I first heard about the "LOST' week about 10yrs. ago - it's a spoof of "last" week.
The holiday season begins a week or two before Thanksgiving - from that moment
on up until the main event Christmas Day - we are hurried, rushed, overloaded,
with packed schedules.
This December Cathleen and I attended two Christmas parties, 1 of the Church, 1 work
Christmas party.
Our girls attended 2 diffrerent birthday parties, not to mention Cathleen's
b-day is the 21st oF DEC.
Family in from out of town most of DEC.
Added onto all of the regular Christmas preparations of shopping, traveling,
children's plays and the like...
Come the main event - Christmas Day - we get about half way through the day and crash!
The next day, the 26th onto the 31st becomes the last week of the year, a week
that often becomes LOST - we have hit a brick wall and zone out! We think to ourselves,
"I did it! I made it through another holiday season alive with all my limbs attatched!"
The only problem is that when we zone out of the last week, we begin a New Year behind.
Behind physically, mentally, and spiritually.
To avoid that I'd like to share a few things I do to stay FOCUSED
The "LOST" Week of the Year
(December 26 - January 2)
"Act like people with good sense and not like fools.
...so make every minute count." Ephesians 5:15-16
Five suggestions to keep your FOCUS:
1. REFLECT, FAST, & PRAY
Grab a notebook and pen then take some time to reflect on the past year, the
good, the not so good, the fun stuff, the annoying things.
Talk to God about the year, ask what He has to say.
Take some time to fast this week. I fast New Years Eve into New Years day.
Think about what could work for you.
"Examine yourselves..." 2 Corinthians 13:5
"When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. Jeremiah 29:12
"And when you fast, don't make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, who try to look
pale and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting." Matthew 6:16
2. Read a large book in the Bible
A couple of years ago I was reading the gospels, this year it's Acts. Pick a
good size book, Dueteronomy is a fabulous Old Testament book, Psalms or Proverbs, or maybe
1st or 2nd Corinthians. It will definetly get a head start on reading the Bible in a year
if that's your route.
"Never stop reading The Book of the Law he gave you. Day and night you must
think about what it says. If you obey it completely, you will be successful." Joshua 1:8
3. Undress the House
This is simply using this week to take down and store all of your beautiful
Christmas decor.
You may say why? It's just the thought that come January 2nd you still have
Christmas decor up and it avoids the feeling of "Im already behind, I still have to put
away last year's stuff"
"let us strip off every weight that slows us down,... And let us run with
endurance the race that God has set before us." Hebrews 12:1
4. Set aside time for "Refreshing"
This is differernt from zoning out - this is purposed relaxation and refreshing.
Take some time of solitude and invite the Holy Spirit to come and renew you spiritually.
With palms up just say,
"God, I'm here willing to just sit and soak up whatever you have for me."
Then watch how God loves on you.
"I long, yes, I faint with longing to enter the courts of the LORD. With my
whole being, body and soul, I will shout joyfully to the living God." Psalm 84:2
5. Summarize... Prioritize... Organize
Go back to the time of reflection, what did you come up with? What did God say? ...Summarize
Make a list of what you want to accomplish in '06 - from small to big - lay it out & ...Prioritize
Now that is done, how are you going to accomplish these things? What's your plan ...Organize
"Lead me in the right path, O LORD,... Tell me clearly what to do, and show me
which way to turn." Psalm 5:8
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be
given to you as well." Matthew 6:33
That's just a few suggestions, you may have more. Whatever the case, don't let
the last week become the LOST week.
Monday, December 26, 2005
Sunday, December 18, 2005
Finding GOD in Narnia - A World of Wonder
Discover the Meaning in the Message
In ‘The CoN’ readers or viewers - recognize characters like themselves who’ve had to put up w/ bullying, betrayals, bad schools, & the overall cruelty that we and children often show each other. lewis’ stories also show children having to make hard choices, coming to terms w/ their moral responsibility, and undergoing spiritual trials and victories.
Just as we do in real life.
Tell story - Children left London due to the air raids of WW2
end up in a Professors large home - trying to entertain
themselves in any way possible, play hide n seek - Lucy
discovers the Wardrobe
As she enters she discovers it goes deep - she sees some light - she finds herself in Narnia.
Returns home - bros and sis don’t believe her - Edmund is quite vicious in teasing and tormenting his sister - Lucy feels unbelievably miserable - another way we can relate.
A few days later - Edmund discover Narnia w/ Lucy - he doesn't tell - Ed actually bitter that he was wrong and would have to apologize so he denies it.
This is the beginning of a nasty downward spiral for Ed.
The moral degradation of Ed is one of the story’s most
important issues. His rel. w/ the Witch is a symbol of his
sinful condition in this world.
Some sins are twisted and unlawful attempts to gain
something good, something that benefits them - thief/stereo
a drug addict who wrecks his body & life for a moments pleasure. Those sins are bad enough -
But there are others where the perpetrator gets nothing in return - Vandalism, Cruelty, Pride, Anger, Revenge, purposely hurting someone who loves us - again we can relate
The LWW is about sin, and it is about salvation from sin
Lewis makes it quite clear that sin is very ordinary. It does not have to be dramatic, breaking out into some monstrous crime to be deadly and soul-killing. It is in our nature
While sin can break out into action, it’s home is in our thoughts and feelings and attitudes, in the deepest recesses of our heart.
What a segue to discuss the White Witch (vid) - In the LWW, the witch symbolizes Satan. The story explores in symbol what the Bible says about Satan’s reign in a fallen world; how he tempts us; how he enslaves us; and how he is
defeated by Jesus Christ, who frees us from his bondage.
When Lucy was with Tumnus she asked him, “who is the white witch?” He tells her, she is the one who has all Narnia “Under her thumb” b/c of her, it is always winter and never Christmas - those simple words are charged w/ symbolism -
The Bible tells us Satan has the world, “under his thumb”
1 John 5:19 … the whole world is under the control of the evil one.
When Ed meets the the White Witch he is struck by how beautiful she is. This is important to remember about the
appearance of Satan. Satan and the witch in reality are hideously gruesome in their true inner selves, but they
appear attractive, persuasive, even good.
Evil generally presents itself as something good. We don’t just go out and say, “Hey, let’s do something evil today
today” Temptations and evil often come in disguise -
Sex. immorality masquerades as love, Cruelty pretends to be justice, Rebellion insists that it is freedom.
false in appearance
The witch with Ed becomes nice, inviting him onto her sleigh,
wrapping her fur mantle around him - She conjures up something warm to drink, She asks him, “What’s your fav. treat?”
