ACharlieBrownChristmas–ChristmasEve
1Kings19:1-4,8-13a;Luke2:1-14
Rev.ThomasG.James
WashingtonStreetUMC
December24,2016
BROKENNESS
Goodevening,andagain,welcomeonthisChristmasEvenight.Throughoutthisseasonof
AdventwehavebeenstudyingsomeofourfavoriteChristmasmoviestofindawordoftruth
andhopeaboutthebirthofChrist.WehavelookedatElf,HowtheGrinchStoleChristmas,The
PolarExpress,andIt’saWonderfulLife.Weareconcludingtheseriestonightbyconsideringa
ChristmasEvemessagefromthe1965classic,CharlieBrownChristmas.
TheCharlieBrownChristmasspecialwascreatedattherequestoftheCoca-ColaCompany,
whowantedtosponsoraChristmasspecialin1965.iCBS,whowastohostthemade-for-TV
movie,contactedProducerLeeMendelson,whocontactedCharlesSchultz,wholiterallyturned
aroundastorylineinlessthanaweek.Onceaccepted,Schultz,Mendleson,andtheproduction
teamchurnedtheproductionoutinlessthansixmonths.Despitetheshortnoticefor
production,anddespitetheintentionsofCBStoairthemovieonlyonce(itwasproducedin
lessthansixmonths–thequalitywasn’tquiteuptoexpectations),themovieclickedwith
viewers.Itwasaninstantsuccess,andstillairsyearlyforalltosee.
WhatmakesCharlieBrownChristmassogoodthat,notonlyisitstillairingonTVsome50+
yearslater,butit’sgoodenoughthatwewouldbewillingtouseitasthefoundationforthe
messageaboutthegiftofChristonChristmasEve?Toanswerthesequestions,I’vedivided
tonight’smessageintothreesectionstohighlightthethreeareasoftheCharlieBrown
ChristmasspecialthatIthinkmostconnectwithourlongingforthebirthofChrist,andthe
scripturalmessageofhopeofferedbyGodinthegiftofChrist.
OurfirstresponseisaboutthebrokennesswewitnessinthestorylinethatfollowsCharlie
Brownhimself.Charlieisamostbelovedcharacterbyallviewers,butthatloveisnotas
apparentfromCharlie’sfriends.CharlieistalkingwithLinusasthemoviebeginsandsaysto
her,“Ithinksomethingmustbewrongwithme,Linus.Christmasiscoming,butI’mnothappy.I
don’tfeelthewayI’msupposedtofeel.Ijustdon’tunderstandChristmas,”hecontinues,“I
alwaysendupfeelingdepressed.”
Charliewaslostinhisfeelings,andwassurroundedbyhisfriends,hissister,evenSnoopy,who
allseemedtobebuyingintotheseason–butCharliejustwasn’tfeelingit.Hewasyearningfor
ahappinessthatjustdidn’tseemtobethere.
CanweownthattherearetimesinthisseasonofChristmasthatmanyofusfeellikeCharlie
Brown?Canwenamethatinthemidstoftryingtogetthepresentspurchasedandwrapped,in
themidstofgroceryshoppingandcooking,inthemidstofdecoratingandplanningtravelfor
familyandfriends,thatifoftenfeelslikewearelostandwanderinginalandofhappypeople,
wonderingwhywedon’tfeelthathappiness?Ithinkmoretimesthanwearewillingtoname
outloud,wefeelmorelikeCharlieBrownthananyofhisfriends.
Ichoseourfirstscripturereadingwithsomecaution.ThestoryofElijahrunningawayintothe
wildernessisrarely,ifever,usedonChristmasEve.It’snotastorythateasilytiesintothestory
ofChrist’sbirth.ButasIwatchedCharlieBrown,whowasbrokeninhisunhappiness,Ifound
myselfseeinghowcloselyrelatedElijahwastoCharlie.Elijahisoneofourmostfamous
prophets,secondperhapsonlytoMoses.ElijahandMosesareofthehighestesteeminthe
historyofourfaith.
Elijah,inanactofgreatfaithfulness,calledouthiscommunityfortheirworshipoffalsegods.In
response,hehastorunawaybecausehiscommunityturnsagainsthim;thequeenoftheland
goessofarastoorderhimdead.Elijahgoesthroughthisseasonofbeingbroken,evenashe
wasseekingtobefaithful.Heexperiencestheearthquake,thefire,andthewindwhileloston
themountainside.Heseemstohavenosupport,andhehasnoonebyhissidewho
understandshispain.
