On The Fifth Day of Christmas
with Rev. Laura Shrewood
December 29, 2024
Christmas did not end on December 25th! Sunday’s message invites us to discover how the 12 days can deepen our faith journey into the New Year.
The Scripture
Galatians 4:4-7
4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. 6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.
Luke 2:21-35
21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.
22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you may now dismiss[c] your servant in peace.
30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.”
33 The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
Read the Full Text
Before we dive into the heart of today’s message, I thought we’d start with a little fun – a quick quiz about a favorite song for this season – the Twelve Days of Christmas. How many have this whole song memorized? Growing up, my family would sing the song multiple times in a row with each time going a little bit faster – which was a good way to remember all the verses. Here’s the question: On what day do we sing about maids a-milking? Is it the 6th, 8th, or 12th day? (Pause to listen for answers) If you said the 8th day, you’re right!
You may already know this, but each gift in the song carries a hidden meaning, making it more than a festive carol. I learned its history as a young adult. The Twelve Days of Christmas was written in 16th century England as a teaching tool for Christians during a time of persecution, when it was dangerous to practice faith in public. On the surface, the lyrics of the song didn’t raise suspicion because it used symbolic language for each of the 12 gifts. For the faithful it was a safe way to share foundational truths about what they believed.
Finish reading
For example, the five golden rings represent the first five books of the Old Testament – Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy – which outline God’s covenant with humanity. On the 12th day, the “twelve drummers drumming” symbolize the twelve points of belief in the Apostles’ Creed, affirming the core tenets of Christian faith. Here’s a bonus question: does anyone know what part of scripture is represented by 8 maids a-milking? (The Beatitudes) [If you want to know what all of the 12 gifts mean, come find me during Fellowship.]
The song as a whole also reminds us that Christmas is more than one day on December 25th. Today, we’re going to focus on three of the twelve days of Christmas: the 12th day for the culmination of the season and its connection to the Epiphany, the 5th day because that’s where we are right now, and the 8th day because of its special significance in Luke’s Gospel, when Jesus was circumcised and named according to Jewish custom. Let’s explore how these days can deepen our understanding of the Christmas story and its lasting impact on our lives.
Christmas Isn’t Over
Today is only the 5th of the twelve days of Christmas, but for most of the world, Christmas is, in effect, over. It ended on December 25th. The presents have been opened, the anticipation that had been building up for 364 days is gone. Christmas items in stores have been marked down by 50% or more, subtly implying they are at most half as valuable as they were before. Now, we are facing clean-up, the end of vacation time, and soon going back to school and work. The incredible, life-changing story of God coming to earth in the flesh of a newborn baby is already fading as we steadily fall back into our old routines along with the rest of the world.
But the true gift of Christmas, the message of God’s adoption of us as His children, is one we cannot afford to pack away with the decorations or discount like old merchandise.
A Personal Story About Adoption
Once upon a time, way back when I was a teenager, I was sharing pictures with kids at school and one of my friends showed a picture of me with my two brothers to someone who didn’t know me very well. This friend pointed to them in turn saying, “This is Laura’s adopted brother and that’s her real brother.” I was taken aback; I had never thought of it that way, and I was shocked that anyone would. Of course, I corrected my friend right away, explaining that they were both my real brothers, 100%.
Full Heirs of God’s Kingdom
Thank goodness for us, this is what God means by adoption, the adoption that we have received from God through Christ – that makes us 100% real children of God, full heirs of the kingdom with Christ our brother.
Paul reminds us in Galatians 4
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son… so that we might receive adoption as children… And because we are children, we are also heirs, through God.
We see this meaning in Luke’s account of how Simeon was impacted by witnessing the circumcision ceremony for 8-day-old baby Jesus. One commentator writes that, (L.H. pg. 35), “As (Simeon) saw that child for the first time – (he) realized that if God comes to bring redemption, the consolation of Israel, God will console the gentiles as well. If God moves in history to save [the Jews] (God’s chosen people), such salvation must involve the whole world…all creation.”
In other words, we are all included in this miraculous gift!
The 8th Day: Fresh Vision and a Life-Changing Promise
We can presume from the scripture that Simeon was of advanced age, and it tells us directly in verse 26 that he had received a promise from God that he would see God’s Messiah before he died. When Simeon came to the temple that day, he understood deep within his spirit who baby Jesus was and what he meant for all of us as God’s adopted children.
His response was one of profound praise and joy. Taking the baby in his arms, he proclaimed: My eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel. (Luke 2:30-32)
Simeon’s fresh vision reminds us that the rituals and traditions of our faith, though familiar, can reveal new depths of meaning when we are open to the movement of the Spirit.
Joseph and Mary were amazed by what was being said about their child. They came to the temple intending only to fulfill the customary traditions, yet they encountered a powerful message of God’s promise and salvation. Their astonishment shows how God’s presence can break through even the most routine moments, revealing God’s extraordinary grace.
The 12th Day: Culmination and Celebration
This Christmas, we have heard the same message that Simeon received and we have seen the same light that Mary and Joseph saw in their newborn baby, but have we truly felt its power? Or has our celebration of Christmas become so customary that we no longer experience the true life-changing potential it brings?
We usually ask each other, “How was your Christmas?” The expectation is to hear about gifts we received, family we saw, and places we went – all wonderful parts of our holiday traditions. But what would happen if our response to that question was, “This Christmas I saw the light of God in Christ. I learned how much God loves me by coming to earth in the flesh, to bring me salvation and to make me an adopted child of God and a full heir of God’s kingdom?”
The Real Gift of Christmas
The beloved song, The Twelve Days of Christmas lists some extraordinary gifts that, in their time, would have been instantly recognized on their surface as lavish and joyfully extravagant. But the real meaning of those verses reveals the outlandish extravagance of God’s love for us sent in the incomprehensible gift of the newborn Christ. So, the question to all of us is: what did we really get for Christmas? How will this gift shape our lives as we move into the New Year? May the power of God’s extravagant love for all of us in Christ’s birth be the gift we carry forward. Amen.
Charge: Let’s take the extravagant love of God, as symbolized in the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” and make it real in our lives. Let’s carry the joy and peace of Christ with us, not just for twelve days, but every day.
Benediction: May the peace and joy of Christ’s birth fill us in heart, mind, and spirit, so that we are inspired always to Choose Love so we can Be the Light that Changes the World. Amen.