“CHRISTMAS COMMUNION”
INTRODUCTION:
We’ve been through Halloween, just finished Thanksgiving and now we’re in December! December officially kicks off the Christmas Season. We generally think of “CHRISTMAS” as the birth time of Jesus Christ, the giving of gifts in the celebration of what God gave to us in His Son Jesus Christ.
With the beginning of December I have kind of a different theme today as my sermon is entitled, “CHRISTMAS COMMUNION”. I’ve never heard of a sermon with a title like that or even thought about it in that context! It would seem that I’ve conveniently combined the two but in all actuality they are in inseparably connected.
Today is “COMMUNION SUNDAY” here at Lighthouse Worship Center. We take “COMMUNION” every first Sunday of the month as is our tradition.
In the same vein we generally think of “COMMUNION” as the time of “SACRIFICE” when Jesus was to go to the Cross and suffer and die for our sins and then His resurrection from the grave with the keys to life and death.
So one would or might think it strange to connect the two in such a manner. But I submit to you today that it is not strange at all for the both, “CHRISTMAS & COMMUNION” are so tightly woven together they fit with one another better than the old phrase, “HAND & GLOVE!”
You see you can have a hand without a glove and it works well except in extreme cold or rough hard conditions but the hand can act or work without the glove and the glove without the hand has no real function in and of itself.
Whereas “CHRISTMAS & COMMUNION” are tied together almost as one. You cannot have one without the other, that’s how closely they are connected & tied together. What is “COMMUNION” without “CHRISTMAS” and what is “CHRISTMAS” without “COMMUNION”?
“COMMUNION” without “CHRISTMAS” is just a Sunday morning snack among friends! And “CHRISTMAS” without “COMMUNION” is just another holiday to sell toys and make money!
Let me share with you for a few moments this morning on the importance of Christmas, the advent of the coming of the Son of God!
It was not only of a “VIRGIN” that separates this childbirth. But it was the birth through a “VIRGIN” as fulfilled by prophecy in Isaiah 9 when it was prophesied thusly...
“For unto to us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; & the government shall be upon His shoulder. & His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government there will be no end, Upon the throne of David & over His Kingdom, To order it & establish it with judgment & justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”
Everything about that passage speaks to the Christian but I’ve not heard it before about the last part: “The ZEAL of the LORD of HOSTS will perform this.”
THAT TELLS ME THAT GOD WAS “EXCITED” ABOUT BRINGING REDEMPTION TO MANKIND! HE WAS ELATED ABOUT A PROCESS THAT WOULD “FORGIVE MAN” OF HIS SINS & “REDEEM MAN” UNTO GOD THAT FELLOWSHIP MIGHT BE RESTORED!
WHEN WE PARTAKE OF COMMUNION WE PARTAKE OF THE WONDERFUL, THE COUNSELOR, THE MIGHTY GOD, THE EVERLASTING FATHER, THE PRINCE OF PEACE & OF HIS GOVERNMENT!
BUT KNOW THIS! GOD KNEW FROM THE BEGINNING THAT THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE A “SHEDDING OF INNOCENT BLOOD” FOR THIS TO COME ABOUT!
GOD KNEW THERE WOULD BE A TIME OF “COMMUNION” THAT “MAN WOULD PARTAKE” OF THROUGH THE “BIRTH & SACRIFICE!”
THINK FOR A MOMENT HOW “ELATED” GOD WAS TO PROVIDE FOR HIS CREATION THIS GIFT BUT HOW “HEARTBROKEN” HE MUST HAVE BEEN AT THE SAME TIME KNOWING WHERE HE WAS LEADING THAT GIFT!
IT WOULD LIKE YOU HAVING A CHILD BORN KNOWING THAT YOU CHILD WAS GOING TO DIE AN “UNTIMELY, HORRIFIC & INNOCENT DEATH!” SEEING YOUR PROGENY KNOWING THE “SORROW & PAIN” HE WOULD ENDURE FOR SOMEONE ELSE.
IN THE MIDST OF THE “JOY OF BIRTH” HOW “PAINFUL” IT WOULD BE FOR YOU AS A PARENT TO KNOW THAT FOR YOUR CHILD!
Isaiah 53 continues on the prophecy of that birth when he says...
“Surely He has borne our griefs & carried our sorrows. Yet, we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God & afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement of peace was upon Him, & by His stripes we are healed.”
“COMMUNION” is tied to the fact that HE BORE ALL OUR “GRIEFS & SORROWS!” HE WAS A MAN OF SORROWS! He said it in Matthew 26:38 when He spoke to the few disciples with Him when He said...
“MY SOUL IS EXCEEDINGLY SORROWFUL!”
HE NOT ONLY KNEW WHAT WAS COMING BUT FOR THE REASON IT WAS COMING. HE WAS TO BE THE “BEARER” OF ALL THE “GRIEF & SORROW” OF THE WORLD FOREVERMORE!
Solomon says that “HE THAT IS SURETY FOR A STRANGER WILL SURELY SMART FOR IT.” & JESUS DID JUST “THAT!” HE BORE OUR SINS, OUR GRIEFS EVEN OUR SORROWS ON A CRUEL CROSS THAT WAS NOT HIS BUT YOURS & MINE! A “CROSS” THAT BELONGED TO “US” BECAME “HIS!”
WHEN WE PARTAKE OF “COMMUNION” WE PARTAKE OF “HIS CUP” OF “GRIEF & SORROW” WITH HIM!
“BY HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED!”
By the stripes He took on his back we are healed today. You wonder why some people don’t receive their healing? Could it be because they refuse to take “COMMUNION” with Him? Oh, they may take the cup & bread but do they REALLY PARTAKE WITH HIM!
How many times have I seen people walk down aisles to take communion only to have them come to my office for counsel in a sin the negates them from partaking in “COMMUNION.” Scripture tells us that in doing unworthily it’s if “YOU” drove the nails!
I Corinthians 11:27-30 reads like this...
“Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body & blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, & so let him eat of the bread & drink of the cup. For he who eats & drinks in an unworthy manner eats & drinks judgement to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are WEAK & SICK AMONG YOU, & MANY SLEEP.”
The taking of “COMMUNION” coincides with “HIS STRIPES FOR OUR HEALING!”
That “HEALING” covers a multitude of maladies! Everything from the physical to the mental!
CONCLUSION:
“COMMUNION” IS THE “SEALING OF THE COVENANT OF GOD” FOR MANKIND!
Jesus said in Luke 22:20...
“This cup is the new COVENANT in My Blood, which is shed for you.”
FOR THE PARTAKING OF “COMMUNION” IS BECAUSE OF THE “ACCEPTANCE OF EVERYTHING” THAT JESUS DID FOR MANKIND FROM THE MOMENT OF BIRTH TO HIS DEATH TO HIS RESURRECTION!
All of these things culminate when Jesus says,
“THIS DO IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME!”
IN OTHER WORDS
“REMEMBER ALL THAT I HAVE DONE FOR YOU BY TAKING COMMUNION!”
Prayer! Let’s examine ourselves before we take Communion this morning!
Luke 22:14-20
“When the hour had come, He sat down, & the twelve apostles with Him. Then He said to them, ‘With fervent desire, I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.’ Then He took the cup, & gave thanks & said, ‘Take this & divide it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.’ & He took bread, gave thanks & broke it, & gave it to them saying, ‘This is My body which is give for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ Likewise He also took the cup after supper saying ‘This is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.’ ”
