This Friday Passover begins and my kids are counting down the days.
This will be our sixth year participating in the traditional Jewish celebration together as a family. You guessed it…we’re not Jewish, nor do we attend a synagogue. But we enjoy learning about the culture, people, and traditions practiced by Jesus and the Jewish people.
God created these festivals and celebrations to remember His faithfulness, His provision, His plans for His people…and to draw His people to worship.
If you have joined us for the Jesse Tree Project, you know the Passover is a significant celebration! We journeyed through the story of Moses and the Israelites in December recalling the salvation of the Israelites from Egypt.
Specifically, with the last plague, God foretold of the hope we would have through his Son, Jesus. Just as the angel of death passed over the homes marked by lamb’s blood protecting them from death, Jesus is our salvation from death “in our sins” by paying our debt on the cross.
While many Jews celebrate Passover looking to the future, waiting for the Savior that is to come…as Christians, we remember Easter…Jesus’s death and resurrection…the freedom we now have, the hope of a future confident of eternal life, and the second coming of Jesus.
We have such a reason to worship!
Richard and I knew we wanted to share this meaningful meal in our home but with the HOPE we have as believers in Jesus.
We went on a hunt for material that would help us celebrate a Christian Passover Meal but that was also family friendly and age appropriate for our then three and five year old.
We came across this beautiful, FREE “experience” of a Christian Passover Meal by Ann Voskamp and have used it every year.
There are traditional questions and answers shared in a Passover meal, verses to read, recipes, and explanations of each of the traditional foods used and the symbolism to accompany each.
I wanted to just share with you what it looks like for us to do this. Although Ann’s family tradition is wonderful, we are not her. I am not you and you are not me! So it will look different for each of us but the printable above provides an excellent framework.
I encourage you to spend some time thinking, praying, and planning according to your gifts and your family’s needs so it can be a beautiful experience…special and catered for your home.
FIRST…Tell your family that you will be celebrating a very special meal together.
Build it up! Explain what it is and even explain expectations to your little ones so they know it is a sacred time. Create the space in your calendar to prepare and partake in the meal.
Passover officially begins Friday, April 19th this year and ends Saturday, April 27th. Pick a time that fits your schedule best.
SECOND…make your shopping list and buy all the items you need for the Passover meal.
There are really two parts to the experience. There are items for the Passover experience and a menu for the celebratory dinner you eat afterwards.
Most items are very easy to find at your local grocery store.
I pick up some grape juice at the store for the kids to use along with the wine during the ceremony (although my kids like to try the wine!).
The dinner menu that is included in the printable consists of lamb as the main dish. I am not experienced in cooking lamb, nor does my family like it especially. So for our family’s dinner, I have substituted different meats to try each year (roast, chicken, brisket).
I do prepare a small shank of lamb for the actual ceremony though. That’s about as daring as I get!
THIRD…prepare your home for the ceremony.
We actually like to lay out a blanket on our living room floor, set up pillows and couch cushions, and actually recline like Jesus may have done long ago. We set the Passover plate in the middle, light some candles, and enjoy our ceremony more picnic style.
The freedom to choose is yours! I encourage you to do something that is different than your normal dinner routine so the Passover experience is “set apart” in their minds as special, sacred, and holy.
FOURTH…hand out parts and responsibilities to the ceremony.
I love the ceremony that Ann Voskamp has written out and shared with us. Her words and language are beautiful but still quite a bit hefty for my children to understand. I take notecards and write out the questions with age appropriate language my children will understand.
Richard and I took some time looking over the verses, and deciding who would say what.
I also give my kids special jobs throughout the ceremony which they love!
My daughter gets to light all the candles before we begin, my son gets to blow them all out at the end. I allow them to take turns serving the food or let them look up and read a verse. The more you can include them–the better!
And FINALLY…remember, enjoy, and celebrate the freedom you have because of Jesus!
When you have finished the ceremony, enjoy a meal together. Eat dessert! Live it up!
What a joy we have that Jesus provides us the liberty to enjoy life and what is to come because of WHO He is and what He has done for us.
I cannot wait to hear how it goes! Let me know if you will be joining us to celebrate a Christian Passover Meal. We would love to pray for you!
NEXT YEAR! IN THE NEW JERUSALEM!
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.