Haggadah 2011 Small Group - Christian-Messianic

8/3/2019 Haggadah 2011 Small Group - Christian-Messianic

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PASSOVER HAGADDAH

OPENING PRAYER: (Everyone reads together)

LORD God of Israel Creator of the Universe here we are to celebrate the

Passover, a Feast that You Personally established through Your servant Moses. We

thank You that through Your Son Yeshua, those of us who were once cut off from

Israel now have access to the covenants of Israel and the blessings of Abraham

so that it is not a strange thing for us to celebrate this feast. We thank you for the

freedom to meet together for this purpose, in a community where we are not

persecuted for our faith.

Heavenly Father, we ask for ears to hear the whisperings of Your Spirit wooing us

beyond the safety of our own minds and imaginations; we need the mind ofChrist. Give us eyes to see the path to deeper intimacy with You, for only there

will we find the strength and the love to face the days ahead. As the world

staggers through cycles of disaster tempered by Your great mercy and

longsuffering, all of which You have foretold, we want to be the Light and the

blessing that You have called us to be.

Holy One of Israel, as we recall Your deliverance of Israel from Egypt, teach us

who we are to You, and how each of us may come into full agreement with YourWays. Let the Holy Fire of Heaven cleanse us for Your Glory, and for the glory of

Your Kingdom.

In Jesus Name we pray. Amen!

1. Introduction

Narrator: Hag Sameach!(HAHG sah-MEHY-ahkh) Thats Hebrew for Happy Holy-

Day. This written teaching is called a Haggadah which means "telling". The

commandments to observe, to teach and to rememberthe Passover(Exodus 12:42-

13:3, Deut 4:9 & 11:19) were emphasized in the Bible to encourage the children of

Israel to bring it out of the past and make it a present reality for every participant,


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young or old, as if they personally were part of the story. We hope that this Haggadah

brings the story to life for you tonight.

To help you follow the order of service, our Hagaddah is color-coded.Black typeis for

individual readers, Blue type is for the entire assembly to read, andGreen type is for

the women only. You dont have to read the Red typeout loud;red is for notes and

references.

First Reader: Passover began as a celebration of the day that Israel was set free from

slavery in Egypt, so that they could worship the God of their fathers Abraham, Isaac,

and Jacob. The observance of Passover begins with a day of preparation, during which

all unleavened bread is removed from the home and a special meal is prepared. As dusk

approaches, Jews (and other believers like us!) around the world come together to

recall the Hebrews exodus from Egypt and the meaning behind it. The onset of evening

begins a special Sabbath day the first of seven days during which no leavened bread is

to be eaten. These seven days are called the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The celebration

goes back three thousand five hundred years.

Second Reader: Over the centuries, the nation of Israel endured many things. After

Solomons death, the nation was divided into two. A few centuries later, the entire

Northern Kingdom of Israel was exiled from their Land; we now call them the ten lost

tribes of Israel. Only a tiny remnant of those tribes ever returned to the Land, even to

this day. Yet this exiled brother nation(Luke 15:11-32) to the Jews carried with them

an abundance of ancient promises passed down from Abraham and reiterated by the

prophets, that they should be as the sand of the sea, that cannot be measured

(Hosea 1:10) After losing their younger brother, the Jews were destined to remain

small in number and alone among the nations until the LORD restores all of the Kingdom

to Israel, beginning in the last few years just before the Second Coming of the Messiah.

Third Reader: Because the tiny Jewish nation was all that remained of Israel, they

were the only people left who kept the Biblical feasts in the midst of the vast Roman

Empire and beyond. In his gospel, the apostle John reflected this reality by referring to

Passover as a feast of the Jews instead of using the original Biblical title, feast of the

LORD, given by God. The Jews grew accustomed to being a single minority nation

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among a fullness of nations, yet the calling of God remained sure, and they rebounded

again and again in the midst of adversity, to keep their appointed feasts and pass down

the Hebrew Scriptures for the sake of many generations to come. Because of their

faithfulness to God we can celebrate Passover tonight.

Fourth Reader: You could say that Passover is all about the Blood of the Lamb, and

the Exodus of Gods people from bondage. The term Passover comes from the 10th and

final plague God brought upon Egypt to convince Pharaoh to set the descendants of

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob totally free from forced slavery. During this plague, the lives

of all the firstborn sons in the land of Egypt were at stake. Those who trusted the LORDs

instructions placed the blood of a Passover lamb on the door posts of their homes, so

that Judgment would "pass over" those homes.

Ever since that first Passover, this event has been retold in the homes of Hebrew

descendants around the world, because God gave it as a sign to them and to us,

forever.(Ex 12:14,17; 13:7-10)

Everyone: And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the children of Israel,

and say to them: The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim

to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.(Leviticus 23:1-2 NKJV)

And you shall observe this thing as an ordinance for you and your sons forever And it shall

be, when your children say to you, What do you mean by this service? that you shall say, It is

the Passover sacrifice of the LORD, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in

Egypt when He struck the Egyptians and delivered our households. So the people bowed their

heads and worshiped. (Exodus 12:24,26-27 NKJV)

Fifth Reader: For God to say that something is forever, it must have deep meaningto Him! Passover is a memorial to the God Who Delivers His people yesterday, today,

and for ever. It was fulfilled by ancient Israel in Egypt, through the ministry of Moses.

Then it was fulfilled in meticulous prophetic detail by Yeshua Messiah Jesus Christ

during His first ministry on earth, when He became our Passover Lamb forever. And it

will be fulfilled again in prophetic details not yet fully understood by tens if not

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hundreds of millions of believers at the end of this age, during a time of great

Tribulation.

Sixth Reader: So Passover is MUCH MORE than a memorial of the past; it was a

prophetic declaration of Messiah to come. As Jesus concluded His earthly ministry, He

fulfilled the pattern of the Passover season, exactly to the day, as the Lamb of God. He

was identified, slain, resurrected, and presented to His Father as the Firstborn from the

dead all according to the same pattern that God gave the Israelites when they left

Egypt.

Narrator: The first Passover was also a prophecy of the final exodus and deliverance

of Gods people that will correspond with the season of Jesus Second Coming. A fina

exodus in the face of a Pharaoh called the antichrist will far surpass the scope of the

first exodus, both in distance and in the number of believers. (Jer. 16:15, Hos. 1:10-11,

Rev. 12:6,14)Today, the prophetic patterns of the Feasts of the LORD are being woven

into the fabric of the lives of all believers in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We

hope tonight to encourage you to investigate further the present-day relevance of the

exodus prophecy. It is a complex topic, but rich with insight into the end times.

