Resources/Articles
When Your Children Ask, and They Will
When your children say to you,
“What do you mean by this service?”
...You shall say,
“It is the sacrifice of Jehovah’s Passover...
Exodus 12:26,27
One of the most important events in Jewish history is the exodus from Egypt. God freed His people from the bondage of Egypt. Prior to leaving Egypt, the Israelites were commanded to eat a special meal called the Passover. As an act of judgment upon the Egyptians, God said He would strike down every firstborn son, but He would pass over the houses that had the blood of a lamb on the top and sides of the door frames (Exodus 12).
To honor God’s act of judgment and grace, the people of Israel would share in the Passover meal. God said one day their children would ask, “What do you mean by this?” It was the parent’s duty to give the reason why. They would not say, “Because I said so...” or “That’s just what we were told to do.” They were responsible to tell the story of the exodus and God’s salvation to free them from bondage. God did not want the story of His great salvation to be lost in one generation. He wanted every generation to know and appreciate the meaning behind this act of obedience.
When our children ask us about our values, lifestyle, prayers, Bible reading, church attendance, and worship, we have a responsibility to answer them. It is not, “It is what we have always done.” We are followers of Jesus. We must tell the story of how Jesus became our Passover Lamb. His blood redeemed us from our bondage to sin. We are no longer slaves to sin, but are free to serve the God of heaven. We speak of God’s undying love for us at the cross of Christ and today. Acknowledge the need to continually honor Him for providing us all we need to be saved and have hope of eternal life. The life of your child’s parent - you - should show for the glory of the cross in your humility and obedience. It will be a beginning toward helping your child understand the value of their relationships with God.
