A Lake Pointe Christmas in Narnia, Sermon #1
“WINTER, BUT NEVER CHRISTMAS: the Curse that Afflicts this Earth”
Pastor Dean Johnson, Lake Pointe Bible Church, 11-27-05
INTRODUCTION: NARNIA IN THE NEWS
The fictitious land of Narnia is very much in the news these days. Disney has spent one hundred million dollars filming and publicizing the movie based on C.S. Lewis’ book The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. They believe that Narnia will be their highest grossing movie ever. Higher than Shrek! Narnia is very much a Christmas story.
OUR SERMON SERIES
So for the Christmas season here at Lake Pointe Bible Church, I would like us to take a trip to “A Lake Pointe Christmas in Narnia.” Let me show you where we’re going.
1. Nov. 27, WINTER, BUT NEVER CHRISTMAS: The Curse that Afflicts this Earth.
2. Dec. 4, THE BEAUTIFUL, HATEFUL WITCH: The Enemy Whose Only Goal is to Oppose God.
3. Dec. 11, THE LAMP THAT ALWAYS SHINES: Christ the Light, and Us as Lights.
4. Dec. 18, THE POWER TO REVERSE THE CURSE: Deity, a mediator, a sacrifice.
5. Dec. 24, THE FAITH REQUIRED TO ENTER THE WARDROBE: Courage, choice, and trust.
Let’s get started with today’s topic.
THE NARNIA STORY
During the bombing of London during World War II, four children are sent to the countryside to live with their uncle. One afternoon the children--Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy--are playing hide and seek in the house, when the youngest, Lucy, finds an old English wardrobe that is a secret passageway into the world of Narnia.
In Narnia Lucy meets a fawn named Mr. Tumnus. While Lucy and Mr. Tumnus are huddled in his cave, the fawn explains that the reason it’s so cold and dreary is because of the White Witch.
“The White Witch? Who is she?” asks Lucy.
“Why, it is she that has got all Narnia under her thumb. It’s she that makes it always winter. Always winter and never Christmas; think of that!”
EMPHASIS ON HARSHNESS
The emphasis here is not really about Christmas, it’s about the fact that it is always winter. From the moment you step into Narnia you recognize that something is terribly wrong. This is not a lovely winter scene like we might see in a Thomas Kincaid painting. No, this winter is bitter and desolate, with a painful, stinging wind.
AN ANALOGY
The author, C.S. Lewis, was writing an analogy. He was saying “This is our world--it is not the way it is supposed to be.”
Why is there so much hate and distrust between people at your work or school or family?
Why do mothers miscarry, and why are babies born with deformities?
Why is there so much violence committed by people against other people?
Why is sex so perverted rather than being enjoyed as the gift it is for a married man and woman?
Why do we struggle so with anger and temper and pride?
Why is there cancer? I believe that cancer is the most visible, palpable physical example of the curse that afflicts this world in which we live.
CAROLYN’S CANCER
I must pause here to mention our sister Carolyn Bartlett. (I think it is better for us to talk about this than not to, since it consumes many of our thoughts.) Through no action or choice of her own, Carolyn has cholangio-carcnoma. She is one day younger than I am. And unless God steps in and performs a miracle, we are going to lose Carolyn within the next few weeks. Carolyn’s cancer is a physical reminder to us that it is winter here, that there is a curse on this place, that this world is not as it was created to be. We will all die, but some will die young, and we will not be able to discern a logic to it or a rationale for it. If someone asks you why a person has cancer, or why a person dies, you tell them “Because the world is not as God created it to be.”
WE FORGET
Sometimes we forget this, because there is still much beauty and goodness here. But just when we get comfortable in the remaining beauty something happens that reminds us of the curse, the wrongness of things:
--You have an angry confrontation with another person.
--the news reports an unbelievably monstrous crime.
--you attend a funeral. In fact, whenever I attend a funeral and I look at the person’s body lying there lifeless I want to cuss and say “This world is not as it is supposed to be!”
GENESIS
The Bible tells us as much. Genesis begins with a story that basically says “God created the world, and it was wonderful! And he created people, and walked with them in this beautiful world he’d made. But then man acted against God’s will, and their fellowship was broken, and the upheaval poisoned not only people but the entire world.”
