Easter holds great significance for Christians, just as the sacred traditions of Passover did for Jesus. Tailored for believers of all faiths, this Christian Seder guide provides everything you'll need to enrich your Easter celebration by immersing yourself in the beautiful traditions of the Hebrew Passover.
Before we get into the different ways to bring Seder into your Easter celebration, here's a few tips to keep in mind as you prepare and plan for this sacred occasion.
Let your guests know what to expect
Since you will be introducing some new traditions, it is likely your celebration will take longer. If you do a full seder, your meal will need to be kept warm and guests need to know that when they sit down to eat, it will be some time before the meal portion of the seder. (We learned that the hard way!)
Divvy up the work, try to make the holiday holy and relaxed by delegating
The host does not need to provide everything. If you have a specific menu, ask guests to sign up for a specific item. You can also give them a category and let them choose what they will bring.
Make it kid friendly if you have anyone under age 13
Kid friendly can include coloring pages, shorter conversations and simplified retellings.
Create a memorable atmosphere by setting the table with extra details
Click HERE to see simple and affordable ways to add a special touch.
Make it doable for you as the host, simplify
This might mean paper plates and a simple menu. Truly the symbolism of the Passover and the application to Christ's Atonement is the more meaningful part of the meal.
Most importantly, FOCUS ON THE SAVIOR!
The 5 approaches are:
Outlined below are 5 methods to infuse the symbols and rituals of Seder into your holiday festivities. The Seder symbols are explained in their original Israelite context and applied to Christian observance. The Seder Haggadah has been simplified while still including the original steps and many of the blessings of traditional Jewish custom. Also included, are ways to learn about the Passover without conducting a Seder. There are endless possibilities to use these materials while deepening your relationship with Christ. With over 30 pages of resources, conducting your own Easter Seder can be effortlessly achieved and easily tailored to fit the needs of your family and congregation.
Check out the rest of this special Seder series:
A Christian Seder
A traditional Hebrew Passover Seder is a beautiful evening of rituals, prayers, symbols, scripture, food, singing and discussion. The Haggadah, or script, has many versions and has been adapted for a variety of groups. Having participated in a Seder, I was deeply touched by the teachings and felt that my own Easter observance would benefit by incorporating this Hebrew tradition into our Christian holiday. Honestly, I felt like Christianity lost some meaningful traditions in an effort to distance themselves from the ways of old. We read scriptures, however, to learn from the prophets of old and to discover what God has in store for us today. I have found a Christian Seder helps us celebrate both the Passover customs of Christ’s heritage and the glorious Easter celebration of His Atoning Sacrifice for us today.
You'll need:
Seder Plate and cup for Christ (any plate will work, but you might also choose to purchase a plate for this specific purpose - I like this one for price, these for children, and my favorite for a full set.
candle & lighter
wine or grape juice
goblets - I got these glasses and LOVE them.
small washing bowl and hand towel
parsley, potato or other “Karpas / green vegetable”
small bowl of salt water
3 pieces of Matza
Cloth to cover the matza (afikomen)
Shank bone, leg of lamb or chicken neck
horseradish or “Maror / bitter herb”
Romaine lettuce “Chazeret / bitter herb”
Charoset - apple, nut, cinnamon & honey
Hard boiled egg “Beitzah”
Scriptures and/or Hymns
Haggadah (script) - you can find mine HERE.
Tips: read and study the Passover seder tradition online. I have a basic outline, you can start there. The more you learn before your own celebration, the better it will go for everyone. Prayerfully select scriptures and hymns you might like to incorporate.
From Passover to Easter, 4 day outline
This is actually the approach I have chosen for myself and my family. This outline takes elements of the Seder and spreads them out over four days from the evening Christ broke bread with His apostles on Thursday to the triumphant resurrection on Sunday morning. This Passover to Easter outline does not have as many prayers and blessings as the Seder, rather it teaches the symbolism of Passover while reminding us what Christ did each day.
You'll need:
Bowls or plate for symbolic foods - got these bowls and they are perfect and something I can use around the kitchen all year long.
candle & lighter
wine or grape juice
goblets - I got these glasses and LOVE them.
small washing bowl and hand towel
parsley, potato or other “Karpas / green vegetable”
small bowl of salt water
Matza or other flatbread
Shank bone, leg of lamb or chicken neck
horseradish or “Maror / bitter herb”
Romaine lettuce “Chazeret / bitter herb”
Charoset - apple, nut, cinnamon & honey
Hard boiled egg “Beitzah”
Scriptures and/or Hymns
Script - you can find mine HERE.
