore let us call in the neighbor next unto our house.

Our next neighbor has the first claim upon us.

· He is the most easy to reach, and by each calling his next neighbor all will be reached.

· He is the most likely person to be influenced by us.

· At any rate there is the rule, and we are to obey it. "Beginning at Jerusalem" (Luke 24:47). We read of Andrew, "he first findeth his own brother Simon" (John 1:41). Those who repaired Jerusalem built every man over against his own house (Neh. 3:28).

· If our neighbor does not come when invited, we are not responsible; but if he perished because we did not invite him, bloodguiltiness would be upon us. "If thou dost not speak — his blood will I require at thine hand" — (Ezek. 33:8).

IV. THE WHOLE SUBJECT SUGGESTS THOUGHTS UPON NEIGHBORLY FELLOWSHIP IN THE GOSPEL.

1. It is good for individuals and families to grow out of selfishness, and to seek the good of a wide circle.

2. It is a blessed thing when the center of our society is "the Lamb."

3. Innumerable blessings already flow to us from the friendships which have sprung out of our union in Jesus. Church fellowship has been fruitful in this direction.

4. Our care for one another in Christ helps to realize the unity of the one body, even as the common eating of the Passover proclaimed and assisted the solidarity of the people of Israel as one nation. This spiritual union is a high privilege.

5. Thoroughly carried out, heaven will thus be foreshadowed upon earth, for there love to Jesus and love to one another is found in every heart.

· Let us be personal in our piety, and never be put off with a mere national religion or family profession.