WHY DO CHRISTIAN FAMILIES NEED A BOOKLET ABOUT A JEWISH CELEBRATION?

Transcription

1 SEDER THE MOMENT Finding the Christian Message in the Passover Meal Jeff Crevier & Larry Thompson WHY DO CHRISTIAN FAMILIES NEED A BOOKLET ABOUT A JEWISH CELEBRATION? The truth is that God s word teaches us that we are to remember the past, that we can learn from the past and that we understand that in the Old Testament we have a foreshadow of our Passover Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ. If you will take the time during the Easter Season to plan and prepare to celebrate the Passover Seder with your children you will teach them a truth about our redemption through Christ that they will never forget. Deut. 32:7 Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you. WHO WHO WHO IS THIS AND WHAT IS HE DOING HERE? His name is AL. Every time you see AL it will be a reminder to you as the parent that it would help if you do some additional Bible background study prior to teaching this segment of your Passover Seder. Since AL has done all the research for you, he will just point out some scriptures that will be very beneficial in your preparation. OKAY, I GIVE UP WHY ARE THE STICK KIDS HERE? We are the STICK TWINS! They are here to remind you that when you see them pop-up throughout the booklet it is a great time for a children s activity! The activity is designed to help teach your children the Gospel truths found in the Passover Meal. Use this exercise creatively and watch the Passover Meal quickly turn into the Happy Meal. page 1

2 For the Leader before we begin! Have your Bible ready, there will be passages for you to read during the Passover. Read in advance Exodus 6:6-7 and identify the four I wills that are symbolic of the four cups that will be on your table. Now turn to Luke 22:7-23 and read the account of Jesus and the disciples in the Last Supper and notice once again the use of the cups as the Lord leads His followers in the Passover Meal. Passover is one of the most important Jewish festivals commemorating the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and their safe flight across the Red Sea. This flight, described in the Book of Exodus chapter 12, was led by Moses. The name of the festival, Passover (Hebrew word is, pesah, "passing over" or "protection") is derived from the instructions given to Moses by God. To persuade Pharaoh and the Egyptians to allow the Israelites to leave Egypt, God decided to "smite all the first-born... both man and beast" in the land. To protect themselves, the Israelites were instructed to mark their dwellings with lamb s blood, so that the Angel of God could identify them and thus pass over them. Every generation after that event is to celebrate Passover noting that historical event. It is the oldest festival known to man and the woven into the very fabric of Judaism. By the time of Christ a traditional order of service began to appear for the Passover meal. This order is called Seder taken from the Hebrew word for order ; it is pronounced SAY-der. Over the centuries the Passover Seder has developed into a traditional festival with many songs and readings that can last for many hours into the evening. As you read through the Exodus account though you will discover God commanded that three elements must be used. The spotless lamb denoting innocence; the unleavened matzah signifying purity as the leaven often represents sin; and the bitter herbs depicting the suffering the Hebrew slave s endured and the sacrifice of the innocent lamb. The Jewish family believes that each generation must see itself as the generation that personally was delivered by God from the bondage of the Egyptians. The Jewish family believes strongly that only if their children allow the Passover to become theirs will there continue to be significance to God s presence and power in their life. Notice how true this becomes when we relate that to our personal walk with Christ. If we as parents do not provide a spiritual environment for our children to flourish, to grow and to understand the redemption that we have in Christ, then what hope do we have for the future generations? page 2

3 Having a Passover meal is intended to be instructional and meaningful for you and your family. In Exodus 12:26 God says, And it shall be, when your children say to you, What do you mean by this service? Then you shall say, It is the Passover sacrifice of the Lord, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when he struck the Egyptians and delivered our households Passover is one of the most sacred observances to the Jewish Family. In the days of Jesus the Passover would include roasted lamb served with bitter herbs and matzah. Today the meals are quite elaborate with many favorite Jewish dishes such as matzah ball soup, gefilte fish, potato kugel etc. What you will need in addition to the dinner for the Passover Meal Haroseth (see recipe on last page) Parsley (one sprig per person) Salted water (enough to make cloudy) Roasted egg (hardboiled then cook until it turns brown, some use a candle to brown the egg) Shank Bone of lamb cooked not raw. Bitter herbs (Horseradish sauce red is preferred by most) Medium Bowl of water and hand towel to wash hands Silver Dollar or similar reward for finding Afikomen (center piece of Matzah) White Table Cloth Plain Matzah; three pieces to cover on the table and enough for the guests to eat and dip with. (2) Linen napkins - one to hide the Afikomen (1/2 a piece of Matzah) and the second to cover the three pieces of Matzah 4 cups or goblets for the red grape juice or wine At least a pitcher of red grape juice or wine A small pillow for leader to lean his elbow on during the course of the meal Note: For Passover it would be appropriate to use your fine chinaware. page 3

