Rediscovering Christmas: Charlie Brown

“My trouble is Christmas.
I just don’t understand it.
Instead of feeling happy,
I feel sort of let down.“

Charlie Brown


Bringing the Peanuts characters to television was not an easy task. The strip's creators, with funding from sponsor Coca-Cola, presented the CBS network with an idea for a Christmas television special starring Charles Schulz's characters.

The production was done on a shoestring budget, resulting in a somewhat choppy animation style and, from a technical standpoint, a poorly mixed soundtrack. With the exception of the actors who voiced Charlie Brown and Lucy, none of the children had any experience doing voice work.

This was especially challenging for Kathy Steinberg, who voiced Sally: she was too young to read and needed to be cued line by line during the soundtrack recording. The technical issues are in evidence on the show's audio track, which to some may seem noticeably choppy and poorly enunciated.

Another complaint about the production was the absence of a laugh track, a common element of children's cartoons at the time. Schulz maintained that the audience should be able to enjoy the show at their own pace, without being cued when to laugh. Finally, the executives thought that the jazz style soundtrack by Vince Guaraldi would not work well for a children's program. When executives saw the final product, they were horrified and believed the special would be a complete flop.

The show first aired on Thursday, December 9, 1965, preempting The Munsters and following the Gilligan's Island episode entitled "Don't Bug the Mosquitos." To the surprise of the executives, it was both a critical and commercial hit. None of the technical problems detracted from the show's appeal; to the contrary, it is thought that these so-called quirks are what lent the show such an innovative, authentic and sincere feeling. Linus' recitation of the Christmas narrative was hailed by critics who said, "Linus' reading of the story of the Nativity was, quite simply, the dramatic highlight of the season."

The end result had 50% of the televisions in the United States were tuned to the first broadcast. A Charlie Brown Christmas went on to win an Emmy and a Peabody award, and is considered by many to be a timeless holiday classic. Watching it is now an annual tradition for countless people.

Charlie Brown asks the question we all are want to ask from time to tome, “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?” I believe we can all relate to Charlie Brown. I too am already tired of all the commercials, all the music, all the sales, all the commercialization of the season. It really isn’t hard to lose your joy in this world we live in and it is especially easy to lose your joy in this Christmas season.

With all the presents, trees, reindeers (Rudolph included), parties, cookies, tinsel, ornaments, lights, fruitcake, toys, carols, children, that same fruitcake now returned to you, Santa Claus, elves, stars, and yes the snowmen (especially Frosty!) it is very easy to lose heart and become discouraged. If we are honest with ourselves, we can each admit that we have wondered, “What happened to Christmas?” I believe that is the question that Charlie Brown asks for us every year, “What is Christmas all about?”

Network executives were not at all keen on several aspects of the television special, forcing Schulz and Melendez to wage some serious battles to preserve their vision. The executives did not want to have Linus reciting the story of the birth of Christ from the Gospel of Luke; the network orthodoxy of the time assumed that viewers would not want to sit through passages of the King James Version of the Bible. Charles Schulz was adamant about keeping this scene in, remarking that "If we don't tell the true meaning of Christmas, who will?"

Perhaps Christmas has become too familiar to us. And with the familiarity, we forget the reason for the holiday. Thankfully we have Charlie Brown to remind us why it is Christmas.

Jesus and his disciples went to the villages near the town of Caesarea Philippi. As they were walking along, he asked them, "What do people say about me?"

The disciples answered, "Some say you are John the Baptist or maybe Elijah. Others say you are one of the prophets."

Then Jesus asked them, "But who do you say I am?"

"You are the Messiah!" Peter replied.

Mark 8:27-29 CEV

I believe Christmas comes down to this, “Who do you say this Child is?” If like Peter you believe this child is the Messiah then Christmas has meaning far beyond, the presents, trees, reindeers (Rudolph included), parties, cookies, tinsel, ornaments, lights, fruitcake, toys, carols, children, the same fruitcake still given back, Santa Claus, elves, stars, and the snowmen (Especially Frosty!).

The meaning of Christmas will not be found in the external things, but rather it will be found within. Christmas is so much more than what we see and experience. Christmas is more than we have allowed it to become. This holiday season take the time to tell the story, invite a friend to church, participate in the activities of the season, and discover as Charlie Brown did – the true meaning of Christmas will only be lost when we stop remembering and believing the message of God’s love.

The question is as haunting today as it was in 1965, "If we don't tell the true meaning of Christmas, who will?"

