“Aslan!”
12/18/05 – John Laeger
#3 in series “Narnia: More Than A Fantasy”
I. Introduction
a. ATTENTION GETTER
i. Famous Lions (put pictures up on screen and have people guess)
1. Cowardly Lion (Wizard of Oz)
2. Mufasa (Lion King)
3. Snagglepuss (“Heavens to Murgatroid!”)
4. Clarence the Cross-eyed Lion (Daktari)
5. Kitty-Kat (Adams Family)
ii. But maybe none more famous than…(video clips of Aslan)
iii. Aslan (picture)
1. “aslan” = Turkish word for “lion”
2. Aslan is the Great Lion, Lord of Narnia and all its creatures, Son of the Emperor-Over-the-Sea.
3. Only Aslan can save Narnia from the power of the White Witch.
4. While it may appear for awhile that the White Witch has power over Aslan…
a. It is only because Aslan is choosing to allow the White Witch to be in control at that moment.
b. But not even the White Witch has power over Aslan.
5. Aslan eventually frees Narnia from Eternal Winter.
b. TRANSITION
i. Friends … this is more than just a fantasy…
ii. Hila, an eleven year old girl from the U.S. wrote C.S. Lewis a question about Aslan and his name and if he was Jesus…
iii. C.S. Lewis answered … “As to Aslan’s other name, well I want you to guess. Has there never been anyone in this world who (1.) Arrived at the same time as Father Christmas. (2.) Said he was the son of the great Emperor. (3.) gave himself up for someone else’s fault to be jeered at and killed by wicked people. (4.) Came to life again. (5.) 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!”
iv. Almost a rhetorical question – of course the answer is “Jesus Christ, the Savior of Mankind”
v. One week from today we will celebrate the birth of Jesus…
1. God became man – born in that manger in Bethlehem – you know the story
2. Born to be a sacrifice
3. Born to die
vi. It is one thing to think of Jesus as a child born in a manger. It is another to think of this baby born in that manger as a lion.
II. Aslan and Jesus
a. CHRIST CALLED A LION – WHY?
i. In both the O.T. & N.T., Jesus is referred to as a “lion”
1. Hosea 11:10 (NIV) “They will follow the Lord; he will roar like a lion. When he roars, his children will come trembling from the west.”
2. Rev. 5:5 (NIV) “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals."
ii. Why is He called a “lion”?
iii. Well, how would you describe a lion?
1. Lions are powerful, dangerous, majestic, a symbol of royalty.
2. Are these not the same words you would use to describe Jesus?
3. Are these not the same words that even the Bible uses to help us understand who Jesus is?
iv. Psalm 29:4 (NIV) “The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic.”
v. Psalm 93:1 (NLT) “The Lord is king! He is robed in majesty. Indeed, the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength.”
b. HIS POWER
i. An adult male lion – Aslan – is an extremely powerful creature…
1. Can kill a zebra with one bite and break a zebra’s backbone with one blow
2. His roar can be heard up to 5 miles away and when he puts his mouth close to the ground and roars it sounds like thunder
3. Run 35 mph and can jump 36 feet horizontally & 12 ft vertically
4. His tongue is so rough that it literally shreds the meat off bones (let THAT cat lick your face!)
ii. He is powerful and fearsome …
iii. In the book there is a dialogue between the children and Mr. & Mrs. Beaver about Aslan where you get a glimpse of his power…
1. “Is-is he a man?”, asked Lucy.
2. “Aslan a man!” said Mr. Beaver sternly. “Certainly not. I tell you he is the king of the wood and the son of the great Emporer-beyond-the-Sea. Don’t you know what is the King of Beasts? Aslan is a lion-the Lion, the great Lion.”
3. “Ooh!” said Susan. “Is he-quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.”
4. “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.”
5. “Then he isn’t safe?” said Lucy.
6. “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.”
iv. You see, when you are confronted with or come face to face with that kind of power, you cower and become afraid…
v. THAT my friend is far more than fantasy…
1. (talk about demons are fallen angels and angels KNOW more than we do…)
2. James 2:19 (GW) “You believe that there is one God. That’s fine! The demons also believe that, and they tremble with fear.”
3. The very powers that are against Christ (week #1) know the power and awesomeness of Christ.
4. Their response? They cower and tremble in fear!
5. Mark 3:11 (NIV) “Whenever the evil spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, ‘You are the Son of God.’"
6. Mark 4:41 (NIV) “They were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!’"
vi. Look at this description of Christ and you tell me if this gives you a better understanding of His power and would lead to fear…
vii. Rev. 19:11-16 (NIV) “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords.”
viii. So often Jesus is painted as the gentle shepherd, loving, non-threatening … this pacifistic, weak, timid, reserved person.
ix. If that is your picture of Jesus – it is far, far, far from complete and accurate.
x. Jesus is the Almighty Christ…
1. Powerful
2. The omnipotent King
3. Majestic
4. And as we just read, He has the power and will strike down the nations, bring judgment, and will carry out God’s wrath against evil, and will destroy God’s enemies.
