Lessons from Charlie Brown and the Peanuts Gang Theme: Never Quit: despite some failures & insecurities. Pastor Bob Vale: February 9th, 2014 / Biblical Focus: Phil. 3:14 Scripture Lesson: Matthew 26:57-75 Biblical Focus: Phil. 3:14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Scripture Lesson: Matthew 26:57 75 Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. 58 But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the outcome. MT 26:59 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 60 But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward 61 and declared, "This fellow said, `I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.' " MT 26:62 Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, "Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?" 63 But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, "I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God." MT 26:64 "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied. "But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." MT 26:65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. 66 What do you think?" "He is worthy of death," they answered. MT 26:67 Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him 68 and said, "Prophesy to us, Christ. Who hit you?" MT 26:69 Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. "You also were with Jesus of Galilee," she said. MT 26:70 But he denied it before them all. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said.
MT 26:71 Then he went out to the gateway, where another girl saw him and said to the people there, "This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth." MT 26:72 He denied it again, with an oath: "I don't know the man!" MT 26:73 After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, "Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away." MT 26:74 Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, "I don't know the man!" Immediately a rooster crowed. 75 Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: "Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly. Traditional Service: Hymn of Praise: # 140 Great is Thy Faithfulness Prayer Hymn: # 64 Holy, Holy, Holy (Verse # 1) Hymn of Response: # 534 Be Still My Soul This is a great clip of Charlie Brown trying to catch a ball and then after running everywhere, he drops the ball and his friends call him a block head. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzxrgka1mla
The Peanuts Gang (1950-2000) Do you remember the comic strips from the Peanuts gang? They actually started in the 1950 s, by a man named Charles Schulz. He actually spent time in Indiana and went to Taylor University in Upland, Indiana. Charles Schulz drew and wrote the comics of the Peanuts for nearly 50 years. He started just after he got out of serving in the Army during WWII. The ''Peanuts Comics,'' eventually reached readers in 75 countries, 2,600 papers and 21 languages every day, made Mr. Schulz very rich. The ''Peanuts'' strips, merchandise and product endorsements brought in $1.1 billion a year. And Mr. Schulz was said to have earned about $30 million to $40 million annually. In the 1960 s and 1970 s his comic strips were in nearly every newspaper across the country. They also began making T.V. shows about the peanuts gang, such as the Thanksgiving & Great Pumpkin special and the famous Charlie Brown Christmas. Each one of the characters has a special place in the life of Charlie Brown. Today I will begin by sharing with you about the main character, Charlie Brown.
Charlie Brown is the little boy who never gives up. He makes a lot of mistakes but just keeps on trying, no matter what. He struggles to kick the football from Lucy, who pulls it away, he then pays her five cents to get not so great advice from her, his baseball team never seems to win a game, the little red headed girl that he wants to notice him, never seems to get the message, he struggles with a school book report, tries to get elected as the class president, and desperately wants to be accepted by his peers. In many ways his life is relational to our own. Yet for all of his failures he never gives up and keeps on trying to succeed. He is a true blue fighter in life. There was Lucy who loved to give advice for 5 cents to Charlie and also pulls the football out from under him every time when he tried to kick it. Yet Charlie Brown never seems to give up hope that one time she might not pull the football away. She is the girl who is outspoken even if you don t want her advice. Lucy is definitely a first child in life and has a little brother Linus.
Then there is Snoopy the fun and loving beagle that is Charlie s best friend. He is fun and very accepting of Charlie Brown. Linus is Charlie s friend, who also carries a blue security blanket, which hints at his young insecurities in life. Yet he has the faith that can move a mountain in believing in the Great Pumpkin and helping the peanuts gang understand the true meaning of Christmas by quoting the gospel of Luke chapter 2 in the school Christmas play. Linus is the intellectual of the group & good friend to Charlie Brown when he needs him the most.
