Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
As Christians, it is our responsibility to know what the Bible teaches and to share those beliefs with other people. Paul had done that throughout his ministry. He pointed
out that fact in 1 Corinthians 15:3 & 4 saying, “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”
Sharing our faith isn’t always easy though. For example, when the song The Twelve Days of Christmas was written, it was dangerous time to be a Christian. Therefore, people had to be creative in finding ways to teach the Bible without alerting those outside the church that it was being taught. Each of the gifts listed in this Christmas carol represent a biblical teaching. For the next twelve days we are going to go through this song, starting at Day twelve and counting backward to Day 1, just the way the twelfth verse is sung.
Verse 12 of The Twelve Days of Christmas begins with the line, “On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me twelve drummers drumming.” The twelve drummers in this line represent the twelve points of The Apostle’s Creed. The Apostle’s Creed describes the basic beliefs of Christians. What are these beliefs? God is our creator. Jesus is God’s Son. He was born of a virgin, crucified, resurrected, and ascended into heaven. Jesus will judge all people. There is a Holy Spirit. The church, God’s people, is holy and set apart for God’s work. Christians are to participate in The Lord’s Supper. Our sins can be forgiven. Our bodies will be resurrected. We will live eternally.
The next time you sing about the twelve drummers drumming, take a moment to reflect on the basic beliefs of the Christian faith.
“And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” 1 John 5:11 & 12
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for giving me the Bible to teach me all You want me to know about my Christian faith. Help me to bravely share it with others. In Jesus’ name. Amen