Are you ready to journey to Narnia?
Over the next eight weeks, we’ll be exploring the wonder & awe of Narnia. Today…I want to set the stage for our 8-week journey that takes us to Christmas Day. Paint a vision on where this spiritual journey to Narnia might take us. Explain why we’re taking this eight-week spiritual journey in the first place.
First, let’s pray.
God…You are a God of awe & wonder. Your ways are not our ways. Your thoughts are not our thoughts. You are eternal & timeless while we are limited in all ways. You are bigger than the universe itself, your story of salvation stretches further than our minds can comprehend. Lord, fill us with YOUR WONDER as we explore your eternal truth as it is revealed in the stories of Narnia. AMEN
First & foremost, let me tell you a bit about the story, The Lion, The Witch & the Wardrobe.
CS Lewis wrote The Lion, the Witch & The Wardrobe in 1950. It’s the first book in a series of 7 books Lewis wrote called the Chronicles of Narnia. The series has sold over 85 million copies in 30 different languages. But unlike other fantasies, where stories glamorize witchcraft, evil potions & dark spells. CS Lewis clearly defines good and evil and as you’ll find out over the next nine weeks, presents a world Narnia where the spiritual truths of the Scriptures become crystal clear.
As a matter of fact, if you’ve never read LWW or seen a video of the story, I believe you’ll be thrilled to find ‘The Story within the story”.
Many of you have never read LWW…maybe never even heard of it. Others of you grew up reading CN or studying them in school...they’re considered literary classics.
Some you here love to read. Others rarely read and have no intention of reading.
Let me tell you my story with LWW.
I had never heard of CS Lewis growing up. Never heard of LWW. My mother was a reading teacher but neither my brother or I were readers. I loved TV and rarely had the patience to sit down & read a book cover to cover. I’m still guilty of starting dozens of books and rarely having the patience to finish them.
God has a sense of humor. In 1978, I was hired to manage a Christian bookstore. Not because I knew a lot about Christian literature, but because I was a strong administrative business-type guy who happened to be a Christian. In the process, I went on a crash-course of learning about Christian books and authors.
Our strongest sellers year-in-year-out were written by a group of authors named the INKLINGS.
The Inklings were a prominent group of writers, professors & intellectuals who met together regularly in a back room at the Eagle and Child (affectionately known as "the bird and baby") public house (a pub) in Giles Street, Oxford University in England during the 1930’s and 40’s. Their most prominent members were C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and Charles Williams, CK Chesterton, Dorothy Sayers and others.
JRR Tolkien & CS Lewis were close friends. Lewis, being younger, looked up to Tolkien and was intrigued with Tolkien’s fantasies like Lord of the Rings. Tolkien, a devote believer in Jesus, played a pivotal role in bringing Lewis from atheism to deep Christian faith between 1929 and 1931.
Born in 1898 Clive Staples Lewis (in Belfast, Northern Irelans) Lewis’ mother died of cancer before he was 10.
Over the years, Lewis became a steadfast atheist.
In 1929...Lewis took his first step toward God.
“In the Trinity Term of I gave in, and admitted that God was God, and knelt and prayed: perhaps, that night, the most dejected and reluctant convert in all England. I did not then see what is now the most shining and obvious thing; the Divine humility which will accept a convert even on such terms. The Prodigal Son at least walked home on his own feet. But who can duly adore that Love which will open the high gates to a prodigal who is brought in kicking, struggling, resentful, and darting his eyes in every direction for a chance of escape?”
In 1931 Lewis became a Christian:
One evening in September, Lewis had a long talk on Christianity with J.R.R. Tolkien. That evening’s discussion was important in bringing about the following day’s event that Lewis recorded in Surprised by Joy:
"When we [Warnie and Jack] set out [by motorcycle to the Whipsnade Zoo] I did not believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, and when we reached the zoo I did."
CS Lewis went on to become one of the greatest literary figures of the 20th century and to write some of the most important books about the Christian faith, including Mere Christianity, The Great Divorce, Surprised by Joy and the Screwtape Letters.
