Narnia: Always Winter But Never Christmas Series

Advent Series – Narnia

Message #1 Always Winter but Never Christmas

Introduction:

The Chronicles of Narnia will hit the big screen on Friday, December 9, and I can’t wait to see it. This series of books written by C. S. Lewis is an allegorical presentation of the story of Jesus. We have read the entire series to our children when they were younger and we have been fans of Narnia ever since. So, imagine our excitement when we saw the film trailer several months ago that this 150 million dollar production is being released just before Christmas.

Now, I’m aware that there are some here this morning who are completely unfamiliar with this particular work. I’m here to tell you that your in for a real treat as we observe this Narnia series over the next five weeks. I’d like to start with a brief introduction about Narnia and this Advent series.

The first book of the series is The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. In it, the land of Narnia is under the spell of the White Witch so it will always be winter; but never Christmas. The Narnians live in fear of the witch’s power. Their only hope is in the coming of the great lion, Aslan.

The main characters in the book are brothers and sisters and their names are; Lucy, Edmund, Susan, and Peter. While playing hide and seek in an old mansion in England they stumble upon the entrance to Narnia through and old wardrobe. The white witch manages to tempt young Edmund into betraying his brother and sisters and, ultimately, Aslan himself.

The presence of Father Chrismas, and then the first signs of spring, mean that the witch’s power is weakening and Aslan’s arrival is rumored to be soon. It is a race to see who will reach the Great Stone Table first. If the witch arrives first, with the traitor Edmund, then she might be able to prevent Aslan from defeating her and overthrowing her wintry rule.

When the witch witch confronts Aslan face-=top-face, she demands that Edmund be given to her: “You know that every traitor belongs to me as my lawful prey and that for every treachery I have a right to a kill…that human creature is mine. His life is forfeited to me. His blood is my property.”

Aslan speaks to the witch alone, and then, sadly tells the children that the matter has been settled. Unknown to the children, Aslan has agreed to give his own life in the place of Edmund. After the witch’s hags and guhls tie the great Lion down upon the Stone Table she whispers in his ears…”And now, who has won? Fool, did you think that by all this you would save the human traitor? Now I will kill you instead of him as our pact was, and so the Deep Magic will be appeased. But when you are dead what will prevent me from killing him as well? And who will take him out of my hand then? Understand that you have given me Narnia forever, you have lost your own life, and you have not saved his. In that knowledge, despair and die.” Then she plunges her knife into the Lion and kills him.

Little did the White Witch know of the deeper magic. That a perfect substitute would experience Resurrection power. After he returns to life in glory, Aslan with his forces goes on to defeat the White Witch and destroy her control over Narnia. The four children become kings and queens over the land and rule with the power of the great Lion, Aslan, the Son of the Emperor beyond the Sea.

This is a story about Christmas, the Cross and Resurrection power. It is a story about good overcoming evil and the triumphant reign of God restoring all things to their proper place.

So, this Advent season we will be covering the following messages from this great story written by C.S. Lewis.

This Sunday we will be focusing on “Always Winter but never Christmas”

Before Aslan comes, Narnia is in perpetual winter without hope. But Christmas brings hope.

Next week will be Encounter the Power. Aslan’s power frees Narnia from eternal winter and saves Edmund. Christ’s power frees the world and every individual from sin.

Week #3 Discover the Light of Christmas. The lamppost lights the way into Narnia. Christ lights the way into Heaven and eternal life.

Week #4 Discover the Wonder. Lucy had to step into the wardrobe to discover the wonderful world of Narnia. Each person must take a step of faith to discover a new life in Christ.

The final service in our advent series will be The Adventure Begins. Each child in Narnia must face their own fears. Each of us must face our issues and choose to follow Christ.