Day 12 (The Twelve Days of Christmas)

Matthew 10:2-4

“Here are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (also called Peter), then Andrew (Peter’s brother), James (son of Zebedee), John (James’s brother), Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew (the tax collector), James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon (the zealot), Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).” Matthew 10:2-4

While it seems as though we are at the end, I like to think we’re back at the beginning.

Because on Day 1 of this series we talked about Jesus being the one—the one people had been waiting for, the promised king sent to save the world—but also that each of us is one—one that Jesus thought of and died for on the cross. And now here, on Day 12, we talk about the twelve disciples/apostles that Jesus chose to accompany him to preach the gospel.

How do these two tie together?

In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus says, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Make disciples of all nations—that’s us! We’re nations!

Teach these new disciples—that’s us! We’re the new disciples!

For the work done by Jesus and the original twelve apostles brought faith through centuries of persecution to find us, and now we are the disciples, meant to keep teaching the gospel, so that it may continue to reach all nations.

John 13:34-35 says, “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

What did he say?

What will prove to the world that we are disciples of Jesus?

Hate? Judgement? Casting out others who think differently than you? Condemnation? Viciousness? Disrespect? Arrogance?

No.

Love.

How we love each other.

Just like Peter, John, and even Judas, who were chosen by Jesus to preach the gospel, we too are chosen. Chosen to love. Chosen to lead. Chosen to light the dark world with hope.

In Biblical times, the disciples became well known, recognizable in crowds because of how many people saw them walk with Jesus. Sometimes this proved to be dangerous, but other times it opened a door to faith that people otherwise might not have found. Like a soldier in uniform, the disciples likely drew a reaction, they work for Jesus, and as such, allowed them to be a safe passageway to the hope offered by Jesus.

As Christians in the modern world, we are offered the same opportunity. We might not be immediately recognized in crowds by our faces, but when we walk purposefully in love, act in kindness, speak with grace, we call attention to the faith that lives within us, offering hope to those who need it most.

We walk in the long treaded footsteps of the original twelve, facing our own kinds of opposition, of persecution, of temptation, and yet this commandment still acts as a guidepost for us: love each other.

Jesus didn’t die on the cross for a blurry, vague collection of “people.” He died for individuals, for you and me. And when Jesus gave this new commandment, he didn’t just say it to the twelve, to the sweeping, generalized world, he said it to you, to me. Because he knew why we would be created, the ways we would and could love, and the purpose we were designed for.

We are the one he died for, and we are the legacy of the twelve, carrying out the work that Jesus started when he was born into the world—something we celebrate every Christmas.

I pray this Christmas season is one full of blessings for you. That you would not only celebrate the birth of Jesus, but the life and death, the work, the sacrifice. That you would know, deeply, how much are you loved, and that you, in turn, would love deeply.

Merry Christmas!