MESSIAH IN THE PASSOVER

INTRODUCTION -- (Background material to convey during introduction)
1. THE SEDER
  1. Passover is the oldest of all the Jewish holidays.
  2. It marks the beginning of the religious calendar (Exodus 12:1,2)
  3. The Biblical background is found in Exodus 12, 13 and 14.
  4. The aim of the Passover seder is to bring the story of the Exodus out of the past and into the present so that each Jewish person, both young and old, will be made to feel as though they personally had come up out of the land of bondage.
  5. There was only one Passover -- only one occasion when the blood was applied to the door posts and lintels of believing homes -- only once that the Lord went through Egypt to smite the firstborn where the blood was not applied. So, according to Exodus 12:14, every succeeding Passover was to be a memorial of that first Passover.
  6. The Passover seder has a theme -- redemption or deliverance.
  7. "Seder" is the Hebrew word for order; it is an ordered service. Follow instructions: when in doubt -- don't! (e.g., preserve the grape juice so there will be enough for four cups.)
2. THE HAGGADAH
  1. Exodus 13:8 gives the biblical precept for the whole service of Passover.

"And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, this is done because of that which the Lord did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt."

The word Haggadah means, "telling" it is the recounting of the story of the Exodus to an assembled household.
1. Originally the Haggadah was brief. But with each passing generation many interpretations, legends and traditions were added. Today there are 1200 different versions.
2. This Haggadah retells the story of redemption that God provided for His people Israel, and also tells of our redemption through His grace by the death, burial and resurrection of His Messiah, the Lord Jesus.
3. This seder is patterned after the Orthodox, but condensed and revised.
PREPARATION FOR PASSOVER
1. BEDIKAT HAMETZ -- The search for leaven
  1. According to Exodus 12:19, 20 all leaven was to be removed from the house.
  2. Before making the search, it is customary to deposit some crumbs of bread in the places where the searcher will find them.
  3. A wooden spoon and a feather are used to gather the leaven into a paper bag. The search is to be done on the evening before the Passover using only one candle for light.
  4. Once all the leaven has been gathered, it was to be burnt along with the spoon and feather on the morning of the seder.
  5. The prayer of "nullification" is now said. Each one resolves in his heart that all leaven in the house is considered as non-existent, entirely valueless and compared to dust, and as something for which there is no absolute use. (Significant when one considers that leaven is a symbol for sin.)
SEDER BEGINS
1. THE BLESSING OF THE FESTIVAL CANDLES
  1. The lady of the house will kindle the candles and say the following blessing (modified by believers):

"Blessed art thou, O Lord our God King of the universe, who hast sanctified us by the Messiah and has allowed us to kindle the Festival light."

"Blessed art thou, O Lord our God King of the universe, who hast kept us in life, and hast preserved us, and hast enabled us to reach this season."

THE CUP OF SANCTIFICATION -- (Kiddush or blessing -- fill and raise your cup)
1. This cup represents the first of four "I wills" in Exodus 6:6,7

"I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians."

(Have all cups filled and instruct to drink after the pastor's prayer)

"Baruch attah Ah-doh-noy Elo-he-nu Me-lech Ha-olam, Boh-ray pree ha-gaw-fen."

(Blessed art thou, O Eternal, our God, King of the universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.)

The host or pastor leads in a prayer for the sanctity of the Passover service.
1. After the prayer all drink the first cup.
1. THE URCHATZ -- Ceremonial washing of the hands
  1. The host puts on the Kittel and Kippah, and washes hands in the bowl of water.
  2. The kittel is worn on occasions of solemnity. It may be worn on a wedding day, or for burial, and on Passover. It is a symbol of purity, gladness, freedom and, on Passover, freedom from human misery.
  3. It is white, for that's the color for royalty in Jewish tradition. It is the father who wears it. He is the initiator of the Passover -- the story of redemption.
2. THE KARPAS -- The dipping of the parsley
  1. Everyone takes some parsley and dips in the salt water.

"Baruch attah Ah-don-noy Elo-he-nu Me-lech Ha-olam Boh-ray pree ha-adamah"

(Blessed art thou, O Eternal, our God, King of the Universe, Creator of the fruits of the earth.)

