Post by Admin on Apr 22, 2024 12:01:25 GMT -5
Passover Ceremony at home
The Passover Ceremony
Here is my suggestion for a very personal and family-centric Passover Service to be held in one’s own home, in accord with the precedent and instructions given in the Holy Scriptures in Exodus 12. Passover is the first day of the seven days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Ex 12:14-20; Ezek 45:21) so all leavening needs to be removed from your property for these seven days (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20) up until the evening that begins the 21st day.
Now, for the Passover Service, you should have a special red wine poured into small shotglasses, and some unleavened bread (matzos) for this ceremony (covered these with white cloths until ready). Also prepare some basins of water and towels for the footwashing ritual. If you missed it this year, there is provision for doing this ceremony in the second month on the 14th (2 Chron 30:2, 15). You should eat your normal supper before doing this service.
The scriptures below are suggestions; add others as inspired and needed to make this service special and meaningful for you and your family.
Opening Prayer
Begin the service at twilight just after sundown that ends the days portion of the 13th and begins the night portion of the 14th of Abib (usually in April). Start the service with an opening prayer asking for a blessing on the service, that it will be performed in spirit and in truth, and be pleasing to Our Father and His Son.
The Christ
Read Jn 1:1-5, 9-14; 13.16-18; Jn 6:35-57 to see Jesus of Nazareth as The Word, The Light, The Bread, and The Life. Read Eph 1:1-2:22.
The Focus
Read Jn 12 to see what Christ was focused on just before His Final Passover Feast with His Apostles that year.
The Mission
Read Rom 3:19-26; 5:1-11; 6:4-11 to see why we need a “passover”. Read 1 Pet 2:21-24; 1 Jn 1:1-2:2-6.
The Preparation
Read Lk 22:1-13 about the preparation for Christ’s Passover supper that year.
The Bread
Read Lk 22:14-19; Mt 26:26; Mk 14:22; 1 Cor 11:23-24 about the Breaking of the Bread as a symbol of Christ’s body being offered and broken for our healing (Isa 53:5; 1 Pet 2:24). Offer up a prayer for a blessing of the unleavened bread that you are about the break and eat. Then eat a piece of the unleavened bread in silence and meditate on its significance for our healing, physically and spiritually.
The Wine
Read Lk 22:20; Mt 26:27-29; Mk 14:23-25; 1 Cor 11:25-29 about the drinking of the wine as a symbol of Christ’s blood/life. Offer up a prayer for a blessing of the wine that you are about to drink. Then drink the small glass of wine in silence and meditate on its significance for our forgiveness of sin and the indwelling of eternal life and the holy spirit.
The Footwashing
Read Jn 13:1-17 about the footwashing service Christ performed on that Passover among his personal “family” of apostles. Then quietly and sincerely do the same service on one another in your own house, using the basins of water and towels.
The Commandment
Read Jn 13:31-38 to hear Christ’s special words to His Apostles after Judas was absent.
The Prayer
Read Jn 14-17 to hear Christ’s special encouragement to His followers then and now, that we truly can be one with The Father and The Son in a very real and intimate relationship, especially those who are called now and are preparing to become the Bride and Wife of the Messiah for an eternity, in fulfillment of Holyday #3 – Pentecost.