“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” – Luke 2:11
There are actually 12 days until Christmas, and the familiar song about the partridge in the pear tree came to mind. As I pondered the words, I decided to rewrite them for me, so that I could keep my focus on the real reason for the season. That reason is Jesus! I have read other Christian versions of this song, but I have not read one that focuses entirely upon my Saviour. This is my own thoughts to countdown the 12 days of CHRISTmas!
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12 – When Jesus was 12 years old, He was publicly recognized to have spiritual authority through His teaching in the temple as recorded in Luke 2:42-47.
- “And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.” (Luke 2:47)
11 – Jesus had 11 faithful original disciples to take the gospel to the world after His betrayal.
- “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.” (John 17:12)
10 – There were 10 lepers that Jesus healed, but only 1 returned to thank Him as it is stated in Luke 17:12-18 .
- “And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:” (Luke 17:12)
9 – Jesus died in the 9th hour. It is at this time that He cried out, “It is finished!” and gave up the ghost. He had paid the ultimate price for the sins of all of us.
- “And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama
sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34)
8- Jesus was brought to the temple 8 days after His birth and legally received His name.
- “And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.” (Luke 2:21)
7 – There are 7 recorded titles of Jesus in Hebrews.
- “Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;” (1:2)
- “For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” (2:10)
- “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;” (3:1)
- “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;” (5:9)
- “Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” (6:20)
- “And having an high priest over the house of God;” (10:21)
- “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (12:2)
6 – There were 6 wounds inflicted on Jesus at the crucifixion – 5 were while He was still living, and one was postmortem. There were 2 in His hands and 2 in His feet from the nails; one collective wound in His head from the crown of thorns, and one in His side from the soldier’s spear.
- “The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.” (John 20:25)
5 – Jesus used 5 loaves of bread in the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 as it is written in Matthew 14:19-21.
- “And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.” (Matthew 14:19)
4 – There are 4 books at the beginning of the New Testament that are known as the gospels. These four books present Jesus from a different perspective: Matthew, the king; Mark, the servant; Luke, the man; and John, the deity of Christ
3 – While there is only one God, yet He is three-in-one. This is known as the Trinity. Jesus is the 2nd person of the Trinity. The first is God the Father; the second is God the Son, and the third person of the Trinity is God the Holy Spirit.
- “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” (1 John 5:7)
2 – There are 2 main divisions of the Bible – the Old and New Testaments, both of which clearly point to Jesus as the Son of God and the Savior of the World.
1 – There is only 1 Saviour of the world – Jesus!
- “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
These are my 12 days of my CHRISTmas! As I continue through this season, my focus will be upon my Saviour, remembering that the greatest gift God ever gave to mankind began with a promise in Genesis, a manifestation in Matthew and Luke, and a glorious appearing in the not-too-distant future!
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16
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What’s your focus this Christmas?