December 7,
2016
“9 Ladies Dancing AND 8 Maids A-milking”
“9 Ladies Dancing AND 8 Maids A-milking”
When a child first enters kindergarten,
they are required to go through a Pre-School screening. Here at Emmanuel, we have even hosted these
events in the past. Clearly there is
lots of energy with excited children and frazzled parents when that day arrives. Yet what is interesting is that this ‘snap
shot’ of a child’s development and abilities enables the staff to clearly
understand the strengths and weaknesses of the student and how to help the
student succeed in the near future.
Just as the ‘pre-school’ screening is a
tool, our delving into the 12 Days of Christmas Song enables us to learn more
about the song and how we can use it as a tool for the spread of the Gospel of
Jesus Christ. So far we have heard about
the 12 Drummers Drumming, the 11 Pipers Piping and the 10 Lord’s a
Leaping. Tonight we get a double shot
where we can connect and fully understand the “9 Ladies Dancing” and the “8 Maids A Milking”.
Please understand we are not a Vaudeville
show tonight with the ladies dancing, but in the 12 Days of Christmas Song the
“9 Ladies Dancing” is a
reference to our reading from tonight of the 9 Fruits of the Holy Spirit. These 9 fruits are clearly and specifically from
God and are to be shared with one another.
As we heard they are “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control”. These are fruits, what are to be a result from
our daily lives. At times we have these
fruits clearly in our lives and at other times we do not. Yet, the “9 Ladies Dancing” and these 9 fruits are meant to be shown daily
in our lives and in we the members of the church for the spread of the Gospel
message.
We are called to ‘love unconditionally’ no
matter the person, ‘share the joy of our hearts’ daily, ‘live in peace’ with
one another, ‘have patience’ no matter the circumstance, ‘show kindness not
just during the holidays’ and ‘share the goodness of Christ with others’. We as well are to daily ‘demonstrate our
faithfulness’ to Christ’s teachings and gladly hear and learn it. ‘Share the gentleness with those in need’ and
‘have self-control’ in all things. Are
we perfect at this, by no means, this is why they are ‘fruits’. For the church is a hospital for the sick, a
place to refuel to go out into the world.
We come to have the salve of the Gospel of Jesus Christ shared and to
share with one another the fruits we have been given with the balm of the
Gospel message of what Jesus Christ did for all of mankind.
Yet, we might ask, how can we share these “9 Ladies Dancing”, these 9 Fruits
of the Spirit, because the “9 Ladies
Dancing” like a mortice joint fit together so well with the “8 Maids A Milking”. The “8
Maids A Milking” are Jesus own teaching that are best known as the
Beatitudes. The 8 Beatitudes spoken by
Jesus are honored in this way by the “8
Maids A Milking” and are meant to open up to us a clear personal
opportunity for the application of the ‘fruits of the spirit’. For the “8
Maids A Milking” provide such spiritual sustenance that point to what
God has done in each of us and how God clearly blesses us daily.
For God’s blessing found with each of the “8 Maids A Milking” finds perfect
application of, for and with the “9
Ladies Dancing” and perfectly blesses not only those who receive, but
also the giver as well. The blessings
received by both parties’ changes the attitude for everyone involved. Even Scripture not just alludes to this, but
in Acts (20:35) says, “It is more blessed to give than to receive”. And what better gift to give one another than
the truth found in the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
When we daily couple and apply to one
another the fruits made allusion to with the “9 Ladies Dancing” and the truths of the “8 Maids A Milking” and apply
them in our lives the opportunity we have is for a greater impact of the Gospel
message. It is the Gospel message and
potential of an eternal impact we can have upon others when we use God’s fruits
of the Spirit already given to us and apply these truths sung about in the 12
Days of Christmas for others. So when we
sing of the “9 Ladies Dancing”
and the “8 Maids A Milking”
we then can use this powerful song in the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus
Christ. For no more powerful connection
can be made than with song.
Sunday in our Films of Faith Series, we
again watched “Silent Night”. So
compelling a story was the writing of “Silent Night” that when on Christmas Eve
we hear and sing the simple song, the Gospel message comes alive. This is the power that even the “9 Ladies Dancing” and the “8 Maids A Milking” can have in
sharing what Jesus Christ has done on Calvary for each and every one of us. May we during the coming weeks not only
continue to understand our faith in a deeper and more profound way, but believe
that the Fruits of the Spirit and the Beatitudes not only are a gift from God
for us, but with the aid of the 12 Days of Christmas Song we can share it with
others and point to the love of Christ for all mankind. For it is Jesus Christ in each of our hearts
that enables us to share Jesus with others as we sing about “9 Ladies Dancing” and the “8 Maids A Milking”. AMEN.
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