SEDER

GRACE

PLEASE FOLLOW THE COOKS DIRECTIONS FOR SERVING OF THE MEAL

THE CALL TO WORSHIP:

“Behold the LAMB of God”

John the Baptist used these words when he pointed out Jesus to his disciples. Peter said, “We are ransomed with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

The lamb has always been a symbol of innocence and trust, dependent upon the care of the shepherd. Even in the Old Testament we find, “He shall feed His flock like a shepherd, and gather the lambs in His bosom.” (Isaiah 40:11)

In the Jewish Worship, the unblemished lamb was the most sacred of temple sacrifices. It was used in all the important ceremonies and feasts in the temple. The one most deeply rooted in the Hebrew tradition was the PASOVER sacrifice of the lamb, for it was lambs’ blood which was smeared on the door-posts of all Jewish homes and prevented the slaying of first-born children by the avenging angel.

The Hebrew word PASCILA denotes both the PASSOVER feast and the PASSOVER lamb, so 1st Corinthians 5:7, when Paul writes “Christ, our Paschal Lamb has been sacrificed, “ we can understand the reference.

In the Jewish Worship, the PASSOVER lamb was also the sign of deliverance. To us, then, Christ as the Lamb of God is the symbol of deliverance, and the real means of deliverance and salvation.

John 19:14 shares that Jesus was crucified at the exact moment of the killing of the Passover lamb in the temple. The symbolism here is that Jesus is God’s PASSOVER lamb, sacrificed for the deliverance of God’s people.

We can miss the entire message of the crucifixion and the resurrection if we fail to see through the symbolism as it is presented to us in both the Old and the New Testament.







THE SEDER TABLE
The traditional Seder table includes a number of symbolic objects which are placed together on a Seder plate in front of the person who leads the service. The setting includes the following:

THREE MATZOHS
Placed separately in the sections of the special Matzoh cover. Two of these Mastzohs symbolize the two loaves of bread over which the usual benediction is pronounced on Sabbaths and Festivals. The third Matzoh emphasizes the role of the Matzoh in the Passover ritual.

A ROASTED SHANK BONE
To commemorate the Paschal sacrifice which our ancestors brought to the Temple on Passover in ancient times.

A ROASTED EGG
To symbolize the Haggigoh or Festival sacrifice which was always brought to the Temple on festive occasions and which, on PASSOVER, suppliments the Paschal lamb.

BITTER HERBS
To symbolize the bitterness of Israel’s bondage in Egypt.

CHAROSES
A symbol of the mortar which the Israelites used in building the treasure cities for Pharoah. It is a mixture of grated apples, chopped nuts, cinnamon, and a little wine.

PARSLEY
A dish of salt water into which the parsley is dipped before it is eaten. This symbolizes the coming of spring and suggests the perpetual renewal of life – hence, the ever-sustaining hope of human redemption.

FOUR CUPS OF WINE
To be offered during the Seder service. The four cups symbolize the four-fold phases of redemption which, according to the Bible, God pledged to Israel.

CUP OF ELIJAH
A special cup of wine in the center of the table. This cup remains untouched throughout the service.


KINDLING THE FESTIVAL LIGHTS
Leader – This is the festival of Passover, a time of happiness and rejoicing, of celebration and of cheer. This flame of freedom has never been quenched; its brightness has never been dimmed. As a symbol of God’s eternal light, our beacon and goal, we kindle these festival lights.
All – Praise be the Lord our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with his commandments, and instructed us to kindle the festival lights. Praised be the Lord our God, king of the universe, who kept us in life, sustained us and permitted us to reach this joyous season. Amen

(All lights are kindled).

INVOCATION
Leader – Let us raise our cups in gratitude to God that the call of freedom can still be heard in the land. Let us give thanks that the love of freedom still burns in the hearts of our fellowmen. Let us pray that the time not distant when all the world will be liberated from cruelty, tyranny, oppression, and war.

SANCTIFY (All raise the hold the filled first cup).
Leader – Praised be the Lord our God, King of the universe who has created the fruit of the vine. Amen. (All drink from the first cup and are seated).

GREENS (Parsley, dipped in salt-water, then eaten).
Leader – These greens are a symbol of the coming spring.
People – Praise be the Lord our God, King of the universe, Who creates the fruit of the earth. Amen.


EGG
Leader – These eggs are a reminder of the second offering brought to the Temple on Passover.
People – Praise be the Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who creates the fruit of the earth. Amen.

DIVIDE (The middle Matzoh is broken and in half put away as the Afikomon)
Leader – This portion of the Matzoh is called the Afikomon. After dinner we shall share it, in remembrance of the time when our ancestors would partake of the festival sacrifice
Of the Pascal Lamb. (The Matzoh is raised as the following is said)

Leader – Behold the Matzoh, symbol of the bread of poverty our ancestors were made to eat in their affliction as slaves in Egypt. Let us resolve to strive unceasingly for that blessed day when poverty will be no more, when Israel will be fully redeemed, and when all mankind will enjoy freedom, justice and peace. Amen.

LET MY PEOPLE GO
We dedicate the Festival this evening to the dream and the hope of Freedom. Through the sacrifice be great and the hardships many, we shall not rest until the chains that enslave all people be broken.

But the freedom we strive for means more than the broken chains. It means liberation from those enslavements that warp the spirit and blight the mind. People can be enslaved in more ways than one.

People can be enslaved when they permit harmful habits to tyrannize over them. When envy, bitterness and jealousy sour their joys and darken the brightness of their contentment – they are slaves themselves.

