Faith column: Celebrate Passover Seder with your community

For the 12th consecutive year, we are preparing to celebrate the Passover Seder, and we hope that you will join us and bring a friend. We plan to “keep the feast” on March 24 at 5:30 p.m.

Passover celebrates the deliverance of Israel from slavery to Egypt more than 3,000 years ago. Through it, by His sovereignty and providence, God has provided us a picture of our redemption through the blood of Jesus Christ. Even though it has become a ritualistic observance for some, God never intended it to be that. He knew that His people—if they were honestly and earnestly looking for their Messiah—would recognize Him as the Passover Lamb. This was Jesus’ intent at the Last Supper, the night before His crucifixion when He established the Eucharist (The Lord’s Supper).

As we have over the past few years, we will participate in the Seder meal following the order that was standardized by the rabbis shortly after the time of Christ. Our Seder will explain, but not deviate from, the service that is used in most orthodox Jewish homes each spring. But we don’t celebrate this to point out an error in Jewish theology—we celebrate because our God has planned and provided for our deliverance from sin from a time before Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden. We thank Him for the riches He has bestowed upon us despite our sin and guilt.

Some of your questions may be answered below:

• What is a Passover Seder?

The Passover Seder (pronounced “Say-der”) is a traditional Jewish ceremony (including dinner) that recalls the deliverance of the Hebrew nation from slavery in Egypt. For Christians, it points also to the deliverance from sin that we enjoy through the death of Christ.

• When and where will it be held?

We will “keep the feast” from 5:30-8:30 pm on Sunday, March 24, at the Midtown Community Center, located at 102 Robertsville Road (across from the Oak Ridge Alliance Church)

• What should I bring?

Bring a cushion if you’d like, not for the floor but to remember the tradition of the Jewish people.

Bring a friend, even a non-Christian friend; it is a good opportunity to communicate why we believe in Jesus.

Eat a snack before coming and/or bring crackers for little ones because we will not get to the dinner portion of the festivities until about 7 p.m.

If this event is late for your schedule, be sure to get in a nap so that you can enjoy the whole evening.

• Will we eat kosher food?

Not necessarily. Jesus declared all foods clean (Mark 7:19). Most modern Jewish families have turkey (so will we) much like a Thanksgiving meal, but ours will not be prepared in a kosher kitchen. The event will be catered by a local company, but there is no charge.

• Why are we doing this?

Passover establishes the link between God’s revealed truth in the Old and New Testaments. It will deepen our understanding of our celebration of the Lord’s Supper, but primarily, it will picture for us the nature of our redemption in Christ.

As we did last year, Oak Ridge Alliance Church will host this catered event. There is no charge to participate, but we would request that you make a reservation by emailing me at [email protected] by March 18.

May you find great joy and blessings in Y’Shua ha-Mashiach!

Dale Crank is the lead pastor of the Oak Ridge Alliance Church at 109 Raleigh Road in Oak Ridge. For more information call (865) 483-0606 or (865) 335-4744 or visit their website at www.OakRidgeAlliance.com.