I’M NOT ASHAMED!
I have enjoyed the Peanuts comic strip since I was a kid. Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Peppermint Patty, Pigpen, Marcy, Sally, Snoopy, Woodstock….I just loved all of the characters. During the holidays, I especially relished watching “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”
However, did you know that “A Charlie Brown Christmas” almost didn’t happen.
In 1965, Lee Mendelson (a documentary producer), Bill Melendez (an animator) and Peanuts cartoonist Charles Schulz were given a 6-month deadline to produce a Christmas special centered on the Peanuts characters. Halfway through the production, CBS executives almost pulled the plug because of Schulz’s unique choice of recruiting Vince Guaraldi to provide a jazz score for the project. They believed jazz had no place in a kids’ cartoon. CBS executives also had a problem with Schulz’s choice of using untrained children as the voice actors rather than professional adult voice actors.
Things really looked bleak when Schulz began to get push back from his own team. Do you remember the scene in “A Charlie Brown Christmas” where Charlie is on a stage and asks vehemently, “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?” Linus responded by reciting Luke 2:8-14 [KJV]:
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 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. And the angel said unto them, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
Schulz was a devout Christian, and it was his choice to include this recitation of Scripture in the program. Mendelson and Melendez were sure that this would be the end of their careers. No one had ever animated anything from the Bible before for national television.
When A Charlie Brown Christmas aired at 7:30 p.m. ET on December 9, 1965, half of American TV viewers tuned in. The reviews were outstanding. Washington Post TV critic Lawrence Laurent wrote, “Good old Charlie Brown, a natural born loser … finally turned up a winner.”
I love that Charles Schulz stayed with his convictions and shared the true meaning of Christmas - Jesus Christ.
Romans 1:16 - “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…”
Church family, may this Christmas season renew your courage and conviction in the beauty and power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Ultimately, may you be reminded that God is with you, God is for you, and God loves you!
Pastor Chris