Turkish Delight, he says
Ed starts gobbling up all the TD, as any young child would
then when the TD runs out, Ed wants some more, but the witch doesnt give him any - instead bring bro/sis get more
Ed craves the TD so much he’ll do anything to get more.
You see those who taste it once will want more and more - if they could, they’d eat, eat, eat until it killed them.
Ever heard of anything like that before?
Ed becomes addicted to the witch’s TD, hmm, drug addicts develop such cravings that they will lie, steal, even kill in
order to get another hit, another drag, sniff, snort, anything?
A drug addict will even keep taking drugs until they kill him.
The one addictive behavior leads to more and more, more.
Alcohol can have the same effect - Sexual sins can be just as addictive and destructive.
One characteristic of an addiction is that as the craving grows, the actual pleasure grows less, requiring more and more stimulation to achieve the desired affect.
This leads to overdose, destruction of self, and family.
But less dramatic sins also have the quality of TD. We can gorge ourselves on hatred, as well, or on envy or greed or pride. All of these are egotistical pleasures, which we come to crave more and more and more.
TD symbolizes the sense in which sin is enslaving.
Everything we just discussed ties us down, we are not free -
It may start with an exhilarating sense of freedom, or
rebellion against the norm, but these sins make those who
indulge in them slaves.
Addicts cannot just chose to stop their habits. If they were free they could, but even when the want to stop, they cannot, as their desires drag them deeper and deeper into self-destruction.
All sin is like that.
Contrary to the popular assumption that sin is liberating, the truth is that sin destroys freedom. As Jesus said himself, “Everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin” Jn. 8:34
point of TD: now Ed bondage to witch, as sinners are in bon. to Satan.
(vid)
The figure of Aslan is the soul of all the CoN. Aslan is the center of the stories’ meaning and the main source of their insight. When Peter, Lucy, & Susan come to meet Aslan for the 1st time in attempt to help their brother who is controlled by the witch - they are awed and overjoyed by his presence and comforting voice when they are warmly received by Aslan. Just as God’s Word consoles His people, the sheep who hear the voice of their Shepherd -
“The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.” John 10:3-4
Aslan is Lewis’ symbol for Jesus Christ
The word Aslan is simply the Persian word for Lion.
The bible itself uses the lion as a symbol for Christ.
The earliest reference in scripture comes in Gen. 49
There are other ref. but the most explicit portrayal of Christ as a Lion is in the book of Rev. 5:5
“See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals."
In a later volume in the CoN titled the “Voyage of the Dawn Treader” another group of children meet Aslan. One of them asks him if he is in their world too?
“I Am,” said Aslan, “But I have another Name.”
Eventually Ed. is rescued, brought back and is repentant.
You may think, well now all is well, but there is a debt that has to be paid - the witch’s claim
The Witch approaches Aslan and announces there is a
traitor in your midst. According to the law every traitor
belongs to her. As a result, she maintains, Ed belongs to her - his life is forfeit - she is entitled to his blood.
You see, sinners in Narnia belong to the witch, just as
sinners in our world belong to the devil.
“He who does what is sinful is of the devil...” 1 John 3:8
The story here turns particularly powerful b/c now we can all relate to Ed and his predicament. We have recognized his spite, his envy, his lusts for pleasure and revenge, his injured pride, b/c we too, if were honest, have given in to such sins ourselves. Ed is in that bondage of sin that leads to death - he stands condemned - the wages of sin must be collected.
The Passion of Aslan
After a private discussion w/ the witch, Aslan proclaims Ed is free and clear - all is well.
There is great joy in the camp - but later that night Aslan leaves his camp off to the Stone Table - foll. by 2 girls
There the witch and her minions are ready and waiting to place Aslan upon the Stone Table to take his life.
On his way he is bound, mocked, his mane is shaven off, he is kicked, hit, and spit upon in humiliation - the scene
parallels the stripping and mockery of Christ.
On the Stone Table the witch kills Aslan, the girls witness his death and stay by his side after the witch and company leave - paralleling Mary and Martha at Christ’s death and at His tomb. (vid)
The Stone Table symbolizes The Cross of Christ
Not only does Aslan die for Ed, he dies in Edmunds place. He takes the punishment Edmund deserved, just as Jesus did for us.
The girls hear this loud cracking noise, they turn to the table and it is broken in 2 and Aslan’s body is gone!
They begin to cry thinking someone has taken his body but then they hear his voice - they turn to see him alive!
It is a physical resurrection of Aslan - Christianity hinges on the physical death of Jesus followed by his physical coming back to life. (1 Cor. 15:12-28)
The Gospels emphasize that the resurrected Jesus is no mere spirit, nor a ghost. He eats, and has the disciples touch Him.
Aslan explaining to the girls the written law, “If a willing victim innocent of treachery died in a traitor’s place, the Stone table would crack and death itself would start working backwards.”
(Ed sac to witch - Old Test. sac.)
You see, there is no longer a need for sacrifice on our part. Christ has been sacrificed once and for all - He did it for us
“Christ made a single sacrifice for sins, and that was it! ...
By that single offering, he did everything that needed to be done for everyone who takes part in the purifying process.”
Hebrews 10:12-14
In Narnian terms, The Stone table, a place of sacrifice. can be broken, since sacrifices are now finished once for all.
The phrase, “Death works backwards” refers to the message of Easter - Christ’s death brings our life!
We are alive in Christ!
Christmas story - Jesus was born to die so we could live!
The Battle
Justification by faith is not the end of the Christian Life. It is just the beginning - it is the continual energizing force for what comes next. God does not take us out of the world after He has saved us. He sends us back into the world. (Jn.17)
He does not take away all of our problems, trials, and
conflicts.
Instead he turns them into stepping stones - opportunities to grow in our faith - this is known as ‘sanctification’.
This happened to Peter, when Aslan let Peter take on the evil wolf in a one on one combat - we need to notice that in that combat, Aslan was right there - God is always right there. But life is a battle
In this process of Sanct. we live out our life, w/ it’s ups and downs, triumphs and failures - thru it all we grow in holiness.
But it’s a battle (vid)
The battle is symbolic of our everyday journey in life
The battle against the witch and her minions continues even after the death and resurrection of Aslan.
Even after Christ’s death and resurrection, even after He saved us, we too must continue to battle sin, in ourselves and in the world.