People can be enslaved intolerance. When Jews, are forced to give up their Jewish ways of life, to abandon their Torah, to neglect their sacred Festivals, to stop rebuilding their ancient homeland – they are slaves. When they must live in constant fear of hate and prejudice - they are slaves.

Passover calls upon us to put an end to all slavery. Passover summons us to freedom. Passover cries out in the name of God; “Let My People Go!”


HYMN OF PRAISE (All sing)
O God, our Help in ages past, Our Hope for years to come, Our Shelter from the stormy blast , And our eternal Home.

O God, our Help, in ages past, Our Hope for years to come, Be Thou our Guard while life shall last, and our eternal Home. Amen


THE FOUR QUESTIONS
Why us the night of Passover so different from all other nights of the year?
On all other nights we eat either leavened or unleavened bread;

Why on this night do we eat only Matzoh, which is unleavened bread?

We eat only unleavened bread this evening because when our ancestors left Egypt there was no time to prepare the ordinary bread out of dough that has to leaven, so they made a thin bread instead, out of unleavened dough that would bake quickly.

On all other nights we eat vegetables and herbs of all kinds, on this night why do we eat bitter herbs especially?

We eat only bitter herbs this evening to remind ourselves of the bitter time our people had in Egypt before God’s deliverance?

On all other nights we never think of dipping herbs in water or in anything else; why on this night, do we dip parsley in salt-water and bitter herbs in Horoses.

We dip parsley into salt-water so that we shall remember that everything that grows is a gift of God and that for this gift we owe Him thanks. We dip bitter herbs into Horoses to remind ourselves of the bricks and the mortar that our forefathers made while they were in the harsh services of Pharoah.

On all other nights everyone sits up at the table, why on this night, do we all recline at the table?

This evening we eat in the leaning position because we celebrate this festival of Passover and set aside this night from all other nights of the year. In the words of the Bible” “That you may remember the day of your departure from Egypt all the days of your life.”


READINGS
Ten times was Egypt punished with plagues and each time Pharaoh promised to free us. With the last plague, the slaying of the first-born, Pharoah listened to Moses and let our people go in peace at last.

These are the ten plagues which we recall in ten dopes of wine. (A litte wine is poured as each plagues is mentioned).

1 Blood
2 Frogs
3 Vermin
4 Murrain
5 Insects
6 Boils
7 Hail
8 Locusts
9 Darkness
10 Slaying of the First-born

So we give thanks for our deliverance from Egypt and we express gratitude for our redemption from the hand of Pharaoh. In every generation tyrants have tried to destroy us and God has always delivered us from their hands.

How did this Festival get the name Passover?

Just before the slaying of the first-born of the Egyptians, the children of Israel sacrificed a lamb and marked the door posts of their homes with its blood. In this way their houses were PASSED OVER whenthe plague came.

THE EXODUS WITNESS

SECOND CUP (All fill a scond cup and pray together)

Praise be the Lord our God, King of the Universe. Who has created the fruit of the vine. Amen.

Praise be the Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments, and instructed us to eat unleavened bread. Amen

BITTER HERBS
(Put bitter herbs on a piece of Matzoh and eat and pray together).

Praise be the Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments, and has instructed us to eat bitter herbs, which remind us of the tears and bitterness our fathers shed in bondage. Amen

CHAROSET
(Put Charoset on a piece of Matzoh and eat and pray together)
Praise be the Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments. We eat this Charoset as a reminder of the mortar with which our forefathers made bricks for the building of Egyptian cities. Even the most bitter of tribulation is made sweet to the eyes of faith. Amen.

GRACE, PRAISE, ACCEPTANCE
Leader - Let us thank the Lord for His kindness.
People - Blessed be the name of the Lord now and forever.
Leader - Let us bless God who sustains us all.
People - Blessed is God who gives us food and keeps us alive.
Leader - May He rule over us forever.
People - May He be praised throughout the universe.

(All pray together) Praise be the Lord our God, King of the universe, Who
Provides sustenance for all His children. Amen


THIRD CUP
(All fill a third cup and pray together) Praise be the Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has created the fruit of the vine. Amen.

HYMN OF PRAISE (All sing)

Joyful, Joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, God of Love;
Hearts unfold the flowers before thee, Opening to the sun above,
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;
Drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness,
Fill us with the light of day.

All thy works with joy surround Thee,
Earth and heaven reflect Thy rays,
Stars and angels sing around Thee,
Center of unbroken praise,
Field and forest vale and mountain,
Flowery meadow, flashing sea,
Chanting bird and flowing fountain,
Call us to rejoice in Thee.


CUP OF ELIJAH
Elijah, prophet of comfort, Elijah, prophet of cheer, may your spirit enter our hearts so we, too, may comfort, give help, and spread cheer.


FOURTH CUP (All fill a fourth cup and recite together)
Praise be the Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who has created the fruit of the vine. Amen.

HYMN OF PRAISE (All sing).
Now thank we all our God
With heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things hath done,
In Whom His world rejoices;
Who, from our mothers’ arms,
Has blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love,
And still is ours today.
All praise and thanks to God



The Father now be given,
The Son, and Him Who reigns
With One eternal God,
Whom earth and heaven adore;
For thus it was, is now,
And shall be evermore.


Readings: Isaiah 53: 1-12


1 Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. 9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.
11 After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

HYMN OF PASSION (All sing)

When I survey the wondrous Cross,
On which the Prince of Glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride,
See, from His head, His hands,
His feet, Sorrow and love flow mingled down,
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

LORD”S PRAYER


SHARING OF THE BREAD AND CUP

The Bread: The Body of Christ

The Cup: The Blood of Christ

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

BENEDICTION