Great Excuses: Not Me

The cartoon series Family Circle debuted on February 29 - Leap Year Day - in 1960, and has been in continuous production ever since. In April 1975, Keane introduced an invisible gremlin named "Not Me", who watches while the children try to shift blame for a misdeed by saying, "Not me". Additional gremlins named "Ida Know" (in September, 1975), "Nobody", "O. Yeah!", and "Just B. Cause" were introduced in later years. Although it is clear that the parents do not accept the existence of the gremlins the mother did include them as members of the family when being interviewed by a member of the US Census Bureau. Another time when the mother was sick of hearing about the gremlins from the kids she asked her mother-in-law if she ever dealt with such absurdity, causing her to remark "All I know is that he has been around since I was a little girl" in which there is a flashback to her childhood with her father demanding to know "Who scratched my new Glenn Miller record?", and "Not Me" is seen taking cover (courtesy wikipedia).

As we wrap up our series on Great Excuses from the Bible, let’s be honest and admit that we all have made excuses. Some were real and some, well they were just plain senseless. We have all at some point be caught ‘red-handed’ and loudly proclaimed, “not me!” We have even watched and witnessed business leaders, politicians, athletes, and yes even friends wiggle as they have explained away how they did it, but didn’t do it. The stories are almost too painful (and at the same time funny) to recount.

I want to tell you this morning one of the overlooked moments in the Bible that includes one of the best ‘Not Me!’ moments in the history of excuses.

The nation of Israel has been free from Egypt for 3 months. In that time, there have been 10 plagues, the Red Seas has parted, Manna has fallen from the sky every morning, and Water has been brought forth from a rock. In Chapter 19 God announces to Moses that God is going to come to Moses and give him the Laws for the people to live by. This visit comes with a warning (Exodus 19:20-22). The people heed this warning and plead with Moses to go to God on their behalf (Exodus 20:18-20). Moses departs up the Mountain to receive the Law. Chapter 32 of Exodus tells the story of the people becoming bored while Moses was gone and making a calf out of gold to worship.

Exodus 32:21-24 contains a classic excuse when Moses confronts the people with their idolatrous actions:

21 He said to Aaron, “What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?”
22 “Do not be angry, my lord,” Aaron answered. “You know how prone these people are to evil. 23 They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.’ 24 So I told them, ‘Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.’ Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!”

And there you have it. We didn’t do anything. We collected some jewelry, threw in the fire, and there was this golden calf. We didn’t do it. It just happened. We are not a fault. As a matter of fact, Moses, you were gone so long, what did you expect to happen? Now that I think about it, perhaps it is your fault! After all you know how evil these people are.

This activity of shifting of the blame is really as old as time. It begins in the garden when Adam confronted with his own actions proclaims, “She made me do it! – it wasn’t me."

We have been caught up in the rhetoric of crisis ever since. We spend so much time in the rhetoric of crisis and blame that we have no time to spend in the discussion and action of doing anything.

As a culture we are caught up in the crisis. Everything is a crisis. We talk over and over about the crisis. We love to talk about the problems and all the OTHER people that cause the problems.

We have forgotten the Greatness of God. We have become the people at the foot of the mountain caught up in our stupid behavior while cluelessly blaming others. We take credit where we should not – and we assess blame where we should accept it. We pass the buck – complain about the crisis – and loudly proclaim – Not me when asked . . . who is responible?

Just once, I want someone to declare, "it was me!"

Just once instead of telling us all the reasons why we have a problem, I want someone to tell us how to get out of it.

Instead of yelling there is a FIRE! How about pointing us to the exits? Better yet why not create a new exit for us to get out!

Next time we are in crisis, what if our response was “I did” instead of “not me”?

Who searched for the lost sheep? I did
Who Loved the least? I did
Who loved the unloveable? I did
Who served the lost? I did
Who invited the stranger? I did

Who loved you when you were lost, lonely, and filled with sins of the past and the present? Christ did.

Knowing that, can you respond with anything but love and adoration for God?

It's your turn.

No excuses.

How will you respond?

Great Excuses: I Sort of Did it

Let’s be honest, at some point in our lives we have all been caught ‘red-handed’ and loudly proclaimed, “not me!” "It wasn't my fault" "I didn't really do all that!"

We have even watched and witnessed business leaders, politicians, athletes, and yes even friends wiggle and squirm as they have explained away how they did it but didn’t do it. The stories are almost too painful (and at the same time funny) to recount. I want to share with you one of the overlooked stories of the Bible that includes one of the best ‘I sort of did what you asked’ moments in the history of excuses.