Tips: read and study the Passover seder tradition online. I have a basic outline, you can start there. The more you learn before your own celebration, the better it will go for everyone. Prayerfully select scriptures and hymns you might like to incorporate.
Easter Meal with Passover Emblems
A more casual approach to bringing history to your Easter celebration is by displaying the emblems of Passover on your table while you celebrate with your traditional meal. The Seder cards guide you in discussing the symbolic history of each emblem and what it also represents to Christians. You can choose to sample the items or simply leave them as a display. You could also choose to provide a small Seder plate for each person to have their own symbols in front of them for sampling.
The Symbol Cards make it easy to discuss the items and each card ends with a question to prompt a Christ-centered discussion. Unlike the Seder, which is directed by one of the heads of the household, these cards should be distributed and read by everyone at the table. I like having children, young and old, read and direct such important topics.
You'll need:
Bowls or plate for symbolic foods - got these bowls and they are perfect and something I can use around the kitchen all year long.
candle & lighter
wine or grape juice
goblets, extra cup for Christ (optional) - I got these glasses and LOVE them.
parsley, potato or other “Karpas / green vegetable”
small bowl of salt water
Matza
Shank bone, leg of lamb or chicken neck
horseradish or “Maror / bitter herb”
Romaine lettuce “Chazeret / bitter herb”
Charoset - apple, nut, cinnamon & honey
Hard boiled egg “Beitzah”
Fish
Scriptures and/or Hymns
Symbolism Cards - you can find them HERE.
Tips: read and study the Passover seder tradition online. I have a basic outline, you can start there. The more you learn before your own celebration, the better it will go for everyone. Prayerfully select scriptures and hymns you might like to incorporate.
Passover Emblems for Groups
This would make for a more educational experience and can be used in several settings; Sunday School, youth activity, family lesson, adult activity, etc. Provide each table or group with a Seder plate containing the emblems of Passover. While going through the symbolism of each item, this is also an ideal opportunity to teach about the history of the Passover from the Israelite’s Exodus from Egypt, the Jewish customs of the Passover and how Christians can honor the traditions of Jesus Christ with the additional knowledge we have of His ministry, sacrifice and redemption. I would have enough for each table, so your group can partake of the food. While I prefer flatbread for my own observance, I'd recommend buying Matzah crackers for a more authentic experience. The Symbolism Cards each pose a question to prompt a gospel discussion.
You'll need:
Seder plate or bowls
candle & lighter
wine or grape juice & cup
small washing bowl and hand towel
parsley, potato or other “Karpas / green vegetable”
small bowl of salt water
Matza
Afikomen cloth, or napkin, to cover the matza (optional)
Shank bone, leg of lamb or chicken neck
horseradish or “Maror / bitter herb”
Romaine lettuce “Chazeret /bitter herb”
Charoset - apple, nut, cinnamon & honey
Hard boiled egg “Beitzah”
Fish
Scriptures and/or Hymns
Symbolism Teaching Script - you can find it HERE.
Tips: read and study the Passover seder tradition online. I have a basic outline, you can start there. The more you learn before your own activity, the better it will go for everyone. Prayerfully select scriptures and hymns you might like to incorporate.
Passover Symbols for Children
Food is not needed to teach the symbols of Passover and Easter. If you choose not to include food, the Seder plate diagrams and cutouts are an excellent resource. Accompany it with the Symbolism Script for Teaching. Perfect for helping children learn about the sacredness of these holidays. Also available is the 10 Plagues of Egypt worksheet that might keep their attention during the retelling of the Exodus story.
You'll need:
Prints for each child
scissors
glue
crayons or colored pencils
Scriptures and/or hymns
Symbolism Teaching Children Script - you can find it HERE.
*If you wish to display food, you'll also need:
Seder plate or bowls
candle & lighter
wine or grape juice & cup
small washing bowl and hand towel
parsley, potato or other “Karpas / green vegetable”
small bowl of salt water
Matza
Afikomen cloth, or napkin, to cover the matza (optional)
Shank bone, leg of lamb or chicken neck
horseradish or “Maror / bitter herb”
Romaine lettuce “Chazeret /bitter herb”
Charoset - apple, nut, cinnamon & honey
Hard boiled egg “Beitzah”
Fish (optional)
I would have enough for each table, so your group can partake of the food. While I prefer flatbread for my own observance, I'd recommend buying Matzah crackers for a more authentic experience. The Symbolism Cards each pose a question to prompt a gospel discussion.
Tips: read and study the Passover seder tradition online. I have a basic outline, you can start there. The more you learn before your own activity, the better it will go for everyone. Prayerfully select scriptures and hymns you might like to incorporate.
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