4 Before the meal three pieces of matzah are to be stacked on the table covered by a linen napkin. Break the center piece of matzah in half and take that half and hide it near by for the children to find later on in the service. Leave the other half of the center matzah wrapped in the linen on the table. Make sure that you hide the other half easy enough for the children to find it without too much difficulty. Remember, if they cannot find it the Passover will not continue. Setting the Table The seder plate should contain the roasted egg, the shank of Lamb, Haroset (recipe on last page), parsley, maror (the bitter herb - horseradish). A bowl of salt water should be placed on the table, but not on the plate. The candles can be placed on each end of the table. The three pieces of Matzah are placed in front of the plate. The middle piece is only half, the other half is wrapped in a linen cloth and hidden. page 4

5 Is everything ready? Lighting the Candles Once the table is set and everyone is seated it is the mother who lights the candles. Gen 3:15 tells us that through a woman One would come who would crush the serpents head. Jesus the Messiah who is called the Light of the World (John 1:9) came through a woman and so we ask the women to provide for us light. When the candles are lit the Seder has begun. Prayer by Family Leader (The correct name for this blessing is, Kiddush. You can pray your own prayer and ask for God s blessing on this time but we have included the traditional prayer for your consideration) Blessed art Thou, Oh, Lord our God, King of the universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine. Blessed art Thou, oh Lord our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us among all peoples and brought us forth from Egypt. THE FIRST CUP: The Cup of Sanctification Pour the grape juice (wine) into the first cup God is holy and we cannot enter His presence with sin. He established the sacrificial system to cleanse us of our sin. Yeshua Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice, so we can be in God s presence. Sanctification Blessing Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who created the fruit of the vine. Drink from the first cup together Leader Reads Psalm 24:1-6 The earth is the Lord s and everything in it, The world and all who live in it; For he founded it upon the seas And established it upon the waters. Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in His Holy Place? page 5

6 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who does not lift up his soul to an idol? Or swear by what is false. He will receive blessing from the Lord And vindication from God his Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him, Who see your face, O God of Jacob. The Leader now washes hands and dries them (In many homes all the members at the Seder wash their hands) The word for this at is Urhatz. This is symbolic of committing to God to have clean hands and a clean heart. Note: It is at this time that Jesus most likely rose from the table and washed the disciples feet. Hold up the parsley and prepare to dip it into the salt water The Leader can read this: This part of the Passover Seder is called the, Karpas. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. God heard their groaning and He remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob (Exodus 2:23b-25). We take the parsley, which represents life, and springtime in which a young tender plant requires care. God cared for Israel as a young and tender nation. We dip it into the salt water to symbolize the tears and pain of the Israelites. In eating it we remember that even though we have painful circumstances in our lives, we will always have the hope of God to free us from our tribulations. The salt water also reminds us of the Red Sea that God parted and allowed Israel to safely pass through, delivering Israel from Pharaoh s army. God protected us then as He protects us now. Dip Parsley into salt water and eat page 6

