Paul’s Nativity, Linus, and what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown

Paul’s Nativity, Linus, and what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown December 21, 2014

Here’s an item for my Christmas wish list. I’ll need the help of: A) Someone with video editing and synching skills; and B) someone who can do a good impression of Linus from the Charlie Brown Christmas special.

The Christmas story only appears in two of the four Gospels in the New Testament. Paul’s letters were written much earlier, but the closest thing we find there to a Nativity story is Philippians 2:1-11.

And but so, I’d love to see a version of the classic scene below in which Linus says, “Sure, Charlie Brown. I can tell you what Christmas is all about. Lights, please. …” But then instead of the familiar Bethlehem story, we’d hear him recite this:

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,

Linusp2who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death —
even death on a cross.
Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name.

Then he would, as always, pick up his blanket and walk out of the spotlight to say, “That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”

And then we could all go outside and reconsider poor Charlie’s sad little tree and maybe decide it’s a pretty good tree after all.

 

 


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