Take out your outline and follow along with me. The title of this series is “If the Truth Be Told.” You’ve probably said that phrase before—maybe in frustration or urgency: “If the truth be told…” followed by a moment of honesty. Or maybe you’ve said, “Tell me the truth. One more time. That’s it.”
Parents, you know this moment. You’ve looked at your kids and said, “This is your last chance. You better tell me the truth.” And even though you already knew the truth, you just wanted to see if they’d own up to it.
I remember my boys when they were little—Bobby and Greg. One time, when they were around 5 and 3, they got real quiet in the bathroom. You parents know—that’s when you get nervous. I walked in slowly and opened the door. Greg was holding a big container of powder. Bobby was covered from head to toe. Just a white, powdery mess.
I looked at Greg and said, “Did you put powder on your brother?” Now, obviously, I already knew the answer. The evidence was everywhere! But I still gave him the chance: “I’m going to ask you one more time. Tell me the truth.”
God Already Knows
That’s how it is with God. He already knows. He knows the beginning from the end. In fact, He knew what was going to happen at the cross 1500 years before it happened.
Let me take you back to Exodus. God had already prepared a perfect picture of redemption—a preview of the cross. Egypt represented sin and the world. The Israelites were enslaved there. And just like sin enslaves us, Egypt held God’s people in bondage.
But God had a plan. He always does.
God’s Promise to Redeem
In Exodus 6:6–8, God made four promises to Israel through Moses:
“I will bring you out…”
“I will rid you of their bondage…”
“I will redeem you…”
“I will take you as My people…”
God said, “I’ll redeem you with an outstretched arm and mighty judgments.” That word redeem means to buy back—God was saying, “I will pay the price to bring you out.”
And He did. He sent Moses to confront Pharaoh. And when Pharaoh refused to listen, God used a series of plagues to get his attention. Water turned to blood, frogs, lice, darkness—all leading up to the final plague: the death of the firstborn.
The First Passover
In Exodus 11–12, God gave a way out. He said, “I will pass through the land. But if you take the blood of a lamb and apply it to your doorpost, I will pass over your home.” The blood was to be applied at the top and sides of the door—forming, quite literally, the shape of a cross.
That act of obedience, that act of faith, spared them from judgment.
And from that day forward, Passover was celebrated every year for 1500 years.
Fast forward to the Last Supper, and we find Jesus in the upper room with His disciples (Matthew 26:26–30). They were there to celebrate Passover. But this time, something different happened.
Jesus took bread and said, “This is My body.” He took the cup and said, “This is My blood.”
What was He doing? He was connecting the dots—showing that He was the fulfillment of what they had been celebrating for 1500 years. That lamb they sacrificed? That blood on the doorpost? It was all pointing to Him.
He was the Lamb of God, come to take away the sins of the world.
A New Covenant
Paul picks this up in 1 Corinthians 11:24–26, reminding the church that every time we take communion, we remember. We don’t take it to be saved—we take it to reflect on the price that was paid for our salvation.
“Do this in remembrance of Me.” – Jesus
Salvation isn’t in the cup. It isn’t in the bread. It’s not in tradition. It’s not in church membership or baptism. It’s in Jesus alone—in His death, burial, and resurrection.
“For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.” – Ephesians 2:8–9
Communion is a picture. Just like Passover was a picture. They point to the reality of redemption found only in Jesus.
If the Truth Be Told…
Let’s be honest—if the truth be told, we’ve all sinned. We’ve all been enslaved at one point or another. But God, in His mercy, gave us a way out. Through Jesus, we are redeemed, rescued, forgiven, and free.
So the next time you take communion, don’t just go through the motions. Remember the cross. Remember the blood. Remember the body broken for you. And if you’ve never received Jesus, don’t wait. The truth is, there’s only one way to be saved—and it’s through Him.
If the truth be told, Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through Him.