7 The Four Questions for the youngest Have the youngest child ask four questions Remember Passover teaches the next generation what God has done in the past. 1. Why is this night different from all other nights? 2. We can eat only unleavened bread, and bitter herbs, why? 3. On other nights we don t dip the herbs into anything. Why do we dip them twice tonight? 4. On other nights we eat sitting straight in our chairs. Tonight, why do we recline? The Family Leader Answers the Questions The answers to the questions are all here on this table - the unleavened bread, the bitter herbs, the dipping. When God s people were slaves to Pharaoh, God brought them forth with His mighty hand, and delivered them, just as He has delivered us today from the slavery of our sin. We are His children, just like the Jews who were in slavery to the Egyptians. They could not free themselves, they needed God to help or they would never be free. The same is true for each of us at this table today. Three pieces of matzah are on your Passover table and it is obvious that the center one is only half a piece. There are three pieces of matzah, some say it represents Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Other Jewish Rabbis insist that the three pieces of bread represent the three categories of Jews; The priests (Kohen); The worship leaders (Levite s) and the people (Israelite s). As Christians we believe that the three represent, Elohim the plural word used for God. We see the beautiful picture of the Trinity in, God our Father, Yeshua/Jesus the Son of God, and Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God. The unleavened bread (Matzah) why do we eat it? On all other nights we eat bread with leaven, but on Passover we eat only Matzah, unleavened bread. As the children of Israel fled from Egypt, they did not have time for their dough to rise. Instead, the hot desert sun baked it flat. But even more than that, the scriptures teach us that leaven symbolizes sin and we are to clean it out of our lives. page 7

8 I Corinthians 5:7 says: Don t you know that a little yeast works through the whole dough? Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast as you really are. For Messiah, our Passover lamb has been sacrificed. In the New Testament leaven is further used as a symbol of evil. Hypocrisy (Luke 12:1), Rationalism (Mt. 16:6, 12), Worldliness (Mk. 8:15), Evil conduct (1 Cor. 5:6), and False doctrine (Gal. 5:9). See how the matzah is striped? It is a picture of our Messiah. Isaiah 53:5 says But He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. Notice the matzah is pierced. The prophet Zechariah wrote in his book chapter 12 verse 10: And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and shall mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son The center piece of matzah is broken. The Messiah too was broken. The hidden piece is called the afikomen which means the coming One. It is wrapped in a linen just as the Messiah s body was wrapped for burial and hidden for a time. But just as the afikomen will return to complete our Passover, so the sinless Messiah rose from the dead to ascend into heaven and prepare a place for us. Let us now share a piece of this unleavened bread of Passover. Blessed are You, O Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who brings forth the bread from the earth. Leader takes some horseradish on a piece of matzah and lifts it up. The bitter herbs; (horseradish) why do we eat them? Because the Egyptians embittered the lives of the people of God in Egypt with cruel bondage and cruel labor. You can imagine what it would be like to be a slave, to be beaten, to work all day and be given no freedom. When the Jewish families thought of the slavery and bondage in Egypt it broke their hearts and reminded them that they were a people without hope, but thanks be to God. page 8

9 The same is true for us today. The Bible says that we are all sinners. Paul teaches us that sin enslaves us. James says that sin brings forth death and Paul assured us that the wages of sin is death. We are just like our Jewish brothers who long ago were slaves in Egypt. Without God to deliver us from our sin we would be in the bondage and slavery forever. We too would be people without hope. Sin always leads to sadness, to a bitter experience and a broken heart. The bitter herbs remind us of the painful experience of the Jewish bondage and also remind us of the pain we experience when we sin. Let us still remember how bitter life was for the children of Israel in the land of Egypt. so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites and worked them ruthlessly. They made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields (Exodus 1:12-14) Blessed are You, O Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who has set us apart by His Word and commanded us to eat bitter herbs. (All eat) Leader takes a piece of matzah with some horoset and horseradish on it. Finally, something that tastes pretty good. On the night of Passover the Jews also ate haroset - a sweet mixture of apples, nuts and cinnamon, finely grated. Its purpose is to soften the bitterness of the bitter herbs. The chopped apples, nuts and honey reminds the Jews of the brown mortar and the bricks used in building Egyptian monuments while they were in slavery. The Jewish slaves were forced to make millions of bricks to build their enemyies cities and walls. Our sin can also build walls in our life, walls that represent pain and suffering. But the haroset teaches us that even in the most bitter of circumstances we can be sweetened by the hope we have in the living God. (All eat) It is probably at this time that Judas was revealed by Jesus. Mark 12:18-20 records While they were reclining at the table eating. Jesus said, I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me one who is eating with me. They were saddened and one by one they said to him Surely, not I? It is one of the Twelve. He replied, one who dips [unleavened] bread into the bowl with Me. So why do we take it easy and recline or rest as we share the Passover Meal? As for the reclining when the Jewish forefathers ate the lamb the night that the death angel would pass through all of Egypt, they ate standing with their staffs in their hands and page 9