Schroeder is the talented piano player who is disciplined at practicing the piano. He is also the catcher on Charlie Brown s baseball team. Today I want to focus on Charlie Brown s life. What can we learn about Charlie? Is there any spiritual applications we can draw from a person who makes a lot of mistakes yet keeps on striving to get it right in life? I want us to watch a very short video clip that illustrates how hard Charlie tries to succeed, but doesn t always. Video to view: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzxrgka1mla Even though Charlie dropped the ball and all his friends called him a block head, we know that he had the courage to get back up on the pitcher s mound the next day with his team. I always wonder, if Charlie Brown was so very terrible at leading his baseball team, why didn t any of the other characters step us and lead the baseball team? Why weren t they willing to lead? I have found in my life that many folks would much rather follow and let others lead. There is a lot less criticism in following rather than leading. Good for Charlie Brown for leading anyway!
Charlie Brown reminds me of the disciple Peter: Peter never gave up. Peter made mistakes, yet keeps going. Peter was the eternal optimist. Peter was a never quitter, despite his struggles in the gospels. I have a story for you: Illustration: There is a 12 year old boy who is playing in his back yard trying to hit the baseball with his bat. Before he begins he shouts out to the trees and anyone who is listening in his empty back yard; Here stands the greatest baseball hitter in the world. He throws the baseball up in the air, takes a strong swing and misses. He then picks up the ball from the ground and says, strike one. He makes his loud claim again that he is the greatest baseball hitter in all the world and tosses the ball up in the air again for a second time. He swings all the way around almost falling to the ground and mutters to himself, strike two. The young boy then gets some dust from the ground and rubs it in his hands, taps the back of his shoes with the bat, pouts his index finger deep into left field and says, with the score tied, the greatest baseball hitter in the world is about to hit another home run in the 9 th inning of the seventh game of the world series and the count is three balls and two strikes. Can he save the team and be the hero of the year? He then tosses the ball up in the air and swings wildly missing the ball and falling to the ground. This time he does not say strike three. He just stays on the ground for a few seconds and is quiet in thought. Suddenly he jumps up in the air, raises both arms up and loudly shouts, I am the greatest baseball pitcher in the world!!! Folks now that is never giving up on yourself.
The Disciple Peter: The disciple Peter spent three years with Jesus Christ during his travel and ministry years. Peter watched Jesus teach, preach, heal, perform many miracles, he even walked on water with Jesus; yet at the moment Jesus was being arrested by the Romans, Peter and the rest of the disciples ran and hid. At one time Jesus said, Upon his type of faith, he would start His church & the gates of hell would not prevail against it. When Peter kept his distance from Jesus trial and murder on the cross, he was approached three times and asked the simple question. Aren t you one of the fella s who hangs around that Jesus guy? Let s take a serious look at that scripture: Please open your Bibles to the gospel of Matthew 26:57 Matthew 26:57-58 Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. 58 But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the outcome. Two things are noteworthy in these verses: First, they took Jesus to the Temple Court where disputes were settled. Deuteronomy gives us a picture of the legal system of the Jewish people. Secondly, Peter was brave but not that brave. He kept his distance. I don t think at this point he was ready to become a martyr like Jesus. He stayed just outside the gate so he could hear and perhaps see what was going on. Matthew 26:59-61 MT 26:59 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 60 But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward 61 and declared, "This fellow said, `I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.' "
Jesus is in front of the Jewish religious leaders of his day. These were not the synagogue rabbi s of the local folks. These were the powerful Chief Priest and Sanhedrin of the wealthy land owners who worshipped in the temple! There is no separation of church and state, it is a theocracy and the temple priest are the real power for the Jewish culture. How dare Jesus say, he would destroy their temple!!! Jesus was certainly referring to his own body that would be destroyed on the cross and raised again in three days from the tomb. But to these folks, they thought Jesus was going to raise a rebellion to destroy the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. They were very upset. How would we feel is someone in our day stated they were going to come and destroy our church sanctuary. We would be upset also! Matthew 26:62 MT 26:62 Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, "Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?" 63 But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, "I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God." The high priest was asking Jesus a very specific question. A question which the answer could get him out of trouble, or an answer could end his life. By admitting that he was the Christ, was saying several things: 1. He was potentially the messiah they have been looking for. (The Hope of Israel and the world.) 2. The word Christ means the future king that God would send to save his people. He could bring military type of coup against Rome.