The bible uses the imagery of warfare to describe
sanctification.
“For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see
another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.” Romans 7:22-23
But God gives us the resources to fight these battles:
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”
Ephesians 6:10-18
This is how we are protected and engage in the battle
(you may want to do some research on this)
We have a God who loves us dearly. Who sent His Son as the perfect sacrifice so we could live! Live with Him for
eternity - WOW! This offer is for everybody - have you grabbed a hold of it?
In ‘The CoN’ readers or viewers - recognize characters like themselves who’ve had to put up w/ bullying, betrayals, bad schools, & the overall cruelty that we and children often show each other. lewis’ stories also show children having to make hard choices, coming to terms w/ their moral responsibility, and undergoing spiritual trials and victories.
Just as we do in real life.
Tell story - Children left London due to the air raids of WW2
end up in a Professors large home - trying to entertain
themselves in any way possible, play hide n seek - Lucy
discovers the Wardrobe
As she enters she discovers it goes deep - she sees some light - she finds herself in Narnia.
Returns home - bros and sis don’t believe her - Edmund is quite vicious in teasing and tormenting his sister - Lucy feels unbelievably miserable - another way we can relate.
A few days later - Edmund discover Narnia w/ Lucy - he doesn't tell - Ed actually bitter that he was wrong and would have to apologize so he denies it.
This is the beginning of a nasty downward spiral for Ed.
The moral degradation of Ed is one of the story’s most
important issues. His rel. w/ the Witch is a symbol of his
sinful condition in this world.
Some sins are twisted and unlawful attempts to gain
something good, something that benefits them - thief/stereo
a drug addict who wrecks his body & life for a moments pleasure. Those sins are bad enough -
But there are others where the perpetrator gets nothing in return - Vandalism, Cruelty, Pride, Anger, Revenge, purposely hurting someone who loves us - again we can relate
The LWW is about sin, and it is about salvation from sin
Lewis makes it quite clear that sin is very ordinary. It does not have to be dramatic, breaking out into some monstrous crime to be deadly and soul-killing. It is in our nature
While sin can break out into action, it’s home is in our thoughts and feelings and attitudes, in the deepest recesses of our heart.
What a segue to discuss the White Witch (vid) - In the LWW, the witch symbolizes Satan. The story explores in symbol what the Bible says about Satan’s reign in a fallen world; how he tempts us; how he enslaves us; and how he is
defeated by Jesus Christ, who frees us from his bondage.
When Lucy was with Tumnus she asked him, “who is the white witch?” He tells her, she is the one who has all Narnia “Under her thumb” b/c of her, it is always winter and never Christmas - those simple words are charged w/ symbolism -
The Bible tells us Satan has the world, “under his thumb”
1 John 5:19 … the whole world is under the control of the evil one.
When Ed meets the the White Witch he is struck by how beautiful she is. This is important to remember about the
appearance of Satan. Satan and the witch in reality are hideously gruesome in their true inner selves, but they
appear attractive, persuasive, even good.
Evil generally presents itself as something good. We don’t just go out and say, “Hey, let’s do something evil today
today” Temptations and evil often come in disguise -
Sex. immorality masquerades as love, Cruelty pretends to be justice, Rebellion insists that it is freedom.
false in appearance
The witch with Ed becomes nice, inviting him onto her sleigh,
wrapping her fur mantle around him - She conjures up something warm to drink, She asks him, “What’s your fav. treat?”
Turkish Delight, he says
Ed starts gobbling up all the TD, as any young child would
then when the TD runs out, Ed wants some more, but the witch doesnt give him any - instead bring bro/sis get more
Ed craves the TD so much he’ll do anything to get more.
You see those who taste it once will want more and more - if they could, they’d eat, eat, eat until it killed them.
Ever heard of anything like that before?
Ed becomes addicted to the witch’s TD, hmm, drug addicts develop such cravings that they will lie, steal, even kill in
order to get another hit, another drag, sniff, snort, anything?
A drug addict will even keep taking drugs until they kill him.
The one addictive behavior leads to more and more, more.
Alcohol can have the same effect - Sexual sins can be just as addictive and destructive.
One characteristic of an addiction is that as the craving grows, the actual pleasure grows less, requiring more and more stimulation to achieve the desired affect.
This leads to overdose, destruction of self, and family.
But less dramatic sins also have the quality of TD. We can gorge ourselves on hatred, as well, or on envy or greed or pride. All of these are egotistical pleasures, which we come to crave more and more and more.
TD symbolizes the sense in which sin is enslaving.
Everything we just discussed ties us down, we are not free -
It may start with an exhilarating sense of freedom, or
rebellion against the norm, but these sins make those who
indulge in them slaves.
Addicts cannot just chose to stop their habits. If they were free they could, but even when the want to stop, they cannot, as their desires drag them deeper and deeper into self-destruction.
All sin is like that.
Contrary to the popular assumption that sin is liberating, the truth is that sin destroys freedom. As Jesus said himself, “Everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin” Jn. 8:34
point of TD: now Ed bondage to witch, as sinners are in bon. to Satan.
(vid)
The figure of Aslan is the soul of all the CoN. Aslan is the center of the stories’ meaning and the main source of their insight. When Peter, Lucy, & Susan come to meet Aslan for the 1st time in attempt to help their brother who is controlled by the witch - they are awed and overjoyed by his presence and comforting voice when they are warmly received by Aslan. Just as God’s Word consoles His people, the sheep who hear the voice of their Shepherd -
“The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.” John 10:3-4
Aslan is Lewis’ symbol for Jesus Christ
The word Aslan is simply the Persian word for Lion.
The bible itself uses the lion as a symbol for Christ.
The earliest reference in scripture comes in Gen. 49
There are other ref. but the most explicit portrayal of Christ as a Lion is in the book of Rev. 5:5
“See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals."
In a later volume in the CoN titled the “Voyage of the Dawn Treader” another group of children meet Aslan. One of them asks him if he is in their world too?
“I Am,” said Aslan, “But I have another Name.”
Eventually Ed. is rescued, brought back and is repentant.
You may think, well now all is well, but there is a debt that has to be paid - the witch’s claim
The Witch approaches Aslan and announces there is a
traitor in your midst. According to the law every traitor
belongs to her. As a result, she maintains, Ed belongs to her - his life is forfeit - she is entitled to his blood.
You see, sinners in Narnia belong to the witch, just as
sinners in our world belong to the devil.
