Narnia: Greed And Thanksgiving Series

Narnia intro: 4 Pevensie children enter the land and have an overwhelming task to defeat the white witch.

Who do you turn to when you are weak? (Jesus!)

Who did Lucy, Susan and Peter turn to? (Aslan)

Who did Peter turn to? (the white witch… WHY?)

*view DVD segment of Edmund meeting the White Witch and eating Turkish Delight (Animated Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe DVD from Alph Omega Productions)

A. Selfishness: Edmund had an attitude problem BEFORE he even entered the land…

#1. He was not thankful for what he had.

#2. He wanted to be in charge (Witch’s adopted son!)

#3. He wanted to have it all (ruling…have others serve him…)

He wanted to put himself first. He was only interested in what HE wanted for himself. The witch KNEW this…and worked it against him. She knew that he was selfish…and used that to trap him. She offered him something that tasted great (at first)…and hooked him.

Song: "Turkish Delight" by David Crowder Band

Verse Two Lyrics: I think I’d do anything for that tiny bit of pie. I would sell you out,

I’d give you all away. A life of treats might do me in, but I gotta get

another taste. Turkish delight, It’s my favorite thing.”

Edmund was selfish… “the more I have the more I want”… that is Greediness

Every advertisement on t.v. says “You need to get more!” …why do they advertise all this stuff?! …because they want YOUR money! (They want something from you.)

Why did the witch tempt him with MORE Turkish delight? She wanted to trap him and all the others… (She wanted something from him.)

Story of Adam and Eve - Eve was tempted to eat…wanted more power… (i.e. be wise as God)

She ate it…and by doing that gave control over, not to a white witch…but to Satan… Adam and Eve’s selfish move has made problems for us all.

Prov. 15:27 A greedy man brings trouble to his family…

Luke 12:15 Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

Eph. 5:3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.

What if Edmund had decided to be THANKFUL for what he had, instead of being selfish? Instead of saying “more, more, more for me”…if he was thankful?

When Thankful/unselfish:

#1. People are easier to live with…

#2. People are more kind…

#3. People are HAPPIER! (…and others are happier around them)

#4. Causes less problems for everyone!

Conclusion: We all agree that OTHERS should not be selfish… But, let’s realize ALL of us have a bit of Edmund inside of US. We need to choose to be thankful, and not greedy. We must realize that our self-centered choices not only affect us, but also others. May the Lord help us to change that.

--prayer--