Everyone: And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places:

thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations;

and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.(Isaiah 58:12)

Narrator: Before we review the ancient Exodus story in Egypt, we will explain what

Jesus did to fulfill the LORDs Passover in Jerusalem. (Ex. 12:11)

Seventh Reader: The background for this part of the story is first century Israel. This

once-proud and wealthy nation was a shadow of its former glory. Their capital city of

Jerusalem, including Solomons temple, had been destroyed and rebuilt. Despite the

efforts of valiant Jewish believers like the Maccabees, Israel had failed to maintain its

independence. When Jesus was born, they were being ruled by the Roman Empire.

Corruption permeated the Jewish civil leadership as well as the priesthood. A beautifu

new temple stood in Jerusalem, but the Holy of holies was empty. The Ark of the

Covenant had been missing for over 500 years, and the Shekinah Glory of God was no

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longer present with His people. Like today, a large number of professing believers added

dead traditions, idolatry, and pagan culture to a tentative relationship with God.

Narrator: But God always has a remnant of faithful saints who will do anything for Him,

to the best of their understanding. In those days, the Holy Spirit didnt indwell believers

as He does today. Yet the favor of God, assurance of Salvation, and the present-tense

anointing of the Holy Spirit was always accessible to those who sought Him whole-

heartedly. (Deut. 30:14/Rom. 10:8) In fact the promise of Redemption and of a daily

walk with God, and the hope of Heaven can be found throughout the Old Testament;

because ever since the Fall of Man, the Promises of God and His close Presence and

watchfulness over us were always based on the Lamb slain from the foundation of the

world.(Rev. 13:8) the predetermined work of the Cross. (Job 33:24-28)

Eighth Reader: The blatant corruption of the Jewish leaders and many of the priests

was no secret to anyone. Faithful Jews who wanted to follow the LORD and teach their

children about Him learned to deal with it the best that they could. When John the

Baptist appeared preaching repentance, the Holy Spirit moved among the people totally

apart from the influence of the Pharisees. It happened so fast that it took the Jewish

leaders completely by surprise. They were relieved when John was imprisoned by Herod,

and then killed. But in the meantime the LORD Himself in the Person of His Son was

emerging into public ministry.

Ninth Reader: Jesus of Nazareth showed up just as suddenly as John did and not in

the wilderness, but right in Jerusalem overturning tables in the Court of the Gentiles

and directly confronting the temple priesthood right to their faces! After that, Jesus was

a moving target, coming and going with the wind of the Holy Spirit. At His appointed

times He would return to Jerusalem with forceful new confrontations and supernatura

wisdom, striking right at the core of a heartless, profit-oriented temple system that was

making merchandise of the holiness of God.

Tenth Reader: During the last week of Jesus ministry the Jewish leaders panicked,

broke their own laws and had Jesus killed at a very embarrassing, awkward time for

them. But Jesus had forced their hand on every front, using the written Word of God

the Torah (the Law of Moses), which they professed to live and believe. They had to

either face up publicly to their own twisted religious system, or they had to eliminate

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Jesus as Herod had eliminated John the Baptist. Their backs were up against a wall, and

they did exactly as Jesus knew they would.

Eleventh Reader: The true nature of the conflict was actually revealed the previous

year, at the feast of Tabernacles. Every year on the last great day of that feast, a

breathtaking ceremony took place at the Temple, with two priestly processions

converging onto the Temple Mount amidst the swooshing of literally hundreds of willow

branches. One procession was led by a flutist called the pierced one and the other was

led by a priest called the sent one carrying living water from the pool of Siloam.

The ceremony was passionate and deeply meaningful to the people, who would sing,

"With joy we will draw water out of the wells of salvation. Toward the end, in a final

crescendo of emotion,the people called out to the LORD for His Messiah (Anointed One),

crying out seven times, HOSANNA! HOSANNA! HOSANNA!! (Meaning: SAVE US!)

This cry for Messiah (Yasa Na!) comes from Psalm 118:25.

First Reader: THAT was the day that Jesus stood up probably right after this

emotional cry for Salvation, and announced to the gathered crowds, If anyone is

thirsty, let him come to me and drink! He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said;

out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. (John 7:37-38) These powerful words

from the Son of God burned like fire in the hearts of the people. From that day forward,

Jesus was a major topic of discussion in almost every Jewish household. The Jews

anticipation of their Messiah had been growing for many years; the signs and wonders

that Jesus worked convinced many people that He was a man of God, regardless of the

begrudging disapproval of their religious leaders. Could He be the long-awaited Messiah?

Second Reader: The chief priests and Pharisees were furious at Jesus for using the

theme of their Tabernacles ceremony for His own message. They had been using the

feasts of the LORD to promote themselves and the religious system theyhad builtaround Herods Temple. Now, as Jesus was asserting His rightful place in Gods

appointed feasts, they saw themselves losing control of the people right there in

Jerusalem. They took council about having Him killed, but His time had not yet come.

They would not be successful until He intentionally gave Himself up.

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Third Reader: The following spring, while on His way to Jerusalem as Passover drew

near, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead after four days in the grave a dramatic,

public resurrection and the news of Lazarus went forth throughout the Jewish leaders

primary religious stronghold of Judea. Thus the peoples expectation of Jesus as

Prophet or Messiah was reaching an all-time high just as the season of Passover

(Unleavened Bread) began. He had boldly prophesied at the feast of Tabernacles: How

would He follow that up during the Feast of Unleavened Bread?

Fourth Reader: Now from the beginning, God had instructed the Israelites to select a

one-year old male lamb without blemish, on the 10th day of the month of Aviv. (Exodus

12:3-5) In the days of the first century temple, this was another day of passionate

public celebration. Every year on this day the people would assemble thousands of palm

branches and line the road from the Temple to the Eastern Gate of Jerusalem. The high

priest would lead a procession of priests out of the Temple, across Jerusalem, and out

the Eastern Gate to select a Passover lamb to represent all of Israel.

Fifth Reader: The sheep were raised near Bethlehem, so the trip may have been

several miles. Every year on cue, as that priestly procession was spotted returning to

Jerusalem with the Passover lamb, the crowd would grab their palm branches and run to

the side of the road to sing Psalm 118. Then, as the high priest passed with the

Passover lamb, they would cry out the same words that they had shouted on the last

day of Tabernacles: HOSANNA! HOSANNA! HOSANNA!

Sixth Reader: That was the TRADITIONAL schedule. But THIS year, Jesus suddenly

became the focus of the day just as He had at the feast of Tabernacles six months

before! In a fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9, Jesus came down from the Mount of Olives,

through the Eastern Gate riding on a colt. The multitudes quickly picked up on their cue,

picked up their palm branches, and rushed from all over to see the Prophet/Messiah

Who just a few days before had resurrected Lazarus of Bethany. Laying clothes out on

the road, they cried out, Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He Who comes in the

Name of the LORD!(Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-40, John 12:12-19)

Seventh Reader: Of course, it didnt take long for the Pharisees to figure out that

Jerusalems high priest was being outclassed by Jesus of Nazareth, and they protested

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to Jesus. (Luke 19:39)But Jesus was asserting His place at His Fathers feasts.

