Sermon at Indian Valley Mennonite Church
November 27, 2005
Text: John 15:13
Title: A Eucatastrophe in Narnia Reveals the True Meaning of Christmas
Introduction:
A. Incarnation story from Philip Yancy, The Jesus I Never Knew (Zondervan, 1995) cited in Perfect Illustrations (Tyndale, 2002)
B. Summary: Yancy learned about incarnation from owning a salt water aquarium. The fish did not understand his management. The only way for them to understand was to become a fish and speak their language.
Message Script:
In four weeks, we will be celebrating a very special holiday – Christmas. There is a lot to do in those four weeks – decorations, parties, cards, presents – But do these things reflect the true meaning of Christmas? Much of our culture has sought to eliminate even the term Christmas, because it is somehow offensive. Season Greetings, Happy Holidays are acceptable as greetings. What is it that lies behind the celebration of this holiday? Christians believe that the Bible explains the real meaning of Christmas as the event where by God entered in to human history to speak a message of great joy and great news (in human language). The technical term for this is incarnation. The Old Testament includes a number of passages that predict this event – the New Testament records the events.
Matthew 1:18, 24, 25 (Isaiah 7:14) – Virgin birth
Luke 3:23, 32 (Isaiah 11:1) – from Jesse’s family
Matthew 2:1 (Micah 5:2) – born in Bethlehem
Matthew 2:16 (Jeremiah 31:15) – children would be killed by Herod
We could ask, why would an all powerful God choose an action such as the incarnation? Humanity was in trouble – the people needed deliverance from Roman oppression and religious legalism (and corruption). Humanity today is in trouble – people need deliverance from a secular society that is almost antireligious and a religious society that is often irrelevant (not much different from the culture).
Christians believe that the miracle of incarnation is a miracle of God becoming a person and entering into human history and turning the experience from the negative to the right direction. Hebrews 1:1-4 and Romans 5:6-8 explain who Jesus was and what He did.
The story of Jesus is one that literary critics could describe as an “Eucatastrophe”. Literally, a eucatastrophe is a good catastrophe. It is a story where a sudden, miraculous, and unexpected turn changes the story’s outcome from the worst to the BEST! The story of Jesus begins with his miraculous (scandalous) birth and proceeds downward from there (children are killed, he is questioned in his home town, challenged by the religious experts, and finally he is falsely accused by and betrayed to those in power – religious and secular). All seems to be lost when Jesus is mocked and tried unfairly and crucified. But the rest of the story tells of his resurrection and ascension. Death and the grave can not contain him. This profound story turned the lives of his followers upside down and they in turn turned the world on edge. Today, we are greatly impacted by this story because it is not just a simple story. It is the story of God giving his own Son for me – and you. It is the story of our rescue from the monotony and meaninglessness of existence. It is truly a great story. It is this story that gives meaning to Christmas. It is Christmas! As you prepare for Christmas, why not consider the verse found in John 15:13 (It is this verse that gives profound meaning to the Christmas story).
“Greater love has no one than this that he lay down his life for his friends.”
Keywords in this verse include…
Love = supreme love from God = agape
Friends = loved ones = philia
Life = breath = psyche
“Lay down” – completed action (die!) “put your life on the line”
This is the commandment that is found in John 13:34. In fact the word command is used in chapter 15 vv 10, 12, 14, 17. But the sense is an obligation not simply a rule! I am compelled because of the example of Jesus, to put my life on the line! Because He first put his life on the line for me! 1 John 3:16 tells us… “This is how we know what love is Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.”
Ask – Am I doing this?
[Consider the impact if all of us would do this?]
This, my friends explains the true meaning of Christmas. But, in case you miss it or you don’t understand it, maybe you’d like to go to see The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. No, this is not the latest in the Harry Potter series. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is a children’s story written in 1950 by Clive Staples Lewis (known as “Jack” to his friends). Lewis was one of the great writers of the mid 20th century. This children’s story is a story for children of all ages. It is the adventure of 4 children – Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy. These children enter an enchanted land (Narnia) through a mysterious wardrobe. This land is filled with all kinds of curious creatures and talking animals. But it is a land under a spell. That is, the evil White Witch (Queen Jadis) has placed Narnia (the enchanted land) in bondage – where it’s always winter but never Christmas. There are “prophecies” that indicate that everything will be okay when Aslan comes:
“Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight,
At the sound of his roar, sorrow will be no more,
When he bares his teeth, Winter meets its death,
And when he shakes his mane, we shall have Spring again.”
Aslan is the great lion, the king of the beasts, the son of the emperor from beyond the sea. Lewis says this about Aslan…(In a letter to a friend.)
In reality however he (Aslan) is an invention giving an imaginary answer to the question, “What might Christ be like if there really were a world like Narnia and he chose to be incarnate and die and rise again in that world as He has actually done in ours?
Aslan reveals the character of Christ. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe reveals the gospel story within a storybook story. Narnia awaits relief from a continuing winter. Our world awaits relief – The creation waits in eager expectation…For creation was subjected frustration…creation will be liberated. Romans 8:19-21
Just as the character Edmund is rescued from his traitorous choices so too are we…
the wages of sin is death.- Romans 6:23
without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness – Hebrew 9:22b
The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work 1 John 3:8
While we were sinners, Christ died for us – Romans 5:8b
Edmund was a traitor – he deserved punishment. That was the law of Narnia – “the deep magic” [ “Every traitor belongs to me as my lawful prey and that for every treachery I have the right to kill.” – White Witch]. But the law of the Emperor (God) – “the deeper magic rescued him.” [the deeper magic – “When a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor’s stead (place), the Table would crack and Death itself would start working backwards.” - Aslan]
My friends, the incarnation of Christ gives meaning to the Christmas that we celebrate in 4 weeks. It is a message that should turn you upside down with excitement. If you’d like a preview in story form, go and see The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia) beginning on December 9. If you can’t go, read the story – you will not regret it!
In any event, Christmas is a special time – don’t waste it on consumer like pleasures. If you know Christ personally, how will you become more like him this Christmas? If you don’t know him personally, why not turn to him today?
If you would like to talk and / or pray or simply know more come on down during our closing hymn!
1 John 3:16 - “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.”