1-2 Samuel said to Saul, "GOD sent me to anoint you king over his people, Israel. Now, listen again to what GOD says. This is the GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies speaking:
2-3 "'I'm about to get even with Amalek for ambushing Israel when Israel came up out of Egypt. Here's what you are to do: Go to war against Amalek. Put everything connected with Amalek under a holy ban. And no exceptions! This is to be total destruction—men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys—the works.'"
4-5 Saul called the army together at Telaim and prepared them to go to war—two hundred companies of infantry from Israel and another ten companies from Judah. Saul marched to Amalek City and hid in the canyon.
6 Then Saul got word to the Kenites: "Get out of here while you can. Evacuate the city right now or you'll get lumped in with the Amalekites. I'm warning you because you showed real kindness to the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt."
And they did. The Kenites evacuated the place.
7-9 Then Saul went after Amalek, from the canyon all the way to Shur near the Egyptian border. He captured Agag, king of Amalek, alive. Everyone else was killed under the terms of the holy ban. Saul and the army made an exception for Agag, and for the choice sheep and cattle. They didn't include them under the terms of the holy ban. But all the rest, which nobody wanted anyway, they destroyed as decreed by the holy ban.
10-11 Then GOD spoke to Samuel: "I'm sorry I ever made Saul king. He's turned his back on me. He refuses to do what I tell him."
11-12 Samuel was angry when he heard this. He prayed his anger and disappointment all through the night. He got up early in the morning to confront Saul but was told, "Saul's gone. He went to Carmel to set up a victory monument in his own honor, and then was headed for Gilgal."
By the time Samuel caught up with him, Saul had just finished an act of worship, having used Amalekite plunder for the burnt offerings sacrificed to GOD.
13 As Samuel came close, Saul called out, "GOD's blessings on you! I accomplished GOD's plan to the letter!"
14 Samuel said, "So what's this I'm hearing—this bleating of sheep, this mooing of cattle?"
15 "Only some Amalekite loot," said Saul. "The soldiers saved back a few of the choice cattle and sheep to offer up in sacrifice to GOD. But everything else we destroyed under the holy ban."
16 "Enough!" interrupted Samuel. "Let me tell you what GOD told me last night."
Saul said, "Go ahead. Tell me."
17-19 And Samuel told him. "When you started out in this, you were nothing— and you knew it. Then GOD put you at the head of Israel—made you king over Israel. Then GOD sent you off to do a job for him, ordering you, 'Go and put those sinners, the Amalekites, under a holy ban. Go to war against them until you have totally wiped them out.' So why did you not obey GOD? Why did you grab all this loot? Why, with GOD's eyes on you all the time, did you brazenly carry out this evil?"
20-21 Saul defended himself. "What are you talking about? I did obey GOD. I did the job GOD set for me. I brought in King Agag and destroyed the Amalekites under the terms of the holy ban. So the soldiers saved back a few choice sheep and cattle from the holy ban for sacrifice to GOD at Gilgal—what's wrong with that?"
22-23 Then Samuel said, Do you think all GOD wants are sacrifices — empty rituals just for show? He wants you to listen to him! Plain listening is the thing, not staging a lavish religious production. Not doing what GOD tells you is far worse than fooling around in the occult. Getting self-important around GOD is far worse than making deals with your dead ancestors. Because you said No to GOD's command, He says No to your kingship.
24-25 Saul gave in and confessed, "I've sinned. I've trampled roughshod over GOD's Word and your instructions. I cared more about pleasing the people. I let them tell me what to do. Oh, absolve me of my sin! Take my hand and lead me to the altar so I can worship GOD!"
26 But Samuel refused: "No, I can't come alongside you in this. You rejected GOD's command. Now GOD has rejected you as king over Israel."
27-29 As Samuel turned to leave, Saul grabbed at his priestly robe and a piece tore off. Samuel said, "GOD has just now torn the kingdom from you, and handed it over to your neighbor, a better man than you are. Israel's God-of-Glory doesn't deceive and he doesn't dither. He says what he means and means what he says."

Go back to Verse 20. Can't you see it? Can you hear it? Saul is declaring how he did everything God asked, while having to speak louder and louder to be heard over the sound of all the sheep and cattle.

Every time I think of that moment, I am reminded of all the times I have loudly said, I am a follower of Christ! I wonder could God even hear me over all the noise of my life that said otherwise?

This story introduces the theme that God wants our obedience and not our empty activity (obedience over sacrifice).

How long have you gone through the motions?

How long have you played the game of being faithful – declaring you are a faithful follower of Christ while the actions of your life belie the words of your lips.

Could today be the day that the words of your lips might match the beliefs of your heart and that both may be revealed in the activity of your lives?

Don't let the sound of cattle and sheep drown out your witness?

Great Excuses: I'll do it later

If we are honest, we all have made excuses. Some were real, some we made up, some made sense, some, well they were probably in hindsight senseless and laughable.