“He who does what is sinful is of the devil...” 1 John 3:8
The story here turns particularly powerful b/c now we can all relate to Ed and his predicament. We have recognized his spite, his envy, his lusts for pleasure and revenge, his injured pride, b/c we too, if were honest, have given in to such sins ourselves. Ed is in that bondage of sin that leads to death - he stands condemned - the wages of sin must be collected.
The Passion of Aslan
After a private discussion w/ the witch, Aslan proclaims Ed is free and clear - all is well.
There is great joy in the camp - but later that night Aslan leaves his camp off to the Stone Table - foll. by 2 girls
There the witch and her minions are ready and waiting to place Aslan upon the Stone Table to take his life.
On his way he is bound, mocked, his mane is shaven off, he is kicked, hit, and spit upon in humiliation - the scene
parallels the stripping and mockery of Christ.
On the Stone Table the witch kills Aslan, the girls witness his death and stay by his side after the witch and company leave - paralleling Mary and Martha at Christ’s death and at His tomb. (vid)
The Stone Table symbolizes The Cross of Christ
Not only does Aslan die for Ed, he dies in Edmunds place. He takes the punishment Edmund deserved, just as Jesus did for us.
The girls hear this loud cracking noise, they turn to the table and it is broken in 2 and Aslan’s body is gone!
They begin to cry thinking someone has taken his body but then they hear his voice - they turn to see him alive!
It is a physical resurrection of Aslan - Christianity hinges on the physical death of Jesus followed by his physical coming back to life. (1 Cor. 15:12-28)
The Gospels emphasize that the resurrected Jesus is no mere spirit, nor a ghost. He eats, and has the disciples touch Him.
Aslan explaining to the girls the written law, “If a willing victim innocent of treachery died in a traitor’s place, the Stone table would crack and death itself would start working backwards.”
(Ed sac to witch - Old Test. sac.)
You see, there is no longer a need for sacrifice on our part. Christ has been sacrificed once and for all - He did it for us
“Christ made a single sacrifice for sins, and that was it! ...
By that single offering, he did everything that needed to be done for everyone who takes part in the purifying process.”
Hebrews 10:12-14
In Narnian terms, The Stone table, a place of sacrifice. can be broken, since sacrifices are now finished once for all.
The phrase, “Death works backwards” refers to the message of Easter - Christ’s death brings our life!
We are alive in Christ!
Christmas story - Jesus was born to die so we could live!
The Battle
Justification by faith is not the end of the Christian Life. It is just the beginning - it is the continual energizing force for what comes next. God does not take us out of the world after He has saved us. He sends us back into the world. (Jn.17)
He does not take away all of our problems, trials, and
conflicts.
Instead he turns them into stepping stones - opportunities to grow in our faith - this is known as ‘sanctification’.
This happened to Peter, when Aslan let Peter take on the evil wolf in a one on one combat - we need to notice that in that combat, Aslan was right there - God is always right there. But life is a battle
In this process of Sanct. we live out our life, w/ it’s ups and downs, triumphs and failures - thru it all we grow in holiness.
But it’s a battle (vid)
The battle is symbolic of our everyday journey in life
The battle against the witch and her minions continues even after the death and resurrection of Aslan.
Even after Christ’s death and resurrection, even after He saved us, we too must continue to battle sin, in ourselves and in the world.
The bible uses the imagery of warfare to describe
sanctification.
“For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see
another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.” Romans 7:22-23
But God gives us the resources to fight these battles:
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”
Ephesians 6:10-18
This is how we are protected and engage in the battle
(you may want to do some research on this)
We have a God who loves us dearly. Who sent His Son as the perfect sacrifice so we could live! Live with Him for
eternity - WOW! This offer is for everybody - have you grabbed a hold of it?
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Finding GOD in Narnia - All is not as it should be
Oxford, England, September 18, 1931. Two brilliant young professors walk in the darkness until 3:00 a.m. Jack and Tollers have become fast friends, drawn together by their love for obscure philosophers and ancient myths and fairy tales. But tonight, Jack is not talking about literature; he is desperately looking for answers to his doubts. He has recently given his life to God, in his own words “the most dejected and reluctant convert in all of England,” but he struggles to believe the most basic truths of the Gospel. His friend Tollers is a Christian, but instead of quoting Scripture or arguing philosophy, he begins to talk about the stories they both love so much. Tollers says that in every great story, there is something good and deep—something that points to the best and deepest story—The Real Story—God’s story of salvation through Jesus Christ.
the Bible is at its root a story, not “cleverly invented” but true—a story of God and people, of good and evil, of betrayal and forgiveness, of frustration and redemption. It is a story that is not only true to the facts, but true to life—mysterious yet down-to-earth. It is a story that is simple enough for children, yet deep enough to address our deepest needs.
That September walk was a breakthrough for Jack, and two weeks later he told a friend that his doubts were no longer holding him back from his commitment to follow Christ. He told his friend Tollers that the world needed more stories that would point to The Real Story. Tollers, best known as J.R.R. Tolkien, went on to write the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Jack, who wrote as C.S. Lewis, wrote literary essays and philosophy and apologetics. He didn’t get around to writing his 'stories' until much later in life, one story we know as ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’
Now Disney is betting $180 million that children and grownups will go to see one of those stories of
Narnia in movie form. You should see the movie for yourself. Many of your non-Christian friends and neighbors will see the movie, and you should talk with them about it, and invite them to come to church next Sunday as we talk about Jack’s most
difficult question that night, “I simply don’t understand how the life and death of Someone Else (whoever he was) 2000 years ago can help us here and now.”
But this is not a commercial for a movie. Whether you choose to see the movie or not, I want to talk to you today about some parts of The Real Story that maybe you haven’t thought about lately.
If you were going to write a story, how would it begin?
Most of the world’s greatest stories begin with a painful reality: Things are not as they should be. Cinderella has a wicked stepmother and stepsisters. Sleeping Beauty has been cursed by a disgruntled old fairy.
Little Red Riding Hood’s grandmother has been killed by the Big Bad Wolf. Dumbo - Bambi
Why do the greatest stories begin like that? The world is not as it should be.
There are tsunamis and hurricanes, war and starvation, earthquakes and
pollution. Marriages fall apart, children quarrel,
politicians lie, and people we trust betray us.
The world is not as it should be.
The Bible describes it like this: “The creation was subjected to frustration…[in] bondage to decay…”
Romans 8:20-21 We can see it everywhere we look.
