Charlie Brown

Introduction

Merry Christmas, LifeBridge. I’m really glad you’re here tonight

Christmas Eve is one of those nights where everything feels meaningful

The lights feel a little brighter

The songs feel a little deeper

And for many of us, the emotions sit a little closer to the surface

Over the past few weeks, as a church, we’ve been in a series called Christmas at the Movies

We’ve been looking at some of our favorite Christmas films—not just for nostalgia or entertainment—but to discover biblical truths that are sometimes hiding in plain sight

Here’s what we’ve found: Stories have a way of getting past our defenses

Sometimes a movie helps us see truths we’ve heard in church our whole lives—but maybe never really noticed…

or never really let sink in

Jesus actually taught this way

He used stories—parables—about farmers, sons, weddings, and coins, to reveal deeper spiritual realities

And in a similar way, these Christmas movies often surface longings, fears, and hopes that point us back to the greatest story ever told—

the story of Jesus

Tonight, we’re going to look at a movie many of us grew up watching.

It’s simple.

It’s quiet.

It’s only about 25 minutes long.

And yet, it might be the best Christmas message ever put on a screen.

A Charlie Brown Christmas

What I love about this movie is that it refuses to sugarcoat the season

It admits something we don’t always say out loud in church:

Sometimes Christmas feels empty

Sometimes it feels confusing

Sometimes it feels like we’re surrounded by celebration, but still searching for meaning

And that’s exactly where the movie begins—with Charlie Brown saying:

“I just don’t understand Christmas.”

That line sets the tone for the entire story

Because Christmas isn’t just about remembering something that happened 2,000 years ago

It’s about answering a question we’re still asking today:

What is Christmas really all about?

Tonight, as we walk through a few scenes from this movie, my prayer is that we wouldn’t just watch a story we already know—but that we would see it with fresh eyes

That maybe, in a familiar story, God would reveal something we’ve missed…

or remind us of something we’ve forgotten.

So let’s begin where Charlie Brown begins—

with honesty,

with curiosity,

and with a heart that’s open to discovering the true meaning of Christmas

Play Clip One

One of the most powerful—and often overlooked—moments in A Charlie Brown Christmas is how the story begins

Not with joy

Not with celebration

But with honesty

Charlie Brown doesn’t pretend he’s okay

He doesn’t slap a smile on his face

He simply says, “I just don’t understand Christmas, I guess.”

That sentence matters more than we realize

Because honesty is often the doorway to hope

and without hope, we don’t know how to keep going

Hope is what gives us the strength to take the next step when life feels heavy, confusing, or unfinished

Hope is believing there is more ahead than what you see right now

Hope doesn’t begin with pretending

Hope begins with telling the truth

Throughout Scripture, God consistently meets people where they are, not where they pretend to be

David didn’t hide his fear—he wrote it into the Psalms

Job didn’t mask his pain—he voiced his questions

Thomas didn’t fake his faith—he admitted his doubt

And God didn’t reject any of them

He met them… right where they were

Truth

God is not offended by your honesty

One of the reasons Christmas can feel hollow is because we feel pressure to skip over how we really feel

We jump straight to:

“I’m fine.”

“It’s all good.”

“God is good… so I shouldn’t feel this way.”

But when we skip honesty, we don’t get hope—we get denial

And denial doesn’t heal. It just hides

Hope doesn’t grow in denial

It grows in truth

Honesty Creates Space for God to Move

Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.”

When Charlie Brown finally says out loud what he’s been carrying inside, it creates space for change… for healing to begin

Play Clip Two

his honesty leads him, to search

Instead of choosing the biggest, brightest tree, Charlie Brown chooses the smallest one

Weak.

Unimpressive.

Overlooked.

But that small tree points us to a much bigger truth

God often chooses what the world overlooks

Luke 2:12 “And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

Jesus didn’t arrive with applause

He arrived in humility

And He expects this from us

He is not looking for the perfect and put together

He’s looking for the…

Honest, humble truth

So let me ask you a qustion

Are you being honest with yourself

or are you pretending

Check this out…

Play Clip Three

Notice this:

Charlie Brown’s honesty leads him to ask the right question.

“Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?”

Honesty doesn’t end in despair

It leads us to search for truth.

Tonight, you don’t have to pretend

You don’t have to feel joyful to belong here

You don’t have to have everything figured out to be welcomed

If you feel overwhelmed—be honest.

If you feel numb—be honest.

If you feel hopeful and grateful—be honest.

Because honesty is not the opposite of faith

It is often the first step toward it

Are you being honest?

Before we move to the next portion of our service, I want to ask you a question.

For some of you, you’ve spent years knowing about Jesus

You know the story

You know the verses

You know the songs

But knowing about Jesus is different than following Jesus

Do you follow Jesus?

Following Jesus is a choice

It’s the moment we stop being in control and allow Him to lead our lives

It’s moving from information to surrender

From knowledge to trust

The angel didn’t say, “A teacher has been born.”

He said, “A Savior has been born.”

And tonight, you may sense God gently inviting you to take that step

Not to have all the answers

Not to have your life cleaned up

But to say, “Jesus, I trust You.”

If that’s you tonight, right where you are, you can simply whisper that prayer to Him

Jesus, I trust You. Save me. Lead me.

And as we sing and light candles, let this be a moment where light enters not just the room

but your heart

Because Christmas isn’t just a story to remember

It’s an invitation to receive

That’s what Christmas is all about.

Pray