3. Caiaphas who was the high priest did not like Jesus brand of peaceful teachings and his directness against the Jewish religious leaders. Jesus had great difficulty with their brand of religion. a. Do you remember when Jesus overturned the tables of the money changers in the temple courts? How he called them a den of thieves? b. This was an extremely corrupt system to cheat people when they traveled miles to Jerusalem to sacrifice an animal for the sins of their family. 1. The people were being cheated both by the high prices of the animals and for the extremely high rate they were being charged to exchange the money from their home currency into temple money, which is the only currency that could be used to purchase a small animal for sacrifice. c. Guess who was in Charge of this corrupt system: Annas; the father in law of Caiaphas the high priest, who Jesus was standing in front of for Jewish judgment. d. Jesus was digging into the family business and Caiaphas was not going to have that from a two bit traveling country rabbi with no Jewish educational credentials. By Jesus admitting he was the son of God, was a whole different question. To the Jewish leaders they thought: What arrogance and blasphemy would come from his mouth if he would admit to being the son of God. MT 26:64 "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied. "But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." MT 26:65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. 66 MT 26:67 What do you think?" "He is worthy of death," they answered. Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him 68 and said, "Prophesy to us, Christ. Who hit you?"
Jesus was very clear with them saying, He indeed was the Christ, and wished to remind them that one day they will see him sitting at the right hand of God the Father in heaven. In one sentence Jesus told them exactly who he was and they didn t like his answer one bit. Keeping with the Kangaroo court silliness; Caiaphas yelled out, He has spoken blasphemy and tore his clothes. Jewish tradition for a person hearing bad news or angry news, would tear their clothes. If a Jewish person learned of a death of a close family member, they may tear part of their clothing to illustrate their deep sadness. Matthew 26:69-75 MT 26:69 Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. "You also were with Jesus of Galilee," she said. But he denied it before them all. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said. MT 26:70 Strike One against Peter. He could not even admit to a little girl he knew Christ. As this point he heard the words death would come to Jesus and he did not want any part of that. MT 26:71 Then he went out to the gateway, where another girl saw him and said to the people there, "This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth." MT 26:72 He denied it again, with an oath: "I don't know the man!" Strike Two against Peter He decided to walk away from this situation, but was asked again and he denied again, but this time with an oath. Oath: That would be like us today saying, I swear, I never said or did that. It gives extra punch to his statement. He was lying through his teeth and his pants were certainly on fire.
MT 26:73 After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, "Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away." MT 26:74 Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, "I don't know the man!" Strike Three against Peter. Accent: His accent gives Peter away because he was from Galilee. They did not speak the fine proper Aramaic that was spoken in the capital of Jerusalem. The people of the northern Galilee spoke a more relaxed version of Aramaic. It would be like us noticing the accent of someone from Mississippi and their southern draw. Cursing: Peter then began to throw out curse words. He was really desperate and did not want the crowd to yell out to the temple leaders so very close and say, Hey Caiaphas here is another one of those Jesus followers of the way, perhaps you would like to question him as well? So at this point he started yelling out curse words. Surely this would show these folks how serious he was to deny Christ. It must have been some string of curse words, because I think they bought it. Matthew 74-75 Immediately a rooster crowed. 75 Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: "Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly. At this point Peter has three strikes against him, and the sound of the rooster reminded him of his failure. He was not the greatest hitter or pitcher in the world, he was the greatest wimp. He just sold out to his best friend in all the world; Jesus. He went outside away from the people and wept bitterly. Two Men: That night two men betrayed Jesus; Judas with money and Peter with words. Judas went out and hung himself to death and Peter simply wept. One gave up his future, while the other has a future. Jesus certainly would have forgiven Judas when he rose from the grave.
