TITLE: “Anticipating Hope”
TEXTS: Matthew 1:18-2:18 and Luke 2:1-20
PREINTRODUCTION:
This year we are being faced with a situation that I never thought I’d see in my lifetime, at least not in America. Many of the major shopping centers and department stores have decided that they were going to take the word “Christmas” out of their advertising and use “holiday” instead so they wouldn’t offend anyone. Most of us haven’t really noticed, because seeing trees with lights, Santa Clause, snowmen and hearing “Jingle Bells” makes us think of Christmas, whether it’s spelled out or not. But, step by step, Christmas is being taken out of the winter holiday season. If we are not careful, it could be always winter, but never Christmas.
Today, I want you to ask yourselves two questions as I start this message. The first question is, can you imagine what it would be like if it were always winter, and never Christmas? Second, have you ever seen a picture in your mind of something that’s unusual, not necessarily haunting, or bad in any way, but something that continues to come to your mind over and over?
When C. S. Lewis was sixteen years old, a picture of “a faun (half-goat and half-man) in a snowy forest holding an umbrella and carrying packages”(1) kept going through his head. Approximately twenty-four years later, in 1950, he decided to write a fanciful story about it. Since then, more than 1 million books about that story have been purchased each year.
This Friday, Disney Studios will release the film that they believe will be their most widely-watched film in history, based on the same children’s book. They have invested more than 100 million dollars believing it will go down in history as their best-selling movie.
This book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, was the first book published in a series of books known as The Chronicles of Narnia. The movie has simply been named Narnia. If you have never heard of, or read this book, you might ask: What is so special about a children’s story? Why have more than 1 million Narnia related books been purchased each year? . . . The answer is simple. It is because this book is not just a fairy tale, it is a metaphor of the greatest event in history. The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe is the story of Jesus Christ. It is the Christmas story, wrapped up in a land called “Narnia”, where it is always winter, but never Christmas.
Jesus Christ changed history, beginning with his birth. Hopefully, this series of messages on the land of Narnia, the land where animals can talk, a land ruled by a wicked witch, a land where it is always winter, but never Christmas will open your eyes to the truth of Christmas.
Today we will look at the backgrounds of C. S. Lewis’ Narnia and the historical birth of Jesus.
READ TEXT: (Read the Matthew text here – it includes Herod, where the Luke text doesn’t.)
Because of the number of points and sub-points in today’s message I will only have time to make very brief comments on each area. We can begin with the creators.
I. The creators
First is the author of Narnia, C. S. Lewis.
A. The author of Naria
Lewis was an avowed atheist until he was 29 years old. In October of 1916 he wrote a friend,
“I believe in no religion. There is absolutely no proof for any of them, and from a philosophical standpoint Christianity is not even the best. All religions, that is, all mythologies to give them their proper name, are merely man’s own invention.”
His life changed dramatically when he became a professor at Oxford. Lewis became friends with two other Oxford professors, who were Christians. One was Hugh Dyson, the other was J.R.R. Tolkien, the author of The Lord of the Rings.
In time Lewis was convinced that the faith of Dyson and Tolkien was more than mere words. The summer of 1929 brought major spiritual changes to the life of Lewis. He became convinced that Jesus Christ really was an historic figure, the Son of God, who really did die on the Cross as a substitute for sins of the world. Lewis accepted Jesus Christ into his life and became a defender of the Christian faith.
During World War II, the British Broadcasting Company asked Lewis to do a series of lectures on the radio. All of the British people were so attracted to the broadcasts that Lewis became the second most famous person in all of England, second only to Winston Churchill.
The BBC lectures were later published in a book that is titled, “Mere Christianity.” Some would say that it is the most powerful explanation of Christianity outside of the Bible itself.
When we understand C. S. Lewis’ background it becomes easy to see how The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe grew out of personal experience of what it meant to have someone die in his place. The whole theme of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is powerful because it is based on the historically true story of Jesus Christ that begins with the Christmas narrative.
Just as The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe has an author, we have the author of the nativity. That author is God
B. The author of the nativity
This is not a god with a small “g’, but the all-powerful, all-knowing, holy, perfect, awesome God, who created everything that is visible and everything that is invisible.