His reply was that if they stopped, the very stones would cry out instead. In other

words, this was one of His appointed times, that the pattern prophesied by Moses should

be fulfilled. Gods Word was going to be carried out as a sign to the people even if it

took dead stones. But He had living stones instead! (1 Peter 2:5)

Eighth Reader: And Jesus was just getting started. Over the next four days, during

the time God had instructed the Israelites to examine the Passover lamb for any

blemishes, Jesus made Himself available at the Temple (His Fathers House) for His final

examination by the religious leaders. He started by cleansing the temple again

overturning the tables of the money changers and businessmen who had corrupted

Gods laws for profit. During this time, the Pharisees just knew that somehow they could

trick Him, if they had to, to DO something or SAY something by which they could justify

the death sentence that they had already agreed upon behind closed doors.

Ninth Reader: The people listened attentively to His teachings. And every time the

religious leaders challenged Him, He proved to them that their man-conceived religion

was vain and contrary to the commandments of God. For they were examining the

Author of the Word, the Living Torah Who had given Moses every word he ever wrote in

the Name of the LORD! This was Jesus, the Lamb of God: NO FAULT was found in Him.

Narrator: On the afternoon of the 13th of Aviv, as evening drew near to the 14th(in the

Bible, each new day starts at evening), Jesus assembled His disciples into an upper

room where He had arranged for them to stay during the holy days. They did not

understand that Jesus would only be staying with them for one evening. That night,

Jesus observed what we call the Last Supper. He gave the disciples some fina

teachings for the feast, including the sacrament that we call Communion. We know that

this was not a Passover Seder for three main reasons: 1) It was the day of

preparation not the day that the LORD commanded through Moses for the Passover

meal with unleavened bread, 2) Some disciples thought that Judas left to buy things for

the Biblical Passover meal, because that was the nextevening, and 3) Above all, Jesus

had a Divine Appointment the next day to bethe Passover Lamb for all of Israel, and

all of the nations, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world! It was Gods

Appointed Time, to fulfill the prophecies of Messiah written by Moses and the Prophets!

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Tenth Reader: That night, Jesus allowed Himself to be taken into captivity, tried, and

beaten. The next morning, while many Jews still slept in their beds, Jesus was being led

in chains back and forth between Pontius Pilate and Herod. The crowds at Jesus trial

did not represent the general public, as most Jews in Jerusalem were just starting their

day. While Jesus was being whipped nearly to death, most Jews in Jerusalem and

surrounding areas still had no idea what was happening; they were doing their list of

last-minute chores, greeting family and friends, and making final preparations for

Passover and the feast of Unleavened Bread.

Narrator: As the morning proceeded, word began to spread that this Prophet, whom

they had hoped was the Messiah, had been arrested by the Romans, tried as a criminal,

severely beaten, and was facing crucifixion. Their hearts sank as another Messianic hope

seemed to fade right in front of their eyes. How could He do that to them?, they

wondered. How could He have come across with such authority, boldly facing off

against the Pharisees, doing signs and wonders, and then have no plan to deal with the

Romans? Many disillusioned half-believers would come to mock Him in just a few more

hours. They didnt understand that their Messiah was fulfilling the very meaning of the

feast that they were preparing that day. Except to His disciples, who still didnt

understand, Jesus had spoken about this only through parables and veiled

speech, because they werent meant to get it until the power of the Holy

Spirit came at His appointed feast, of Pentecost.

Eleventh Reader: At 9:00 am, the ceremonial Passover lamb which had been picked

out by the High Priest four days earlier was tied to the bronze altar for public display. At

the same time Jesus was being led to Golgotha to be nailed to the Cross: the Lamb of

God on public display. At noon, darkness covered the land, and a sober, God-fearing

sense of awe settled in on everyone with the slightest bit of spiritual discernment

Something terrible was happening; you could feel it. Much of the mocking quieted down.

First Reader: In the dark, an army of priests gathered at the temple. They came from

all over Israel. These were not all puppets of the Pharisees, and many must have felt an

eerie sense of foreboding about all of this. But they came to worship God, and so they

began preparing to slaughter the Passover lambs of thousands of Jews.

First, the ceremonial Passover lamb had to be slaughtered; at the ninth hour (3

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pm) the time of the evening sacrifice. As the light was just returning after three hours

of darkness, the High Priest went to the bronze altar, killed the ceremonial lamb, and

proclaimed, It is finished! At that same time, Jesus declared, It is finished, and He

gave up His Spirit and died. Immediately a loud ripping sound echoed from the temple.

And then an earthquake shook the city

Second Reader: While it was still daylight, just before the High Sabbath began that

evening, Jesus was buried in a tomb, in which He had prophesied He would spend three

days and three nights: the sign of the prophet Jonah. Three days later, sometime after

the dusk of the weekly Sabbath (Saturday), as the first day of the week began, Jesus

was resurrected from the grave. Whether it was what we would call Saturday night, or

Sunday morning we really cant be certain from the gospel accounts. But this day was

the day of Firstfruits, or the first of the harvest.

Third Reader: On this day, Sunday morning, a priest would dedicate the coming

harvest to God by doing a wave offering of a small sample of green barley at the

temple. (Lev. 23:9-12) Jesus fulfilled this prophetic offering that morning, presenting

Himselfat His Fathers heavenly temple. The appointed time must have been coming

up as He was speaking to Mary, which is why He told her, Do not cling to Me, for I have

not yet ascended to My father. The Bible says that through His resurrection, Jesus is

the first fruit(1 Cor. 15:20-23) of a great harvest to come.

Fourth Reader: But the fulfillment of the Spring Feasts of the LORD wasnt complete

yet. There was still a seven week countdown to the feast of weeks, which we call

Pentecost. (Shavuot in Hebrew) During this time, Israel was commanded to do a

counting of the omer until the latter firstfruits the last of the barley harvest. For

the first forty days of that time, Jesus was appearing to His disciples and many others,

teaching them things that they were now ready to understand. After those forty days,

He ascended to the right hand of the Father, leaving instructions for His disciples to stay

in Jerusalem until after Pentecost.

