Narnia: Not A Tame Lion Series

They are so big and powerful and graceful. And the biggest most powerful of the Big Cats is the Lion. Hands down!

Louis Talbot tells a story about being in India where a lion and a tiger had both fallen into a pit. Of course everyone was gathered around to see if these two foes would do battle and which one would win. And Talbot says that they each circle around for awhile snarling and hissing and feigning and attack and suddenly it looked like the tiger just fell down dead. But someone had gotten the scene on film and when they slowed it down and what they saw was suddenly to quick for the human eye to see the Lion slapped the tiger up against the side of the head and crushed its skull with his massive paw.

2. Did you know that the lion has become associated with Kingship in nearly every culture.

Lions are awe-inspiring. Their strength, their dignity, their ferocity fill us with wonder and admiration. These qualities are “kingly”

Solomon writes "There are three things that are stately in their stride, four that move with stately bearing: 30 a lion, mighty among beasts, who retreats before nothing; Proverbs 30:29-30 NIV

I read somewhere that actually more people are killed every year by Hippos than lions but I don’t know about you but given the choice of which beast to face I’ll face the Hippo

Just as an aside in case there are any Bible Scholars out there, I know what you are thinking

C. But the Bible also describes Satan as a lion.

1. No that is not what the Bible says.

2. The lion is sometimes (once directly and once indirectly) as a symbol for Satan but Satan is never called a lion

In I Peter 5:8 Peter writes Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Satan is always masquerading trying to pretend that he is the real king but he is not.

So Aslan is Jesus and He is the rightful King in Narnia, Just as Jesus is the rightful King on earth.

III. But there is a third question we need to ask today : How can Aslan be both good and unsafe.

Show This Scene from Video Clip (BBC production of LWW)

“I tell you he is the King of the wood and the son of the great Emperor-beyond-the-Sea. Don’t you know who is the King of Beasts? Aslan is a lion – the Lion, the great Lion.” “Ooh!” said Susan. “I’d thought he was a man. Is he – quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.” “That you will, dearie, and no mistake,” said Mrs. Beaver; “if there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they’re either braver than most or else just silly.” “Then he isn’t safe?” said Lucy. “Safe?” said Mr. Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe?

Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”( LWW)

A. In the same way there are sometimes things that are good but not safe?

How about fire? Or electricity? Gas? And Automobile? The list is endless

1. A lot of people think we want a Savior who is good and safe.

I am sure that when Susan asked the question “Is he safe.” She was hoping for the reassurance, “Of course he’s safe why he’s as gentle as a lamb.”