Let’s Make Bread!
Make unleavened bread similar to what the Jews might have eaten during Passover.
Ingredients:
- 1 c. flour
- 3 Tbsp. sugar
- 1/3 tsp. salt
- 1/3 c. shortening
- 2-2 1/2 Tbsp. milk
Combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in shortening. Add a little bit of milk at a time, and only enough to form dough. Roll dough (using floured rolling pin) to 1/4” thick. Cut in 1/2” squares. Pierce each piece with a fork in long rows from top to bottom. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes until done. (There are many recipes online. This recipe was found at: http://www.haydid.org/unleaven.htm.)
Ask:
How did God save His people from death during the last plague—the death of the first born in each family? (Moses told all the people to kill a lamb and put its blood on the top and sides of the doorposts of their homes. When the angel came through that night, he would “pass over” the homes of the ones who had the blood on their doorposts.)
God saved His people from death that night and freed them from slavery. God told them to celebrate the Passover every year and REMEMBER His power and love.
Why did God’s people, the Jews, eat only unleavened bread during the Passover? (The Jews did not have time to let their bread rise when they left Egypt, but leaven is also symbolic of sin. They had to rid their houses of all leaven (any kind of yeast) and eat only unleavened bread for seven days during the Passover celebration.)
*They ate other special foods—each full of meaning—during the Passover celebration.
Delivered and Thankful
Draw pictures to express thanks to God for delivering us from our sin. Pass out paper and markers and ask each family member to think about Jesus’ death and draw a picture to say thank you.
Why is it important to remember Jesus’ death? (So we can understand His great love for us; so we can say thank you; so we can share His love with others; etc.)
Why are you glad Jesus gave up His life for us? (We can have our sin taken away; we can go to Heaven; we can have a special friendship with Him; etc.)
The Jews celebrated the Passover to REMEMBER God’s power and love when He delivered them from slavery in Egypt. God has freed us from a different kind of slavery—the slavery to sin. Jesus, the “Passover Lamb” took our sin, so we could be free.
We are to REMEMBER Jesus’ death—His great love and sacrifice for us. A special time we REMEMBER what Jesus did is when we take communion (Matthew 26:26-29). But we can REMEMBER His love and be thankful that He gave up His life every day so we can have eternal life.
Act It Out!
Act out the story of the God’s deliverance of the Israelites from the Egyptian army. Assign parts (Narrator, Moses with a rod, Israelites, Egyptian army, two people to be the Red Sea-which will part and then come back together when the army comes through). If you have a smaller family, act it out in scenes and have the same people play different parts. Read Exodus 14:3-31 aloud as the actors do what you say.
Talk about it:
How do you think you would have felt if you had been there—before and after the Red Sea parted?
What does this story teach us about God? (He is all-powerful; He can be trusted; He is watching over His people; etc.)
Close your time together in prayer thanking God for His power and asking Him to help you recognize His power daily.