Fifth Reader: On the fiftieth day, the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit visited those

had waited in Jerusalem, and filled them to overflowing. A multitude of Jews from

many places were in Jerusalem for the feast, because Pentecost was the second of three

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feasts when they were supposed to be at the temple. These Jews witnessed the

presence of God on the disciples. Peter publicly proclaimed the beginning of the

fulfillment of Joels prophecies (Joel 2:28-32) and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Sixth Reader: The pouring out of the Holy Spirit came on the same feast during which

Israel had been given the Ten Commandments 1500 years earlier. That was when they

had originally committed to God to become a kingdom of priests. (Exodus 19:6)

Because of their idolatry over the golden calf, that privilege had been postponed. But

now, fifteen centuries later, God was ready to anoint His people ISRAEL and

whomsoever desired tojoin them! to become a nation of priests.

Narrator: Now can you see the power of the prophetic anointing that the LORD

placed in these annual rehearsals that He called HIS FEASTS? Prophetic events have

been occurring on feast days and other prophetic dates of the Hebrew calendar for years

now signs of the times most of which are probably obvious to many Orthodox

Jewish rabbis. But the majority of Christians remain uninformed because we have lost

touch with the Hebrew roots of Christianity and His prophetic calendar.

Seventh Reader: As Christian believers in the Jewish Messiah, we have a rich

inheritance of non-Jewish pioneers of the faith who left us timeless godly instruction.

And we honor them, as the Scripture says, honor your father and mother. But when

we weregraftedinto the tree called, Israel, we also received Abraham, Isaac, Jacob,

Moses, David, and the Prophets yes, all of Israel as our ancestors!

Narrator: The Apostle Paul wrote that the entry of the Gentiles into Gods Kingdom was

a grafting. (Romans 11:17-24) Grafting automatically presumes an existingtree

You dont call it a graft if you grow a new tree! Rather, we share the same tree as the

Jews, and they share it with us, their younger brother the ones who fulfill Gods

multitude of nations promise to Abraham. Together we share the inheritance

promised, through Abraham, to Israel. (Gal. 3:16,29; Eph. 2:12-20; 1 Peter 2:9-10)

So it is a privilege to observe the Passover as Christians and to have the freedom to

borrow as much or as little of Jewish tradition as we choose.

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Seventh Reader: Tonight we have chosen to present a mixture of Old and New

Testament teachings straight out of the Bible, along with some meaningful Jewish

Passover traditions. This celebration is called a PASSOVER SEDER (Say-der). The

Jewish word Seder means "order." The basicelements and order of the Passover Seder

has been present for many, many centuries; with other things being added over time.

From the beginning, the Holy Spirit made sure that Jesus would be allegorically declaredin the telling of the exodus story. (John 13, 1 Cor 11:20-26)

2. Preparation: Removal of Leaven

Narrator: As we have begun to see, a Passover Seder is a prophetic declaration of

Jesus as the Lamb of God, past, present, and future. There is yet a final deliverance that

Gods people are still waiting for. Over just the last few decades a worldwide evangelical

explosion has birthed millions of new believers into Gods Kingdom. Many of them liveunder oppressive circumstances not so different from those of the Hebrews in ancient

Egypt. Many die because of their faith. Others escape with tales of the miraculous.

Eighth Reader: Modern Pharaohs are holding many believers in bitter bondage;

limiting their access to worship and to learn about God while in Western nations

Christians are going through a cleansing fire that is challenging the true nature of their

faith. In truth, many of the Pharaohs are working openly inside thousands of churches

synagogues, mosques, and other religious institutions teaching as doctrine the

traditions of men. As the saints cry out to God, their groans are reaching to heaven

and God is raising up prophets who will increasingly and relentlessly declare to Pharaoh,

Thus says the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob: Let My people go!

Narrator: Before God raptures His people to meet their Messiah into the clouds, He

intends by the Spirit to finish the work that He started in raising up a Bride worthy of her

calling of Intimacy with the Son of God. He is meeting with us here in the earth, to teachus how to take governmental authority over the earth, through prayer, that our Husband

may be glorified. The learning process is difficult, because we must learn how to

cooperate with His Justice and His Judgments as a mature, holy Bride. But the world

needs us desperately, and the LORD has promised to lead us to victory!

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So imagine yourselves now as slaves in Egypt, preparing for redemption from bondage

to a religious/ political/ economic system that treats you as inferior because it can never

recognize the call of God on your life. Now your God has proven to everyone that He is

unmatched in power and authority, and Hes calling you out of the land of your affliction.

Ninth Reader: Before you go on your journey, the LORD has instructed you to

eliminate all leaven from your household. He knows that if you bring it along, it will work

its way into your food supplies and become a burden to carry. The excess baggage wil

slow down your escape to freedom. To your human way of thinking, you consider this to

be a little extreme. Surely a little leaven sealed up tightly in one of those new Seal-tite

Baggies from the Egyptian Marketplace will be okay? But then you remember all those

Egyptians who disobeyed your Gods commands and paid very serious consequences! So

you decide to follow instructions

Tenth Reader: Throughout the Bible, leaven represents sin and unholy influences. That

is why Paul wrote:

EVERYONE READS:Purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you

truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us. Therefore let

us keep the feast, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with

the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (1 Corinthians 5:7-8)

Tenth Reader (continues): Leaven (yeast) is an essential element in baking, but it

also has the power to decay and destroy. As we strive for holiness, we are removing

leaven from our spiritual lives. The natural world teaches us that even small amounts

tend to grow and spread rapidly.

Narrator: Tonight is Monday evening, April 18th, which is the eve (beginning) of the

14th day of Aviv on the Hebrew calendar, and the first day of Unleavened Bread. Earlier

today, Orthodox Jews across the world had already cleaned their homes thoroughly of all

leavened foods in preparation for Passover; the opening ceremony of the seven-day

Feast of Unleavened Bread. Some Christians, in homes like this one, did so as well

Households with small children often leave traces of leavened products around in

obvious places so that the children can participate in the search.

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NOTE: Prior to the beginning of the service, ten pieces of leavened bread

were placed inside the room for the children to find and remove.

Eleventh Reader: In a moment we will have the children search the room to find any

remaining traces of leaven. This symbolic removal reminds us of the Biblica

commandments for each of us to remove all corrupting influences from our lives

(PRAYER) Heavenly Father, true cleansing comes by Your Grace acting upon

willing hearts. We thank You for Your faithfulness to cause us to be willing, and for the

grace to cooperate with Your plans for our lives.

Narrator: (PRAYER) LORD, You Alone are perfect; and as much as we want to please

You, we cannot be holy in our own strength; it is You Who have set us apart. But we

acknowledge that when we walk in the Spirit, we are cooperating with You and Your

Strength keeps our hearts and minds focused on the pure and holy things of life in You.

Help us to know and to yield to Your Voice, so that we may walk in the Spirit and not

according to the ways of this world.

