Object Lesson:
Easter, Christmas, our birthdays or anniversaries,
these are
all important holidays or occasions that we like to celebrate and
remember. Passover is one of those special days too! It’s a day that
God’s people remember that God delivered the Israelite people from
slavery in Egypt, thousands of years ago.
Passover is celebrated once a year with a special
dinner, a Seder, that tells the story of God’s great rescue of the
Israelite people. Even special Seder plates are used during the dinner
to tell the story. (A Seder plate is a large round plate with six
sections to hold each of the items that tell the Passover story.)
Six items are on a Seder plate:
Haroset, reminds God’s people of the mortar that
was used to hold the bricks together that the Israelite slaves used to
build with in Egypt.
Matzo cracker, bread made without yeast. The
Israelites were in a hurry to escape from Egypt, so they didn’t have
time to add yeast * to their bread dough in
order to let it rise.
Parsley, is green and reminds God’s people that
everything that grows is a gift from God. The parsley is dipped into
salty water, then eaten, to remind God’s people of the tears they shed
while in bondage.
Horseradish, is a bitter herb to remind the
Israelites of the bitterness of slavery. (A little bit of horseradish is
eaten on a matzo cracker with the Haroset.)
Hard-boiled egg, is a reminder of the sacrifices
made by God’s people in slavery.
Lamb bone, reminds God’s people that a perfect
lamb was sacrificed for their sins. The lamb’s blood was then placed on the door frames of the
Israelite’s homes, so that the Angel of Death would, PASSOVER their
homes, and they would be saved from death, and able to escape slavery in
Egypt.
Today, when we celebrate communion, we are remembering
Jesus’ last Passover Seder, the Last Supper before his death and
resurrection. Jesus brought new meaning to the Passover celebration when
he took the bread, the matzo, broke it, and said, "This is my body,
broken for you." Then he took the wine and said, "This is my
blood, shed for you." When Jesus’ died, he became our Passover
Lamb. He has delivered us from our slavery to sin, and because he rose
from the dead, he has made it possible for us to live in Heaven
eternally with him! On that day we will celebrate another supper, the
Supper of the Lamb!
To make the Bricks & Mortar Treat you will need:
2-3 kinds of apples, cored and cut into quarters,
walnuts, honey, cinnamon, grape juice, matzo crackers, small zipper
baggies for each child, (double bagged), a plastic knife and spoon for
each child, something to crush the nuts with, such as a rolling pin or
wooden mallet.
Put a small handful of the walnuts into each baggie.
Zip shut. Gently pound the nuts to crush them into smaller pieces.
Give each child 1-3 slices of apple to cut into pieces, place the
chopped apples into the baggie, shake in a little cinnamon, add a
teaspoon of honey, and a splash of grape juice, then stir.
Using the matzo crackers as your bricks, and the haroset as your mortar, build a tower or a pyramid. As you eat your
yummy snack, remember that God delivered his people from slavery in
Egypt where
they had to build using bricks and mortar; and in the same way, God has
delivered you. No longer do you have to work to earn God’s favor.
God loves you, because Jesus has delivered you from sin! (John 3:16)