As wine (or grape juice) is red and represents the blood of the lamb, the greens represent the hyssop which was used to place the blood upon the door posts and lintels.
1. The salt water represents the tears shed by the people while in bondage.
2. All eat the Karpas.
1. THE YACHUTZ -- The breaking of the middle matza
  1. The middle matza (from the matza tosh or unity bag) is broken in two. Half is placed back and the other piece, the afikomen is wrapped in cloth and set aside (to be hidden away secretly during the meal).
  2. Among the orthodox today, the afikomen takes the place of the paschal lamb, and is therefore endowed with much importance.
2. THE MAGGID -- The blessing over the matza and the retelling of the Passover story
  1. Lift up the matza bag for all to see and recite the following:

"This is the bread of affliction which our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt; let those who are hungry, enter and eat thereof, and all who are in distress, come and celebrate the Passover. Now we are here, but next year may we be in the land of Israel! Now we are slaves, but next year may we be free men!"

This prayer is among the oldest in the Haggadah, from before the destruction of the Temple.
1. All are to partake of the Passover. No one is to be excluded from it. (Foreigners must identify with Israel's God through circumcision according to Exodus 13.)
2. The second cup of wine is poured. (Do not drink it.)
1. THE FOUR QUESTIONS -- Traditional, not based on observance of what's happening.
  1. Why is this night different from all other nights? Why is it on this night we eat only unleavened bread?
  2. 1. The people left in a hurry, the bread didn't have time to rise. (Exodus 12:39)
  3. Why is it on this night we eat only bitter herbs?
  4. 1. Life for the people was bitter. (Exodus 1:14)
  5. Why is it on this night we dip twice: (The karpas and maror in the charoset).
  6. 1. The karpas represents the hyssop. Salt water represents the tears of the people. The maror with the charoset represents the bitterness of slavery being sweetened by the hope of freedom.
  7. Why on this night do we all of us recline? NOTE: This question was added after the Temple was destroyed in 70 A.D. The original question was, "Why is it on this night the meat is roasted and not boiled?" (found in the Mishnah).
  8. 1. In ancient times reclining was a sign of a free man, at ease. This night all distinction between master and slave was done away with. All were to come to the table and eat (Matthew 11:28 -- Come unto me).
2. THE TEN PLAGUES
  1. Recite the following:

"This faithfulness it is that has stood by our fathers and us. For not one man only has risen up against us to destroy us, but in every generation do men rise up against us to destroy us: but the Holy One, blessed by He, delivers us from their hands." (Genesis 12:1-3 -- promise of blessing and cursing)

As each plague is mentioned, a drop from the cup of wine is poured out or each individual should dip a finger and drop ten drops (reciting a plague with each drop) on a plate, to show the "finger of God" in His judgment.

