I grew up with Passover Seder being customary and influenced most by my paternal Grandmother, Isabelle. She would roast lamb and set out the Seder plate and explain the items. She also would serve a delicious mint jelly for the roasted lamb dinner. Before the lamb and vegetables was a first course of homemade matzoh ball soup and latkes aplenty, paired with both applesauce and sour cream.Yum!
As a teen, my parents took me to a really great church that hosted a Passover Seder every year complete with worship, traditional music, and dancing! It was the highlight of my church memories even before I chose Jesus.
I preface our family’s Passover Seder traditions with these glimpses into the past because it is paramount to setting up why I still celebrate.
Deuteronomy 6:5-9
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words that I give you today. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you’re at home or away, when you lie down or get up. Write them down, and tie them around your wrist, and wear them as headbands as a reminder. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
This scripture is the premise for our Passover. I am continually brought back to it both as I prepare my heart and busy my hands with the preparations.
I believe Messiah has come. Yeshua. Jesus. He fulfilled the Promise and the law. Yet, I obey His command to teach my children about His ways. One of the primary ways to do that is through this feast.
Beginning the week before Palm Sunday I begin to share stories and scripture and complete lessons with the boys surrounding and leading up to Jesus and the Passover He led at the Last Supper.
This week, the boys helped create Afikomen bags for our hidden matzoh. They practiced saying “Yeshua” and we even wrote His Hebrew name on the bags. You can find the original craft idea here
We practiced the scripture verse complete with motions and discussed the Afikomen and how they could find it Friday at the end of the Seder and turn it in for a prize.
This all symbolizes Jesus for our family and how he is the hidden pearl of great price. He is the bread broken for us. He took the stripes just like the stripes matzoh. When we seek Him, He is found. When we find Him and hold fast to Him, we are gifted a great Prize.
He is our reward,