EVERYONE READS: (Continued PRAYER) Heavenly Father This is our confession:

that we do not walk consistently in the Spirit, because we still tend to harbor leaven in

our hearts which restrains us from giving our whole selves to You. THIS is the leaven we

bring to You, LORD. We need Your help to remove THIS leaven from our lives. So we ask

for revelation and understanding to break every recognized or unrecognized agreement

with darkness. Holy Spirit, move in us in these latter days as You promised in Your Word

and through Your prophets. The times and the seasons belong to You, O LORD; we make

ourselves available during these Your appointed feasts, to do Your work in our hearts,

that we may be set apart as laborers in Your vineyard. YAHWEH Glorify Yourself in

us, for the sake of YOUR HOLY NAME which is blasphemed among the nations. We ask

this in the Name of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Action: The children now search for and collect the leavened bread in the

room. When all ten pieces are found, they are removed from the assembly

room.

3. Lighting the Passover Candles

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First Reader: A Passover Seder formally begins when the Passover candles are lit.

Traditionally, the mother of the home lights the candles. Moms have a special way of

bringing Gods Light into the home! In Jewish tradition, the candles symbolize the

presence of God and mark this as a holy (set apart) time.

ALL the Women read: Blessed are You, LORD, King of the Universe, Who has

preserved our life so that we may celebrate this feast of Passover. As we kindle these

festival lights, we ask that the Light of Your Love would fill us all by the power of Your

Holy Spirit.

Action: The women light the Passover candles. After the candles are lit, the

women read.

ALL the Women read: Blessed are You, LORD, King of the Universe, Who gave us Your

Son, the Light of the World. As Your Holy Presence is always with us, empower us to

shine the Light of Your love on the unlovely, and to be a blessing to those in need!

4. The First Cup: the Cup of Sanctification

Second Reader: Perhaps the oldest Passover tradition, and the one most likely to have

been used by Jesus to teach His disciples, is the four cups from the fruit of the vine.

These represent Gods promises to Israel and they extend prophetically to us, also.

Everyone: God gave His Word: I am the LORD;

I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians,

I will deliver you from bondage,

I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments,

I will take you as My Own people, and I will be your God. (Exodus 6:6-7)

Third Reader: The LORD made these four distinct "I will" promises as a prophetic

declaration of the process of working out our salvation in fear and trembling, as Pau

put it. (Phil. 2:12) God brings us out of the spiritual cloud of Egypt and creates a new

atmosphere from which we can see the Kingdom of Heaven. Next He breaks the chains

of sin from our lives so we can receive the joy of our Salvation. Then, as the enemy of

our souls comes to us to pull us back into our old lives, God reveals to us more and

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more of the power of redemption through the Blood of the Lamb and we learn to

appropriate His authority over sin and pain in our lives. In time, we learn to walk in

Covenant Relationship on the deeper levels, as a Bride to the Son of God.

Narrator: In the four cups that we drink tonight we celebrate the four "I will" promises

of the LORD: The Setting Apart, Deliverance from Bondage, Redemption from the Past,

and Marriage Covenant with God. Let us fill the first cup.

Action: Fill the first cup at each table, but DO NOT DRINK YET. (First there will

be a blessing.) When everyones cup has been filled, continue the reading.

Fourth Reader: In every age tyrants and oppressors rise against us to crush our

spirits and bring us low. In every age we wander away from the Truth in one way or

another, placing our own selves in danger. But the LORD never ceases to rescue and

restore His Covenant people. As we take the first cup, we proclaim to each other and to

God, the holiness of being called and set apartunto God.

Everyone: Blessed are You, O LORD our God for You have been faithful to us when

we were unfaithful. You have been merciful and so patient with us, leading us again and

again to Your Living Water no matter how far we have strayed away.

Action: All drink the first cup.

5. The Washing

Fourth Reader: Orthodox Jews have been doing ritual washings as a matter of daily

routine since the early days of their nation. This practice has minimized sickness and

disease in Jewish homes when nobody really understood why. While Jesus made an

example of the Pharisees rigid hand-washing rules to teach about the ultimate nature of

unclean-ness, we can imagine that He and His disciples considered bodily cleanliness a

valuable privilege, since they spent so much time away from the comforts of home.

Fifth Reader: Today, because of modern science, we know that the tradition of hand-

washing wasnt just a spiritual awareness tool, but it washed germs and bacteria that

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cause infections. For many centuries, Jews followed this tradition withoutknowing why

Clearly, traditions can have great value especially if they originate from the Bible.

Tonight, before we eat, we may ceremonially wash our hands, not merely because of

tradition, neither from fear of disease. Rather, it is symbolic of the "clean hands" with

which we seek to come before our LORD (Psalm 24:3-4) the One Who loved us first,

and Who died to make us free.

Action: One at a time, each person washes & dries his/her hands as the bowl

and towel are passed around the table. (***NOTE:Be careful not to mistake

thesalt waterbowl for the washing bowl at the table.***)

6. Karpas - The Green Vegetable (Parsley)

Narrator: Passover is the opening of the Spring Feasts of the LORD, a season of new

birth and renewal. As spring brings a renewal of vegetation from the earth, a green

vegetable is used in this ceremony, called the Karpas.

Action: Narrator takes a sprig of fresh Parsley and holds it up for the people to see.

The Karpas could also represent the renewal of the LORDs covenant faithfulness to His

people. For as His mercies are new every morning, so He renews His covenant promiseswith all who are willing, from season to season until the consummation of the Marriage.

Everyone: Set me as a seal upon Your heart, God; as a seal upon Your arm; For Your

love is as strong as death, and Your Jealousy is as cruel as the grave; Its flames are

flames of fire, a most passionate flame. Many waters cannot quench Your love, nor can

floods drown it.(Song 8:6,7)

Sixth Reader: Until the LORD

returns for His Bride, the joys in our lives are mixed withtears. Life in Egypt, that is, outside of our Promised Land, can be grievous and painful at

times. Even those who have returned to the Land of Promise today are dependent daily

on the LORDs protection to see them through until the Restoration is complete.

Let us never forget that the struggle for freedom begins in suffering, and that for a

little longer; for a few more years life will sometimes be immersed in tears. Each of

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our tables has a bowl of salty water that represents tears, into which we will dip the

Karpas before eating it.

Everyone: We bless You, O LORD our God Creator of all good things. You wait

patiently amidst our hesitations and mixed motives; You nurse us through the pain of

misfortunes and disappointments; and You never divert from Your goal of bringing us

Your people into the place of love, and joy, and maturity which Paul wrote about when

he coupled together, the power of [Jesus] resurrection, and the fellowship of [Jesus]

sufferings.(Phil. 3:10)

Action: Everyone dips a sprig of parsley the salt water and eats it.