READ Romans 8:18-25 (p.1118)
1. It is assumed that we have troubles. v18 speaks of “our present sufferings.” You know what this tells me? We should not be so surprised when—in this world--bad things happen to us or our loved ones. v23 says the creation is groaning, but “not only so,” or “not only creation,” but we Christians continue to groan.
Jesus said “In this world you will have trouble.” That prosperity gospel you hear for Christians is unbiblical. No where are we promised prosperity and safety in this world. The Bible talks about “our present sufferings.” It is assumed that we will have troubles.
FLU
You know how when you have the flu you feel awful? You take some Nyquil or Theraflu and you lie down and sleep for, like, 4 hours. And when you get up you feel better. Life is like that. Except, your life in this world—that’s when you have the flu. And when you lie down, that’s when you die. And when you wake up, that’s opening your eyes in the presence of God, who heals all our diseases.
2. The entire creation--and not just mankind--is fallen. We hear often about how people are sinners. (“For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”) But what does it mean that “the creation” is fallen and cursed? It means there will be physical defects and calamities completely apart from human actions and choices. That is why tragedies, accidents, and disasters happen. That is why some diseases and infirmities infect a human body, completely unrelated to anything you’ve done. That is why my cousin Gary contracted leukemia when he was 8 years old, and died of it when he was 13.
3. We continue to live under the Curse.
--v20 says we live “in hope [or expectation] that the creation will be liberated from its bondage to decay.”
--v22 says this groaning and pain continues “to the present time.”
--v23 says “we are waiting” for our redemption.
“THE PRESENT TIME”
This phrase “the present time” is a technical term in Greek that means “this present age,” in contrast to “the age to come.” The age to come is one of resurrection and “glory to be revealed.” The Bible says “this present age” is one of difficulty, sorrow, struggle, temptation, grief and death.
LOVE NOT THE WORLD
Even if you’re a Christian, you still live in this cursed world. That is why the Bible says “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world….” That’s why we must be careful about consuming this world’s TV shows and this world’s music and being concerned about what people of this world think about us. This world is fallen and cursed. This world is not my home.
4. We are awaiting the completion of our salvation.
Read v23
The Bible teaches that when you trust in Christ you really are saved, you are righteous in God’s eyes now. v24 says “in this hope we were saved.” The verb is past tense. In fact, this verse says we have something of a “down payment” from God in that his Spirit comes to live in us.
KNEE REPLACEMENTS
Have you noticed here at Lake Pointe in the last year or two how many of our people have had to have knee replacements? Have you noticed? It seems like every other week I’m going to see someone who has had a knee replacement. What’s the matter, aren’t they Christians? Well, when you trust Christ you don’t a new knee. You get forgiven. And the rest has to wait until “the age to come.”
5. God’s Spirit will help us live in this cursed world.
The question arises: “How am I supposed to live my life with a salvation I can’t see, in a world that is still cursed?”
READ v26-27
v26 starts out “in the same way,” referring to something in the previous section. He’s saying just as hope and expectation of glory sustain the people of God, the Holy Spirit will also sustain the people of God.
This word translated “weakness” is a very broad word in Greek, covering any difficulty or frailty that besets us. God’s Spirit is the answer to everything you struggle with in this world. Even when you don’t know what to pray for, when there’s something inside that you can’t utter, the Spirit knows it.
I’m often like that. We’ll be in our small group, and someone will share a situation, and I’ll think “Wow, how should we pray?”
PRACTICALLY SPEAKING
How is the Spirit going to help you live in this cursed world? Two ways:
1. Through reading the Word he inspired.
2. Spending time in prayer.
CONCLUSION
It is winter here in Narnia. Don’t get used to it, but do understand it. “Jesus said ‘In this world you will have trouble, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.’” If you have Jesus you have the Overcomer. But if you do not have him, you have no cure for the curse that has overtaken you. I invite you to place your faith in Christ this morning. If you are a Christian, I want you to know that we are going to go through some sorrow. But we are going to hold on to God’s hand, as we look forward to “the age to come.”