Itisthisdarknessofbrokennessthatweallexperience–thebrokennessinthewilderness
whichElijahexperienced,thebrokennessandunhappinesswhichCharlieBrownexperienced,
andtheseasonsofpainmanyofushaveexperiencedthisyear–thatmakestonight,that
makesChristmas,sospecial.Foritisthisdarkness,itisourseasonsofbrokenness,itisourtime
ofhurt,itisforsomethepainofexperiencingChristmasawayfromhome,withoutlovedones,
orinaworldthatjustdoesn’tseemtomakesense.ItisbecauseofthisdarknessthatGod
offershisSon,theChrist-child,asgiftoflight.TheprophetIsaiahsays,“foritissuchpeoplewho
walkedindarknessthathaveseenagreatlight;itisforthosewholivedinalandofdeep
darkness,onthemlighthasshined.”
WecometocelebrateonChristmasEvethegoodnewsofgreatjoy,notbecausewehaveour
livessowellputtogetherthatwearebringingthegreatjoyourselves,butbecausewearea
peoplebrokeninhurt,pain,andlivinginthedarknessoftheworld.Wecelebrateonthisnight
becauseeveninourdarkness,evenaswearelostandbroken,thereisgoodnews,thereis
greatjoy,thereisalightwhohascometoofferhopeandcomfort.SoIinviteyoutostandand
singwithgreathopeandexpectationforthegiftofGod,thegiftofChrist,andletusofferour
voicesforallwhoareexperiencingbrokennessacrossourworldthisnight.Willyoustandand
singwithme,OCome,OCome,Emmanuel–verses1,2,4,and7,foundonpage211intheRed
Hymnal.
WANDERING
CharlieBrownissolostinhisbrokennessthathe’swillingtodoanythingandgoanywhereto
findthehappinessheexpectstofeelatChristmas.Firsthegoestothemailbox,hopingand
expectingChristmascards.Perhapsthey’llbringhappiness.Buthefindsnothing.
CharlieBrownmakeshiswaytoLucy’spsychiatricbooth,payshisfivecents,andhopestohave
herdiagnosishisunhappiness.Shecan’tofferhimanydirectassistance,butshedoesinvitehim
tobetheproducerfortheChristmasplay.Heagreestotakeontheroleasproducerofthe
ChristmasplayintheexpectationthatitwillbringhimtheChristmashappinesshe’slongingfor.
However,leadingtheotherchildrenonlyfrustrateshimmore,asnooneseemstobelistening
andfocusingonthetaskathand.Whengiventheopportunity,heleavestheschoolbehindto
gofindtheperfectChristmastreefortheplay.Again,wandering,takingeveryopportunityhe
caninsearchforhappiness.
CharlieBrowngoeswithLinustofindtheperfecttree–onedescribedasa‘big,shinyaluminum
tree.’Yet,hereturnswithwhatwillonlyeverbedescribedastheCharlieBrownChristmasTree.
It’stheonlyrealtreeinthelot,butit’snothingspecial;it’satwo-branchtreewhoseneedles
arethinningbythemoment.
He’swanderingandlost–seeminglywithoutthehopeandjoytheseasonissupposedtohave
withit.Butwanderinginthisseasonisnotunexpected;wecelebrateChristmasbecauseofa
storyofwanderingthatmarksthehumbleentranceofChrist.
OurChristmasnarrativeinLukebeginswithabroadexplanation,offeringtoushowitisthat
MaryandJosephcametogivebirthtoChristinBethlehem.
TheEmperorAugustuscalledforacensustobecarriedout.Everyoneinthelandwasrequired
bytheRomangovernmenttoreturntotheircityofbirth.Forfamilies,theyhadreturntothe
cityofbirthofthehusband.Theyhadtoreturnhomesothatthegovernmentcouldensure
theyhadcorrectdocumentationoneveryone,allowingthemtobetteroverseethetaxationon
thepeople.JosephhadbeenborninBethlehem,knownastheCityofDavid,andsoheandhis
fiancé,thepregnantMary,setouttoreturntohishometown.
CanyouimaginetheexhaustionMaryandJosephmusthavebeenfeelinguponarrivingin
Bethlehem?MaryhadriddenonadonkeyfromNazarethtoBethlehem,adistanceofjustabout
70miles,whileinherthirdtrimester.Icanonlyimaginethetripdidn’tgoasquicklyas
anticipated;canyouimaginehowmanybathroomstopstherewouldhavebeen?