In C.S. Lewis’ story, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the world is not as it should be. World War II is in full swing, and 4 children have been sent to the country to escape the daily Nazi air raids on London. The world is not as it should be.
Magically, the children enter another world—a wonderful world called Narnia, where animals talk and trees are friendly and magic happens.
But even Narnia is not as it should be.
It is winter in Narnia, cold and desolate. It is always winter in Narnia—and never Christmas! And in the winter of Narnia, the animals are afraid to talk out loud, the trees are stark and barren, and the magic is dark and dangerous.
How did Narnia become so cold? There’s a witch in the story—there has to be a witch—an evil, lying witch, because the real story says, “…the whole world is under the control of the evil one” 1 John 5:19 and, “Satan masquerades as an angel of light.” 2 Cor. 11:14 and, “there is no truth in [the devil]. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44
The witch in Narnia is a White Witch, tall, thin, and beautiful like a fashion model, who calls herself the Queen of Narnia. She’s not the queen of course, and her whiteness is not the whiteness of purity, but the paleness of death. She promises a better life, but her castle is decorated by the stone statues of people who believed her lies.
Narnia is not as it should be. But that’s not the worst part of the story. The four children, “sons of Adam and children of Eve,” are not as they should be.
Edmund, the youngest boy to enter Narnia, is the first to meet the Witch. She feeds him candy—
Turkish Delight. She promises to make the little boy who never got any respect the prince of Narnia. And she tells him that he can have all the Turkish Delight he wants and be the prince only if he brings his brother and sisters to her castle. It’s all lies, of course, and if he were thinking clearly he would see how wrong and foolish it would be to betray his brother and sisters for Turkish Delight and a promise of power. So why does he do it?
Why, indeed? Why do people choose evil over good? Is the Turkish Delight so delectable—or the money, the toys, the power, the thrills, the lust so delicious? Have the lies convinced them: that evil is good, and good is evil? Or did it begin long before, in their anger or pain or self-centeredness? The Real Story says that “each person is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” James 1:14-15
We see all those things in Edmund: he wants the candy, he believes the lies, he wants to get back at his
brother for calling him a “beast.”
Perhaps we see some of those same things in
ourselves: the evil desire, the confusion, the weakness.
Edmund believes the lies of the White Witch, and betrays his brother and sisters. This creates
problems for him, as he soon discovers that life with the White Witch is not nearly as wonderful as he thought it would be.
It is a problem for all four children, whose lives are now in danger. But it is also a problem for Narnia, for by some deep magic Narnia can only be made right when four “sons of Adam and daughters of Eve” sit on the ancient thrones of
Cair Paravel. The fate of Narnia is tied to the fate of four children—All is not as it should be.
Now that is a strange magic, and nearly impossible to explain. It is a magic I have often wished I could explain—for it is a “magic” that extends to life on the planet we call Earth. What do you say when 85,000 people die in an earthquake? What do you say to the parents who have lost a child to cancer? What do you say when the bad people win, and life is so
unfair? It’s a mystery.
The world is not as it should be—that’s obvious.
But the mystery is that the world can never be right until the sons of Adam and daughters of Eve are as they should be.
The Apostle Paul puts it this way:
“The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was
subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.“ Romans 8:19-21
And that is the root of the problem: The only hope for the world is that somehow the sons and
daughters of Eve will finally be as they should be! And we don’t seem to be able to make ourselves right! It’s a problem we can’t solve—a problem only God can solve. The Apostle Paul says, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Romans 7:24-25
How God solved that problem will have to wait until next week.
So I will end today in the middle of the story—in the part of the story where we so often live. I want to end with a question—a practical question for people who are still in the middle of the story. The question is, “How do we live in a world that is not as it should be?” How do we live in a world where millions suffer from natural and man-made disasters? How do we live in an unfair world where bad people seem to get all the candy? How do we live with mean and misguided people who bring out the worst in us? How do we live with ourselves, when we seem to be fighting a losing battle, against the world, ourselves, our struggles, sin?
There are some hints in Narnia. The faithful faun, Mr. Tumnus, repents of his betrayal and does the right thing, though it costs him everything. The loving couple, Mr. and Mrs. Beaver, build a happy and secure home in a chaotic and evil world
(we can as well). The brave children forget their fears and fight for the right against almost impossible odds. We can do the same thing in our world. Each of us have a purpose, a role to play - and the bible tells us, “Nothing is impossible with God.”
But maybe the best hint is a surprise, especially at this time of year. As Aslan the lion comes into
Narnia, the snow begins to melt; and who should appear but Father Christmas, who for us has become a much more commercialized Santa Claus. He comes with joy and presents and good food and drink, and he gives wonderful gifts, not because the boys and girls have been “good,” but because Aslan is good. There’s a hint for us there—a hint that may even help us deal with the commercialization of Christmas. As The Real Story says,
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,”
James 1:17 and, “everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.” 1 Tim. 4:4-5
How do we live in a world that is not as it should be?
There are hints in Narnia, we can find God in Narnia:
We live in the faith that someday the world will be as it should be—and we will be as we should be. And we try to make our world and our own lives like they should be, in anticipation of the glorious future that awaits the sons and daughters of God!
The Real Story says it much better than I can:
“Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Jesus appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure. “ 1 John 3:2-3
There is hope in the world today for those who call on the name of Jesus christ, and there is so much more to come.
the Bible is at its root a story, not “cleverly invented” but true—a story of God and people, of good and evil, of betrayal and forgiveness, of frustration and redemption. It is a story that is not only true to the facts, but true to life—mysterious yet down-to-earth. It is a story that is simple enough for children, yet deep enough to address our deepest needs.
That September walk was a breakthrough for Jack, and two weeks later he told a friend that his doubts were no longer holding him back from his commitment to follow Christ. He told his friend Tollers that the world needed more stories that would point to The Real Story. Tollers, best known as J.R.R. Tolkien, went on to write the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Jack, who wrote as C.S. Lewis, wrote literary essays and philosophy and apologetics. He didn’t get around to writing his 'stories' until much later in life, one story we know as ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’
Now Disney is betting $180 million that children and grownups will go to see one of those stories of
Narnia in movie form. You should see the movie for yourself. Many of your non-Christian friends and neighbors will see the movie, and you should talk with them about it, and invite them to come to church next Sunday as we talk about Jack’s most
difficult question that night, “I simply don’t understand how the life and death of Someone Else (whoever he was) 2000 years ago can help us here and now.”