I think the problem with many excuses that others use – is that we ‘see’ through them, yet we fail to see the same stupidity when we use similar excuses. It is another way perhaps of looking at the statement “remove the log from your own eye before removing the spec from your neighbor’s”

The 24th chapter of Acts in The Message contains one of my favorite excuses from the Bible: I’ll get to it later as in it’s not that I haven’t done it – your just asking at the wrong time – I will get it done later – stop asking already.

1-4 Within five days, the Chief Priest Ananias arrived with a contingent of leaders, along with Tertullus, a trial lawyer. They presented the governor with their case against Paul. When Paul was called before the court, Tertullus spoke for the prosecution: "Most Honorable Felix, we are most grateful in all times and places for your wise and gentle rule. We are much aware that it is because of you and you alone that we enjoy all this peace and gain daily profit from your reforms. I'm not going to tire you out with a long speech. I beg your kind indulgence in listening to me. I'll be quite brief. 5-8 "We've found this man time and again disturbing the peace, stirring up riots against Jews all over the world, the ringleader of a seditious sect called Nazarenes. He's a real bad apple, I must say. We caught him trying to defile our holy Temple and arrested him. You'll be able to verify all these accusations when you examine him yourself."

9 The Jews joined in: "Hear, hear! That's right!"

10-13 The governor motioned to Paul that it was now his turn. Paul said, "I count myself fortunate to be defending myself before you, Governor, knowing how fair-minded you've been in judging us all these years. I've been back in the country only twelve days—you can check out these dates easily enough. I came with the express purpose of worshiping in Jerusalem on Pentecost, and I've been minding my own business the whole time. Nobody can say they saw me arguing in the Temple or working up a crowd in the streets. Not one of their charges can be backed up with evidence or witnesses. 14-15"But I do freely admit this: In regard to the Way, which they malign as a dead-end street, I serve and worship the very same God served and worshiped by all our ancestors and embrace everything written in all our Scriptures. And I admit to living in hopeful anticipation that God will raise the dead, both the good and the bad. If that's my crime, my accusers are just as guilty as I am. 16-19"Believe me, I do my level best to keep a clear conscience before God and my neighbors in everything I do. I've been out of the country for a number of years and now I'm back. While I was away, I took up a collection for the poor and brought that with me, along with offerings for the Temple. It was while making those offerings that they found me quietly at my prayers in the Temple. There was no crowd, there was no disturbance. It was some Jews from around Ephesus who started all this trouble. And you'll notice they're not here today. They're cowards, too cowardly to accuse me in front of you. 20-21 "So ask these others what crime they've caught me in. Don't let them hide behind this smooth-talking Tertullus. The only thing they have on me is that one sentence I shouted out in the council: 'It's because I believe in the resurrection that I've been hauled into this court!' Does that sound to you like grounds for a criminal case?"

22-23 Felix shilly-shallied. He knew far more about the Way than he let on, and could have settled the case then and there. But uncertain of his best move politically, he played for time. "When Captain Lysias comes down, I'll decide your case." He gave orders to the centurion to keep Paul in custody, but to more or less give him the run of the place and not prevent his friends from helping him. 24-26 A few days later Felix and his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish, sent for Paul and listened to him talk about a life of believing in Jesus Christ. As Paul continued to insist on right relations with God and his people, about a life of moral discipline and the coming Judgment, Felix felt things getting a little too close for comfort and dismissed him. "That's enough for today. I'll call you back when it's convenient." At the same time he was secretly hoping that Paul would offer him a substantial bribe. These conversations were repeated frequently. 27 After two years of this, Felix was replaced by Porcius Festus. Still playing up to the Jews and ignoring justice, Felix left Paul in prison.

Can you imagine hearing Paul tell the story of his own encounter with Christ? Can you imagine Paul recounting the story of the change in his life? Can you imagine hearing day after day – week after week – month after month – for two years without any response?

Felix’ excuse? It is not convenient. I’ll do it later on my own time. I’ll do it when I want.

We can read the excuse given by Felix and recognize it for what it is – a poor excuse for inaction. But how often have we used the same excuse in our own life. How long do we expect God to be patient and wait for us? How long do we think we have to respond?

How often have you heard the story of Jesus and his love for you? What are you waiting for?

How long have you attended your church without formally joining? What are you waiting for?

How long have you said you would like to study the Bible? What are you waiting for?

They are going to do all these things to you because of the way they treated me, because they don't know the One who sent me. If I hadn't come and told them all this in plain language, it wouldn't be so bad. As it is, they have no excuse. John 15:20 The Message

What is your excuse?