When A Charlie Brown Christmas was first conceived in 1965, the show's producers were opposed to including Scripture in the movie, fearing that the reading would be too controversial.
At issue was the speech by Linus, which sums up the real meaning of Christmas by quoting Luke 2:8-14:
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.The producers' reason for concern stemmed from the fact that, in the 1960s, less than nine percent of televised Christmas episodes contained any substantive references to religion.
But Peanuts creator Charles Shultz was adamant. His goal for the special was to focus on the true meaning of Christmas. And his purpose was accomplished. For fifty years, A Charlie Brown Christmas has presented the birth of our Savior to the world.
Shultz combined a passion for excellence with a passion for God. And if you and I are to have an impact on our culture for Christ, both are essential.
In 1 Chronicles 5 we read that "the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had valiant men who carried shield and sword, and drew the bow, expert in war" (v. 18). But then we learn that "they cried out to God in the battle, and he granted their urgent plea because they trusted in him" (v. 20).
Psalm 149 amplifies our theme: "Let the godly exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands" (vs. 5-6). Note the combination of praise and preparation.
Scripture declares that you and I are "more than conquerors through him who loved us" (Romans 8:37). The road to victorious living has ditches on both sides. One is the sin of presumption, being content with less than our best and assuming that God will compensate for our willful shortcomings. The other is the sin of self-reliance, depending on our capacities more than on God's power.
How do we avoid both ditches? By adopting this simple credo: As I work, God works. As I do my best in God's power for God's glory, my Lord uses me to do more than I could ever do myself.
A wise mentor once told me, "The Holy Spirit has a strange affinity for the trained mind." The more prepared we are, the more usable we become. Conversely, the more usable we are, the more prepared we become.
The secret is being "in Christ," a phrase we find 165 times in the letters of Paul. To be "in Christ" means to be submitted to his Spirit, yielded to his Lordship, giving our best for his glory.
The great Chinese Bible teacher, Watchman Nee, once said:
"Outside of Christ, I am only a sinner, but in Christ, I am saved. Outside of Christ, I am empty; in Christ, I am full. Outside of Christ, I am weak; in Christ, I am strong. Outside of Christ, I cannot; in Christ, I am more than able. Outside of Christ, I have been defeated; in Christ, I am already victorious. How meaningful are the words, 'in Christ.'"Are you "in Christ" today?
