IS YOUR JESUS TOO SAFE?
“Finding God in the land of Narnia”
SL “ Of Course he’s not safe but he’s good” (over lion image)
p. 146 quote
Think about that quote and how it relates to Jesus.
p. 168-169 description of Aslan
Aslan is the Christ-figure in the story. Obvious read it, see the movie.
Aslan who dies and comes back to life. Aslan dies for another, a sinner, a traitor.
Lion. Is he like Christ. How so?
p. 194 “He’s wild you know. Not a tame lion.” Mr Beaver
Like or unlike Jesus?
Wondering if we’ve declawed the lion of Judah. Made Jesus out to be tame. Fashioned Jesus into an image we want God to have. Someone nice. Kind of like Mr. Rogers. Except with a beard. Jesus is meek and mild. Gentle Jesus. Nice guy who wouldn’t hurt anyone. Made him very unlionlike.
Shriners’ Circus -my daughter and I saw a lion doped up.
Missing something about God if we tame him.
Quote John Eldgride p. 29 "Wild at Heart"
Bother you about God. Make you alive knowing God created these things.
Is the metaphor Biblical? Is Jesus like a lion. Book.
86 verses, most refer to the animal. Some refer to God.
Job 10:16
-poetic description God making a baby prior
-God’s not fair. His opinion. Questions God’s integrity, justice, fairness. End of the book. God comes back to him. Who are you? Where you there when…Your talking about things over your head.
Wondering if Job is half right. God is wild but that He’s good also.
If stalking lion has evil intentions then look out, but if his heart is good. God stalking you good thing. Bring you back, save you, rescue you from self-destruction.
Isa. 31:4
-God compared to a lion growling over prey. Those who were not trusting in God but rather in human resources, God would come against like a lion. Lion in jungle doesn’t fear the shepherds coming up. He knows he’s the king of the jungle. In the same way God doesn’t fear. God is not frightened or disturbed by what people do. He is God, they are not.
v. 5 heart of the Lord. God’s goal is good. Defender of Jerusalem.
Jer. 25:38
-God like lion leaving a nest take on enemies who have swords indicates danger. Lion is angry. Whatever the people are doing making the Lord very angry.
Lam. 3:10
-Suffeiring terribly. Babylon. God’s wrath. Lion dragged me.
-heart. V. 22 (Tshirts)
-2 sides. Not opposing. Both necessary.
Hosea 11:10
-God like a lion who roars. Frightened at the roar. Children come. Drawn to it. Good thing even though it’s terrifying.
Raoring signal come back to God. Come out of exile.
SL: Amos 3:8
-roar of a lion causes fear
-wake up and pay attn to God
SL: Rev. 5:5,6
-Lion of Judah taken Gen. 49 refers to Christ. Triumphed. Ruler.
-Lamb
Is this lion of Judah safe or not? What does that mean?
Raising the question. I fear that sometimes we make God into our own image. Lots of metaphors and images used of God in the Bible. Danger to just focus on one or two of our favourite, what we feel God is like. Rather than letting the book unveil who He genuinely is.
Lions in the Bible refer to people, God, devil, angels, animals themselves.
So God is referred to as being like a lion. When we think of a lion, we tend to think of this king of the jungle. This regal beast who’s very majestic. They are the prominent animals in the kingdom. They tend to be regarded as animals of courage and beauty.
Could you see a reason why God would describe himself as a lion? Could you see why the main character in the book/movie is Aslan the lion, who is the Christ-figure.
Something very commanding about Aslan.
p. 141 quote reactions to name Aslan
Various reactions reminds me of Christ. People drawn to him, repelled by him. Calmed the storm-reactions of disciples: fear. Drove out money changers from the temple– fear and anger from the money changers. Others who were lonely, hurting – compelled to come near him.
Concept of the lion involves one aspect of his character. One we can’t ignore. If we do, fail to see God fully for who he is. We tend to declaw the lion. Make him into Mr. Rogers. When God is wild, He is sovereign. He is holy. Aspect of holiness refers to God being other. Separated from us. Jesus, this lion of Judah was both man and God.
Book/movie we see Aslan is on the move. When he comes he changes everything.
How Aslan is like Christ:
1. His coming banishes winter
“always winter never Christmas” land is under a spell. Aslan comes changes the weather-spring thaw appears.
“Wrong will be made right when Aslan comes in sight.” At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more. When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death. And when he shakes his mane we will have spring again.”
Ephes. 2:1,2…4
Aslan brings life. Breathes life on dead statues bring them to life.
God is the One who brings life into your soul. Our own self-destructive patterns take us further from God. We find ourselves in seasons of darkness, seasons of depression, seasons of despair. There is hope. Aslan is on the move. It’s advent time. New beginning. Christ can bring peace in the midst of turmoil.
Advent lighting – Christmas peace.
2. Aslan sacrifices himself on behalf of another.
A traitor, a sinner: the wicked white queen demands his life. Aslan steps forward dies in his place.
Incredible picture for us of the cross. The one who didn’t deserve to die, died. The one who was sinless, became sin. The one who did no wrong, paid the price for my wrong and you’re wrong.
Colossians 1:16,20
Christmas communion this am. Christmas peace. Peace with God beginning of peace with ourselves and others. His peace can become our peace. While we were still sinners, while we didn’t pay attention to God or his plan for our lives, Christ came and died.
The wild, untamed lion Aslan dies for another. This Lion of Judah one who is unexplainable, perfect yet becoming sin, dreadful yet attractive, fully God yet fully man, holy yet approachable by the worst of sinners, he’s terrifying yet good.
He loved you and I so much. Died in our place. Died so our sins wouldn’t be held against us. Died to demonstrate selfnessness to the core. Died so you and I would die to ourselves so we could fully live. Died so our slate could be made clean. So we could have peace with God.
Midst of busyness of season, midst of chaos of it all, midst of your challenges and mine, invite you to the table. Table where you’ll find peace. Not because elements themselves are magical. But because at the table you encounter a person. Lion of Judah. He’s not safe in the sense you can box him in. Safe in the sense you can dictate his moves, but oh is he good. Don’t ever doubt that.
1st lie of satan disquised as a snake to our 1st parents was to doubt God’s goodness. Pulling that stunt ever since. Look to the cross, you see God’s incredible goodness. Incredible love. His holiness and his love, his judgment and his mercy. Not contradictory images. Just like he’s a lion and a lamb. He’s not a tame lion, but he’s a good one.
Invites you to come to the table. 2nd Advent. Peace.
John 16:33
No doubt at end of book/movie who’s won. No doubt end of this book who’s won. History is unfolding.
Lion who was slain is lion who is alive.
Communion