10 their sandals upon their feet to symbolize their hasty departure from Egypt. They were ready to leave the bondage as soon as God gave them the word to depart. But now we eat this meal resting and at times even reclining on pillows and on these nice chairs. To recline symbolizes that we are now at rest, no longer slaves and we can eat this meal in peace. Jesus said Come unto Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28) Explaining the Lamb shank When the temple still stood, we took our lamb there to be slaughtered; but since the temple was destroyed we cannot make this sacrifice. Now we have only this shank bone of the lamb as a reminder of the sacrifice in Egypt. However, never forget that it was the death of a lamb which saved our people from death. You see, the Angel of Death was commanded by God to take all of the firstborn of Egypt as judgment. But if the Death Angel saw the blood of the Lamb on our doorposts then he Passed Over and our families were saved. A Christian father would remind his children God gave His people instructions that only through obedience would they be spared from the angel of death. By faith they had to act and apply the blood of the lamb on the door posts of their home. Isaiah told of the coming Messiah, that He would be led like a lamb to slaughter (Is.53:7). We know that Yeshua, Jesus, was our final blood atonement so that we would be freed from the bondage of sin and we would be passed over from death. Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise! Revelation 5:12 The Roasted Egg The roasted egg has also been added to the Seder. It is called khahihah, a name signifying the special holiday offering. The egg is regarded as a symbol of mourning, reminding us of the destruction of the second Temple. It is also considered by many to denote new birth and eternal life, since the shape of an egg shows no beginning and no end. The roasted egg may be eaten later, during the Seder meal. page 10

11 THE SECOND CUP: The Cup of Deliverance Leader Pour the grape juice (wine) into the second cup (Also referred to as the Cup of Plagues) Retelling the Story of Passover: Leader: The story of Passover is a story of miracles, a story of redemption, a story of mighty power of God to overcome evil. Reader 1 The Lord had promised the land of Israel to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Yet here were their children in Egypt. The Pharaoh who had come to power feared them. These foreigners in our midst are prospering and have grown numerous, he thought. Suppose they join with our enemies and turn against us! Pharaoh decided to exert slavery upon the Israelites. Still, God blessed His people in strength and number. Reader 2 Pharaoh grew more frightened and ordered every baby boy among the Israelites to be drowned in the Nile River. One Israelite couple hid their little boy for three months. Finally, entrusting his future to God, they set him in a basket and placed him upon the river. His sister Miriam watched as he floated downstream. Coming upon the basket, Pharaoh s daughter took pity on the child and chose to raise him as her own son. She called him Moses, meaning drawn from the water. Reader 3 Moses grew and became aware of the travail of his people, One day, in a rage, he lost control of himself and killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew slave. Fleeing the palace and the eye of Pharaoh, Moses became a shepherd in the land of Midian, far from the cries of his suffering brothers. Reader 4 The Lord, however, saw the affliction of the children of Israel and heard their groaning. He would raise up a deliverer to lead them out of bondage. It was then that He appeared to Moses in the midst of a bush that burned with fire, yet was not consumed. Moses drew close and listened as God commissioned him to go to Pharaoh, fearful and reluctant, still Moses agreed to bring God s message to the king of Egypt, Let My people go! page 11

12 Leader Now lets take the second cup which reminds us how our God provided for us a way of deliverance, a way of escape by using the ten plagues of Egypt, one drop for each plague. A full cup is a sign of joy and this night we are filled with joy in remembrance of God s mighty deliverance. (Instruct the children that this will be one of the few times they get to stick their fingers in their cup. You will demonstrate to the children how you take and allow one drop of the wine/juice to fall on a white napkin for each of the ten plagues. This will be a great visual and teaching opportunity for you so be certain that you take your time with this Cup.) Leader As we remember each plague, let us dip our little finger into the cup, allowing a drop of wine/juice to fall on our white napkins, reducing the fullness of our cup of joy this night. (Dip little finger into cup and drop on napkin saying each of the plagues below) BLOOD FROGS VERMIN BEASTS PESTILENCE BOILS HAIL LOCUSTS DARKNESS THE DEATH OF THE FIRSTBORN Drink Together Second Cup. The cup of deliverance, the cup of joy! (The rabbinical teachings taught that the Levite priests would chant the praise Psalms 113 through 118 as the Passover Lambs were being prepared). page 12