He is the God of love. In his love He sent his one and only son, Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, to live a perfect life, and die on a cross for our sins, and was buried. This God of love would not allow Jesus to remain in the grip of death, but raised him from the dead and set him at His right hand.
It did not happen by accident. Galatians 4:4-5 states, “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.” God waited for the perfect timing to send His Son to be born of a woman, by the name of Mary. Born under the Old Testament law, born in the humble surroundings of a stable, a place for animals. Born with the plan, the intent to redeem those under the law, that they might receive the full rights of sons. Born to save us!
God sent His Son for us. It is not just a story; it is the truth. It began with the Christmas narrative, continued through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. His love continues today in the life of every believer, that is, everyone who has submitted to his will by accepted Jesus Christ by faith.
Now we need to briefly examine the characters that each of these creators have used.
II. The characters
First, we can see the characters in Narnia. Perhaps you are like me. I have heard the story of Narnia several times, but never really thought about the characters. It wasn’t until this new movie was coming out and I started considering the similarities between Narnia and the Christmas story, that I took time to really think about the characters in the Narnia story. As we go through these, I’ve narrowed the list down.
Narnia is a land made up of all sorts of mythical creatures. Some are taken from Roman and British folklore, others from Greek or Germanic mythology. The concept of kings and knights are revived from medieval tales and the animals talk, as every child wishes they would. It is in this setting that Lewis introduces the main characters in Narnia.
A. In Narnia
The key character is Aslan, the Lion.
1. The key character: Aslan
It was Aslan who sang all of Narnia into existence in the book “The Magician’s Nephew.” Actually, Mr. Beaver explains to the children that Aslan is THE lion. He explains that “he is the King of the wood and the son of the great Emperor-beyond-the-Sea. . . . Aslan is a lion – THE lion, the great Lion.”(2) He solidifies the story and gives it purpose.
Throughout the story, Aslan is pictured as all that is right and good. When the children first heard “the name of Aslan, each one of the children felt something jump in it’s inside.”(3) Even though they had never heard the name before, they knew that it spoke to something inside them.
2. Those who loved Aslan
Lucy, Peter, Susan and Edmond are brothers and sisters from the world of humans. (I have Edmond separate for a purpose. ) I include Lucy, Peter and Susan as those who loved Aslan from the start.
A. Lucy
Lucy is the youngest of the children. In her, the wonder and faith of a child is fully awake. She is the first to see Aslan, and loves him with the full force of a child’s love.
B. Peter
On the other hand, Peter is the oldest of the children. In him, we see the valor and honest devotion that is fitting a king. He submits fully to Aslan, and rules his kingdom with justice and mercy.
C. Susan
Susan is the oldest girl and takes on the role of mother to the group. She is always loving and soothing, caring for the children and the people of Narnia around her.
Next would be Mr. and Mrs. Beaver, to this I would add Mr. Tumnus.
D. Mr. and Mrs. Beaver
I group these three creatures together, because like the apostles and great people of the early church, they went above and beyond the normal in their devotion to Aslan. They took risks and treasured the old stories and prophecies, believing that Aslan was worth their total allegiance.
Last, is the “faithful animals.”
E. The faithful animals
In addition to the characters mentioned above, we find that the woods of Narnia were full of animals and creatures that still believed in Aslan, but kept quiet and hidden in their faith. These animals are like so many Christians today. In Narnia, it was their silence that had allowed the White Witch to gain her power, but in the end, it was their faithfulness to Aslan that helped bring about her defeat.
In addition to the animals, creatures and people who loved Aslan, we also see that there are those who feared Aslan.
3. Those who feared Aslan
Primary among the enemies of Aslan is the White Witch.
A. The White Witch
Mr. Tumnus told Lucy on her first visit to Narnia that, “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!”(4) She is cruel and vengeful to her subjects, and she fears the prophecies about Aslan and the coming of four children, or “Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve.”(5)
B. The animals who betrayed Aslan
Next we find that just as there were animals who loved Aslan, there were also animals and creatures who betrayed Aslan. Mr. Tumnus warns Lucy that, “The whole wood is full of her spies. Even some of the trees are on her side.”(6)
The last character I list as fearing Aslan is Edmund.
