November 27,
2016
“12 Drummers Drumming”
“12 Drummers Drumming”
Have you ever watched a Classic Christmas movie
or read a book that talks about what occurs during the season of
Christmas? Whether “A Christmas Carol”,
“Miracle on 34th Street” or “It’s a Wonderful Life”. One of the most common occurrences in
literature and the movies is that a choir of ‘merry makers’ are seen and heard,
either on the street corner, walking through the town or village and sometimes
even hired as entertainment for a shop or shopping center in the larger
cities. In olden days, these individuals
would go from door to door to ‘bring Christmas cheer’ to the community. Matter of fact, our church of Emmanuel has
done this and will again on December 10th.
One of the traditional songs that was
usually sung by the group between stops that would serenade the townspeople or
shoppers is the “12 Days of Christmas”.
The 12 Days of Christmas is a song of anticipation that has great
meaning and value for Christians. During
this Advent season, we will connect this beautiful hymn for each of us that
gather to not only learn more about this song, but connect each stanza with our
Christian beliefs and lives in order to help us make our true Christmas season more
memorable.
If you listen to our culture some say the
12 Days of Christmas begin December 13th and end on Christmas
Day. Realistically, this is not
true. Yes, Wal-Mart sadly even for the
employees starts well before Halloween.
By December 25th everyone is sick of hearing or seeing anything
about Christmas. Some of us even have our Christmas trees up
the day after Thanksgiving and are eager to have it down and put away the day
after Christmas. However, the 12 Days of
Christmas actually begin on Christmas Day.
Thus why the “12 Days of Christmas Song” and the true meaning of Christmas
all begins on Christmas Day with the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.
For our series though, in order for us to
truly understand what we celebrate after Christmas, we aren’t starting with the
real reason for the season, Jesus Christ, we will begin with the “12 Drummers Drumming”. And our series will end on Christmas Day,
since this year, Christmas is on a Sunday.
So today, we enthusiastically begin with the “12 Drummers Drumming” and the 12 Drummers are connected
something we just finished.
As most of you know since September we have
followed and delved deeply into the meaning and application of the Apostle’s
Creed. So clear are the doctrines and
their connection to scripture and what we confess could be broken into twelve
different sections. Hence why the “12 Drummers Drumming” is
connected clearly to the Apostle’s Creed and tells what we believe, teach and
confess as Christians.
The 12 Days of Christmas Song typically
ends with this connection to the Apostle’s Creed with the “12 Drummers Drumming”, but is a perfect place for us to
start. For the Apostle’s Creed confesses
the Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the creation of our world, the
conception of Jesus Christ, His suffering, crucifixion, death and burial, His
descent into Hell, His resurrection and ascension as well as where He sits at
His Father’s right Hand and how He will come to judge mankind. We confess our belief in the Holy Spirit, the
catholic church, the communion of saints, forgiveness of sins our resurrection
and life everlasting. So each of the 12
points, like drummers drumming pounds a complete picture of our collective
confession of our Christian faith. For
it is the confession of our faith that points like an arrow at and to the heart
of the Gospel message. And the heart of
the Gospel message we prepare our hearts for is found in the gift we will
celebrate on Christmas morning.
For with our confession of the 12 Points of
the Creed and singing the 12 Days of Christmas each point and stanza not only connects
us to the teachings passed down in the Creed, but emphasize each point with the“12 Drummers Drumming”. Our confession of our faith spans not only
centuries, but enables us to point to what Jesus Christ completed, and tell the
story of salvation and connect us to Jesus Christ through this simple holiday
song. For The 12 Days of Christmas Song
isn’t just a simple song, but a powerful and life changing confession of what
Jesus Christ was willing to do for all of mankind, including each of us who confess
our Christian faith.
May we this Advent season understand our Christian
faith in what Jesus Christ offers us so freely because of His great love for
each and every one of us and learn more about the eternal treasure found ultimately
in the stable, but today that we begin today with our learning about the 12
Days of Christmas with the “12
Drummers Drumming”. AMEN.
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