Tag: 12 Days of Christmas

12 Day of Christmas Eve of Epiphany
12 Days of Christmas · Christian. · Christmas · Christmas Traditions

12 Day of Christmas Eve of Epiphany

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Time for the tree to be cleared of all its treasures.

The red symbolic of the fall of man in the Garden of Eden; the white the salvation of Christ.

Take the star off of the top. Tomorrow we celebrate the wise men reaching the baby.  They followed a star.

Place the Angels back in a secure spot.  And think about the Angel’s Hymn

Put the stockings in a box.  But never forget the example of St Nicholas and his concern for the well being of others.  And if you have a plate for cookies think about St Lucia and the traditions associated with this woman’s saint day.

Place the nativity scene in its container wrapping each piece in tissue.  The shepherds who were in the fields watching over the lambs that would become the passover sacrifice.  These shepherds who were the ones to hear the Angels announce the Messiah was born. Carefully put away the wise men from the East who followed a star to find the King.  The stable where the Inn Keeper put the expectant family when there was no room for them anywhere else.  And the manger where animals had once ate, but that night so long ago the King of Kings and Lord of Lords was placed in as a baby.

Journal Exercise

Write all your favorite memories of this Christmas season

Eleventh Day of Christmas The Gift of Myrrh
12 Days of Christmas · Christian. · Christmas

Eleventh Day of Christmas The Gift of Myrrh

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Luke 23:52 This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.

53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.

54 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.

55 And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.

56 And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.

Strange verses to list in regard to the Christmas gifts. Probably so, but Myrrh was a common spice used in preparing for a body for burial.  The last gift symbolized Jesus purpose in being born.  He would be the Lamb of God sacrificed for the Sins of Man.  Jesus was born to die.

The Myrrh cost a significant amount and was a present due a king just as gold and frankincense were.  These three gifts represented expensive items worthy of royalty, but they also symbolized who the baby would be.  Our king, our high priest and our sacrifice for sin.

Journal Exercise

My heart breaks for those women in the verses.  They followed Jesus their rabbi.  They gave their lives to his teachings.  He meant everything to them.  Then the religious leaders accused him and the government killed him.  They stayed at the foot of the cross as he cried out.  They saw the life drained from him.  And they followed behind to see where the body was placed.  It was too late to prepare the body properly before they were required to stop work for the Sabbath.

Write what you think it must have been like waiting together until you can go and properly prepare Jesus body.

As soon as it was permissable, the women rushed to where Jesus was laid.  But he was gone.

Luke 24 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:

5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?

6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,

Now write how you would have felt as these men tell you Jesus is risen.

Nine Days of Christmas The Gifts for the Baby
12 Days of Christmas · Christian. · Christmas

Nine Days of Christmas The Gifts for the Baby

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matthew 2:11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.

Gold symbolizes power.  Gold represents the perfect gift for a king.  And the sages made clear the star was the star of a mighty king.  Jesus, a descendent of King David, will one day take His earthly throne in Israel.  We read the end of the book and we know Jesus is the King of Kings.

Revelation 19:

11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords.

Journal Exercise

A king holds power and authority.  They expect and are due respect.  Those who live under their power seek to obey their commands.

Do you treat Jesus as an equal or do you treat Him as your king?

Our relationship with Christ is complicated. He is our King and our friend.  We owe him our alliegence, but He is willing to listen to our problems.  He rules the universe and cares about your personal needs.

What is your relationship with Jesus like?

What gift would you bring your King?  Gold? Obedience? Respect?

Do you treat Him with the respect due a king?

Watch Night
12 Days of Christmas · Christian. · Christmas

Watch Night

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Moravians (a group of devout Christians) started Watch Night services around 1733 on the estates of Count Nicholas von Zinzendorf in Hernhut, Germany.  This count from childhood longed to serve God.  He established the earliest Protestant missions and had a strong influence on John Wesley the founder of the Methodist movement.

Over the years, the Methodist continued the tradition of Watch Night services.  These include New Year’s eve watch night services, but they were also done on other evenings. The most famous watch night was when slaves waited on December 31, 1862 for the dawn of freedom.  The Emancipation Proclamation came into effect on the first.

The purpose of the Watch Night centered on evaluating your relationship with Christ.  The evening should be spent in contemplation of where you would stand if tomorrow you were called to face God.  We have no idea when Christ will return or when we will be called to face Him personally.  We know a day will come.  If we take our faith seriously, we should evaluate our lives periodically to determine if we are living as He desires.

Journal Exercise

Do you know Jesus as your personal savior?  Do you trust that his sacrifice on the Cross covers your sins?

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Do you love God?

Luke 10:27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind;

One of the tests to determine if you love God more than anything else is to ask if God asked you to give it up or if God took it from you would you still trust God.  An example of this is the Rich Young Ruler who asked Jesus what he should do to inherit eternal life.  They go through most of the ten commandments and the young man confirms he has done these things.  Then Jesus says

Luke 18:22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.

23 And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.

 Would you sell all you have if Jesus asked you to do so?
What if Jesus asked you to give to the poor, to help a single mother by baby sitting, or to send a care package to a prisoner or to go regularly to a nursing home to sit with the elderly.   What if He asks you to take a job you did not want to take so you can help someone who is sick?
We show our love for God by loving others.
John 15:17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.

But here is a question are you willing to be hated by the world?  Do you stand for Christ even when it is not popular?  Do you love Jesus more than anyone else in the world?

John 15:

18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.