My Turkish Delight pt. 3 of 5
Again this week we step into the fantasy world of Narnia. Of course, especially for some of the adults, we need to review some of what we’ve already talked about in this story. It’s important as we walk with God to remember. To review what is true because what is true will always be challenged by other pulls in our life.
While we review, we have a little treat for you. There will be some people passing out our version of “Turkish Delight” and it would really be a help to me, in making my point this morning if each of you (who can) would take a piece and unwrap it and let the taste linger in your mouth while we think about God together this morning.
USHERS PASS OUT “TURKISH DELIGHT” IN COMMUNION TRAYS
We’ve talked about understanding our life as a story that God is writing and our story only has meaning and makes any sense at all in the context of the grander story God is writing in History. We need to understand His grand story in order to know what our next step ought to be.
When we begin to think christianly, biblically, life begins to make sense…that doesn’t mean painless or comfortable but our life has purpose and that purpose is to honor the Grand Author.
Last week we shadowed Lucy as she took the first steps into the fantasy world of Narnia. Narnia is a world created by C.S. Lewis and he dreams of Narnia as “supposals”. Suppose there was a world like this, what would God be like in that world? Our hope has been that this world of Narnia, so different than our own, would cause us to look at our own world with new eyes. Part of our problem here, in what we mistakenly think is the “real world” is that our history and familiarity with this world makes us think we might know what is real.
It may challenge some to think in any way other than where we stand (or sit) now as “the real world”. 2 Corinthians 4:18 encourages us to “…fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (NIV)
We will fall into a major pit and give evidence that we haven’t yet come to understand God’s grander story, if we find ourselves fixed on this life and this place as the “real” world. If we do that we will live in a very short-sighted way.
God invites us to live in a way that gives evidence of greater things to come. This world isn’t our home.
1 Corinthians 2:9 says, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him."
This isn’t new. God’s people, in this world have always faced the challenge of living with an eye toward the reality of future grace. In Hebrews 11 as God describes some of the hero’s of the faith that have lived before us He says;
v. 13,16 All these faithful ones died without receiving what God had promised them, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed the promises of God. They agreed that they were no more than foreigners and nomads here on earth. (16) But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a heavenly city for them.
So, dreaming of another world, more real, more permanent, than this one, should fill us with hope. Know this, we find the context even for our imagining in God’s grander story and we can only know that through His inspired Word.
In Narnia we discover fascinating characters and a brewing battle. The self proclaimed Queen of Narnia, the White Witch, holds this land under her spell. Narnia is a land where it is always winter and never Christmas. At least until Aslan makes himself known.
Eventually all four of the Pevensie children make their way through the wardrobe into the light of the lamppost and the land of Narnia.
This morning I want to key in on the character Edmond. Bruce Edwards described Edmond this way. “If he were an FM radio station it would be ‘All Edmond, All the time’.
He was perfectly positioned for bitterness. An older, nobler brother, Peter. Older, kinda know-it-all sister Susan. Any boy with an older sister knows how hard that can be. He even had to give up the role of favored youngest to little sister Lucy. Sweet Lucy, yeah.
Here is a sad reality. We live in a world that isn’t built around us. If I live like I ought to be number one, or at least think that way, life seems pretty unfair pretty fast. And that is a perfect set up for the first encounter with the White Witch. At first this Evil One is ready to do away with Edmond quickly and simply until she discovers she can use him. There is a quick shift in her approach. Now she cares that he is cold and needs to sit close to her. Have something warm to drink.
“Would you like something to eat?” she asks and Edmond. He doesn’t skip a beat. It’s like he’s been waiting for weeks for someone to ask. “Turkish delight please.” And she delivers. Imagine finding the source that can provide just what your heart wants, at your request.
The questions of the White Witch begin. And, Edmund, under the spell of Turkish Delights, seemingly without thought carelessly endangers his brother and sisters.
Now the White Witch sets the hook. She finds a greater opportunity and Edmond becomes bait.
She promises what she can’t deliver, but that hardly matters, she can prvide Turkish Delight. He will be the future King of Narnia if he would only bring his brother and sisters to her.
“There’s nothing special about them,” Edmond says. “But, of course, every king needs servants” the Witch tightens the noose around Edmund’s self-strangled heart. Of course! And there will be more, much more, Turkish Delight. The hook is set.
And yours? What would your Turkish Delight be? Food, status, autonomy, appearance, sex? Paul warned Timothy to help people wise up about perhaps the most common form of Turkish Delight in our world:
1 Timothy 6:9-10 But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is at the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
For the plot of the White Witch to work all Edmond has to do is be himself. He doesn’t even hesitate to pledge himself to secrecy.
It’s fascinating to consider the appeal of secrecy, hiddenness to our fallen heart. In the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve tasted their Turkish Delight their solution was to run to hide. Let’s keep this secret. And we are trapped, alone, just where the enemy of our soul wants us.
I suspect many of you today are fighting the hopeless battle to manage sin. Maybe you’re thinking that when you get things straightened out, then you can begin to open up to relationships with others. You foolishly think you’re the only one. No one has ever done anything like this. The guy on my left and the woman on my right and certainly the guy talking, just seem to have it all together. I can act like that if church doesn’t last too much more than an hour.
And again we have the dramatic difference between the world of darkness and the world of light. When we are tempted to cover and hide, God’s Spirit calls us into the light. God would call us to integrity, transparency, humility, honesty, submission and community.
