King Cake – The Preaching Pastry
This past weekend, Cheyenne and I visited family in Alabama for a very late family Christmas. We went to pick up some groceries for the party, and we came across a King Cake, a famous dish often associated with Mardi Gras. I’ve always had a soft spot for New Orleans and Cajun culture- after all, there is a reason I chose to attend New Orleans Seminary- so we took it home, and I did some research on the significance of the King Cake and the Mardi Gras season.
Although it has become largely secularized, Mardi Gras is originally tied to the liturgical calendar. Mardi Gras starts with Epiphany, when the Magi (wisemen) visited Jesus, and runs through Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday marks the start of Lent, a 40-day period of fasting which commemorates the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness. In other words, Mardi Gras was seen as a season of celebration and as a time to “fatten up” before a season of fasting, prayer, meditation, and reflection.
Many faith traditions still celebrate Lent. When I grew up in the Methodist church, we participated in the season of Lent by giving up something. This could include things like junk food, television, or some other hobby or habit that could potentially be a stumbling block in one’s faith.
As far as the cake itself, the symbolism of it all really is a sermon in and of itself:
1. As you might expect, the name “King Cake” comes from the revelation of the Christ Child.
2. The dish originated from French and Spanish celebrations of Epiphany, and settlers carried it with them to Louisiana.
3. The little plastic baby inside (pecan or coin), represents the Christ Child.
4. The three colors all represent different Christian virtues:
5. The oval/circular shape represents God’s never-ending love and Christ’s Kingship
The King Cake is just one example of so many traditions in Cajun culture- and, more broadly speaking, Western culture- that have Christian roots. Not only does this King Cake preach to us, but we can use it to preach to others! Knowing the Christian roots of cultural events like this are an excellent opportunity to evangelize and share the gospel with others!
It could be as simple as: “Hey, do you know where Mardi Gras comes from? It actually started as a celebration of Jesus Christ.”
That makes for a great segue into: “Do you know what Jesus did? He died so that we could be saved from our sin and be made righteous. Would you like to receive that salvation?”
People often overcomplicate evangelism, but it really is a matter of connecting everything back to Jesus Christ! And this is something that ALL Christians are called to do, regardless of age, vocation, or “social meter.” But along with that command comes a promise: that He will be with us wherever we go (Matthew 28:18-20).
Be encouraged by that, church! As we share the gospel with all nations, let’s remember that everything in creation ultimately point to Christ and that this same Christ is with us wherever we go!
This past weekend, Cheyenne and I visited family in Alabama for a very late family Christmas. We went to pick up some groceries for the party, and we came across a King Cake, a famous dish often associated with Mardi Gras. I’ve always had a soft spot for New Orleans and Cajun culture- after all, there is a reason I chose to attend New Orleans Seminary- so we took it home, and I did some research on the significance of the King Cake and the Mardi Gras season.
Although it has become largely secularized, Mardi Gras is originally tied to the liturgical calendar. Mardi Gras starts with Epiphany, when the Magi (wisemen) visited Jesus, and runs through Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday marks the start of Lent, a 40-day period of fasting which commemorates the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness. In other words, Mardi Gras was seen as a season of celebration and as a time to “fatten up” before a season of fasting, prayer, meditation, and reflection.
Many faith traditions still celebrate Lent. When I grew up in the Methodist church, we participated in the season of Lent by giving up something. This could include things like junk food, television, or some other hobby or habit that could potentially be a stumbling block in one’s faith.
As far as the cake itself, the symbolism of it all really is a sermon in and of itself:
1. As you might expect, the name “King Cake” comes from the revelation of the Christ Child.
2. The dish originated from French and Spanish celebrations of Epiphany, and settlers carried it with them to Louisiana.
3. The little plastic baby inside (pecan or coin), represents the Christ Child.
- Fun fact: In my first slice of my first ever King Cake this past weekend, I got the baby. Coincidentally, we’re pregnant with our first child. God has a sense of humor!
4. The three colors all represent different Christian virtues:
- Purple = justice
- Green = faith
- Gold = power
5. The oval/circular shape represents God’s never-ending love and Christ’s Kingship
The King Cake is just one example of so many traditions in Cajun culture- and, more broadly speaking, Western culture- that have Christian roots. Not only does this King Cake preach to us, but we can use it to preach to others! Knowing the Christian roots of cultural events like this are an excellent opportunity to evangelize and share the gospel with others!
It could be as simple as: “Hey, do you know where Mardi Gras comes from? It actually started as a celebration of Jesus Christ.”
That makes for a great segue into: “Do you know what Jesus did? He died so that we could be saved from our sin and be made righteous. Would you like to receive that salvation?”
People often overcomplicate evangelism, but it really is a matter of connecting everything back to Jesus Christ! And this is something that ALL Christians are called to do, regardless of age, vocation, or “social meter.” But along with that command comes a promise: that He will be with us wherever we go (Matthew 28:18-20).
Be encouraged by that, church! As we share the gospel with all nations, let’s remember that everything in creation ultimately point to Christ and that this same Christ is with us wherever we go!
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