Christmas is a busy time of the year.  There is so much to do that we can hardly catch our breath.  There are gifts to buy,  cookies to be baked, Lights to be strung, trees to be made to sparkle...parties to planand attend, food to be boughtand cooked, music to be chosen.  The list goes on and on.

Peanuts characters got caught up in the extravagance of Christmas. y were decorating, planning their annual Christmas Play. But they made one mistake. y sent Charlie Brown out to but the Christmas tree. y were all expecting a white, metal tree…with lights and decoration all over it. What does Charlie do. He brings the scrawniest live tree he could find. He was laughed at, made fun of, and called stupid. “can’t you tell a good tree from a poor tree Charlie Brown? You are hopeless Charlie Brown.” Whll that was the last straw. He screams….”Doesn’t anyone know what Christmas is all about?” What he doesn’t expect is Linus response. “I know what Christmas is all about”

Linus Continues “ 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 Luke 2:8-14 KJV

That’s what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown

Out of the mouths of babes.  Wrappings, family and bright lights are great. But they are peripheral to the real meaning of Christmas. That God loves us so much that He was born into this world as a baby because we needed Him. We needed to be rescued from the muck and mire that sin has made in our lives. No strings attached. It is just a gift. The best gift we can receive this year or at any time of our life.

When our children get a gift, we prompt them “what do you say/” Thank you is the answer. Jesus gave you the gift of eternal life….what do you say?

Say thank you Christmas Eve at 7:30 P.M. during our Christmas Candlelight Service Or say thanks Christmas Morning at 10 A.M. and receive the gift of his body and blood at the communion table.