Narnia: Encounter The Power: You Will Never Be The Same Series

Encounter The Power: You Will Never Be The Same

Matthew 1:21; John 1:12

Intro…

The past two weeks we have been talking about Finding God in Narnia. This past Friday, December the 9th, the movie of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe opened in theaters everywhere. We encourage you to see this movie to witness to your friends about the true meaning of Narnia and Aslan.

We have looked at the themes of What If There Were No Christmas? And Discover The Wonder: He Is Closer Than You Might Think. Today we talk about Aslan and encountering the power of Jesus Christ to change our lives. This is the central theme of C.S. Lewis’s book and we need to understand it to be able to share it with our unchurched friends who miss the meaning of the movie. Let’s begin with…

I. Waiting…

The people of Israel were waiting for the Messiah to come. That hope had come from the prophecies of the Old Testament.

Isaiah 7:14 (NIV) Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Micah 5:2 (NIV) "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."

Jeremiah 23:5 (NIV) "The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.

Yet that hope was dim. In fact, darkness might be the word. They seemed to be waiting in darkness. It is a time of oppression as God’s people were a conquered people. They were a beaten and defeated people. Under Roman rule they were persecuted and taxed…it was even the event of taxation that brought all of the central characters together for the birth of the Christ.

Now darkness is a metaphor. It symbolizes confusion, evil, uncertainty…

1. The People…despised God. (thought Him not worthy of their worship)… Read Malachi. They had broken the covenant. They had wearied God by offering less than their best. (blemished offerings, insincere worship, went thru the motions of religion—their lips praised Him but their hearts were far from Him.)

2. The Priests… had turned from the Way. Their teaching actually caused others to stumble.

3. The Prophets… Jeremiah 23:16-22 (NIV)

This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes.

They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of

the LORD. 17They keep saying to those who despise me, ’The

LORD says: You will have peace.’ And to all who follow the

stubbornness of their hearts they say, ’No harm will come to you.’

18But which of them has stood in the council of the LORD to see

or to hear his word? Who has listened and heard his word?

19See, the storm of the LORD will burst out in wrath, a whirlwind

swirling down on the heads of the wicked. 20The anger of the

LORD will not turn back until he fully accomplishes the purposes

of his heart. In days to come you will understand it clearly. 21I did

not send these prophets, yet they have run with their message; I

did not speak to them, yet they have prophesied. 22But if they had

stood in my council, they would have proclaimed my words to

my people and would have turned them from their evil ways and

from their evil deeds.

Ex. Of C.S. Lewis…The Land of Narnia was always winter and never Christmas. The Land was under the spell of the White Witch. 100 years of winter. And those not in cahoots with the White Witch were waiting for Aslan, the rightful King of Narnia to return.

II. Wondering…

Into all of this atmosphere, the baby Jesus is born. Luke 2:4-6 (NIV)

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,

The angels were appearing, the shepherds were coming, and the Magi came, and Mary pondered all of these things in her heart.

What does this mean? Is He the one?

1. Simeon thought so. Luke 2:25-32 (NIV)

2. Anna thought so. Luke 2:36-38 (NIV)

3. He certainly had everyone else wondering too:

Mark 4:41 (NIV)…They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"