Wednesday, March 19, 2008

 

How Will They Know Series

 

Exodus 12:24 “Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance for you and your descendents.”  

 

The Passover Heritage

Many Christians only vaguely understand the Passover as an intrically important component of Jesus’ last week of life.  The Passover is actually a seven day holiday which commemorates the last plague of Egypt.  The Jews of Egypt were instructed the night before the tenth plague to kill a sacrificial lamb and put the blood on the doorposts of their houses.  They were promised if their doors were so marked, the angel of death would skip over their house and their first-born would not die as others did all over Egypt.  

 

The Passover meal contains certain foods. 

• Matzohs are placed in the folds of the napkins as a reminder of the haste in which the Israelites fled Egypt, leaving no time for the dough to rise.  
• Bitter herbs symbolize the bitterness of slavery that they experienced in Egypt.  
• Charoses, a  mixture of apples, nuts, and cinnamon, remind the people of Passover of the mortar they used as they built the buildings of Egypt in their slavery.  
• Beitzah is a roasted egg which symbolizes the circle of life.  
• Karpas are vegetables, usually parsley or celery, representing hope and served with a bowl of salt water to represent the tears of sadness. 
• Zeroah traditionally is a piece of roasted lamb which symbolized the lamb whose blood was shed and put on the doorpost.
• Wine– four glasses are consumed during this special service to represent the four-fold promise of redemption.   A special glass is always left for Elijah, the prophet.  

 

This Passover celebration is the last meal that Jesus celebrated with His disciples. 

It was a meal of great importance to him and he knew it would be the last time he would ever meet with his beloved followers.  For those of the Jewish tradition, as Jesus was, it is a truly significant meal.  

 

Last year, Joy and Jonny Gardberg invited my wife, Averette and me to celebrate the Passover with them.   As a Christian pastor, I had read about Passover since I began seminary.   I have also experienced it as speakers have walked me through the significance of the meal.   In the journal of my memory I also, many years ago, experienced Passover in the Holy Land.  All these educational experiences missed, I believe, the family love of the Passover celebration.   Last year with Joy and Jonny, I experienced the closeness of family and friends celebrating this significant meal together.  

 

As we prepare to experience this day, let us imagine Jesus and His disciples as they anticipated this wonderful meal in Jerusalem.  

 

Prayer:

Dear God, help me in my heart to try and imagine what Jesus and His disciples felt as they anticipated the Passover.   Amen.