Make the Spring Festivals a Family Affair

Soon the annual cycle of God’s festivals will begin again. Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread are some of my favorites, especially for families.

God does not leave parents without instructions when it comes to parenting. This includes His clear expectations for parents as they are instructed to memorialize the events surrounding Passover in the minds of their children.

Holy syllabus

“So it shall be, when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ that you shall say to him, ‘By strength of hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. And it came to pass, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that the LORD killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all males that open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’

“It shall be as a sign on your hand and as frontlets between your eyes, for by strength of hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt” (Exodus 13:14-16).

Lesson plan

• Required reading. First of all, God has provided a dramatic account in the book of Exodus of events surrounding the deliverance of Israel from hundreds of years of bondage—a real page turner, regardless of how many times it’s been read.

Whose imagination is not captured by the hardness of Pharaoh’s heart, the 10 plagues, the death angel passing over the homes of the Israelites and, finally, the exodus itself?

Many families enjoy the yearly airing of the movie The Ten Commandments, using it as a visual teaching tool, especially when coupled with a careful reading of the Scriptures themselves.

The New Testament accounts of Jesus’ betrayal, false conviction and eventual scourging and crucifixion have so many teaching points imbedded in them as well—things like the fruits of lying and injustice, and the wonderful gift of forgiveness through Christ’s sacrifice for the good of others.

• Reinforcement. Second, God instructed memorable things to be done, like the killing of the Passover lamb and using its blood for protection from the last plague of killing the firstborn; the preparation and eating of unleavened bread; and eventually, the New Testament activity of washing feet and the instituting of new Passover symbols.

While children do not participate in these new activities, they can be taught about the significance that they can and will have in their own lives.

• Iron sharpening iron. Sometimes parents may need some fresh ideas as they begin teaching their children about the significance of the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Two fellow writers (both grandmothers now) are willing to share some past experiences and suggestions in hopes that they will prove helpful and stimulating for a new generation of families today. These will be posted here on the Christian Parenting Blog over the next several days.

Karen Meeker and her husband, George, live in Missouri. She enjoys reading, writing and serving in her church area.