(John 18:37) (Communion) (Christmas)

John 18:37 ESV

37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

In December,

communion is interesting because we not only

- celebrate the death of Jesus,

- but also his birth.

is a fascinating verse - because Jesus tells us why he was born>>>

John 18:37 ESV

37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

What is this truth?

John 3:16–21 ESV

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

Support for use of to reference the truth in .

The ESV Study Bible Chapter 14

14:6 Jesus as the one way to the Father fulfills the OT symbols and teachings that show the exclusiveness of God’s claim (see note on 3:18), such as the curtain (Ex. 26:33) barring access to God’s presence from all except the Levitical high priest (Leviticus 16), the rejection of human inventions as means to approach God (Lev. 10:2), and the choice of Aaron alone to represent Israel before God in his sanctuary (Num. 17:5). Jesus is the only “way” to God (Acts 4:12), and he alone can provide access to God. Jesus as the truth fulfills the teaching of the OT (John 1:17) and reveals the true God (cf. 1:14, 17; 5:33; 18:37; also 8:40, 45–46; 14:9). Jesus alone is the life who fulfills the OT promises of “life” given by God (11:25–26), having life in himself (1:4; 5:26), and he is thus able to confer eternal life to all those who believe in him (e.g., 3:16). This is another “I am” saying that makes a claim to deity (see note on 6:35).

The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to John b. Pilate Questions Jesus (18:33–38a)

Similarly, only those who are rightly related to God, to the truth itself, can grasp Jesus’ witness to the truth (cf. 3:16–21). Everyone who is on the side of truth (lit. ‘who is of the truth’) listens to Jesus (cf. 10:3, 16, 27).

PROP: Jesus was born,

so that each of us can have eternal life.

It was, by Jesus’s own Words, the reason he was born into this world.

As says -

Luke 2:11 ESV

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Let’s take a moment to reflect on the reason Jesus was born.

Let’s take a

Close Communion:

1 Corinthians 11:27–32 ESV

27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. 31 But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.

Member of a Gospel believing church.

No major sin in your life.

Bread

In the manner that Jesus called us to, We shall take up the bread. The bread represents the body of Jesus that was crucified on the cross for the forgiveness of sins. As we take up the bread may we examine our hearts and meditate on Christ’s crucifixion.

· Small Tray

· Pray praising God for the crucifixion of Christ body.

In Remembrance of Christs bodily death for sins you may eat the bread.

Blood

In the manner that Jesus called us to, We shall take up the cups of juice. The juice represents the blood of Jesus spilled upon Calvary. The blood that bought the forgiveness of sin. As we take up the juice may we mediate on the spilled blood of Jesus Christ?

· Large Tray

· Pray Praising God for the spilled blood of Christ Jesus

In Remembrance of Christs spilled blood you may drink the cup of juice.