Twelve days - lords and pipers

The Twelve Days of Christmas . . . we are almost at the end!

Scholars who have researched this song and its use as a memory aid for children learning their catechism tell us that the ten lords a-leaping are the Ten Commandments.

Some folks may think that the Ten Commandments are not relevant today. 

I beg to differ. (Grin)

It's true that the Ten Commandments were God's Law and part of the system of sacrificial atonement which Jesus ultimately fulfilled forever, for all of us, as God's Messiah. But the Bible in many places tells us to be certain that we are obeying the commandments of God. And these are some of His commandments. 

If we look at the Commandments, we will see what Christians are supposed to look like. They give us a value system - a foundation for life. 

Let me explain . . . 

The first four commandments could be looked at as a vertical line between us and God. They talk about our relationship with God. 

First, there is only one God, and His name is Jehovah. We should worship Him.

Second, no idols. Yeah, I know, in today's world, I don't think any Christian will be tempted to grab a piece of wood and a whittling knife to create an idol and then worship it. But do we allow things in our lives to take first place? To shove our relationship with God aside? Then, those are idols.

Third, don't take His name in vain. Sure, this covers the fact that we are not to curse and swear. But it also means that when we tell people we are Christians, there is an expectation then . . . if we don't behave as Christ-like people, it's His name that is at stake.

Fourth, to keep the Sabbath is now to honor God by following His example. It benefits our health and it gives us opportunity to worship when we work for six days and rest on the seventh.

The next six commandments move out from us; horizontally from us to others in this world. 

Honor father and mother - establishing and nurturing a godly family.

Value life - number six shows us that God esteems very highly the life He gives, unborn life included.

Sexual purity - the seventh tells us that moral purity is high priority for God's people.

No stealing - the rights of ownership by individuals

No false witness - truthfulness in individual lives as well as in court

No coveting what belongs to others - keep greed and jealousy out of our hearts.

Put the first four (vertical) with the other six (horizontal) and we have a picture of the cross.  Because of the cross, these values can fill our lives, and as we acknowledge the lordship of Christ, we can receive forgiveness of sin and obey Him. 

The next verse of our song is for eleven pipers piping -- these represent the eleven faithful disciples.

Now it was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer with God. And when day came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also named as apostles: (Luke 6:12-13, NASB)

Twelve men responded to His call. He had planned to train them to carry on His work, but one would fall and betray Him.  The eleven faithful were: Simon (Peter), Andrew his brother, James and John the sons of Zebedee, Philip, Bartholomew (Nathanael), Thomas, Matthew the tax collector, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddeus (Judas, son of James), and Simon the Zealot.  Of course, Judas Isacariot was the one who betrayed Jesus, so he is not listed in the faithful eleven.

It is remarkable about our Savior that He chose ordinary and unrefined, fairly uneducated men. They were what their world considered common folk. They were from rural areas, often farmers or fishermen. Jesus purposely passed over the aristocratic, the elitist, and haughty men of society and chose men of humble surroundings. That's God's way. He exalts the humble and lays low those who are prideful. 

The eleven faithful disciples are each great encouragements to us because they are examples of how common people with typical failings and personalities can be used by God in remarkable ways!