7. The Breaking of Bread: The Matzah

Narrator: Now we will perform a demonstration that has been done in traditiona

Jewish Passover Seders for many centuries. We dont know if Jesus taught this to His

disciples because it wasnt written down until the second century AD. That is when the

Jewish Talmud (Tal-mood) began to be written, because the temple and much of

Jerusalem was destroyed, the Jews were scattered abroad, and they needed a way to

pass their teachings along. The traditional form of the Passover Seder became more

defined and universalized through the Talmud. If you havent seen this before, you may

be amazed at the Messianic symbolism of Jesus that is declared. We know that the

ancient Jewish sages wrote about the triune nature of God, and some considered the

Messiah to be divine. But we really dont know exactly what kind of Passover Seder they

passed down between the time of Moses and the time of Jesus. Through whatever

means, the Jewish Talmud writers passed on a powerful symbolic picture of God and of

the death and resurrection of their Messiah Yeshua.

Seventh Reader: Traditionally, three matzotare stored in either a linen napkin or amatzah bag. The napkin is opened up, and the middle piece of matzah is removed.

(Action: Narrator removes the middle piece of matzah and holds it over the table.)

Next, the middle piece of matzah is broken in half. One piece is set back in the bag, and

the other is held up.

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(Action: Narrator breaks the middle piece of matzah and holds up half of it, then

reads the next part.)

Narrator: This is the bread of affliction that our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt. If

you are New Covenant believers, you can call the ancient Hebrews your ancestors

regardless of your particular family lineage, because you have been adopted into the

same family. We are ALL Abrahams seed: the children of promise(Gal 3:29, 4:28),

because many nations(Gen. 17:5, 35:11, 48:19; Rom. 11:25), have been grafted in

among those whose genetic lineage comes from Israel. (Rom 11:17)

Eighth Reader: The three pieces of matzah are called a unity. They represent the

triune nature of God, made into a pictorial teaching and ceremonially passed down

through the centuries. The middle piece of matzah represents the Son of God. That is

why the middle piece is broken because the body of Jesus was broken for us, cut

off, but not for Himself. (1 Cor 11:24, Dan. 9:26) In a traditional Seder, the broken

portion that is held up will be set apart. (The other pieces can become part of the meal.)

Ninth Reader: The broken, set apart matzah came to be called the Afikomen, (Ah-

fee-koh-men) apparently during the first century. The Talmud refers to the Afikomen

as the dessert, and it is a Greek word. The strict Greek meaning may be given variously

as, that which comes after, he who is coming, or last thing eaten (hence,

dessert). This broken piece of matzah is wrapped in a linen napkin, just as our Savior

was wrapped for burial. Then it is hidden, just as Jesus was hidden in a tomb.

Action: The Afikomen is wrapped and placed it out of sight.

Narrator: (Holding up another piece of matzah)Notice the appearance of the matzah.

This little cracker has been made similarly for a very long time. It is pierced; Jesus

was pierced in His side as He hung on the Cross after He died. It has stripes (from the

heat); Jesus was whipped severely, and by His stripes we are healed. It has no

leaven; Jesus was without sin. So during Passover celebrations every year, when

Jewish rabbis around the world make statements like This is the bread of affliction that

our ancestors ate in the wilderness, as the LORD commanded them isnt that a witty

picture that God supplied to them, representing their Messiah? [Those of you who know

me have heard me speak of our human pea brains not as an insult, but to put our

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own intellect in perspective with Gods. I suspect that in the Kingdom, when we all laugh

at ourselves concerning things God tried to tell us that we just didntor wouldntget,

the Passover matzah and Afikomen will be one of those things Jewish rabbis will grin

about in humble appreciation for the LORDs sense of humor!]

Tenth Reader: Now we will taste this bread of affliction.

Action: Pass a few matzah crackers around the table, so that each person can

break a piece off for him/herself. It wont hurt to collect a little extra at your

plate we will all be using more matzah for dipping in a few minutes. You may

wait until each person at your table has a piece, before you eat.

Tenth Reader (continues): Now it is time to refill our cups. If you want a sip, take it

now because its cheating to drink from the second cup while the Passover story is being

told!

Action: Refill all cups. (DO NOT drinkfrom the cup once the Telling begins.)

8. The Telling of the Passover Story

Eleventh Reader: The Passover Story is the heart of the Seder, traditionally recounted

as a parent telling the exodus story to his children. The Bible says, "When your children

ask in time to come . . . then you shall tell them"(Ex 14:14; Deut 6:20-21).

The Feasts of the LORD were meant by God to be a spiritual and cultural anchor by

which the children of each new generation would understand His heart for them, and not

forget His deliverance. It is both a duty and a privilege to teach our children, and to

teach newborns into Gods Kingdom, the full meaning of who we are in Christ Jesus. If

we have been grafted in to the Olive Tree of Israel, the Hebrews in this story are now

OUR ancestors. So let us rehearse the story of the first Passover.

Narrator: A traditional Jewish Seder plate contains a lamb shank bone. This tradition

was begun in remembrance of the Passover lambs sacrificed in Jerusalem before the

temple was destroyed. It remains to this day as the LORDs prophetic proclamation of

Yeshua of Nazareth the eternal Passover Lamb for all of Israel.

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Probably the most striking prophetic foreshadowing of the Lamb of God sacrifice in the

Bible was represented in the lives of Abraham and Isaac on Mount Moriah. The words of

Abraham God will provide himself(Himself!)a lamb for the burnt offering rang into

the heavens as a prophecy of the Son of God to come. Two thousand years later Jesus

was crucified at the same place that Abraham offered up Isaac to God. The Scripture

says that Abraham believed God, and God accounted Abrahams faith as

righteousness. The LORD promised Abraham, among other things, a threefold

inheritance of:

(1) Land, (2)Kings, and (3) a Multitude of Nations from his seed. God renewed these

promises to Isaac, and then to Jacob. Eventually, Jacobs children came to live in the

land of Egypt where his son Joseph was second in command beside the Pharaoh himself.

First Reader: But after Joseph died, other Pharaohs came to power that did not honor

Josephs family; nor did they acknowledge the God of Israel. They began forcing the

Israelites to pay tribute to Egyptian gods. At some point the Hebrews resisted. We dont

have many details about what happened, but some believe that a group of Hebrews fled

in ships, while the majority remained and were forced deeper into slavery to build

Egyptian cities, idols, and temples to false gods.

Second Reader: The children of Israel cried out from their cruel oppression, to the God

of their fathers. They knew He had made promises long ago. Many believed that He had

promised a deliverer. The LORD heard their cry and remained mindful of the covenant He

had made with Abraham. Through a wise mother and an obedient sister, God saved the

life of the boy Moses from the hands of a ruthless Pharaoh. God raised Moses up to

deliver the Israelites from the slavery of Egypt.