But this is not a commercial for a movie. Whether you choose to see the movie or not, I want to talk to you today about some parts of The Real Story that maybe you haven’t thought about lately.
If you were going to write a story, how would it begin?
Most of the world’s greatest stories begin with a painful reality: Things are not as they should be. Cinderella has a wicked stepmother and stepsisters. Sleeping Beauty has been cursed by a disgruntled old fairy.
Little Red Riding Hood’s grandmother has been killed by the Big Bad Wolf. Dumbo - Bambi
Why do the greatest stories begin like that? The world is not as it should be.
There are tsunamis and hurricanes, war and starvation, earthquakes and
pollution. Marriages fall apart, children quarrel,
politicians lie, and people we trust betray us.
The world is not as it should be.
The Bible describes it like this: “The creation was subjected to frustration…[in] bondage to decay…”
Romans 8:20-21 We can see it everywhere we look.
In C.S. Lewis’ story, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the world is not as it should be. World War II is in full swing, and 4 children have been sent to the country to escape the daily Nazi air raids on London. The world is not as it should be.
Magically, the children enter another world—a wonderful world called Narnia, where animals talk and trees are friendly and magic happens.
But even Narnia is not as it should be.
It is winter in Narnia, cold and desolate. It is always winter in Narnia—and never Christmas! And in the winter of Narnia, the animals are afraid to talk out loud, the trees are stark and barren, and the magic is dark and dangerous.
How did Narnia become so cold? There’s a witch in the story—there has to be a witch—an evil, lying witch, because the real story says, “…the whole world is under the control of the evil one” 1 John 5:19 and, “Satan masquerades as an angel of light.” 2 Cor. 11:14 and, “there is no truth in [the devil]. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44
The witch in Narnia is a White Witch, tall, thin, and beautiful like a fashion model, who calls herself the Queen of Narnia. She’s not the queen of course, and her whiteness is not the whiteness of purity, but the paleness of death. She promises a better life, but her castle is decorated by the stone statues of people who believed her lies.
Narnia is not as it should be. But that’s not the worst part of the story. The four children, “sons of Adam and children of Eve,” are not as they should be.
Edmund, the youngest boy to enter Narnia, is the first to meet the Witch. She feeds him candy—
Turkish Delight. She promises to make the little boy who never got any respect the prince of Narnia. And she tells him that he can have all the Turkish Delight he wants and be the prince only if he brings his brother and sisters to her castle. It’s all lies, of course, and if he were thinking clearly he would see how wrong and foolish it would be to betray his brother and sisters for Turkish Delight and a promise of power. So why does he do it?
Why, indeed? Why do people choose evil over good? Is the Turkish Delight so delectable—or the money, the toys, the power, the thrills, the lust so delicious? Have the lies convinced them: that evil is good, and good is evil? Or did it begin long before, in their anger or pain or self-centeredness? The Real Story says that “each person is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” James 1:14-15
We see all those things in Edmund: he wants the candy, he believes the lies, he wants to get back at his
brother for calling him a “beast.”
Perhaps we see some of those same things in
ourselves: the evil desire, the confusion, the weakness.
Edmund believes the lies of the White Witch, and betrays his brother and sisters. This creates
problems for him, as he soon discovers that life with the White Witch is not nearly as wonderful as he thought it would be.
It is a problem for all four children, whose lives are now in danger. But it is also a problem for Narnia, for by some deep magic Narnia can only be made right when four “sons of Adam and daughters of Eve” sit on the ancient thrones of
Cair Paravel. The fate of Narnia is tied to the fate of four children—All is not as it should be.
Now that is a strange magic, and nearly impossible to explain. It is a magic I have often wished I could explain—for it is a “magic” that extends to life on the planet we call Earth. What do you say when 85,000 people die in an earthquake? What do you say to the parents who have lost a child to cancer? What do you say when the bad people win, and life is so
unfair? It’s a mystery.
The world is not as it should be—that’s obvious.
But the mystery is that the world can never be right until the sons of Adam and daughters of Eve are as they should be.
The Apostle Paul puts it this way:
“The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was
subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.“ Romans 8:19-21
And that is the root of the problem: The only hope for the world is that somehow the sons and
daughters of Eve will finally be as they should be! And we don’t seem to be able to make ourselves right! It’s a problem we can’t solve—a problem only God can solve. The Apostle Paul says, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Romans 7:24-25
How God solved that problem will have to wait until next week.
So I will end today in the middle of the story—in the part of the story where we so often live. I want to end with a question—a practical question for people who are still in the middle of the story. The question is, “How do we live in a world that is not as it should be?” How do we live in a world where millions suffer from natural and man-made disasters? How do we live in an unfair world where bad people seem to get all the candy? How do we live with mean and misguided people who bring out the worst in us? How do we live with ourselves, when we seem to be fighting a losing battle, against the world, ourselves, our struggles, sin?
There are some hints in Narnia. The faithful faun, Mr. Tumnus, repents of his betrayal and does the right thing, though it costs him everything. The loving couple, Mr. and Mrs. Beaver, build a happy and secure home in a chaotic and evil world
(we can as well). The brave children forget their fears and fight for the right against almost impossible odds. We can do the same thing in our world. Each of us have a purpose, a role to play - and the bible tells us, “Nothing is impossible with God.”
But maybe the best hint is a surprise, especially at this time of year. As Aslan the lion comes into
Narnia, the snow begins to melt; and who should appear but Father Christmas, who for us has become a much more commercialized Santa Claus. He comes with joy and presents and good food and drink, and he gives wonderful gifts, not because the boys and girls have been “good,” but because Aslan is good. There’s a hint for us there—a hint that may even help us deal with the commercialization of Christmas. As The Real Story says,
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,”
James 1:17 and, “everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.” 1 Tim. 4:4-5
How do we live in a world that is not as it should be?
There are hints in Narnia, we can find God in Narnia:
We live in the faith that someday the world will be as it should be—and we will be as we should be. And we try to make our world and our own lives like they should be, in anticipation of the glorious future that awaits the sons and daughters of God!
The Real Story says it much better than I can:
“Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Jesus appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure. “ 1 John 3:2-3
There is hope in the world today for those who call on the name of Jesus christ, and there is so much more to come.
Sunday, December 04, 2005
Finding GOD in Narnia - A Land Far, Far Away
Welcome to Narnia....I’m your tour guide for your trip. Are you ready to go? Make sure you stay seated & keep your arms & legs inside the train. Caution...You are about to enter a land where it is always WINTER, but NEVER CHRISTMAS.
