The Lion, the Witch & The Wardrobe…CS Lewis’ classic is a story about an imaginary land called NARNIA.
Narnia is a beautiful, magnificent world where it’s WINTER BUT NEVER CHRISTMAS.
Can you just imagine what winter in the Midwest would be like with NO CHRISTMAS???
Can you just imagine???
- no family gatherings for the holidays?
- no Christmas presents under the tree?
- no Christmas trees?
- no holiday traditions or special foods?
(alright, maybe no fruitcake is OK!)
- no Christmas carols?
- no Christmas lights & decorations?
- no Charlie Brown Christmas specials?
- no Bing Crosby and White Christmas?
- no Jimmy Stewart and ’It’s a Wonderful Life’?
- no Iowa football bowl games?
I’m a lot like CS Lewis…a winter without Christmas is just not worth having!
So as you read further into LWW, CS Lewis gives us a wonderful surprise. In this land of Narnia...where it’s always winter & never Christmas...something is changing...Aslan is on the move! Narnia is changing! Something’s up!
As Peter & Edmund & & Susan & Lucy are trying desperately to travel secretly through Narnia, attempting to avoid Jadis & her vicious wolves…Mr & Mrs Beaver, the children’s guides keep them moving along. Finally they take a much needed rest, hiding in a warm & dry cave. “It’s an old hiding place for Beavers during hard times,” said Mr. Beaver. Then after a few hours of sleep, everyone awakes, startled awake by the sound of jingling bells. Their worst fears had befallen them. This must be the White Queen & her sledge. Mr Beaver runs out to check it out…
Read p. 159 of LWW
"Come on!” cried Mr. Beaver (to) you are being solemn and still."
Boller...Why are you telling us a fairy tale story on Sunday morning? What’s this got to do with God???
For you skeptics…did you know that Jesus knew the power in telling a good story? Jesus brought much of His Truth crouched in parables…stories that contained truth. Stories that made people ask questions…made people think.
Maybe that’s why I love CS Lewis, LWW, & Chronicles of Narnia...Lewis wove spiritual truths deep within his stories….stories within the story.
Actually the passage I just read to you about Father Christmas reminds me a lot of one of my favorite stories Jesus told. The story of the Prodigal Son…
In the story of the Prodigal Son…Jesus tells a story about a son, but really ends up telling us about how God is our GENEROUS, GIVING FATHER….
FATHER CHRISTMAS: In truth, if you know the true origins of Father Christmas (Saint Nicholas, as he is often called) it is quite biblical in nature.
It’s our commercial western world that has evolved Father Christmas into the rolly polly character of Santa Claus…
But CS Lewis would have none of it. He refused to bring Santa Claus into his Narnia story…no. He brought Father Christmas. Why? Because when ASLAN is on the move…the FATHER HEART of GOD is right in the middle of the action.
Finding the true meaning of Christmas is vitally important...don’t you agree??
In truth…Christmas should be a celebration surrounding the wonderful fact that GOD, OUR FATHER GENEROUSLY GIVES.
John 3: 16 For God so loved the world that He GAVE His one and only Son.
Matthew 7: 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to GIVE GOOD GIFTS to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!
For CS Lewis...FATHER CHRISTMAS is a true representation of God’s nature.
In Jesus’ story, the Father showers the returning son with… a royal robe, a royal ring, royal shoes, a huge celebration feast.
In LWW, Father Christmas showers special gifts as well...
Mrs. Beaver: A New Sewing Machine:
Mr. Beaver: A Repaired & Remodeled Dam
Peter: A shield & a sword
Susan: A bow & arrows & an ivory horn
Lucy: A dagger & little bottle of perfume
To top it all off...A Tea Party for Five!
High Tea! A sizzling teapot & 5 cups & saucers, sugar & crème
God loves to meet our earthly needs “of the moment”.
God loves to throw a party….right in the middle of our troubles.
See why I love Father Christmas so much?
Father Christmas represents the Father Heart of God towards His children.
When Aslan is on the move….ALWAYS LOOK FOR FATHER CHRISTMAS…The Father Heart of God to come alongside.
There’s so many people in the world today (a fatherless generation) who are longing for a surprise visit from Father Christmas.
The generous Father HEART of God….
Let’s pray for Father Christmas to surprise us this year during this Christmas season.
"And now, here is something for the moment for you ALL! and he brought out (I suppose from the big bag at his back, but nobody saw him do it) a large tray containing five cups and saucers, a bowl of lump sugar, a jug of cream, and a great big teapot all sizzling and piping hot. Then he cried out, "Merry Christmas! Long live the True King" and cracked his whip and he and the reindeer and the sledge and all were out of sight before anyone realized that they had started.
“Merry Christmas! Long Live the True King!”