Have you ever been in a situation where you had the opportunity to stand up for Christ in your daily life and you chose not to? Later, you wished you would have had the courage to say the right thing, do the right thing or give in the right way. Why are we afraid to claim to be Christians in our culture? It s not like we are going to be arrested, thrown in jail or beaten for our Christian principles. Perhaps we all struggle with the same thing Charlie Brown struggles with: SELF IMAGE. We re concerned about what our peers will think about us if we boldly stand up for Jesus Christ. Charlie Brown struggled with: 1. Will I be able to catch the ball and win the game? 2. Will the girl with the red pig tales ever notice me? 3. Will Lucy every let me kick the football so I don t fall down and look like a fool. Life is not always easy! But here is where or Biblical focus comes into play: Phil. 3:14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. 1. We keep on moving forward!!!! 2. We keep on trying to win the prize!!! 3. We keep walking towards God in our lives.
Peter did exactly those three things the rest his life. He absolutely did not let his failure define him. Here is what Peter did: 1. He restored his relationship with Jesus after the resurrection. 2. He led the events to the birth of the church at Pentecost in the upper room. 3. He introduced the Holy Spirit to the world. 4. He began to preach and teach boldly all across the new world. 5. He wrote the two New Testament books of I & II Peter. 6. He started new churches and encouraged many both Jews and Gentiles towards the new faith in Christ. 7. He chose to become a martyr and die on a cross upside down for his faith. Close by singing the song: Peter, Peter, Where are you going. (Pastor Bob Sings.) Please show these four pictures while singing the next song for the four verses to the song: Peter What Are You Doing.
Peter, What Are You Doing? E F#m G#m A B E--A Peter, Peter, what are you doing, following that man? You gave up your life of fishing, you think it s gonna last? A E B E A Chorus: And when I think about the way things might have been, if you d E B A E B E A----B E A2 remained at sea. You d still be a fisherman, Peter, you re such a Fool. Peter, Peter what are you doing, walking on those waves? You told Him you could walk on water and now you re sinking down. Peter, Peter, what are you doing I heard you told them That you; that you did not know him, now He s gone and he s dead. Peter, Peter, what are you doing, hanging upside down. Peter, Peter, you know you re dying, dying for your Lord. What about you and all your choices, over all your years? To follow God no matter what happens; have you made that clear? *Talk Freely About How We change for God over the years A E B E A E And when you think about the way things might have been, if you remained B A E B E A----B E--A unchanged, you d still be your old self, oh Jesus, thank the Lord I changed. I thank the Lord I m a fool, just like Peter, I chose to follow you!
Our lives change so very much if we live long enough. I thank the Lord for how I have changed in the journey of Life; Hopefully for the good. Perhaps there was a little bit of Charlie Brown self image problems in your past? Hopefully you have the never quitting spirit of Charlie Brown in your soul. 1. Have you made that change or are you still struggling? 2. Would you like to be more bold for God in your life? 3. Consider saying a prayer right now where you are to receive more courage from God. Remember the 10 finger prayer: I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength! (Phil. 4:13) Let s pray, Lord, give us the courage of Peter in his later days. Grant us the faith of Paul, the patience of Job, the wisdom of Solomon and the righteousness of Jesus Christ. May we learn from these characters to become better Christians here on earth, Amen. Words of Wisdom: Dorothy Benard once said, Courage is fear that has said its prayers, there can be no courage if we are not afraid. Benediction: May God bless us with enough foolishness to actually believe we can make a difference in the world; so that with God we can do what others say cannot be done! May God bless you until we meet again. Amen.