Third Reader: The LORD sent Moses to tell Pharaoh to free the Hebrews so that they

could worship the God of Israel. The LORD had Moses tell Pharaoh that Israel is His

firstborn son. This was a deliberate challenge to Egyptian mythology, by which Pharaoh

claimed to be a god himself, the son of Ra, the sun god. Pharaoh scoffed at Moses, and

increased their labor instead. Then the LORD sent plagues upon Pharaoh and the land of

Egypt, so that everyone would know that the LORD YAHWEH, the God of Israel is the

True God above all other gods. The first three plagues made things hard on everyone,

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including the Hebrews. But after that the LORD set apart the land of Goshen, where the

Hebrews lived, and the plagues had little effect on Israel.

Fourth Reader: Pharaoh was stubborn and deeply deceived, and refused to believe

that the God of Israel was higher than his false gods. The entire political and religious

system of Egypt was at stake. Throughout the course of the first nine plagues, Pharaoh

refused to set the Hebrews free on Gods terms, even though the land was being

destroyed right in front of everyones eyes.

Narrator: This is the second cup, the cup of deliverance. (Hold up the second cup

momentarily.) We arent going to drink from it yet, but we will use it to proclaim the

Judgments of God on Pharaoh. Let us proclaim these Judgments with awe and wonder,

for similar Judgments are coming again. The more martyrs blood is spilled across the

world, the more certain the drama of deliverance will be for the harvest they died to

bring forth. We should never forget those who give their lives they or their families

to bring about the ultimate release of Gods people from slavery, forever.

Fifth Reader: The pattern of ancient Egypt will play out again. Even today we can see

the world ripening for the advent of a worldwide Pharaoh. Remember that while the

Egyptians were blinded at first, many of them began to look beyond the empty conceit

of Egyptian religion once they began to face the power of the Most High God. The LORD

was merciful even in Judgment, knowing that a remnant of Egyptians would accompany

the Hebrews out of the land, and come to seek Him.

Narrator: As we recount the plagues that fell upon Egypt, we will spill three drops from

our cups for each plague to recall the judgment, the cost of sin and lack of

understanding, and the price of deliverance in a world filled with evil.

Action: Recite each plague three times, while three drops are removed from

the cup, either with a finger or spoon, and placed on a plate.

(DO NOT drink from the second cup yet.)

Everyone reads: Blood. Blood. Blood. Frogs. Frogs. Frogs.

Lice. Lice. Lice. Swarms. Swarms. Swarms.

Cattle Disease. Cattle Disease. Cattle Disease.

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Boils. Boils. Boils. Hail. Hail. Hail.

Locusts. Locusts. Locusts. Darkness. Darkness. Darkness.

Death of the First Born. Death of the First Born. Death of the Firs

Born.

Sixth Reader: Pharaoh finally yielded after the tenth plague the death of thefirstborn throughout the land of Egypt. The evidence of the LORDs power to judge and

to deliver was fully established through this deadly plague. By following Gods

instructions and putting the blood of a lamb on the door posts of the houses, the

Israelites were spared this plague as death "Passed Over" their houses.

Seventh Reader: As the plagues had progressed, the Israelites became a curse in the

eyes of the Egyptians. According to instructions after the ninth plague, the Hebrews

asked for and received gold and silver and precious things, which the Egyptians gave

them probably hoping to avert the relentless succession of plagues. In the middle of that

fateful tenth plague, Pharaoh did exactly as God had promised Moses before the plagues

even started. Pharaoh drove the Hebrews out of his land.(Exodus 6:1)

Eighth Reader: Immediately as morning came, these descendants of Abraham, Isaac,

and Jacob left the land of their slavery, strong and healthy. Not a single one was sick or

feeble. (Psalm 105:37; Ex. 8:22, 15:26)They were joined by a multitude of Egyptians

who decided it was a good time for them to flee from Egypt, also. (Ex. 12:38)Whats

more, they left with everything they needed to set up campsites in the wilderness and

live independently. (Of course, they still needed water God always provides the next

test of faith, and makes sure we dont forget how much we need Him!)

Ninth Reader: After the Israelites left, Pharaoh changed his mind and sent his army

after them. The people cried out to the LORD, Who told Moses to lift his staff over the

sea. The LORD parted the waters and Israel passed through the midst of the sea, on dry

ground. Once God sealed His people for deliverance, the enemy was powerless. When

the Egyptians tried to follow, the waters closed back over them. Today, we have

archeological and geological evidence of where they crossed. We even have video-tapes

and pictures of what are probably Pharaohs chariot wheels on the bottom of the sea.

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Everyone: We Praise you, O LORD our God, Ruler over all nations. From ancient times,

You hear the cries of the oppressed, You bring freedom to the captives, and You create

for Yourself a holy people.

Note: At each table, there is a bowl containing bitter herbs, called Maror.

(Some form of horseradish is commonly used.)

Narrator: Tonight we eat bitter herbs (hold up a bowl) to remind us of how bitter life

was as slaves in Egypt. Take a piece of matzah, dip it into the bitter herbs, and eat.

Action: Each person dips a piece of Matzah into the Maror, and eats it.

(NOTE: At this point youre REALLY cheating if you drink out of the Second Cup!)

Note: At each table, there should be a bowl containing Charoset (ka-ro-set).

This is generally a sweetened mixture of apple and walnut.

Tenth Reader: Tonight we dip twice. This time we will dip into both the Maror and the

Charoset to remind us of the sweetness that God can bring into the most bitter of

circumstances. In the days ahead of us, great tribulation shall come upon the earth. But

God has promised to nurture His people and to shorten those days. Not only that, but

in the midst of those days His Glory will shine brighter than ever before throughout the

earth. Therefore we look with the eyes of faith toward our God, Whose Tenderness and

Mercy are sweet to the taste of our souls.

Action: Each person dips a piece of Matzah, first into the Maror as before, and

then into the Charoset and then eats it.

9. The Second Cup: the Cup of Deliverance

Narrator: (Raising the second glass, for all to see)With the second cup we celebrate

the deliverance that God has brought to us. He brings us from sorrow to joy, from

darkness to light, from slavery to freedom.

Everyone: We praise You, O LORD our God, for the Cup of Deliverance which You

purchased with Your Own Blood. You drank the Cup of Judgment for us, and turned it

into a Marriage Proposal! By Yourfaithfulness, You set us free. Hallelujah!

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Action: We all drink the second cup.

Narrator: Now it is time for our Passover Meal.

10. The Meal

Action: Say a blessing and EAT!