C. Edmund
Edmund is like many in the world who are deceived by pleasure and selfishness. He succumbs to the promise of more “Turkish Delight” offered in exchange for the surrender of his brother and sisters.
Yet Edmund is also our glimmer of hope. For it is Edmund, while he was still rebellious, that Aslan died for. Edmund’s rescue is the picture of our salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
Just as C. S. Lewis’s land of Narnia has characters, there are characters in the nativity
B. In the Nativity
The key character is Jesus.
1. The key character: Jesus
Without Jesus there would be no nativity, no Christmas, most of all, no salvation. We would all still be in our sins destined for an eternity in hell. It is because of his birth, dearth, and resurrection that we gather here today
Through faith in him we are transformed into new creatures, and we have new life.
Just as in the Narnia story there were those who loved Asalan, in the nativity, or Christmas narrative, there are those who loved Jesus.
2. Those who loved Jesus
Mary and Joseph would be the obvious place to start.
A. Mary
If you have ever heard the Christmas story you know Mary is the wife of Joseph. Matthew tells the story from Joseph’s perspective, and Luke tells it from Mary’s perspective. Before Mary became the wife of Joseph, the angel Gabriel announced to her that she was to be the mother of the promised Messiah (Luke 1:35). She went to visit her cousin Elisabeth, and after three months Mary returned to Nazareth to her own home.
B. Joseph
We are told that Joseph was a righteous man, and when he found out she was pregnant, he was planning to call off the marriage quietly. An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and told him to take Mary home as his wife (Matt. 1:18–25).
Soon after this Caesar Augustus made a decree that required that they go to Bethlehem (Luke 2:1), about 80 or 90 miles south from Nazareth. It was difficult to find a place to stay because of the number of people there. They ended up staying in a place designed to keep cattle (Luke 2:6, 7). It was there that she brought forth her son, who was called Jesus (Matt. 1:21), because he was to save his people from their sins.
The next characters would be the “wise men”.
C. Wise men
The magi or “wise men” came from the east guided by a miraculous star.
“We do not know how many magi there were. From the three gifts listed in Matthew 2:11, [of gold, and of incense and of myrrh] some people have assumed there were three kings from the Orient, though this is not certain. But when their caravan arrived in Jerusalem, there were enough of them to trouble the whole city.”(7)
We should also notice that these men were not Jews, but Gentiles. God’s plan from the beginning was that Jesus would be “the Savior of the world” (John 4:42).
The shepherds and the angels also go together as characters who loved Jesus.
D. Shepherds
Just as the “wise men” represented the Gentiles, the shepherds represented the outcast of society. Although they were most likely Jewish, their jobs as shepherds made them unable to attend Sabbath services, or Jewish feasts because they would be “unclean” by Jewish law. Yet, in God’s eyes no one should be excluded from seeing the Savior.
E. Angels
As the shepherds were watching their flock s at night, an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them. The angel told them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” The angel went on to tell them that they could find him by going into town where they would find a baby in a manger.
The angel wasn’t alone, we are told, “a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God.” We can only imagine the emotions felt by the angels who were permitted to bring this news. We are told the shepherds “hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger” (Luke 2:16). After seeing Jesus the shepherds became witnesses as “they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them” (Luke 2:17-18). We are not told how much time the shepherds spent with Jesus, or in sharing their story, but they “returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen.”
The last group that loves Jesus is the saints.
F. Saints
The term “saints” is not that group that the catholic church has approved and appointed as saints, but everyone that has accepted Jesus by faith as their personal Lord and Savior. The same root Greek word is used for the English words “holy,” “holiness,” “sacred,” “sanctify,” and “saint.” The concept is to be set apart for God and for His purposes.
When Paul wrote his letter to the church in Rome, he was writing to believers as he said, “To all in Rome who are loved of God and called to be saints” (Romans 1:8). When he directed his first letter to the believers in Corinth he said the letter was “to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy” (1 Corinthians 1:2). His second letter to the Corinthians was “to the church of God in Corinth together with all the saints throughout Achaia” (2 Corinthians 1:2). Each of his letters was directed to saints or believers in Jesus Christ. Every faithful believer loves Jesus and looks forward to his Second Coming.
