5/6/2004
Christians Observing Passover?
In a recent bulletin that comes regularly to my desk came one with the above title. We are well aware as Bible students that the Lord’s Supper was created out of the Passover feast where Jesus met with His disciples to keep that most sacred annual event for Jews. It is significant that Jesus made a distinct separation between what he did with the disciples as the Passover Feast and what He passed on to us in our most sacred act of worship, the Lord’s Supper. None of the gospel writers, nor the apostle Paul who wrote the Corinthian church about how to conduct the Lord’s Supper, give us any encouragement to participate in the traditional Passover feast as part of our observance of the Lord’s Supper. The Passover Feast was the shadow of which the Lord’s Supper is the substance. And it seems to me that any effort, for whatever reason, to include any part of the celebration of the Passover in our worship assemblies goes beyond what the Scriptures instruct us to do. The only Passover Christians are to celebrate and the only sacrifice which avails anything is that of our Lord Jesus Christ. “For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed.” (1 Cor. 5:7)
For years, I conducted annual Vacation Bible School programs at various churches in Texas and Oklahoma. And in many of those week long programs, we used the Old Testament to instruct children in the events of the history of God’s people, the Jews. Some of the most successful efforts to instruct children included such events as the Passover Feast, doing as best we could determine what the Jews did on that day. Never in my wildest imagination did I ever expect that some of those children, now mature adults, would be wanting to bring those events into the worship of the saints. I believe the Scriptures are still very clear about what is to be included in the first day of the week observance: Singing, praying, preaching and teaching the Word, the weekly giving and most impotant, the Lord’s Supper.
I am at a loss to see how we can improve on God’s simple plan for that first day of the week observance and worship. Do those who want to bring back the Passover Feast (including what is referred to as a “Sedar meal”) expect to gain any special spiritual benefit from doing so? Do they think it shows some special respect for present day Jews who continue to insist on keeping the Law of Moses-and no matter how hard they try, they cannot do it in full compliance with Moses” instructions – or do they think it replaces our walking by faith by a walking by sight? Whatever their reasons, and I do not condemn their honesty and sincerity, they are mistaken to believe it ought to be done. And isn’t it interesting that some of these same brethren also now make a much larger issue of Easter Sunday than we have ever done in the Lord’s church. What Jesus gave us to remember Him until He comes again was a simple supper of fruit of the vine and unleavened bread. Let’s continue to show Him our love and respect for His sacrifice which made it all possible. Would that we could convince other Christians that what Jesus instructed us to do deals more with what is in our hearts, not external pomp and ceremony. It shall always remain true that we are commended and commanded to do the right thing for the right
reason.
Wes Price