11. Toward the end of the Meal:

The Third Cup: the Cup of Redemption

Narrator: (CALL TO ORDER. Everyone fill their cup.)It is time for the third cup. Now,

as we learned earlier, the Last Supper that Yeshua had with His disciples was the night

before the official Passover. So we arent celebrating the Last Supper here tonight. But it

was His last chance to do a Passover teaching, and there were a few things He needed

to cover. While we have everything laid out here, its the perfect time to explain the first

Communion. This third cup of redemption in a Passover Seder occurs toward the end

of the meal, while people are still eating. That night as they were eating Yeshua

declared that the cup that they had in front of them was the Blood of the New

Covenant. (Matt. 26:26, Rev. 5:9) So the Cup of Communion is rehearsed at every

Passover Seder as the Cup of Redemption which is the third cup.

Eleventh Reader: The disciples were sitting in a room, possibly around a table, where

each member of the group had his own space like we have tonight. Scripture seems to

indicate that they were still using leavened bread, which makes sense since the day of

preparation was just beginning. Following Jewish tradition, Jesus (as their Teacher)took bread, gave thanks, and broke it. Then he passed it around so that each disciple

could take some. This tradition of breaking bread together and sharing the fruit of the

vine had been going on for many centuries. That night, Jesus more fully explained the

teaching of John 6:32-58 that had been such a hard saying when He introduced it the

first time. (The teaching about eating His flesh and drinking His blood)

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Narrator: The bread was always meant to represent His Body, and the wine

represented His Blood. How strange it must have felt to have Jesus telling them that this

longstanding tradition in their culture was inspired by God and nobody ever realized

the deeper meaning! But this kind of revelation was not uncommon when you spent time

around Jesus!

There is a Jewish blessing that has been passed down from ancient times to be repeated

with the breaking of bread. I have no direct evidence, but it is likely that the blessing

Jesus used that night with His disciples was the same or very similar. It goes like this:

Baruch ata YHWH, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, ha-motse lechem min ha-eretz,

Amain which means: Blessed be Yahweh, King of the Universe (literally:

King of Forever), Who brings forth bread from the earth. Amen.

(Note: Orthodox Jews substitute Adonai for Yahweh, as they will not

attempt to speak the Holy Name of God.)

After He gave thanks for the bread and gave it to the disciples, Jesus said, Take, eat;

this is My Body.(Matt. 26:26)

Action: Everyone take a piece of matzah and eat it.

Narrator: After the bread, Jesus took a cup of wine (fruit of the vine), and gave thanks

for it to God. Again, it is likely that Jesus used this traditional blessing, or something

very similar, for the wine:

Baruch ata YHWH, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, boray pri ha-gafen, which means:

Blessed be Yahweh, King of the Universe, Who creates the fruit of the vine.

He then passed the cup, and told them, This is My Blood of the New Covenant, which is

shed for many for the remission of sins.(Matt. 26:28)

This is how the sacrament began, which we do now in remembrance of Him.

Action: Drink the Third Cup. Then finish the meal.

_____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____

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(after the meal) Call to Order:

12. The Fourth Cup: the Cup of Thanksgiving

Narrator: Before we fill the fourth cup, the Afikomen must be retrieved.

Action: Retrieve the Afikomen, hidden earlier in the Seder.

Narrator unwraps it and holds it up.

First Reader: The Afikomen was hidden, but now is revealed; just as the Son of God

was hidden in a tomb, but rose again on the third day and revealed Himself for forty

days until His Ascension. The secret of this Afikomen has been hidden for many

centuries within the traditions of this Passover Seder. During almost that entire time, the

wall between Christians and Jews has remained formidable. But in the last fifty years,each decade brings a new level of breakthrough in the long process of bringing Jews and

Christians together to embrace their common destiny as One Body. After all, that is

something Jesus paid for, at the Cross. (for He is our peace, Who has made both

one... Eph. 2:12-19)

Second Reader: For the time is drawing near, that the prophecy be fulfilled:

I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem,

the spirit of grace and supplications: and they shall look upon Me whom they

have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son

(Zechariah 12:10)

Third Reader: So it was prophesied of old, that many Jews will come to recognize

Yeshua of Nazareth as their Savior, and they will come to honor Christians in return for

preserving the Truth of His Deity and of His Atoning Blood. It was also prophesied that

Christians, after drifting away from their Hebrew roots, would turn and honor the Jews

again for the truths that they preserved.

Fourth Reader: Therefore as we eat the Afikomen, let us celebrate the union of

faithful Jews and faithful Christians, accomplished by the Blood of the New Covenant

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The separation of these two olive trees was confusing and heart-rending but

necessary. And now is the time of restoration into One Body.

Fifth Reader: (PRAYER)We thank you, LORD God of Israel, Ruler of all Nations, that we

have the privilege of living in a time when Jewish and non-Jewish believers regularly

observe Your Feasts together, and break bread together. This truly is an example of

divine redemption made possible by Your Resurrection Power.(Eph. 2:14-16)

Narrator: Now we will share the Afikomen together.

Action: Distribute pieces of the Afikomen and/or extra matzah, and eat.

Narrator: We live in a time when the sons and daughters of God are about to be

revealed in glory. We dont know Gods timing exactly, but we sense that nearness of

His Return. While the secular culture around us is dramatizing signs and symptoms of

the end of the world, we as New Covenant believers are called upon to rest in God. In

truth, we are standing at the threshold of a New Beginning, which comes with

opportunities to do greater works than Jesus did, according to His promise. (John 14:12)

Sixth Reader: All creation is groaning and longing for the next step the return of the

Creation to the form it was in, before sin entered the world. When Jesus left, He

promised that He would come again and that all things would be restored. As we see the

signs of His Return multiplying around us, we groan within ourselves, awaiting the day

that He will come and bring His Kingdom in fullness.

Narrator: Jesus said that He would not drink of the fruit of the vine again, until He drink

it anew with us in the Kingdom of God. In anticipation of that Day, let us fill the fourth cup

Action: Fill the fourth cup. When all are filled, everyone raise his/her cup.

Everyone: Our Father, Who is in heaven, Your name is Holy! We are so thankful for

Your love and grace and tenderness toward us! Teach us Your ways, and keep pride far

from us. Purify our hearts with each cycle of Your Appointed Feasts, for You designed

them with us in mind. Teach us how to walk in Covenant with You as a mature and holy

Bride. We want to stand before You, clothed in Your Glory. All the Praise, and the Honor,

and the Glory is Yours forever for You are YAHWEH, the One True God. Amen.

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Action: All drink the fourth cup.

Everyone: We praise You, O LORD, King of the Universe, Who Alone rules over the

affairs of men, and to Whom all people will one day give account! May we be found

worthy in that Day to hear these blessed words: Well done, good and faithful servant!

Narrator: Can we join our Jewish brethren by concluding this Seder with the same

words spoken by Jews throughout the world?

Everyone together! : Next year in Jerusalem!

Action: Extinguish the Passover candles.

Documents

Haggadah 2011 Small Group - Christian-Messianic