BLOOD

FROGS

VERMIN

FLIES

PESTILENCE

BOILS

HAIL

LOCUSTS

DARKNESS

SLAYING OF THE FIRST-BORN

Sing Dayenu. (Dayenu is Hebrew for, "It would have been sufficient for us.")
1. THE EXPLANATION OF THE ORIGINAL ELEMENTS OF PASSOVER
  1. According to Exodus 12:8 only three elements were on the Passover table. The Passover Lamb, the unleavened bread, and the bitter herbs.
  2. According to the Mishnah (oral traditions of the Jewish people), Pesahim 10:5, Rabban Gamaliel (who was Paul's teacher in Rabbinics) said: "Whosoever has not said (explained) these three things at Passover has not fulfilled his obligation."
    1. THE PASSOVER LAMB -- speaks of redemption
    2. 1. Every firstborn in Egypt was under the judgment of God; wherever the blood was not applied, the firstborn died. Spiritually, every one is "firstborn" and under the judgment of God. (All are dead in Adam).
      2. In reference to Passover, Rabban Gamaliel also said, "In every generation a man must so regard himself as if he came forth himself out of Egypt, for it is written, 'And thou shalt tell thy son in that day saying, It is because of that which the Lord did for me when I came forth out of Egypt'" (Exodus 13:8).
      3. The story of the Exodus and redemption are not to be taken only as history, for each Jewish person is to consider the experience as personal.
      4. Even so, those of us who are spiritually redeemed by Jesus, the true Passover Lamb, see Him as being sacrificed for each of us, individually and personally. According to John 3, people need to be born again, or be born a second time by faith in the Lamb of God -- Jesus -- to experience God's redemption.
      5. Today there is no sacrifice for sin, as represented by the bloodless bone. (Hold up the dry shank bone of a lamb).
      6. The "roasted" egg is symbolic of the Temple, the only place for sacrifice, which was destroyed by fire in AD 70. Another view is that the egg represents the free-will offerings that accompanied the Passover lamb in the Temple.
      7. "John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).
      8. "So Messiah was once offered to bear the sins of many..." (Hebrews 9:28).
      9. "For even Messiah our Passover is sacrificed for us" (I Corinthians 5:7).
    3. THE UNLEAVENED BREAD -- (hold up the matza bag)
    4. 1. Leaven in the Bible speaks of evil and error. Having been redeemed from Egypt, the Jewish nation was to put away "leaven" -- their former manner of life -- and live a holy life unto the Lord. To the new nation God said, "And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the Lord am holy..." (Leviticus 20:26).
      2. "For such (is Messiah Jesus) an high Priest . . . who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens" (Hebrews 7:26).
      3. For those who have received the Lamb of God, the Scripture says that we are to consider ourselves dead to sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. We are not to let sin reign in our body that we should obey it.
      4. "Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth" (I Corinthians 5:7, 8).
    5. THE BITTER HERBS -- (hold up the bitter herbs)
    6. 1. Speaks of the bitterness of slavery for the Jewish people in the land of Egypt.
      2. Concerning the Messiah the Scripture says in Isaiah 53:3-5, "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."
      3. Those who by faith have received Jesus as their personal Passover Lamb can experience the redemption from the bitterness and bondage of sin. The Scripture says, "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin."
2. THE CUP OF REJOICING -- (fill and all raise cup)
  1. Host recites the following:

"We therefore are privileged to thank, praise, adore, glorify, extol, honor, bless, exalt, and reverence him, who wrought all the miracles for our ancestors and us: for he brought us forth from bondage to freedom, from sorrow to joy, from mourning into holy days, from darkness to great light, and from servitude to redemption: and therefore let us sing unto him a new song, Hallelujah!" (Pesahim 10:5).

At this point a song could be sung (i.e. Great is Thy Faithfulness).
1. This cup represents the second of four "I Wills" in Exodus 6:6,7: "I will rid you out of their bondage."
2. Everyone raises their cups, host recites the blessing: "Baruch attah Ah-doh-noy Elo-he-nu Me-lech Ha-olam Boh-ray pree ha-gaw-fen."

(Blessed art thou, O Eternal, our God, King of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.)

1. 1. All drink the cup of rejoicing together.
2. RACHATZ -- Host ceremonially washes his hands again.
3. THE MATZOT -- Blessing over the bread
  1. Hold up the matza tosh or unity bag and recite the following blessing:

"Baruch attah Ah-doh-noy Elo-he-nu Me-lech Ha-olam ha-mo-tzee le-chem min ha-aw-retz."

(Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe Who brings forth bread from the earth.)

Break off a piece of matza and distribute to all to eat.
1. MAROR -- Bitter herbs
  1. Break another piece of matza and distribute to be dipped in the bitter herbs (horseradish).
  2. As the bitter herb brings tears to the eyes, so did the great affliction bring tears to the Jewish people while they were in slavery.
2. KORECH -- "Hillel sandwich"
  1. All take two pieces of matza and put some charoset with some bitter herbs in a sandwich-like fashion.
  2. As the bitter herb is a symbol of suffering, the salt water a symbol of tears, the parsley a symbol of hyssop, and the red wine a symbol of the blood, so the charoset is a symbol of the mortar used by the enslaved Jewish people to make the clay bricks in Egypt.

