[Rick Shabi] There's an old song from the '70s that summarizes the world we live in today. It's called "Ball of Confusion."

[The Temptations] Ball of confusion...Oh yeah, that's what the world is today...Woo, hey, hey

[Rick Shabi] Isn't that true? Iran and Israel, Russia, and Ukraine, proxy wars, nuclear bombs, talk of World War III, red heifers in Israel, political hatred in America, lies, inflation, economic uncertainty, immigration. I could go on and on as you could. Ball of Confusion? Way beyond that. What political party or government has the answers to all this confusion? None. But there is hope in the future, and the answer lies in an event occurring next week that is the most important thing going on in the world that everyone should be paying attention to. Do you know what it is? Likely you do not. The news channels won't cover it, and most of America and the world doesn't even want to hear about it. Next week is the anniversary and commemoration of the most important event in human history. And in that event, all hope for our future is focused. We're hopeless. We're clueless if we don't know this. Don't skip this video or stop listening, you will learn something that is vital to your future and to your life today.

This knowledge will make all the difference in your life. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Savior of mankind, is literally the physical Savior and the spiritual Savior of all of mankind, no matter when you lived, no matter where you live. His death, His sacrifice, and His love for us is commemorated next week by all true Christians. He's the hope. He's to be glorified. He is to be listened to. He loved all of mankind and will return to earth and establish His kingdom on earth. You've heard of the kingdom of God. He's returning to establish it. The world didn't want Christ when He lived as flesh and blood, and they put Him to death. Do you want to ignore Him today too, like they did? God the Father said of His Son, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him," will you dare, if you call yourself a believer, to not stick around and hear what Christ said? On Sunday evening, after sunset on April 21, true Christians will gather to commemorate His death just as He set the example on the last day of His physical life and just as all His true followers, including all of the Apostles, Paul, Peter, John, James, and so on, observed the rest of their lives. It's called Passover.

I know what you're thinking. That's Jewish. That's Old Testament. That day has to do with the dinner of roasted lamb called a Seder. That's just for Jews. Well, the Old Testament Passover was all that, but Jesus Christ Himself instituted it as a New Testament holy day and commanded His followers to observe it in remembrance of Him. In remembrance of Him, did you know that? Do you observe it? Do you even know it's happening? In the New Testament, Paul, a New Testament apostle, speaks of observing this day as one of the most important observances of the year for Christians. Shortly, before giving instructions on keeping the New Testament Christian Passover, Paul said, "Imitate me. Imitate me as I imitate Christ." Paul kept the New Testament Passover instituted by your Savior, Jesus Christ, and he spoke about it openly to the Gentile Church in Corinth decades after Christ died.

Many people today say they follow the Bible. They say they follow the New Testament and the writings of Paul. However, they don't do what Christ said true followers should do. Notice what Paul said, quoting Jesus Christ Himself about Passover and its observance today. You find it in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26. There it says, "For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread, and when He had given thanks. He broke it and said, 'Take, eat. This is my body which is broken for you, do this in remembrance of me.' In the same manner, He also took the cup after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.' For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes." Some may be thinking, "Well, isn't that what communion is all about? I take that every week at my church. Isn't that okay? Isn't that what Christ commanded?"

No, it's not the standard or example that Christ or His apostles or His true followers established. People who call themselves Christians may think they are honoring God by taking communion on any day they choose. However, they're not following God. Bluntly speaking, they've been deceived. "Do this in remembrance of me," Christ said. It's an annual reminder on the same night Christ was betrayed. If you honor and glorify Him, we do it the way He said. It's still observed today by baptized members of His true Church. "If you love me, keep my commandments," Christ said. "Do it my way," He said, "not yours." Neither Christ nor His apostles, who lived decades after Him, ever changed the holy days that are discussed in the Bible. The apostles continued to keep them. Passover was observed by true Christians then and now, down through the ages. And it is still observed and taught by His true Church, which today continues to teach the truth of the Bible exactly as Christ and His apostles did until the day they died.

It was man, and it was the Romans of 325 AD, who did away with Passover. Mankind, a king, and the Catholic Church changed the word of God. Jesus did not. His disciples did not. They lived by every word of the Bible, and they didn't attempt to change the Passover. They kept it exactly as Christ said. The Bible says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." The Bible says, "Set them apart by truth. Your word is truth." Are you really following the truth? Do you even know the truth? The Bible says, that word of truth, "Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it. You shall not add to it nor take away from it." Mankind and false religion tried to rewrite the law and God's way. God did not. Take a look at what you're doing. Are you really following Christ? Or are you really following a man or a religion that isn't teaching the same thing Christ did?

Jesus commanded His Church to preach the truth and all things He commanded. This includes the truth of His holy days and annual Passover observance. If you don't know about Passover or even the commemoration of the most important event in human history that is occurring next week, then you've been misled. Jesus Christ is to be honored, glorified, held in high esteem. In Acts 4:11-12, it specifically talks about the honor that God bestowed upon Him. There it says, "This is the stone," speaking of Christ, "which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone. Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven, given among men, by which we must be saved." "Listen to Him. Hear Him," God said. Decades, decades after His death and resurrection, the Apostle Peter was keeping the Passover on the same day designated by God and Jesus Christ, in the same manner Christ prescribed in order to honor Him. Peter repeated Christ's instructions when he said, "Don't follow cunningly devised fables or the traditions of men. Honor Christ. Glorify the Son of God. He's your future. He's your hope. He's your salvation. One day all knees will bow to Him."

Let me close with some gripping words from the Apostle Paul. In Philippians 2:9-11, he writes, "Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of those in heaven, of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father." Our calling is to choose Christ and become like Him, and that applies to the whole world, all of humanity. Whether you are a mainstream Christian, whether you are a Protestant, Catholic, whether you are Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, or atheist there is no future without Jesus Christ. Are you ready to acquaint yourself with God and His truth? Are you ready to open your mind and learn how you can honor and glorify Christ as your Savior? There is a church that teaches His way directly from His word, that doesn't mix truth with error. You can find the way to a meaningful, purposeful life. Seek truth. Find out so much more from the United Church of God at ucg.org.