In many circles there appears to be an increasing interest in the Jewish roots of the Christian faith. This Easter season numerous congregations across the globe will hold a “Passover Haggadah” or more traditionally known as a “Seder” to gain a greater understanding of the Christian – Jewish relationship.
A Brief History
Passover is the oldest and most important religious festival in Judaism, commemorating God’s deliverance of the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt and His creation of the Israelite people.
The festival of Passover begins at sunset on the 14th of Nisan (usually in March or April) and marks the beginning of a seven day celebration which includes the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The highlight of Passover is a communal meal, called the Seder (which means “order,” because of the fixed order of service), which is a time to rejoice and celebrate the deliverance for the Hebrews that God accomplished through the exodus.
What every Christian needs to know about Passover
As many prepare to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus, knowing the cultural Jewish soil on which Jesus walked is important to a mature and growing Christian faith. Here are a few steps for help along the Passover journey.
Step One: Read the Bible about Passover.
Jesus and the apostles were celebrating Passover at the Last Supper, because they were Jewish men with Jewish observances:
“This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord – a lasting ordinance.” (Exodus 12:14)
“Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. Jesus sent Peter and John, saying ‘go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.'” (Luke 22:7-8)
Step Two: Attend a service at a messianic temple. Most congregations at a messianic temple are made up of both Jews and Gentiles. Or, you might consider having your own service in your home with family and friends. For resources see http://www.messianicjewish.net.
Step Three: Learn traditional prayers that are said during Passover. You can find these online at http://www.jewfaq.org/prayer.htm. Or, you can learn them from a rabbi.
Step Four: Cook a traditional Passover meal. You can find out how to do so by obtaining a book about Passover from the library or search on the web articles like, “How to Make Passover Eclairs” or “How to Make Matzo Meal Pancakes for Passover.”
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SOURCE: Crosswalk
Russ Jones , ChristianPress.com
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