For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.
Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. | 1 Corinthians 10:1–4, 11
For Good Friday this year, we gathered together to share in a Seder meal.This is part of the Passover that God commanded the Israelites to practice after He freed them from the bondage of Egypt. This ordered meal is both an act of remembrance and teaching, as it puts the redemptive work of God on display. As it points back to what He did in the Exodus, it ia also meant to prepare the people of Israel for the Savior to come.
As we went through it we connected these prophecies and themes to Jesus. It was the Passover seder that Jesus used to ‘change’ the Afikoman and cup of redemption into the bread and blood of the New Covenant (which we call Communion or the Lord’s Supper. To walk through this meal, you get the opportunity to taste and see, to anticipate and to experience fulfillment.
For many people in our church, this was the first Seder that they were able to walk through. Some of the comments I heard after:
A few of the New Testament Scriptures helped me to see how the old and new connected, in ways I had never understood before.
I was not aware that there was a specific ‘blessing’ that Jesus gave when He gave them Communion. This will add to what we do every week.
I have never done anything like this before and was not aware of all the history that Jesus had been raised in. It makes more sense why He was such a threat to some of them.
I never knew how spicy horseradish was.
I am sure that there were many other perspectives, but what I love is that this is one of the events that we do that really feels like a family get-together. The kids have a part in it. We have had a different person lead every time (big thanks to Lee and Jennifer this year). The haggadah has a different flavor depending on who puts it together (and all of the art in it was original!). Everyone helps prepare the food. Someone makes the Charoset nut free so that everyone can partake (thanks Nicki!). The helpful chaos of clean-up. The whole thing is loud, with babies screaming out, and people get confused: what are we supposed to be doing? It is just so human and awkward, just like people are. I always get to the end and am so thankful for the people who God has acted to redeem and then called together into our church.
As I sit here writing, I am anticipating getting together to celebrate all that He has blessed us with. Today is the day when Jesus was in the tomb and his disciples were reeling and all felt wrong. Tomorrow, ALL is made right! It’s Resurrection Sunday!
