Narnia: Is Your Jesus Too Safe? Series

IS YOUR JESUS TOO SAFE?

“Finding God in the land of Narnia”

SL “ Of Course he’s not safe but he’s good” (over lion image)

p. 146 quote

Think about that quote and how it relates to Jesus.

p. 168-169 description of Aslan

Aslan is the Christ-figure in the story. Obvious read it, see the movie.

Aslan who dies and comes back to life. Aslan dies for another, a sinner, a traitor.

Lion. Is he like Christ. How so?

p. 194 “He’s wild you know. Not a tame lion.” Mr Beaver

Like or unlike Jesus?

Wondering if we’ve declawed the lion of Judah. Made Jesus out to be tame. Fashioned Jesus into an image we want God to have. Someone nice. Kind of like Mr. Rogers. Except with a beard. Jesus is meek and mild. Gentle Jesus. Nice guy who wouldn’t hurt anyone. Made him very unlionlike.

Shriners’ Circus -my daughter and I saw a lion doped up.

Missing something about God if we tame him.

Quote John Eldgride p. 29 "Wild at Heart"

Bother you about God. Make you alive knowing God created these things.

Is the metaphor Biblical? Is Jesus like a lion. Book.

86 verses, most refer to the animal. Some refer to God.

Job 10:16

-poetic description God making a baby prior

-God’s not fair. His opinion. Questions God’s integrity, justice, fairness. End of the book. God comes back to him. Who are you? Where you there when…Your talking about things over your head.

Wondering if Job is half right. God is wild but that He’s good also.

If stalking lion has evil intentions then look out, but if his heart is good. God stalking you good thing. Bring you back, save you, rescue you from self-destruction.

Isa. 31:4

-God compared to a lion growling over prey. Those who were not trusting in God but rather in human resources, God would come against like a lion. Lion in jungle doesn’t fear the shepherds coming up. He knows he’s the king of the jungle. In the same way God doesn’t fear. God is not frightened or disturbed by what people do. He is God, they are not.

v. 5 heart of the Lord. God’s goal is good. Defender of Jerusalem.

Jer. 25:38

-God like lion leaving a nest take on enemies who have swords indicates danger. Lion is angry. Whatever the people are doing making the Lord very angry.

Lam. 3:10

-Suffeiring terribly. Babylon. God’s wrath. Lion dragged me.

-heart. V. 22 (Tshirts)

-2 sides. Not opposing. Both necessary.

Hosea 11:10

-God like a lion who roars. Frightened at the roar. Children come. Drawn to it. Good thing even though it’s terrifying.

Raoring signal come back to God. Come out of exile.

SL: Amos 3:8

-roar of a lion causes fear

-wake up and pay attn to God

SL: Rev. 5:5,6

-Lion of Judah taken Gen. 49 refers to Christ. Triumphed. Ruler.

-Lamb

Is this lion of Judah safe or not? What does that mean?

Raising the question. I fear that sometimes we make God into our own image. Lots of metaphors and images used of God in the Bible. Danger to just focus on one or two of our favourite, what we feel God is like. Rather than letting the book unveil who He genuinely is.

Lions in the Bible refer to people, God, devil, angels, animals themselves.

So God is referred to as being like a lion. When we think of a lion, we tend to think of this king of the jungle. This regal beast who’s very majestic. They are the prominent animals in the kingdom. They tend to be regarded as animals of courage and beauty.

Could you see a reason why God would describe himself as a lion? Could you see why the main character in the book/movie is Aslan the lion, who is the Christ-figure.

Something very commanding about Aslan.

p. 141 quote reactions to name Aslan

Various reactions reminds me of Christ. People drawn to him, repelled by him. Calmed the storm-reactions of disciples: fear. Drove out money changers from the temple– fear and anger from the money changers. Others who were lonely, hurting – compelled to come near him.

Concept of the lion involves one aspect of his character. One we can’t ignore. If we do, fail to see God fully for who he is. We tend to declaw the lion. Make him into Mr. Rogers. When God is wild, He is sovereign. He is holy. Aspect of holiness refers to God being other. Separated from us. Jesus, this lion of Judah was both man and God.

Book/movie we see Aslan is on the move. When he comes he changes everything.

How Aslan is like Christ:

1. His coming banishes winter

“always winter never Christmas” land is under a spell. Aslan comes changes the weather-spring thaw appears.