It’s not long until all four of the Pevence children are back in Narnia and at the home of the Beaver’s. It’s no small distinction that when Edmond was fed by the White Witch he was fed candy. But at the home of the Beaver’s there is a full meal; potatoes, fresh fish, marmalade rolls, creamy milk, tea, then the sigh of contentment.
Matthew 6:32-33 Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.
Until we submit our appetite to the guiding authority of God, our own kind of “Turkish Delight” will make us a prime target for the snare of the Evil One.
It is a matter of faith to trust God for what we need today. And then, of course to learn contentment with what He determines we need. We live in a world filled with other options. There are other ways to get our hands on Turkish Delight. But God invites us trust.
As Peter, Susan and Lucy learn about Aslan, the true King and the ancient prophecy about the Sons of Adam and the Daughters of Eve. It is here (in the book) that the question is asked, “Is He quite safe?” and Mr. Beaver says “Who said anything about safe. Of course he’s not safe but He is…GOOD.
Edmund slips away to rejoin the White Witch. The narrator of the book tells us he was thinking all the time about…guess what? Turkish Delight.
When Peter, Susan and Lucy discover Edmond is gone his brother and sisters are terrified and start to form four search parties. But Mr. Beaver is surprisingly calm. “Has Edmond been in Narnia before? Alone?” No doubt “she” has him.
Now, why wouldn’t Mr. Beaver be worried? Because he knows the truth. It reminds me of Colossians 2:2-3
I want them to have full confidence because they have complete understanding of God’s secret plan, which is Christ himself. In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
She needs Edmond because she wants the other Son of Adam and Daughters of Eve but Aslan is on the move. Listen, when we know and live in the truth we have no reason to fear. Our life finds context in the answer of God’s secret plan. I don’t know what today holds but I do know the One who holds today, so let’s go.
Edmond makes his way to the White Witch by himself rather than with his brother and sisters as she demanded and he sees a different side of her all together. There are no Turkish Delights, no welcome…
“How dare you come alone? Did I not tell you to bring the others?”
Edmond can hardly get the news out fast enough. I did pretty well, really. They are at the Beaver’s. Not far and they said something about meeting Aslan at the stone table. And the hunt begins.
Now, don’t miss this. The White Witch knows only what she is told. No more.
She prepares to put an end to Edmond knowing that the prophecy that foreshadows her own doom requires all four of these son’s of Adam and daughter’s of Eve.
At the last moment, the right moment, Aslan’s forces rescue Edmond and he is taken back to Aslan’s camp and rejoins Peter, Susan and Lucy, with these important words from Aslan:
AUDIO: “Here is your brother there is no need to talk to him about what is past.”
Edmond could have a party with the Apostle Paul and me and maybe you…
(1 Timothy 1:16) God had mercy on me, so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.
When the White Witch shows up
AUDIO: “You have a traitor here Aslan, you know that of course.” “His offense was not against you.” “Have you forgotten the deep magic?”
AUDIO (cont.): “You at least know the deep magic…for every treachery I have a right to a kill.”
The enemy knows well what our rebellion against God has accomplished. At this moment all that is known and all that matters to the White Witch is this:
(Romans 6:23) …the wages of sin is death…
Aslan calls the White Witch aside to a private conversation as Edmond the traitor’s life hangs in the balance. Peter, Susan, Lucy and everyone in Narnia waits.
AUDIO: (approx. 50 seconds) “Fall back all of you, I will talk to the Witch alone.”
Ending: “She has renounced the claim on your brother’s blood.”
And everyone celebrates. But here’s the deal, they have no idea at this moment what the cost is going to be.
All they know is that Aslan has given His word that Edmond is free and that is enough.
This message really can’t stand on its own. You need to understand where we are going next week.
You were served our form of “Turkish Delight” a bit ago. It wasn’t sin for you to eat that (a pound of it maybe so) but it represents those things in our life that would pull you away from full devotion to God. Those things in your life that ould own and condemn you or be transformed by Christ to become trophies of the self-control produced by the Holy Spirit.
It was no accident that you were served “Turkish Delight” in communion trays because here is our choice. (Communion tray with some Turkish Delight and some communion bread.)
This week, Christmas Eve and Christmas morning we will think about this world that can celebrate Christmas because Jesus Christ is on the move. We will make a life transforming decision to share communion together because of the story God is writing in history and writing in our life. And, we will learn a bit more about the price of our freedom from condemnation and the gift of God.
[This message makes use of audio clips from Focus on the Family Radio Theater’s version of “The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe”.]
This clip will be the transition between the music and the message:
Chapter: “The Queen of Narnia”
Start at 0:00
End at 5:52 “I would like to make you prince one day when you bring the others to visit me.”
These clips will be in the message:
Chapter: “Edmund and the Wardrobe”
Start at 4:40 “Here is your brother there is no need to talk to him about what is past.”
End at 4:48
Chapter: “”Edmund and the Wardrobe”
Start at 6:35 “You have a traitor here...”
End at 6:45 “Have you forgotten the deep magic?”
Chapter: “”Edmund and the Wardrobe”
Start at 7:10 “You at least know the deep magic...”
End at 7:27 “For every tretchery I have a right to a kill.”
Chapter: “”Edmund and the Wardrobe”
Start at 8:39 “Fall back all of you...”
End at 9:30 “She has renounced the claim on your brother’s blood.”