ThetriptooklongenoughthattheyarrivedinBethlehemlaterthantherestofDavid’s
extendedfamily.Anybedroomsnotoccupiedontheregularatthefamilypropertywerefilled
bynowwithotherfamilywhohavereturnedforthecensus.MaryandJosephareleftwithno
optionbuttostayintheanimal’sstable–likelyacaveunderthehouse–wheretheycouldstay
warm.Theirwanderingendsandourstoryfocusesinonthebirthofthechild,laidinhumble
manger,afeedingtrough,theonlybedspaceavailablefortheChristchild.
ThestoryofwanderingstartswiththisbroadpoliticalstoryoftheEmperor’sdemandonthe
entireregion,callingforacensus.ThestorythenbeginstonarrowinonBethlehem,theCityof
David,thehometownofJoseph.Asthetravellingofthecouplecomestoaconclusion,weare
leftwithafocusonthatwhichisalwaysmostimportantinanybirthstory,themotherandthe
baby.Andfinally,asourscenecloses,weareleftwithasolefocusonthechild,whohasbeen
laidinamanger.
Aswefocusinonthechildinthemanger,willyoustandandsingourcarol,number217,Away
inaManger.
TRUSTING
CharlieBrownhasreturnedtotheauditoriumwithLinus,andhe’swanderedenough.In
desperation,CharlieBrownasksloudly,“Isn’tthereanyonewhoknowswhatChristmasisall
about?”
Linus,whoisstandingnexttohim,holdinghistrustysecurityblanketinhishands,says,“Sure,
CharlieBrown,IcantellyouwhatChristmasisallabout.”Linuswalkstothecenterofthestage,
andthenrecitesthosesamewordswejustheardreadbyCharlieRydellthisevening.
It’sasmallthingtonote,butyouknowwhatamazesmemostaboutthissceneinthefilm?
Linusisstandingcenterstage,lightsdimmed,spotlighton,stillholdinghissecurityblanket
firmlyinhislefthand.HestartswiththesewordsfromtheGospelofLuke,“Andtherewerein
thesamecountryshepherdsabidinginthefield,keepingwatchovertheirflockbynight.”He’s
tellingthestoryoftheangelswhowentoutandinvitedtheshepherdstogoandmeetthe
newbornChristchild.Theshepherdswerefearful–theyweren’texpectingangelstocomeand
announcethebirthoftheMessiahthatnight.Theykepttothemselvesandwerenotakinto
nightlyvisitors.Linussays,“theyweresoreafraid.”
Don’tblinkoryou’llmissthemostimportantclipoftheentirefilm.Linuscontinueswiththe
scripturereading,saying,“Andtheangelsaiduntothem,“Fearnot.”
“Fearnot.”
Whenhesaysthewords,Linus,quitevisiblyholdinghisblanketup,dropshisblanketashe
continueswiththepassage.Whatpowerthewordshespeakshave,evenasheisspeaking
them.Thewordsevenovercomehisownfear–helosesthatwhichhealwayshangsontofora
feelingofpeaceandprotection.“Fearnot.”“Fearnot,forIbringyougoodtidingsofgreatjoy,
whichshallbetoallpeople.”Everyone,nooneexcluded.Thisgoodnews,it’sofferedthatno
oneneedfearanylonger.“ForuntoyouisbornthisdayinthecityofDavidaSavior,whichis
ChristtheLord.”
ThegiftofChristbyGod,giventous,rememberedonthisnight,comesthatwemayfearno
more.Fearnotfromthebrokenness,fearnotfromthewandering,fearnotfromthe
uncertaintyandtheunknown,fearnotforbeingleftout,fearnotfromunhappiness,fearnot
fromthedifficultiesoflife.Fearnot.Forgiventoyou,offeredforyourlife,giftedbyGodtoyou,
achildisborn–aSavior,theChrist,theLord.
Withoutpause,theangelhasbarelyfinishedspeaking,“andtherewaswiththeangela
multitudeoftheheavenlyhostpraisingGod,andsaying,‘GlorytoGodinthehighest,andon
earthpeace,goodwilltowardmen.’”
Fearnot,forthepeaceofGod,theloveofferedintheChristchildforyouandforme,isalight
thatwilloutshinealldarkness.Fearnot.ThanksbetoGod.
i
JasonC.Stanley.“ACharlieBrownChristmas(1965).”December7,2013.RetrievedDecember21,2016.