Just as Lewis described enemies to the good in his story of Narnia, we find that not everyone is happy to see Jesus. There are those who fear Jesus.
3. Those who fear Jesus
In the Christmas narrative we would have to start with Herod.
A. Herod
When the “wise men” asked Herod, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?” Herod was suspicious and fearful, and he feared anyone who threatened his throne.
"Herod was a cruel and crafty man who permitted no one, not even his own family, to interfere with his ruke or prevent the satisfying of his evil desires.”(8)
Matthew tells us later that after the Magi left, Mary, Joseph and Jesus had to escape to Egypt to escape Herod’s wrath. Herod hated Jesus so much that “he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under.” Hatred and fear of Jesus led Herod to commit great wickedness.
The second group of those who fear Jesus, or will fear Jesus, are the sinners.
B. Sinners
This is not a sinner saved by grace, but non-repentant sinners. Those people who live life for them selves. Those who have rejected the salvation that has been offered to them. Like Herod, they reject the truth and what is good, and have no qualms about committing evil. They will fear Christ when he returns. They will fear him as they bow down before for him.
We see a creator in both the Narnia series and in the Christmas narrative. We see similarity in characters in that both stories have a key character, there are those who love the key character, and those who fear the key character. Now I want us to look at the similarity that causes our craving.
III. Our craving
A craving is deeper than a desire. A craving becomes a driving force. My daughter, Jessica, is pregnant and her cravings have driven Scott to make late night trips to the grocery store.
Spiritually, we also have cravings. We crave for a character like Aslan.
A. For Aslan
Every movie, every novel, every story that has a superhero is seeking to fill our deep craving for someone who is good, who can protect us and meet our needs. Aslan fills that craving in that he is the perfect example of the truly majestic.
Aslan is the full symbolism of God in the Judeo-Christian tradition. There is power in the Spirit of God. That power is often symbolized in the breath of God. The power of his breath in the form of words was used when he created the universe. The power of his breath is seen in the fullness of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost as recorded in the book of Acts.
A picture of that same power is seen in Aslan. It is Aslan’s voice that brings life to the creatures that had been turned to stone.
Yet the craving we have for a superhero like Aslan is nothing compared to the craving we have for Jesus.
B. For Jesus
Aslan is an imaginary figure that symbolically fills all our felt needs, but Jesus is a real person who fills all of our needs. He is the real Savior of mankind, and the Christmas story is just the beginning. Jesus is the real reason for anticipating hope.
It has been said that each of us has a God shaped hole that only God can fill. Today we see that craving for God all around us. People seek God in many places and many ways, and some people will even try to fill the God shaped hole with Aslan. But the only one who can satisfy our cravings is Jesus.
Jesus is the real incarnation of what we desire and imagine. As Christmas approaches, it is meant to be a time when we celebrate the birth of Christ, the savior of all who place their trust in Him. Yet many will forsake him, or betray him, or fear him instead.
We are each faced with one major decision this Christmas – will we be faithful to Jesus and his birth, or will we be like the department stores and take Christ out of our holiday season?
CONCLUSION:
If you would like to make a decision this morning, I invite you to come forward as we stand and sing #273, “Good Christian Men Rejoice”.
(1) Gene Veith Jr. The Soul of the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications Ministries, 2005), 11.
(2) Lewis, C.S., The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (New York, NY; Harper Collins, 1978), 86
(3) Lewis, C.S., The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (New York, NY; Harper Collins, 1978), 74
(4) Lewis, C.S., The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (New York, NY; Harper Collins, 1978), 20
(5) Lewis, C.S., The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (New York, NY; Harper Collins, 1978), 21
(6) Lewis, C.S., The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (New York, NY; Harper Collins, 1978), 22
(7) Wiersbe, W. W. The Bible Exposition Commentary Vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1989), 14
(8) Wiersbe, W. W. The Bible Exposition Commentary Vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1989), 14
