Passover MEAL
New Testament Passover?
There’s a comment I always like posing to audiences: You know Jesus is our Passover, right? They agree 100% of the time. Then I ask them a one-word question: Why? The majority of people can’t explain why Jesus is our Passover. People who have been in church for years or even decades struggle to answer this simple question. When I was a child Passover was my favorite holiday.
My family would get together with two or three other families to observe this most enjoyable historical Feast. The men would sit at one table, the women would sit near the kitchen to tend the meal preparations, and the children would sit at another table. We all took turns reading from the booklet called Haggadah, which means The Telling. It was a Passover Seder (say’ der), which means order. There is an order to the service. It was the story of the telling of the Exodus from Egypt. We had so much fun; it was a blast! Of all the Jewish feasts, it’s still my favorite. When I went to college my roommate told me the reason I was going home to celebrate the Passover was to recall what Jesus did for us. He even said Jesus is our Passover. That made me angry. I told him I’ve celebrated Passover all my life and never seen Jesus’ name in it. Ever! I told him to leave me alone about Jesus. I didn’t want to talk about Jesus ever again! My roommate honored my request, but I’m sure he ramped up his prayers for me.
Paul tells us Jesus became our Passover Lamb (1Cor 5: 7). Shortly after we were married, my wife told me I couldn’t forget the Passover because it is my favorite holiday. So I developed a “New Testament Passover.” We go through the Seder the same way I did when I was a child. The story is told of specific things that happened on specific dates in Egypt before the children of Israel departed captivity. Every food and every prayer point to Jesus or the New Covenant! We dine on a tasty feast as if we were kings and queens. Afterwards, we hear what Jesus was going through on those same specific dates during His last week before Passover and the cross. I observed Passover throughout my childhood and didn’t realize it pointed to the Messiah. At the end of the Seder people will know why Jesus is our Passover Lamb.
What People Have to Say
Your Seder meal and presentation was just marvelous, and I am so grateful to have been present. Your love for Yeshua and joy at finding him throughout the Seder’s ritual just illuminates an after-sunset room to noon-day brightness. Particularly moving was your presenting the cup of spiritual marriage from Christ to His bride, and the words you spoke as Christ to His beloved, love pouring forth. I realized the perfect Lamb of God was inviting pitiful me to be His own. It was – and still is – a mind boggling occurrence. WOW! I really do not know how else to explain your Seder Meal experience that you shared with us here at Cunningham Christian Church. It has been three weeks since you were here and the people are still talking about the experience. The impact that this Seder Meal had on those present is one that is still providing us with questions and conversations. There is still talk of having you back again to share next year. The way that you were able to bring the Jewish experience to life for us Gentile Christians and also the way that you shared the powerful relationship of the Old and New Testaments was great. One of the things that stands out is that of so much symbolism of the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ yet the Jewish people do not understand. That is amazing and also sad to think that so many Jewish people are missing out on Jesus, but then again, so many people period are missing out on Jesus Christ. I cannot explain in a brief letter all that this service meant to me and also the others of our Church, but I do know it was an experience we will never forget and would certainly like to experience again. Keep presenting God’s word through this Traditional Jewish Festival. God is using you. In God’s Great Love.
Pastor Mike McGovney
We have had the privilege of hosting Passover Seders since 1999, with Mark Flaxman as our speaker. Mark’s presentation of the Passover Seder has brought inspiration, understanding, and enlightenment to many in this area. He has a unique ability to merge stories from his childhood, the Biblical setting of the Passover, and New Testament realities to impact lives with dramatic truth. With Mark’s focus on the Lamb of Passover, faith in the Word of God is deepened and expanded. Although I have heard other presentations, Mark’s unfolding of this wonderful celebration remains the most meaningful and insightful of them all.
Norma Ramey – President, Fountain of Life Ministry, Missouri
Thank you so much for allowing me to attend your Seder. I really enjoyed it. I also appreciated some of the nuances you brought to it. I especially am grateful for the way you interact with the gathering and how you build people up as you share. You are a good story teller and you have a good way of making them come alive.
Andy Millar – Pastor, Light of the Nations, Colorado
My wife and I would like to express our delight in attending a Passover Dinner (Seder) that Mark Flaxman hosted and explained. As a Jewish person growing up in a Jewish home Mark has understanding and insight about the Seder (Passover) that the typical Gentile would not have. What the Messiah Jesus and His disciples observed the night of their last Passover together has added meaning when explained by Mark. We believe every Gentile believer in Jesus Christ could benefit from experiencing the Seder Meal as we did and gain a new appreciation for the truths and mysteries hidden within it. What a wonderful thing to see a descendant of Abraham share with us the truths of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, found in the Seder and to see how the Promise carried by the Jewish people for thousands of years has now been fulfilled. It is a tribute to the faithfulness of God that Mark Flaxman, a Jewish believer in the Jewish Messiah Yeshua, would be used by God in these last days to reveal the truths of the Seder Lamb of God.
Michael and Debra – Retired pastors, Missouri
What a privilege to feast with you and to hear so much of God’s grace and redemption throughout the meal. Thank you for a “job well done.” You have been given a precious and unique gift in sharing about the Passover Lamb. Mark helps you understand the Biblical Feast which Jesus Himself would have attended. Mark has a tremendous gift of imparting the heart and spirit in a Biblical and contemporary fashion. Thank you so much for allowing us to join you in the celebration with Brother Mark. What a privilege and a blessing to remember that the death angel has truly passed over us, and we no longer need to walk in fear and shame. The Seder was such a blessing and so educational. Looking so forward to next year. We are forever grateful and may all the blessings you bring others come back to you in abundance. Wishing you and your ministry God’s protection, blessing and prayers. We have gotten some great feedback from some of those who attended the Seder! Thank you for taking the time to explain and involve us in a great tradition. I believe all that participated had a wonderful time. Thanks again and God bless you. I want to thank you for the time of sharing and showing in the Passover Seder. Your sensitive teaching as well as competent fielding of questions both inspired and informed the gathering.