Christmas and Communion

Series: The Lord’s Supper

Text: Matt. 1:18; 20; 2:9-11; Exodus 12:5-9; 15; Matt 26:27-29)

Introduction: (What?)

Many churches celebrate the LORD’s Supper either on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. That may confuse some people who only see the connection between Passover and Easter. We must realize that God planned all this before the creation of the world, so there is a seamless progression that connects even Christmas with Communion.

Examination: (Why?)

1. The Sinless Savior (Matt 1:18, 20)

Matt 1:18 “The birth of Jesus Christ came about this way: After his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, it was discovered before they came together that she was pregnant from the Holy Spirit.”

Matt 1:20 “But after he had considered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.”

The significance of Mary being pregnant “from the Holy Spirit” is mentioned in an article by “Keep Believing Ministries”

“What exactly do we mean when we say that Jesus was “conceived by the Holy Spirit” and “born of the virgin Mary?” We mean at least five things: First, Jesus was born by the direct action of God. It’s clear that no one was expecting anything like this. Joseph assumes the worst until the angel intervenes. And Mary is shocked and mystified by Gabriel’s words. The Jews in general had no conception of a baby born to a virgin who would deliver them. It happened because God willed it to happen—and for no other reason. God did it this way because he chose to do it this way. A virgin gives birth by the sovereign choice of Almighty God. There is no other explanation. Second, no man was involved in the process. Not Joseph. Not a Roman soldier. Not any other man. Third, Jesus had a human mother and no human father. Fourth, Jesus is thus fully human and fully divine. He is fully human because he comes forth from Mary’s womb. He is fully divine because he is conceived by the Holy Spirit. He is not half-human and half-divine. He is the God-man—one person possessing two natures, God incarnate in human flesh. Fifth, he is therefore without sin. Luke 1:35 calls him “the holy one,” meaning that he will be born without any taint of sin. He has no inherited sin from Adam, no sin nature, nothing in him that will cause him to sin. He is holy in the truest and deepest meaning of that term. There is no sin in him or about him.

2. The Message of the Gifts (Matt 2:9-11)

Matt 2:9-11 “After hearing the king, they went on their way. And there it was—the star they had seen at its rising. It led them until it came and stopped above the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overwhelmed with joy. Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”

All of these were gifts suitable for a king. It is not clear whether or not the Magi had knowledge of the significance of the Myrrh and Frankincense. The latter was used in Temple worship, both at the main altar where it was mixed with the meat or grain offerings and at the Altar of Incense which stood just outside the Holy of Holies. Myrrh was used to embalm the dead.

Christian Apologist Josh McDowell notes that “Gold is a symbol of kingship on earth; frankincense is a symbol of deity and myrrh symbolizes death.”

Whether they knew it or not, the Magis’ gifts foreshadowed the life, ministry and death of Jesus.

3. The Meaning of the Unleavened Bread (Ex 12:5-9;15)

Ex 12:5-9 “You must have an unblemished animal, a year-old male; you may take it from either the sheep or the goats. You are to keep it until the fourteenth day of this month; then the whole assembly of the community of Israel will slaughter the animals at twilight. They must take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses where they eat them. They are to eat the meat that night; they should eat it, roasted over the fire along with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Do not eat any of it raw or cooked in boiling water, but only roasted over fire—its head as well as its legs and inner organs.”

Ex 12:15 “You must eat unleavened bread for seven days. On the first day you must remove yeast from your houses. Whoever eats what is leavened from the first day through the seventh day must be cut off from Israel.”

Because of the haste in leaving Egypt, there was no time to allow bread with yeast to rise. Consequently unleavened bread was eaten during the first Passover. In subsequent years unleavened (matzoh) bread has been used as a reminder of the Exodus. Also,leaven is used in the Bible to symbolize sin. In Matt 16 Jesus warned His disciples to “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees”.

Partake of the bread: In Matt 26:26 we find, “As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take and eat it; this is my body.”” (Eat the bread)

4. The meaning of the Fruit of the Vine (Matt 26:27-29)

Matt 26:27-28 “Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. (Drink the juice)

In Matt 26:29 Jesus said, “But I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.””

The literal meaning of “the fruit of the vine” is grape juice. Whether or not it was fermented, it is still the juice of the grape. It symbolized shed blood of Jesus. The disciples probably did not grasp the significance of this until after the crucifixion of Jesus. The significance for us is found in Heb 9:12-14 “he entered the most holy place once for all time, not by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow, sprinkling those who are defiled, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works so that we can serve the living God?”

In Heb 9:22 “According to the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”

Application: (How will I respond to this message?)

Have you be “washed in the blood of the Lamb?” That only happens when you surrender your life to Christ. If you can’t remember a specific time when you did this, then do it today. Just pray, “Jesus, I give you my life.” and then come down here and tell me what you have done.

If today God has called you to be a part of this church family, please come and tell me. The ways that members are received are listed in your bulletin.

If, in the process of partaking of these elements God has pointed out sin in your life, confess it to Him right now so that you can be cleansed from all unrighteousness.