January 6, 2018 - THE TWELFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS / EPIPHANY

Day 6 (Today’s Bible readings - Isaiah 60:1-6 / Psalm 72 / Matthew 2:1-12 / Ephesians 3:1-12)

    ♬ On the twelfth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
Twelve Drummers Drumming
Eleven Pipers Piping
Ten Lords a Leaping
Nine Ladies Dancing
Eight Maids a-Milking
Seven Swans a-Swimming
Six Geese a-Laying
Five Golden Rings
Four Calling Birds
Three French Hens
Two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree.

Why 12 Drummers Drumming on the Twelfth Day of Christmas?

The 12 drummers are said to represent twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles’ Creed.

• God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.
• Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord...
• Conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary...
• Suffered... was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell.
• He rose again from the dead.
• He ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of God and will come to judge.
• The Holy Spirit.
• The holy Christian church.
• The communion of saints.
• The forgiveness of sins.
• The resurrection of the body.
• The life everlasting.

Almighty God, thank You for the Twelve Days of Christmas and the lessons about the Christian faith revealed each day. May my celebration of the incarnation of Christ continue throughout the entire year. Thank You, Jesus, for coming to this earth with the mission of saving me from my sins and assuring me of the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting.  Amen.

"See" you in church tomorrow!

Pastor David Paape

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105 ), is the theme for this three-year journey through the entire Old Testament once (the Psalms - twice yearly), and the New Testament twice. There will be daily readings form the O.T., Psalms and the N.T. Special days on the church calendar will be highlighted with appropriate readings. This calendar has been compiled by representatives of the Lutheran Church of Canada, the North American Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. Please click this link for the daily reading calendar:
https://blogs.lcms.org/2017/lcms-lcc-and-nalc-compile-three-year-schedule-of-daily-bible-readings  
Then scroll down to 2018 Bible Reading Calendar and download it if you so wish. The “assigned” daily readings will appear on a daily basis in this blog. May the Lord bless you meditation upon His precious life-giving Word!