what is passover?

Passover is the oldest and most important religious festival in Judaism, commemorating God’s deliverance of the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt and his creation of the Israelite people. The focal point of Passover is a communal meal, called the Seder, which involves everyone sharing in reading and singing the story. It was this meal that Jesus ate together with His disciples the night before He was crucified.

Why celebrate the passover today?

God commanded His people to remember these events so no one should forget the way God has saved His people. Both the Passover and Communion are celebrated to remember the ways God has acted to save His people.  For us as Christians, as we celebrate the Passover we are reminded of the extraordinary way that God acted through Jesus to save His people from a slavery much worse than Egypt; from slavery to sin and all that separates us from God.  For those of us who choose to celebrate the Passover, we are rewarded with deep insights into the history behind the death of Jesus and why it was so significant.  

Passover is really more than a festival. It is an elaborate teaching experience, especially for the children, intended to call people to their identity as the People of God. By using all of the senses, the Passover Seder tells the story of God’s grace in history and calls the participants to experience and share in the story as their own story. Passover becomes more than simply a service or a time; it becomes a way to confess faith in the One who has acted in history, and for Christians it points clearly and poignantly to Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, and brings redemption to all His followers.

For our community groups this meal can be a time of celebration in which all ages can get involved through the meal, readings and songs.

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