THIS CONCLUDES THE FIRST PORTION OF THE SEDER, BEGIN SUPPER

(Remove your kittel, put on dinner music, secretly hide the afikomen)

TZAPHUN -- The search and eating of the afikomen
1. The children search for the hidden afikomen. Give a gift to the finder. Break and distribute the matza (dessert, last thing to be eaten).
2. Among the Jewish people the afikomen was a symbol for the Passover lamb. They eat it in memory of that Passover lamb.
3. Concerning the afikomen it is written in Luke 22:19, "And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it and gave to them, saying, This is MY body which is given for you, this do in remembrance of me."
4. Is it not significant that it is the middle matza, which is broken, wrapped in linen cloth, and then hidden away, finally to be brought back, broken and distributed, that Jesus points to and says, "this is MY body which is given for you?" Is it not significant that afikomen means "He came" (Greek aorist tense).
5. Point out the matza is striped (Isaiah 53:5) and has been pierced (Zechariah 12:10).
6. All eat the afikomen.
THE CUP OF REDEMPTION OR GRACE -- (fill and raise cup)
1. This cup represents the third of the four "I Wills" in Exodus 6, "I will redeem you with a stretched out arm."
2. The ancient Jewish commentaries say that this cup represents the blood of the Passover lamb.
3. It is this cup after supper in the Upper Room which Jesus raised (institution of Communion) and stated according to Luke 22:20, "This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you."
4. All fill their cups and raise them. The host recites the blessing:

"Baruch attah Ah-doh-noy Elo-he-nu Me-lech Ha-olam Boh-ray pree ha-gaw-fen."

(Blessed art thou, O Eternal, our God, King of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.)

All drink the third cup (the cup of redemption or grace).
1. ELIJAH'S PLACE
  1. Elijah's cup is filled and a child is sent to the door to see if Elijah is coming.
  2. According to Jewish tradition it is believed that the Messiah would come during one of Israel's two major holidays -- the Day of Atonement, or Passover -- and that Elijah would announce His coming.
  3. Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew 17:12,13, "But I say unto you, that Elijah is come already . . .Then the disciples understood that He spoke unto them of John the Baptizer."
2. THE CUP OF PRAISE OR THANKSGIVING -- (Fourth cup -- fill and raise cup)
  1. This cup represents the fourth of the four "I Wills" in Exodus 6, "I will take you to me for a people."
  2. To Israel this cup represents the hope of the Kingdom and Israel's glory restored.
  3. To the believer in Messiah Jesus, it is the hope of His soon return. As I Thessalonians 4:16,17 says, "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord."
  4. All fill their cups and raise them. The host recites the blessing: "Baruch attah Ah-doh-noy Elo-he-nu Me-lech Ha-olam Boh-ray pree ha-gaw-fen."

(Blessed art thou, O Eternal, our God, King of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.)

All drink of the fourth cup (the cup of praise or thanksgiving).
1. CONCLUSION
  1. The Passover Seder is now complete, even as our salvation and redemption are complete. Just as we were privileged to celebrate it this year, so may we be privileged to do so again -- "Till he comes."
  2. Reminder that there are still many who have yet to receive redemption and eternal life in Messiah Jesus. Close in prayer for Israel and her people (who still suffer oppression). Pray for salvation of those who are lost, including any present at this seder who have yet to trust Messiah and receive atonement and eternal life.

NOTE: Seder presentations are most effective with audience participation. Here are some suggestions:

Obtain copies of The Haggadah for everyone (Maxwell House editions can be obtained at some grocery stores near the Passover display or from:

Joseph Jacobs Organization
60 E. 42nd Street
New York, NY 10165

(212) 687-6234

There was an .80 charge for these books with proof of purchase. Please be aware that price and availability are subject to change. Ask people to make a literature fund donation if they take a souvenir copy. [Also, AMFI can supply a master copy of a Passover flyer to go with each Haggadah.]
Write the notes corresponding to the appropriate passages in your copy of the Haggadah, so you can indicate which page you're on as you proceed through the Seder.
Ask a child (in advance) to read the Four Questions.
Provide an appropriate prize (e.g. Israeli coins) to the child who finds the afikomen.

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