Celebrating Passover + Communion

MEALS IN COMMUNITY

Food and eating in community are central themes in the Bible. Eating involves all the senses and God made us with the capacity to enjoy the tastes of what we eat. Eating in community is, in some ways, a foundational spiritual practice as God presents gathering around a table/meal as a powerful engagement in fellowship. To share bread with another is to offer relationship. This is a huge Biblical topic that is worthy of study and exploring! Food and eating are not just about meeting our physical needs, they are about relationship, joy, and thanksgiving.

COMMUNION

“Whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are retelling the story, proclaiming our Lord’s death until he comes.” 1 Cor 11:26 TPT. The Passover Meal is shared around the Table and it was during this meal that Jesus established “communion” using some of the bread and wine from the Passover menu.

PASSOVER

Passover is an annual celebration meal established by Yahweh as a reminder and celebration of how He rescued the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt.

Special foods are prepared and served on a Seder plate which is the table centerpiece for the celebration. A candle is lit to begin, everyone takes part in the telling of the story of Passover, and the symbolism of each food is explained. The Passover Seder (order) follows the journey of the Hebrew people’s escape from slavery. The telling of the story year after year and special foods allow everyone to see, smell, feel, and taste the story of God’s people.

Jesus celebrated Passover with His disciples a few days before his death, and during that meal, He established the symbols of Communion using wine and bread to represent His blood and body.

As followers of Jesus, we celebrate Passover traditions from the Old Testament and Communion elements from the New Testament. Passover is an awesome experience for all ages and is very meaningful as a preparation for Easter.

For the Jewish community, Passover is celebrated in very particular ways according to tradition and requirements. As Christians, we celebrate a modified Passover which includes elements about Jesus. Each year, Passover Week starts on a different date. Passover is typically celebrated on the first and second nights but you can have this modified Passover Seder on any day. It’s a great experience for all ages!

We have created a modified Passover Seder that takes about 30 minutes. It can be used for personal reflection, or as a celebration with (or via zoom!) friends and family. Click the button below to download our simple Modified Passover Guide.

If you’re celebrating in-person with friends and family, invite everyone participating to help prepare the components and make sure you have a script printed for every person. If you’re celebrating via zoom, each person/family will need to prepare the components and have a script. You’ll also need an easy-to-read Bible (we like NLT.)

Before the Seder, we recommend watching (affiliate link) The Prince of Egypt movie or reading the Passover account and Last Supper account in a kid’s story Bible. Our favorite is (affiliate link) The Jesus Storybook Bible “God to the Rescue!” and “Jesus at the Last Supper” stories. Having the stories fresh in your mind will make the Seder more meaningful.