On December 9th, 1965 A Charlie Brown Christmas first aired on CBS. Every year since then, Charlie Brown has asked his famous question: “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?” 

Tonight’s lectionary is filled with answers for Charlie Brown.

Isaiah’s song of thanksgiving is forever remembered in Handel’s glorious Messiah: The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; and they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath light shined…. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.”

Isaiah’s words signaled a new period of peace, justice, and righteousness. His prophesy—700 years before the birth of Christ—was meant for a people who had been conquered, thrown out of their homeland, and enslaved. They had no hope.

Unto them, a child is born.

To this day, Isaiah’s words are a balm to people who live day-to-day, meal-to-meal, without a homeland, without a bed, without work, without a sense of belonging. 

Unto them, a child is born.

It is Linus, Charlie Brown’s best friend, who will walk to center stage and recite tonight’s Gospel reading. Mary and Joseph live in Nazareth. The Romans emperor who oversees their homeland, decrees that everyone must participate in a census. There are no exceptions for people who are poor--or ill--or elderly--or in their 9th month of pregnancy.

And, so, Joseph and Mary begin the walk to Bethlehem 90 miles away.

They arrive safely.  Luke tells us there were no hotel vacancies for Mary and Joseph. When she begins labor, they find accommodation in a simple dwelling shared by animals. There are no doctors or nurses or clean sheets or running water. It is Mary’s first child. She and Joseph are alone.

Unto them, a child is born.

The shepherds were tending their flock that very night. The darkness of a desert night is different than a modern city nightscape. In Fort Worth, we see just a fraction of the night sky. In Bethlehem, 2000 years ago, the stars were vibrant.   

There was no other light competing with the stars. The shepherds’ eyes adjusted to the absence of light.

Piercing the darkness, an angel appears before them. Luke says, “the glory of the Lord shone around them.” Suddenly they are immersed in dazzling light—like nothing they had ever seen. They were terrified.

Unto them, a child is born.

The divine gift we remember tonight is different than the gifts under our Christmas trees. This gift is not in a box---we can’t pick it up, shake it and try to guess what’s inside. Does it rattle like the pieces of a puzzle? Is it squishy like a bag of socks? Is it shaped like a guitar? Or tiny like a jewelry box?

There’s no tag on this gift. 

At the end of our worship, we will dim the lights and sing Silent Night together.  Without electric lights, the Advent candles will be much more visible to our eyes. 

The acolytes will carry light from the Christ candle to those who are sitting on the end of each row. As light passes from one person to the next, the light of Christ will illumine this room.  It is a living demonstration of the Body of Christ being Christ in the world.

Along every row, each of us receives the Light of Christ—and shares the Light of Christ with a neighbor. There is welcome—accepting the light; and there is gift—sharing God’s light.

The gift we receive tonight is already inside us. 

We are connected through Christ to all people, across all time and place, to all of God’s creation. We are free to choose how we welcome the divine gift and we are free to choose how we share it. 

That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown:

Unto us, a child is born.