PASSOVER

PASSOVER/COMMUNION CELEBRATION

(In Twelve Steps)

Why do we take part in this Passover/Communion celebration?

a) God said Passover was for ever: "Now this day shall be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as a permanent ordinance."Ex 12:14, NAS

b) Passover was of special significance to Jesus: "I have looked forward to this hour with great longing, anxious to eat this Passover meal with you before My suffering begins." Luke 22:25 NLT

Some background: Passover is the oldest known continuously observed religious feast in the world, having been celebrated for around 3,500 years. There was only ever one Passover and every Passover celebration since then has been a memorial. The Hebrews call Passover "Haggadah", which means "the telling", or "tell your son". Jesus instituted the ordinance Christians know as Communion as part of the Passover celebration.

During this celebration we will drink four cups ~ the Cup of Sanctification, the Cup of Deliverance, the Cup of Redemption, and the Cup of Praise. The cups are symbolic of the four promises God made the Hebrews as recorded in Exodus 6:6-7 "I will bring you out, I will rescue you from bondage, I will redeem you, and I will take you as My people" (NKJV). The symbolic foods will become clearer as we take part.

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1 LIGHTING THE CANDLES

Traditionally, the Hebrews use two candles but we will light three candles symbolising the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Traditionally the candles are lit by a woman, signifying that the Messiah would come through a woman (Gen. 3:15).

Hebrew blessing: "Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who has kept us alive by your Word. May your house be consecrated by the light of your Face, shining on us in blessing and peace."

Christian blessing: "For God, who said, "Let there be light in the darkness," has made us understand that this light is the brightness of the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ." 2 Cor. 4:6, NLT

2.THE CUP OF SANCTIFICATION - "I will bring you out."

We drink the first cup.
"Then He took a cup of wine, and when He had given thanks for it He said, "Take this and share it among yourselves" Luke 22:17 NLT.

Hebrew blessing: "Blessed are you, Oh Lord our God, King of the universe, who created the fruit of the vine. Blessed are you, O Lord our God, who has chosen us for your service from among the nations...Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who has kept us in life, who has preserved us and has enabled us to reach this season."

Christian blessing:" I am the true vine, and my father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, He takes away and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit in itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. John 15:1-4 NKJV

3. HAND/FEETWASHING, symbolising His Servanthood
"He got up from the table, took off His robe, wrapped a towel around His waist, and poured water into a basin. Then He began to wash the disciples' feet....After washing their feet He put on His robe again, and sat down and asked "Do you understand what I was doing? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right because it is true. And since I the Lord and teacher have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other's feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you." John 13:3-17 NLT

It was traditional at this point of the meal for the Hebrews to ritually wash their hands, and this would have been what the disciples were expecting to do. That's why they were amazed and embarrassed when Jesus took the water and washed their feet. Feetwashing was the role of the lowliest servant in any household.

4. BREAKING THE MATZAH (unleavened bread)
"Then He took a loaf of bread, and when He had thanked God for it, He broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying "This is My Body given for you; do this in remembrance of Me." Luke 22:19 NLT

The matzah has been prepared in three pieces, representing the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The leader will take the middle piece of the bread and break it in half. One half is wrapped up in a napkin and hidden somewhere until later. The broken half is passed around to all present.

5.THE FOUR QUESTIONS
"Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it." Exodus 12:8 NKJV

And in the future, your children will ask you, 'What does all this mean?' Then you will tell them, 'With mighty power the LORD brought us out of Egypt from our slavery." Exodus 13:14 NLT

Four questions are asked (traditionally by the youngest child): ~

Why is this meal different to all other meals? What is the meaning of the bitter herbs? What is the meaning of the unleavened bread?' What is the meaning of the Lamb?

The story of the Hebrews' exodus from Egypt is then told (traditionally by one of the adults). Alternatively, for a briefer version, Exodus chapter twelve can be read by one of the leaders.

6. THE BITTER HERBS, symbolising His suffering

Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac's shoulders, while he himself carried the knife and the fire. As the two of them went on together, Isaac said, "Father?" "Yes my son" Abraham replied. "We have the wood and the fire" said the boy, "but where is the lamb for the sacrifice?" "God will provide a lamb, my son" Abraham answered. And they both went on together". Gen. 22:6-8 NLT

"But he was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped, and we were healed!" Isaiah 53:5 NLT

"When we get to Jerusalem," he told them, "the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die and hand him over to the Romans. They will mock him, spit on him, beat him with their whips, and kill him, but after three days he will rise again." Matt. 10:33,34 NLT

We take a green plant and we dip it into vinegar or salt water and eat. The plant is symbolic of the hyssop which the Hebrews used to place the lamb's blood on their doorposts. The vinegar or salt water is symbolic of the tears of suffering under bondage in Egypt. For Christians Egypt is symbolic of our past unredeemed lives when we were slaves to sin in the world.

7. THE EATING OF THE UNLEAVENED BREAD (symbolising His sinless life)

Each one now takes some of their bread (matzah)) and dips it into the bitter herbs and eats. The bitter herbs are symbolic of suffering in Egypt for the Hebrews, but for Christians they are symbolic of the suffering of the Lamb who was slain, Jesus the Messiah.