SLIDE ONE: Pictures of Narnia
Narnia...
Narnia is a land that came from the imagination of C.S. Lewis. C.S. Lewis had what many would call a biblical imagination. Lewis loved fantasy. In fact it was through reading fantasy that Lewis’ faith journey began. So it is no surprise that his Christian beliefs, actually Christian truths pushed their way into his stories. His theology was part of him so it became part of what he created. For him there is always a story within the story. So he created Narnia.
These stories began with images. The first one was of a faun carrying an umbrella with parcels under his arm. This image was first seen in his mind when he was just sixteen years old. It was decades later when he began the work of imagining the rest of Narnia.
SLIDE TWO: MAP of Narnia
Narnia, a country where Aslan is king of all
creatures, where there are talking beasts, fauns,
giants, and waking trees.
Narnia is a valley country extending from the Lantern Waste in the west to the capital of Cair Paravel which lies on the shores of the Great Eastern Ocean. We start our tour from the Lantern Waste area and will travel through out this land going all the way to the Stone Table and back to the west to end our tour.
SLIDE THREE: The Lamp Post
The first stop in Narnia for all visitors from earth is the Lamp Post. No one knows how long it’s been here. But it has always served as the starting point for visitors such as yourself.
The Lamp Post is a landmark to remember.
A Reference point between our world and Narnia.
The light between our world and Narnia.
God’s word is just like the Lamp Post. A reference point between heaven and earth.
For Lucy. Went further and further into the wardrobe because she was drawn by a light. The Lamp Post drew her from our world into Narnia.
God’s word draws us from our world to Him. God’s word serves as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. When we are lost, we go back to God’s word for our reference point.
Because Narnia is big, one can get lost in it. Therefore it is very important to familiarize yourself with this setting. In case you get lost always come back to the Lamp Post.
SLIDE FOUR: The Beavers Home
Second Stop: Mr. and Mrs. Beaver’s House.
This is a holy stop. It is a place that is hidden, a refuge.
You can always find a friend at the Beaver’s house. Mrs. Beaver has the gift of hospitality. She keeps a cozy place, warm, food cooking on the stove.
Comfort for all who enter.
It is in this house that the four children first learn of Aslan and the prophecy surrounding him and them. Mr. and Mrs. Beaver reveal the prophetic reason why the four are here in the first place. God always
releases information, the prophetic voice before
He does something big.
There is always a Mr. and Mrs. Beaver’s house in your journey. A place of prophetic awareness that there is something bigger than you that is going on.
As they sit around their table the children learn from Mr. and Mrs. Beaver that their arrival in Narnia is seen as the fulfillment of prophecy – a sign that
Narnia’s long – awaited deliverance is near. They learn about Aslan and what their roles play in this deliverance. (each of us have a purpose)
Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight, At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more,
When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death, And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again.
SLIDE FIVE: The Witch’s Castle
The Third Stop: The Witch’s Castle
Beware. This may be the most beautiful place in Narnia from a distance.
Take a good look. Large and imposing. Can you see all the statues? But beauty is only skin deep.
There is evil with in these walls. Lots of evil. Deception.
If you happen to meet a beautiful lady dressed in white and riding in a huge sleigh offering you
delectable treats called Turkish Delight. Don’t be fooled. Edmund fell for it and it nearly cost him his life.
And the courtyard full of statues? They say that they aren’t statues at all. But are Narnians that the White Witch has turned into stone. Shudder.
It is the Witch’s curse that has made Narnia always winter but never Christmas. Shudder.
SLIDE SIX: The Stone Table
Fourth Stop: The Stone Table
This is the most important stop on our tour.
Please step out of the train and gather round the stone table.
It is here that Aslan will take on the sin of Edmund’s betrayal in order to save Edmund’s life. It is here at the Stone Table that Aslan will be bound and
murdered by the evil White Witch.
It is here, this very place that Susan and Lucy will stay by Aslan’s body
It is here that upon hearing a “great cracking, deafening noise as if a giant had broken a giant’s plate” that Susan and Lucy will see that Aslan’s body is no longer on the table and the table has been split in two.
It is here that Aslan appears to them alive,
resurrected.
It is here that he explains to them the Deeper Magic.
“When a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor’s stead, the table would crack and death itself would start working backward.”
Isn’t it interesting that the Stone Table in Narnia is similar to the Cross in our world?
and the cracked table similar to the torn curtain.
SLIDE SEVEN: Cair Paravel
Fifth Stop: Cair Paravel
As we are standing at the Stone Table look toward the Great Eastern Ocean. It is there on the shores of the ocean that you’ll see a castle.
Cair Paravel the place where 2 sons of Adam and 2 daughters of Eve will one day rule as kings and queens of Narnia.
A victory ceremony will be held here. As Aslan crowns them kings and queens, he says of their
destinies…
“Once a king and queen in Narnia always a king and queen in Narnia!” (if we belong to Christ we too are heirs of the kingdom of God)
And as Lewis wrote, “And now as you see, this story is nearly (but not quite) at an end.” We will leave it at that for now.
Let’s head back to the place where this tour started. More for another day. Back to the Lamp Post.
SLIDE EIGHT: Return to the Lamp Post
Final Stop: Back to the Lamp Post.
Great tour. Thank you for touring Narnia.
You were a fun group. However, I was a bit surprised that this tour consisted of adults. For to enter
Narnia, you must enter as children.
Responding to a letter written by a young girl named Ruth, Lewis says: “If you continue to love Jesus, nothing much can go wrong with you, and I hope that you may always do so. I’m so thankful that you realized the ‘hidden story’ in the Narnian books. It is odd, children nearly always do, grown-ups hardly ever.”
Children can naturally have what theologians call a numinous experience – a supernatural experience of the divine Presence. Usually by the time we have matured, we adults lose that sense of awe, that
direct experience of the supernatural, that numinous experience.
Mt. 18:3 - Jesus said that to enter the Kingdom of God we must enter as little children.
For the very reason that they have not lost that sense of awe. They still have that ability to keep on probing, seeking, asking questions, searching for the real thing, the something more.
If that has stopped, then we have lost that child like awe to desire more of God, to know Him more.
My prayer for you today is that this tour will help
begin to restore awe and wonder to your faith. To become like a child.