Selling hundreds of copies of CN & LWW, I finally became curious about the books. Being a children’s series, it was really easy to read. I remember in 1979, a TV writer from the Chicago area, came into our bookstore and introduced himself. I don’t remember his name but I remember he said he was working with a well-known TV producer Bill Melendez. He was working on a new animated project with CBS bringing LWW to television. That fall, I saw LWW for the first time and I fell in love with the story of LWW.
It was here I first met Peter & Susan, Edmund & Lucy
I met the Professor and his intriguing castle-like mansion of many rooms.
I found out about the beautiful wardrobe, the old oversized clothes closet that Lucy finds.
I met Mr. Tumnus, the fawn with the umbrella, who greets Lucy @ the lamppost in Narnia
I met Mr. & Mrs. Beaver and learned about the many prophecies of Narnia.
Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight.
At the sound of His roar, sorrows will be no more.
When He bares His teeth, winter meets its death.
And when He shakes His mane, we shall have spring again.
I met the evil White Witch of Narnia and her horde of evil creatures
I learned about the temptations of Turkish Delight
I met Father Christmas
I found out that with Aslan on the move, Narnia would never again be a place where it’s always winter but NEVER Christmas.
And of course, I met Aslan, the great lion.
I found that He’s not safe…but He’s good.
I found out that Narnia, while subject to the power of the evil white witch, is also subject to a deeper magic. A magic that transcends time. A deeper magic that the White Witch knows nothing about.
I found out about the power of a perfect sacrifice.
And when two sons of Adam & two daughters of Eve arrive in Narnia, nothing will ever be the same again in the lives of the four children or in Narnia!
Over the years, you’ve probably heard me tell bits & pieces of the stories within LWW. Over the next eight weeks, you’ll hear those stories again & many more.
We’ll look at MEET THE CAST and explore many of the characters found in Narnia and learn many God-truths throughout our journey.
Why spend so much time focusing on this story?
1. You can GROW your FAITH.
There are phenonominal truths hidden within the story
2. You can restore WONDER & AWE to your FAITH.
Jesus loves a good story. A good story can build your faith. Lewis wrote with a BIBLICAL imagination. Ask the Lord to return you to your ‘first love’
3. You can become part of God’s BIGGER story.
God’s story continues. Aslan is still on the move.
In December, your friends, family will be attending LWW in theatres. Unlike The Passion, they will walk out hoping the story is TRUE. God can use us, if we’re prepared.
Is it dangerous to spend so much time talking about Narnia & Aslan?
CS Lewis was asked that question a lot over the years. But he again & again told people about the STORY within the story.
In the final book of the Narnia series, we find an interesting clue..
When the children find that they would soon have leave Narnia to return to the reality of their own country, the children are devastated.
“It isn’t Narnia, you know.” sobbed Lucy, “It’s you. We shan’t meet you there. And how can we live, never meeting you?”
“But you shall meet me, dear one.” Said Aslan.
“Are-are you there too, Sir?” asked Edmunds.
“I AM,” said Aslan, “But there I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there.”
Is it dangerous to spend so much time talking about Narnia & Aslan?
One little girl named Hila wrote to Lewis asking him to tell her Aslan’s OTHER NAME. Lewis responded with clues from the stories.
“Well, I want you to guess. Has there ever been anyone in THIS world who…
Arrived at the same time as Father Christmas?
Said he was the son of the Great Emperor?
Gave himself up for someone else’s fault, to be jeered at and killed by wicked people?
Came to life again?
Is sometimes spoken of as a lamb ?
Don’t you really know His name in this world? Think it over, and let me know your answer.”
Another reader, a young Christian, actually became worried that he had come to love Aslan even more than Jesus. A concerned mother wrote Lewis for advice. Within 10 days she received this reply, “Laurence can’t really love Aslan more than Jesus, even if he feels that’s what he is doing. For the things he loves Aslan for doing or saying are simply things that Jesus really did and said. So that when Laurence thinks he is loving Aslan, he is really loving Jesus; and perhaps loving Him more than he ever did before.”
CLOSING PRAYER