8.THE CUP OF DELIVERANCE ~ "I will rescue from bondage."

We drink the second cup.

We remember the plagues of Egypt and spill some wine for each plague, symbolising that even in our freedom we are to remember the suffering of others.

The Ten Plagues: Blood; Frogs; Lice; Wild Beasts; Blight; Boils; Hail; Locusts; Darkness; Death of the Firstborn
"The Law has shown me that something in me keeps me from doing what I know is right. With my whole heart I agree with the Law of God, but in every part of me I discover something fighting against my mind, and it makes me a prisoner of sin that controls everything I do. What a miserable person I am. Who will rescue me from this body that is doomed to die? Thank God! Jesus Christ will rescue me!" Rom. 7:21-25 CEV

"He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the Kingdom of the Son of His love in whom we have redemption through His Blood, the forgiveness of sins." Col. 1:12,13 NKJV

9. THE SWEET HAROSIS
"When we were utterly helpless, Christ CAME at just the right time and died for us sinners...God showed HIS great love for us by SENDING Christ to die for us while we were still sinners" Rom. 5:6, 8 NLT

We take some more of our bread and dip it into the "harosis", traditionally symbolic of the mortar used by the Hebrews when building for the Egyptians. It is sweet because even the most bitter labour is sweet when redemption is near.

10. THE PASSOVER/COMMUNION MEAL IS EATEN
"After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit and declared "Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray Me." The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking . One of Jesus disciples - the one whom He loved - was reclining next to Him. Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom He was speaking. So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked Him "Lord, who is it?" Jesus answered Him "It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish" So when He had dipped the piece of bread, He gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. After he received the piece of bread Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him "Do quickly what you are going to do." John 13:21-28 NRSV

Traditionally in Jesus day the meal was eaten while reclining. The youngest would sometimes rest upon the oldest. Christian tradition indicates that John was the youngest of the apostles. It was in this setting that Jesus spoke of His betrayal by Judas. This would not have been easily understood by the disciples as many were dipping their bread in the herbs.

11.THE CUP OF REDEMPTION ~ "I will redeem you", symbolising His Blood

We drink the third cup.
"Likewise, He also took the cup after supper, saying "This cup is the new covenant in My Blood, which is shed for you." Luke 22:20 NKJV

APOSTOLIC BLESSING:
"How we praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the Heavenly realms because we belong to Christ. Long ago, even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave Him great pleasure. So we praise God for the wonderful kindness He has poured out on us because we belong to His dearly loved Son. He is so rich in kindness that He purchased our freedom through the Blood of His Son and our sins are forgiven. He has showered His kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. God's secret plan has now been revealed to us; it is a plan centred on Christ, designed long ago according to His good pleasure. And this is His plan: at the right time He will bring everything together under the authority of Christ ~` everything in Heaven and on earth.... When you believed in Christ, He identified you as His own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom He promised long ago. The Spirit is God's guarantee that He will give us everything He promised and that He has purchased us to be His own people. This is just one more reason for us to praise our glorious God." Eph. 1:3-10; 13,14 NLT

The hidden piece of bread (called "afikomen" ~ Greek for "I came") is searched for and found (traditionally by the children with the successful child receiving a small reward).

12.CUP OF PRAISE ~ "I will take you as my people".

We drink the fourth cup.

"And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives." Matt. 26:30 NKJV

("Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: may they prosper who love you")
-Psalm 122

I was glad when they said to me,
"Let us go into the house of the LORD."
Our feet have been standing
Within your gates, O Jerusalem!

Jerusalem is built
As a city that is compact together,
Where the tribes go up,
The tribes of the LORD,
To the Testimony of Israel, To give thanks to the name of the LORD.
For thrones are set there for judgment,
The thrones of the house of David.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
"May they prosper who love you.
Peace be within your walls,
Prosperity within your palaces."
For the sake of my brethren and companions,
I will now say, "Peace be within you."
Because of the house of the LORD our God
I will seek your good.

NKJV

"Then one of the seven angels .....came to me and talked with me, saying "Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife." And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God...

And behold I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. And the Spirit and the bride say "Come" And let him who hears say "Come, and let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. He who testifies to these things says "Surely I am coming quickly."

Amen, Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen

Rev. 21:9-11; 22:12-13; 17; 20-21

WORSHIP

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NOTES

This article is meant to be a guide only - please feel free to modify it to your own requirements.

Either grapejuice or red wine can be used for the four cups.

The three scripturally symbolic foods :~ Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. Ex. 12:8 NKJV

The symbols: ~

The Lamb - "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29)

Unleavened Bread - His sinless life (1 Cor. 5:7-8)

Bitter herbs - His suffering (Hebrews 2:9)

Footwashing - His Servanthood (Matthew 20:27-28)

Cup of Redemption - His redeeming Blood. (1 Cor. 10:16)

Acknowledgments: "The Feasts of the Lord", Kevin Howard/Marvin Rosenthal; Chosen People Ministries

Ó Copyright Cheryl McGrath and Great South Land Ministries, 2002

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