The Twelve Days Of Christmas Series

Every December, something strange happens in our churches.

We sing songs that we haven’t sung in a year and we confidently sing words we’ve been singing since childhood.

But here is what happens sometimes… I know it does when we’re kids and sometimes it happens when we’re older.

We get half way through the song, we’re thinking, “Wait—what does that even mean?”

We sing about newborn kings, weary worlds rejoicing, ransom souls, heavenly hosts, and stars that somehow know things. Next week, we’re going to talk about a little lamb that could talk.

And we sing these words loudly and with conviction. Sometimes not on pitch… but always with confidence.

You see… Christmas songs are more than tradition. They’re more than nostalgia. A lot of them are basically sermons set to music.

Long before some people ever open a Bible, people are hearing theology set to music.

These songs talk about some deep truths about who Jesus is, why He came, and what His coming means for us right now.

So… In this series—“What Did I Just Sing? – Christmas Edition” we’ve been taking a closer look at some of the most familiar Christmas songs, and uncover the powerful biblical truths hidden in plain sight.

My hope is that by the time this series is over, you won’t just sing these songs louder you’ll sing them with deeper understanding, stronger faith, and a renewed sense of wonder at the miracle of Christmas.

Basically… my hope is that the next time you open your mouth to sing, you won’t be guessing at what you’re singing… You’ll know exactly what you just sang… and why it matters.

Can we be honest for just a second? How many of you like the song, “The Twelve Days of Christmas”? Raise your hands.

I do not! Now… there is one version however that I find very entertaining. It’s when John Denver was on the Muppet Show back in the 70’s. Anybody remember this?

Each Muppet got it’s own day and they went through the whole thing and Miss Piggy was “Five Golden Rings”. And she would sing it in her dramatic Miss Piggy way…

Fozzy Bear kept forgetting his part on the 7 Swans a swimmin’. Finally, Miss Piggy draws out a really long “5 Golden Rings” and then they would do the “buh dunt dunt dunt” after her part.

By the end of the song, the whole song gang is doing the buh dunt dunt dunt”. Anyway, best version of this song I’ve ever heard. (Well, 2nd best… now that our worship team has done it)

Anyway, that is our song for the week in our Christmas Series, “What Did I Just Sing?” We kicked it off a couple of weeks ago by looking at the song, “Mary, Did You Know?”

We learned that Maryd “did know” some things… especially what the prophets foretold. There were also some things that she didn’t know… like Jesus walking on water, healing the blind, and raising the dead.

And I think there were some things that she knew but was absolutely blown away when they happened, like His death, burial, and resurrection.

Then last week, Kendall did a great job with the song O Holy Night and just how theologically rich that old song is. It is truly my favorite Christmas carol.

Today, we look at the 12 Days of Christmas and think, “what in the world is that all about?”

Now most of us know this song as a fun, over-the-top, gift list that someone has given his true love for Christmas.

I mean what does every girl want for Christmas? Birds… right? A partridge, 2 turtle doves, 3 French hens, 4 calling birds, 6 geese… and they’re a layin’ so there’s gonna be more… 7 swans.

It looks to me like the true love… might have an opportunity to start her own aviary.

As I look at this list of gifts… to the human… it appears as if the 5 golden rings might be the only thing on the list that the true love might actually want.

Now… if the two turtle doves were Dove Chocolates… then maybe… but let’s look at this seemingly odd song

On the first day of Christmas

My true love gave to me

A partridge in a pear tree

And this continues to go on for 11 more days and each day, as you know… the recipient of the gifts gets the number of gifts that is equivalent to the day.

2nd day – 2 turtle doves, 3rd day – 3 french hens, 4th day – 4 calling birds. You ever ask yourself, what in the world is going on here?

Well, according to some research "The Twelve Days of Christmas" was first published as a rhyme without music in England around 1780 in a children's book called Mirth Without Mischief.