13 Leader Rabbi Gamaliel, the teacher of Rabbi Saul (Paul, the apostle), taught that in recounting Passover story one must be certain to mention three things: The Unleavened Bread The Bitter Herbs The Passover Lamb Leader Holds up matzah Prayer Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who brings forth bread from the earth. And we also bless the Maror (Bitter herbs/horseradish) Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments, and has commanded us concerning the eating of the Maror (horseradish). All eat We are reminded as we eat this and tears come to our eyes from the maror how bitter the work was for Israel and that God gives us grace to endure! Leader Lift the lamb shank before your family Exodus 12:13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. Exodus 12:21 Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, "Go at once and select the animals for your families and slaughter the Passover lamb. Exodus 12:23 When the Lord goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, He will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and He will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down. page 13

14 John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! In Exodus 12:11 the Israelites are told This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the Lord s Passover. Let us now eat and remember the grace, mercy and love that God has for each of us, for He sent Yeshua, our Messiah, to be our Passover Lamb. We too, like the Israelites, released from the bondage of slavery, can be saved from the bondage of sin. We too will now rejoice in our salvation, our Passover Lamb, Jesus Christ! Let Us Rejoice Together! DAYEINU! How great is God s goodness to us! For each of His acts of mercy and kindness we declare DAYEINU (die-yay-new)- It would have been sufficient! Note: In this responsive reading, the family leader speaks the statement and the family responds together with a joyous and triumphant, Dayenu! If the Lord had merely rescued us, but had not judged the Egyptians. Dayeinu! Had He split the sea for us and not brought us through dry land Dayeinu! Had He brought us through dry land, and not sustained us in the wilderness for 40 years, Dayeinu! Had He sustained us in the wilderness for 40 years, and not fed us with manna. Dayeinu! Had He fed us with manna, and not given us the Sabbath, Dayeinu! Had He brought us to Mount Sinai, and not given us the Torah, Dayeinu! Had He given us the Torah, and not brought us into the land of Israel, Dayeinu! How much more, then, are we to be grateful to God for the wonderful deeds He performed for us! For He brought us out of Egypt, and split the Red Sea for us, and brought us through dry land, and sustained us in the wilderness for 40 years, and fed us with manna, and gave us the Sabbath, and brought us to Mount Sinai, and gave us the Torah, and brought us into the land of Israel, and now that page 14

15 Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God, has been sacrificed for us, we too have been passed over from the judgment of sin and delivered into the Kingdom of heaven. Dayeinu! It is now time to share the meal together! Now the meal is served! The Afikoman OUR FAVORITE PART OF PASSOVER! Then the dessert the afikoman (the hidden Matzah) which was wrapped in a linen cloth earlier and hidden, is now to be brought back. It is customary that the children will now be excused from the table and begin an all out search to find the hidden afikoman. Note: Remind the children that similarly after His death Jesus was wrapped in linen, buried and resurrected three days later. Have children search and find the hidden Afikoman. Tell them there is a reward for the one who finds it and returns it to you at the Passover Table. The reward may be a silver dollar, a gift or whatever you choose to share with the child that finds the afikoman. For the Leader: The term afkomen is the only Greek word in the Seder service. It means I have come. The reward is a symbol of the fact that Yeshua (Jesus) purchased our redemption at the price of His own life. This is an absolutely excellent place in your Passover Meal to relate the story of how Mark ran to the Tomb on Easter morning looking everywhere for the Treasure of Heaven, Jesus Christ. He found the linen cloth in the empty tomb and must have known in his heart that the words he had heard Jesus speak had now become a reality. HE IS ALIVE! What a great reward for all who diligently seek Jesus. God s word teaches us that if we seek Him with all our heart that we will find Him. The truth is He finds us! Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. page 15