Dec. 11th -Always Winter, Never Christmas
All is not as it should be
Dec. 18th - A World of Wonder
Discover the Meaning in the Message
SLIDE ONE: Pictures of Narnia
Narnia...
Narnia is a land that came from the imagination of C.S. Lewis. C.S. Lewis had what many would call a biblical imagination. Lewis loved fantasy. In fact it was through reading fantasy that Lewis’ faith journey began. So it is no surprise that his Christian beliefs, actually Christian truths pushed their way into his stories. His theology was part of him so it became part of what he created. For him there is always a story within the story. So he created Narnia.
These stories began with images. The first one was of a faun carrying an umbrella with parcels under his arm. This image was first seen in his mind when he was just sixteen years old. It was decades later when he began the work of imagining the rest of Narnia.
SLIDE TWO: MAP of Narnia
Narnia, a country where Aslan is king of all
creatures, where there are talking beasts, fauns,
giants, and waking trees.
Narnia is a valley country extending from the Lantern Waste in the west to the capital of Cair Paravel which lies on the shores of the Great Eastern Ocean. We start our tour from the Lantern Waste area and will travel through out this land going all the way to the Stone Table and back to the west to end our tour.
SLIDE THREE: The Lamp Post
The first stop in Narnia for all visitors from earth is the Lamp Post. No one knows how long it’s been here. But it has always served as the starting point for visitors such as yourself.
The Lamp Post is a landmark to remember.
A Reference point between our world and Narnia.
The light between our world and Narnia.
God’s word is just like the Lamp Post. A reference point between heaven and earth.
For Lucy. Went further and further into the wardrobe because she was drawn by a light. The Lamp Post drew her from our world into Narnia.
God’s word draws us from our world to Him. God’s word serves as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. When we are lost, we go back to God’s word for our reference point.
Because Narnia is big, one can get lost in it. Therefore it is very important to familiarize yourself with this setting. In case you get lost always come back to the Lamp Post.
SLIDE FOUR: The Beavers Home
Second Stop: Mr. and Mrs. Beaver’s House.
This is a holy stop. It is a place that is hidden, a refuge.
You can always find a friend at the Beaver’s house. Mrs. Beaver has the gift of hospitality. She keeps a cozy place, warm, food cooking on the stove.
Comfort for all who enter.
It is in this house that the four children first learn of Aslan and the prophecy surrounding him and them. Mr. and Mrs. Beaver reveal the prophetic reason why the four are here in the first place. God always
releases information, the prophetic voice before
He does something big.
There is always a Mr. and Mrs. Beaver’s house in your journey. A place of prophetic awareness that there is something bigger than you that is going on.
As they sit around their table the children learn from Mr. and Mrs. Beaver that their arrival in Narnia is seen as the fulfillment of prophecy – a sign that
Narnia’s long – awaited deliverance is near. They learn about Aslan and what their roles play in this deliverance. (each of us have a purpose)
Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight, At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more,
When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death, And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again.
SLIDE FIVE: The Witch’s Castle
The Third Stop: The Witch’s Castle
Beware. This may be the most beautiful place in Narnia from a distance.
Take a good look. Large and imposing. Can you see all the statues? But beauty is only skin deep.
There is evil with in these walls. Lots of evil. Deception.
If you happen to meet a beautiful lady dressed in white and riding in a huge sleigh offering you
delectable treats called Turkish Delight. Don’t be fooled. Edmund fell for it and it nearly cost him his life.
And the courtyard full of statues? They say that they aren’t statues at all. But are Narnians that the White Witch has turned into stone. Shudder.
It is the Witch’s curse that has made Narnia always winter but never Christmas. Shudder.
SLIDE SIX: The Stone Table
Fourth Stop: The Stone Table
This is the most important stop on our tour.
Please step out of the train and gather round the stone table.
It is here that Aslan will take on the sin of Edmund’s betrayal in order to save Edmund’s life. It is here at the Stone Table that Aslan will be bound and
murdered by the evil White Witch.
It is here, this very place that Susan and Lucy will stay by Aslan’s body
It is here that upon hearing a “great cracking, deafening noise as if a giant had broken a giant’s plate” that Susan and Lucy will see that Aslan’s body is no longer on the table and the table has been split in two.
It is here that Aslan appears to them alive,
resurrected.
It is here that he explains to them the Deeper Magic.
“When a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor’s stead, the table would crack and death itself would start working backward.”
Isn’t it interesting that the Stone Table in Narnia is similar to the Cross in our world?
and the cracked table similar to the torn curtain.
SLIDE SEVEN: Cair Paravel
Fifth Stop: Cair Paravel
As we are standing at the Stone Table look toward the Great Eastern Ocean. It is there on the shores of the ocean that you’ll see a castle.
Cair Paravel the place where 2 sons of Adam and 2 daughters of Eve will one day rule as kings and queens of Narnia.
A victory ceremony will be held here. As Aslan crowns them kings and queens, he says of their
destinies…
“Once a king and queen in Narnia always a king and queen in Narnia!” (if we belong to Christ we too are heirs of the kingdom of God)
And as Lewis wrote, “And now as you see, this story is nearly (but not quite) at an end.” We will leave it at that for now.
Let’s head back to the place where this tour started. More for another day. Back to the Lamp Post.
SLIDE EIGHT: Return to the Lamp Post
Final Stop: Back to the Lamp Post.
Great tour. Thank you for touring Narnia.
You were a fun group. However, I was a bit surprised that this tour consisted of adults. For to enter
Narnia, you must enter as children.
Responding to a letter written by a young girl named Ruth, Lewis says: “If you continue to love Jesus, nothing much can go wrong with you, and I hope that you may always do so. I’m so thankful that you realized the ‘hidden story’ in the Narnian books. It is odd, children nearly always do, grown-ups hardly ever.”
Children can naturally have what theologians call a numinous experience – a supernatural experience of the divine Presence. Usually by the time we have matured, we adults lose that sense of awe, that
direct experience of the supernatural, that numinous experience.
Mt. 18:3 - Jesus said that to enter the Kingdom of God we must enter as little children.
For the very reason that they have not lost that sense of awe. They still have that ability to keep on probing, seeking, asking questions, searching for the real thing, the something more.
If that has stopped, then we have lost that child like awe to desire more of God, to know Him more.
My prayer for you today is that this tour will help
begin to restore awe and wonder to your faith. To become like a child.
Dec. 11th -Always Winter, Never Christmas
All is not as it should be
Dec. 18th - A World of Wonder
Discover the Meaning in the Message
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