Maybe I misunderstand the lyrics or maybe I am biased against the lyricists, but to me one of the most sarcastic songs of this season is “So This is Christmas, War is Over” originally by John Lennon and Yoko Ono.  If you pay attention to the underlying tone, they are saying “Who cares if this is Christmas, what are you doing the rest of the year to help the less fortunate.”  If they were coming from a Christian perspective, I might think they were trying to get Christians to put charity as a part of their daily lives (cf. Jas 1:27).  However, looking at the life that John and Yoko lived and the words to anti-religious songs like “Imagine” I conclude that they consider Christians ignorant for believing in the Messiah, at the very least hypocritical for not following His compassion, and are poking fun at those who disagree with their philosophy.

Yet they have a point.  Consider that signs all over town, all around say “Keep Christ in Christmas.”  Excuse me while I take liberty with that idea and say “Let’s keep Christ in Life.”  After all the apostle Paul tells Christians in Col 3:3-4, “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” (emphasis mine – BSMc).

How can we do this?

1. Remember Christ’s Coming Daily: His coming at birth.  Such was Prophesied: Isa 7:14 – God with us, such was Promised – Matt 1:18-21 (Name means – salvation), and such was Proclaimed – Luke 2:8-12 (Savior & Lord) Remember He is Coming again: 2 Pet 3:9-12.  We remember his coming when we live worthy of His name.
2. Remember Christ’s Gifts Daily.  The gift of all spiritual blessings in Him through His blood – Eph 1:3-9. When we focus on all that God gives us we become better neighbors, friends, spouses, parents, children, co-workers, employers, employees, etc.
3. Remember Christ’s Love Daily.  Love sent Him to us not to condemn but to save – John 3:16-17. Remembering God’s love motivates us to obedience
4. Remember to Return that Love Daily: Matt 22:36-40, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” When we live this love we proclaim His coming until He returns.

Peter, Paul, and Mary ask the question in their version of We Wish You a Merry Christmas, “Why Can’t We Have Christmas the Whole Year Through?”

Well, Peter, Paul, and Mary – We can! We can when we Keep Christ in Life the whole year through.