Celebrating Christ II

Because Craig and I both grew up experiencing Easter time as more about bunnies, egg hunts and family than about Jesus and His saving grace, we wanted our kids to experience this time with a greater focus on Christ. 

If you’ve been following this blog recently, you would’ve read the posts about some of our family traditions, including our newest addition, which aim to focus our family on Jesus during this time.   Last year, we began a tradition which we hope to continue in our family for years to come.  Although we do not think that celebrating Old Testament festivals is a requirement to be a true follower of Christ, we do see the value in celebrating the Passover in the light of Christ.  So, last year, on Good Friday eve, we had our first ever Passover Seder, like Christ at the Last Supper, with the kids and my folks.  It was a very special evening, rich with imagery and symbolism that draws such clear parallels between the sacrificial lamb of the Passover and The Sacrificial Lamb, Jesus Christ.  It is uncanny how many aspects of the Seder were written hundreds of years before Christ, and yet so clearly point to Him. 

Our passover seder table last year:

2 and 3/4 year old Katie with Granny Sally

If you are at all interested in doing something similar with your family, there are loads of resources on the internet to help you along.  To help you get started here are a few pointers:

• The Pesach Seder (Passover meal “order”) is simply the format of the information that one shares during the Passover meal. 
• The information that one shares is called the Haggadah.  It contains prayers, readings from the Torah, instructions for the Seder, old and new commentary on the Exodus, and sometimes songs. 
• You can use a very involved Haggadah that can be a bit long for little kiddies, or you can customise your Haggadah to accommodate the littlies.   I used the format from a South African book called Abba’s Feasts (email Karen at karmalbooks@telkomsa.net for more info on this book) and adapted it for our family.
• We use a messianic Haggadah – meaning that the Seder has been adapted to show how Christ is the ultimate sacrificial lamb and Saviour.  One such adaption is the number of cups of wine at the meal – traditionally Jews celebrate with three cups – but the messianic seder has included one more:

The four cups of wine commemorate God’s four-fold promise of redemption, promised in Exodus, prophesied in Isaiah and proclaimed on the Cross.

(dad must hold up each cup when mentioned in the quote below):

God said, “I shall bring you out (cup of sanctification) from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and shall deliver you (cup of thanksgiving) from their enslaving, and shall redeem you (cup of redemption) with an outstretched arm, and with great judgements, and shall take you (cup of praise) as My people, and I shall be your God. (Exodus 6:6-7a)

• Between the drinking of these four cups, the Passover story is retold with symbolic foods eaten and shared.  Once the order has finished, the main meal is shared.
• Kids can get antsy, so it’s a good idea to create a few games for them to play during the course of the Sedar.  Linking these games to the message being shared around the table is also a great way to reinforce the message.
• Be aware that the range of convictions regarding the Messianic Passover is huge.  Don’t be put off by legalism that is evident in some of the sites explaining the seder – rather read up what you can on what the Haggadah looks like and adapt it to your own family.
• Alternatively, you can use our adaption: Hayes Family Pesach Seder