5. THAT is far more than just a gentile shepherd.
xi. Jesus Christ is the King…
xii. Video ***”That’s My King***
xiii. And there will come a time when every man, woman, and child who has ever lived or is living will come face to face with that power and majesty and will bow down to Jesus.
xiv. Yes, Jesus Christ is majestic, fearsome, and powerful.
xv. BUT … He wants me to be with Him and to have a personal relationship with Him.
1. And when I enter into a personal relationship with Jesus …
2. I gain a love that is not known or available without a personal relationship with Jesus.
3. And this love is stronger than fear and actually casts out fear so I can be near to Jesus, close to Jesus, next to Jesus, protected by Jesus…
4. 1 John 4:18 (NIV) “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.”
xvi. This perfect love gives us confidence and boldness to have complete access to be in the very presence of Jesus.
1. Hebrews 4:16 (NJB) “Let us, then, have no fear in approaching the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace when we are in need of help.”
2. With a personal relationship with Jesus – you, yourself, can go right to God!
xvii. How can that be?
xviii. Because when you enter into a personal relationship with Jesus, all the stuff (sin) that prevented you from accessing God, the stuff that led to fear – is GONE!
c. HIS SACRIFICE
i. One of the most moving & emotionally charged scenes in the movie…
1. Edmund is trapped in his allegiance to the White Witch.
2. The only way out of that trap is for him to die.
3. Aslan & the White Witch enter into the tent and they make a deal that frees Edmund from punishment.
4. Instead of Edmund paying with his life, Aslan takes his place.
5. Lays down on the stone table, endures torture, and is slain and killed in Edmund’s place.
6. The punishment meant for Edmund is laid on and given to Aslan who makes the ultimate sacrifice and gives his life for Edmund’s freedom.
ii. Friend, that is far more than just a fantasy…
iii. It isn’t Edmund – it is you and I.
1. We are trapped in our hearts and natures that are not living for God.
2. Isaiah 53:6 (Living) “We--every one of us--have strayed away like sheep! We, who left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet God laid on him the guilt and sins of every one of us!”
iv. And that sin has removed us from God and aligned us with death.
1. Isaiah 59:2 (NLT) “Your sins have cut you off from God.”
2. And being cut off from God is death
a. God is life and being cut off from God means there is no life
b. You are frozen – spiritually frozen
c. Destined to be eternally separated from God to spend eternity in the eternal darkness of hell.
d. Romans 6:23 (NCV) “When people sin, they earn what sin pays—death.”
v. And the only way to stop this eternal death and separation from happening is for something – or someone – outside yourself – someone who is more powerful than you – to take your place.
1. And it isn’t Aslan – it is Jesus Christ.
2. And it isn’t a stone table – it is a wooden cross.
3. Romans 3:25 (NLT) “God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins….We are made right with God when we believe that Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life for us.”
vi. And when Christ paid the ultimate sacrifice on that cross in my place and in your place…
1. He freed me from the punishment.
2. He freed the frozen
vii. In the movie, Aslan stated that there was a deeper magic working…
1. “When a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor’s stead, the Table would crack and death itself would start working backwards.”
2. “Death would start working backwards…”
3. THAT is far more than just a fantasy…
4. 1 John 3:8 (GW) “The reason that the Son of God appeared was to destroy what the devil does.”
5. He opened the door for you to make a choice that will eliminate eternal winter in your life now & when this life is over.
6. John 5:24 (CEV) “I tell you for certain that everyone who hears my message and has faith in the one who sent me has eternal life and will never be condemned...”
7. John 5:24 (Msg) “…This person has taken a giant step from the world of the dead to the world of the living.”
viii. Just as Aslan overpowered death itself and came back to life to bring a final death blow to the White Witch and her spells…
1. Jesus Christ rose from the dead and totally and completely conquered death.
2. So that those who choose to follow Him – are guaranteed life NOT death.
III. Conclusion
a. JESUS HAS DONE THE IMPOSSIBLE
i. YOU and I are frozen in death, cursed by our sin, destined to spend eternity away from God, unable to have a full life here…
ii. BUT…Jesus showed up – the hero.
1. He came and He did the impossible
2. He, the one who had committed no sin, took our place on the cross
3. He died for me and for you so we could live
4. He died and then He came back to life to “turn death backwards”!
5. He is the true hero – He did the impossible
iii. Jesus Christ – the true hero
iv. *** “Hero” special
b. WHO IS JESUS TO YOU?
i. Just a man. Just a religious figure.
ii. Or is He your hero?
iii. And what is your relationship with Him?
1. Are you spiritually frozen or alive?
2. Would you describe your relationship with God as a frozen statue or as a living, breathing, daily fresh air?
3. Today, I invite you to make the most important decision of your life and invite Jesus Christ to come into your life and breathe life into your heart.
4. Take that step from the land of the dead and frozen to the land of the living.
iv. It involves more than just believing – a mental agreement about Jesus.
1. It takes faith.
2. It takes a conscious invitation from you to Him to forgive your sin and be your life leader.
3. You have to make the choice to be a Christ-follower.
v. Have you made that choice?
c. PRAY
