A Charlie Brown Christmas

On December 9, 1965 our family sat around the television in Concord, California and watched the airing of 'A Charlie Brown Christmas'. It was at that time that we were introduced to the wonderful characters of Lucy, Linus, Sally, Charlie, and a crazy dog named Snoopy. It's hard to imagine that 44 years later I am still drawn to that cartoon each Christmas. I know the story, I know the lines, I know the music, and I still want to see it - and I am 53 years old! All I know is that I thank God that Charles Shultz never listened to the television executives back in 1965.

It only took Charles Shultz and his illustrator Bill Melendez a few hours to lie out the sketch. Shultz knew that he wanted to have a pageant, ice-skating, carols, and jazz in his animated special. It was the television executives that had a problem with Shultz's concepts. They criticized everything about the show. They did not like the fact that Linus was reading from the Bible; they said it was too religious. They criticized Charles for using contemporary jazz. They were appalled that no laugh track was going to be added. They even hated the fact that children's voices were going to be used and not professional actors. It was doomed, they said.

On that cold night in December back in 1965, 15 million homes tuned in to watch 'A Charlie Brown Christmas'. It went on to win both Emmy and Peabody awards for its excellence. Coca-Cola, the main sponsor who shared the same reservations as the television executives, was the big winner because the Coca-Cola logo showed up several times in the show. But Charles Shultz was not as concerned about making money as he was about the message of Christmas.

During the planning stages of the show, Charles took a lot of heat. Even his agent wondered if Charles was taking the right approach. However, Charles Shultz held his ground and said, "If we don't do this, who else will?" He was speaking specifically of the religious tone of the show. How can one ever forget the hoarse little voice of Linus reading the Christmas story from the Gospel of Luke, thereby bringing the cast of the little pageant back to the center of Christmas? And 'Hark the Herald Angels Sing' never sounded so angelic as it did with those little characters bringing the show to a close.

It truly was that famous Christmas carol that brought the clarity of the Gospel into those 15 million homes that evening. The song is filled with life-transforming theology and puts God's salvation plan into beautiful music. Right from the start of this carol one is brought face to face with the weightiest issue of all - God and sinners reconciled.

Hark! The herald angels sing
glory to the newborn king.
Peace on earth, and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled.

This is one of the doctrines that John reminds his readers of in I John. As we saw last time, he writes: "He (Christ) is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for our's but also for the sins of the whole world." We have exchanged our old relationship with God for a new one. We were alienated from our Creator because of sin; but because of Christ, we are brought into a new relationship - a family relationship - with God Almighty.

I am reminded here of the words of Professor Peter Kreeft, "We are so good that God thought us worthy of dying for, and so bad that God had to die to save us." Jesus was, and is, our atoning sacrifice.

Channel surfing for any sporting event to watch on TV the other night, I stumbled upon PBS and a Christmas special with Andrea Bocelli. For some reason, my soul informed me that it needed that music much more than some sporting event. So there I landed, listening to this man sing for the first time. He sang the songs of the season, both religious and secular. When I heard him sing, 'Our Father' with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir I found I had tears in my eyes. I found my soul was filled with joy. Yes, bless God, we have been reconciled. Jesus is our atoning sacrifice, and therefore we can call God - 'Our Father'!

Music is a powerful and glorious gift. Whether it's Charlie Brown and the gang singing 'Hark The Herald Angels Sing' or Andrea Bocelli singing 'What Child Is This?' it reminds us of our need for Christmas. During this busy Christmas Season let the words of the carols bring you back to the center - to what is truly important and eternal.

Merry Christmas!

Dan Owens

Copyright 2009 Eternity Minded Ministries