So this is Christmas...
Welcome to the Tuesday before Xmas!!! You've just been welcomed to the best blog about Christmas on the internet...we accept that we are biased in this opinion, so read along and judge for yourself. Thanks for stopping by!!! Welcome to Tuesday's Musical Notes!!!
Here at Tuesday's Musical Notes we oftentimes find tidbits of things that can be deemed controversial. While never our intention to create heated debate, we want to make sure that proper and balanced analysis is given where possible. So...let's get this out of the way, shall we? Here we go!
There are a few folks who don't like the whole X at the front of the season's greeting and innumerable songs during the holidays. There is a rationale, however, that is very respectful of the birth of Jesus. Here's an interesting article to stimulate discussion at your next Xmas gathering...
For today's Musical Notes, we will use the X when appropriate (as in specific song titles and quotes), and Christ when appropriate (which we feel He usually is).
So this is Christmas...
"Happy Xmas (War is Over)" was released in December of 1971 in the United States. Due to a dispute with the music publisher, Northern Songs, it wasn't released until November of 1972 in the United Kingdom. The song was not an initial success, due to its late in the "Christmas" season release and peaked at #42 on Billboard's Hot 100, but has become a standard around Christmas with its numerous covers receiving significant downloads and airplay.
Written as a result of Lennon's peace activism, "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" is one of several protest songs against the United States' involvement in the Vietnam war from the era. It's "feel good" tone was something Lennon had experienced with the success of his hit single "Imagine". He decided to carry that attitude into his Christmas Single, thus creating the "happy protest" song. This seemed to engage many more folks than some of the other more "in your face" conflict songs of the late 60s. It also matched the mentality of peaceful demonstrations of Lennon and Yoko's "bed-ins" in March and May of 1969. To support all of these efforts, Lennon and Ono bought billboard space in 12 prominent US cities that proclaimed "War is Over! If you want it - Happy Christmas from John and Yoko". While the slogan wasn't new to the era, it became associated with John and Yoko by incorporating it into their song of the season.
The single was produced by Phil Spector and was the seventh single Lennon recorded apart from The Beatles. Five of his seven singles went Top 40 with "Instant Karma" and "Imagine" both peaking in the Top 10 at #3.
From 1963-1969 The Beatles' sent Christmas recordings to fans (please see Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Christmas Time (Is Here Again) (The Beatles)). "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" would be the first Christmas flavored single by one of The Fab Four to be released apart from those "Beatle People", Flexi discs of the late 60s. (December 2020's Tuesday's Musical Notes is featuring all of the solo Christmas songs in case you haven't noticed. George Harrison's is next week! As always, Stay Tuned!!!)
Despite John and Yoko's and many other's best efforts to give peace a chance..., the reality was that the Vietnam war wouldn't be over for another 4 years after the release of "Happy Xmas (War is Over)". Official US involvement ended on April 30, 1975. "A very merry Easter..." (March 30, 1975) just doesn't have the same zip to it I guess...
So this is Christmas...
"...He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise Him on the heel.." The last time I checked, a head injury is much more severe than a heel injury. So begins the prophecies of Jesus coming into the world to save mankind from their sin, their wrongdoings, and to save them to an eternity in the presence of God.
It also begins the Biblical narrative of the war between God and satan. The Bible is also very clear that this war is over, as the song goes, and that God is triumphant over satan, sin, and death. Let's continue...
So this is Christmas...
and
The One who would bruise the head of the enemy comes to bear the sins of all men. He serves as the ultimate and only sacrifice by which man can be forgiven of those sins and have a hope of being with God when they pass from this life. The Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, and Prince of REAL Peace arrives to bring Light to the darkness of a broken world. He lives the life of a normal man, though He does nothing wrong Himself. He is broken, despised, and rejected in battle after battle, yet He never capitulated His perfect love for those who were the administrators of His pain. Because of His victory in those battles, the war is over...if you want it.
So this is Christmas...
Jesus comes as the One who would bruise the head of the enemy for the near and the dear one, the old and the young. Jesus comes as the Prince of Peace. Why don't we give Peace a chance? Jesus comes as victorious King from battle after battle for weak and for strong, for rich and the poor ones, the world is so wrong. Jesus comes as the light in the darkness of a broken world for black and for white, for yellow and red ones, He stops all the fight.
So this is Christmas...
"It...is...finished!" With this triumphant proclamation, Jesus once and for all declared that the war was over against satan. After this shout of exultation, Jesus died. He was placed in a tomb and three days later took the ultimate victory lap as He came back to life and was seen by many of His followers. In all of this, Jesus made sure that we have the power to win the skirmishes that we face in this life by His redeeming love.
So this is Christmas...
"...War is over if you want it, war is over, now." "So this is Christmas. We get to choose. Jesus is waiting. He is the Good News. A very Merry Christmas, and a happy New Year. It could be a good one, without any fear."
You see dear friend. The war for your eternity can be over today. That presence you are sensing is God, the Holy Spirit, drawing you to Himself. The peace and goodwill that you desire for this season and your life are waiting in the presence of Jesus. He has the best gift you could receive this Christmas, The Gift of salvation. But, He won't force it on you. It must be something you accept freely by saying "YES, I BELIEVE". Truly, the war is over...if you want it...war is over...now...
Give Peace a chance...
'Til Tuesday
Serving HIM by serving You,
randy
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