16 Leader Give the reward to the child that returns the hidden afikoman Leader holds up the afikoman The taste of the afikoman should linger in our mouths. It is about the afikoman that Jesus said This is My body given for you; do this in remembrance of Me. The Passover cannot be completed without the afikoman, nor can our redemption be complete without Jesus/Yeshua, the Bread of Life, and our Messiah! Eat and enjoy the afikoman THE THIRD CUP: The Cup of Redemption Pour the grape juice (wine) into the third cup This is the cup of Redemption, symbolizing the blood of the Passover Lamb. It was this cup after the Passover supper, in which Jesus / Yeshua identified Himself when He said, This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you (Luke 22:20). This is the same cup that Jesus speaks of when He falls on His knees in the Garden of Gethsemane and with outstretched arms He cries out: Luke 22:42: Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will but yours be done. Jesus Christ knew He was the THIRD CUP OF REDEMPTION but instead of wine it was His blood that was given, His life was given for our sin so that we might be set free from the bondage and given eternal life with our Messiah! How shocked the disciples must have looked as they heard these words fall from Jesus lips! The price of this redemption was greater than before, as it cost God the life of His only Son. The scope of this redemption was broader it includes all peoples; Jews and Gentiles, who put their trust in Him. His words make so much sense in light of the third cup. Drink together the third cup as you REMEMBER the Cup of Redemption page 16

17 THE FOURTH CUP: The Cup of Gathering or Praise Pour grape juice (wine) into the fourth cup (The Cup of Gathering) This is the cup that Jesus said in Matthew 26:29, But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father s kingdom. Revelation 19:9 Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!' And he added, "These are the true words of God." Knock-Knock Who s There? In keeping with Passover Seder tradition, the Family Leader will ask one of the children to go to the front door and open it and see if Elijah has come and then return. The Jewish family will open the door indicating their readiness to receive the prophet Elijah, the one who will herald the news of the Messiah. Leader lifts the up cup This is for Elijah the Prophet. Please open the door to welcome Elijah to our Seder. Elijah did not see death, but was swept up to heaven by a great whirlwind, in a chariot of fire. It has been our hope that Elijah would come at Passover, to announce the Messiah, Son of David. Before the birth of John the Baptizer, an Angel of the Lord said, and he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. (Luke 1:17) Later Jesus spoke of John, And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who was to come. (Matthew 11:14) It was the same John who saw Jesus earlier and said, Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29). page 17

18 We must also now open our hearts to the truth. As we explain why the Jewish Passover Seder sends the children to the door we must also explain that we do not go to the door to look for the Messiah to come to us we open the door in hopes and anticipation that Our Messiah is coming again! In Revelation 3:20 Jesus admonishes us with these word, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will go in and eat with him, and he with Me. Drink together the fourth cup, the Cup of Gathering, the cup of praise! For the Leader As your Passover Seder concludes it would be appropriate to thank the Lord in prayer. If you are not comfortable with praying your own prayers you can always use the Model Prayer that Jesus shared with His disciples when they asked of Him, Lord, teach us to pray. Our Father in Heaven, Hallowed be Your Name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done On earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, As we forgive those who have sinned against us. And do not lead us into temptation But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the Power and the glory forever. Amen. Every Passover Seder closes with what the Jewish families call, Nirtzah and together they shout, Next year in Jerusalem. The hope of all the Jewish hearts is that peace would come to the City of David. page 18

19 The Kosher Christian Cookbook From the Kosher Kitchen To the Christian Kitchen! Recipes for all your favorite Passover Dishes! (Haroset) HAROSET ½ cup walnuts, finely ground 1 nice, tart apple (if you use MacIntosh apples, don t use honey/sugar) (estimate ¼ apple per person) 1 tbsp. Passover wine or grape juice 1 tsp. sugar or honey (don t use if you re using sweet apples) ½ tsp. cinnamon Pare, core, peel and grate the apple. Add the remaining ingredients and leave it in the refrigerator for several days, causing it to turn brown. (Yes, it s supposed to turn brown. Trust me.) AL has found an entire chapter of your finest Passover recipes and complete meals in Judith B. Fellner s book, In the Jewish Tradition. This book was published by Smithmark Publishing Company in 1995 and it was purchased for $17.98 For other recipes you can search on the net. Search keyword, Passover and there are a great number of sights for recipes. Before the meal (ask the children to help you with this exercise and explain the significance of taking the time to clean before we meet with the Lord in the Passover Meal) clean out everything your cupboards and cabinets that has leaven in it. (you can call it breadcrumbs for the children s understanding) This is symbolic of the removal of sin from your life. To make it fun you may want to hide some breadcrumbs and have the children search for them and remove them without touching them. Have the children scoop them onto a plate with a fork or butter knife or some other blunt object. page 19