“Discovering Nania – 3. The Power, the Sacrifice and the Victory of the Lion”
Gladstone Baptist Church – 12/2/06 pm
Over the last couple of weeks, we have been looking at the Story of Narnia and discovering that there is a hidden story behind it. CS Lewis himself acknowledges this …
Less than one month before he died in 1963, C. S. Lewis wrote the following letter to a young girl who wanted to know if any other Narnia books were going to be produced. It turned out to be a fond and fitting farewell to all of his devoted readers.
Dear Ruth,
Many thanks for your kind letter, and it was very good of you to write and tell me that you like my books; and what a very good letter you write for your age! If you continue to love Jesus, nothing much can go wrong with you, and I hope that you may always do so. I’m so thankful that you realized the "hidden story" in the Narnia books. It is odd, children nearly always do, grown-ups … hardly ever.
I’m afraid the Narnia series has come to an end, and am sorry to tell you that you can expect no more.
God bless you.
Your sincerely,
C.S. Lewis
C.S. Lewis wrote the Chronicles of Narnia as children’s books, but within them lay an eternal story that for many is not apparent at first glance. Over the last couple of weeks we have looked at some of the aspects of the story. Two weeks ago we looked at the White Witch and the curse that was placed on all of Narnia. We saw that in many ways, Jadis the White Witch represents Satan and the curse represents the curse of Sin in this world.
We said that this world is not how it should be because Satan is active in it and seeking to cause as much death and destruction as possible in this world. We saw that we are all caught up in the curse. In the land of Narnia, Aslan, turns up and defeats Jadis and breaks her curse. We need someone like Aslan to come and rescue us.
Last week we took a closer look at Edmund and his role in the whole drama. Edmund met the White Witch and fell for her lies and false promises. He sold out his brothers and sisters for the price of a bit of Turkish delight and in so doing, became a traitor. We saw that we are not that different to Edmund – we are all guilty of breaking the law and because of that our sentence is death. In "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" Aslan volunteers to give his life to rescue Edmund. We need someone like Aslan to come and rescue us in a similar way.
It looks as though we need to find an Aslan in our real world who can help us. And luckily it seems as though there is one.
At the end of The Voyage of the “Dawn Trader”, Aslan tells the children that they will never come back to Narnia and the children are devastated. There is then this exchange between the children and Aslan:
“It isn’t Narnia, you know,” sobbed Lucy, “It’s you. We shan’t meet you there. And how can we live, never meeting you?”
“But you shall meet me, dear one,” said Aslan.
“Are—are you there too, Sir?” said Edmund.
“I am,” said Aslan, “But there I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there.” (pp. 215-216)
Years ago, after reading that passage, a little girl named Hilla wrote to Lewis, asking him to tell her Aslan’s other name. Lewis replied to her:
Well, I want you to guess. Has there ever 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, and
5) Is sometimes spoken of as a lamb (see the end of Dawn Trader)?
Don’t you really know His name in this world? Think it over, and let me know your answer.”
2 weeks ago I told you about that letter and said that there were these little books out in the foyer that show beyond a shadow of a doubt that Aslan’s other name in this world is Jesus Christ. The character of Aslan that the children met in Narnia represents the real person, Jesus Christ that God wants each of us to meet in each of our lives here in this world.
So tonight I want us to focus on the character of Aslan and look at some of the similarities between Aslan and Jesus. Specifically I want to look at their power, their sacrifices and their victories. Have a look at this video clip before we start… (Show video clip from BBC production of Mr Beaver talking about Aslan)
1. Their Power – They both are described as Lions.
The first thing that Aslan and Jesus have in common is their power. Lions in all cultures are associated with kingship and power. They are the king of the beasts and their strength, dignity and ferocity fill us with awe.
Louis Talbot tells a story about being in India where a lion and a tiger had both fallen into a pit. Of course everyone was gathered around to see if these two foes would do battle and which one would win. And Talbot says that they each circle around for awhile snarling and hissing and feigning attack and suddenly it looked like the tiger just fell down dead. But someone had gotten the scene on film and when they slowed it down and what they saw was suddenly to quick for the human eye to see the Lion slapped the tiger up against the side of the head and crushed its skull with his massive paw.
Lions are awesome and so this is how CS Lewis depicts Aslan – “The King of the wood and the son of the great Emperor-beyond-the-sea … [He is] the King of the Beasts” (p75)
But Jesus is also described as a lion. He is called the Lion of Judah in Rev 5:5. Why a lion, because he is majestic and mighty. He is vastly more powerful than everyone else and one day we will all bow before him.
Eph 4:10 says that he “He … ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.”
I Pet 3:22 says He has … “gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.”
Jesus is ruling, he is in control, he is supreme over all others and so it is fitting that he be described as a lion.
2. Their Power - They both aren’t safe, but they both are good.
When Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy first hear the name Aslan they have curious reactions. Three of the children - Peter, Susan and Lucy—have positive responses. “Peter felt suddenly brave and adventurous. Susan felt as if some delicious smell or some delightful strain of music had just floated by her. And Lucy got the feeling you have when you wake up in the morning and realize that it is the beginning of the holidays or the beginning of summer.” But their brother Edmond, who has gone down a path of sin and betrayal, has quite a different reaction. He felt a “sensation of mysterious horror.”
Just the mention of Aslan’s name brings two different responses. One is awe and amazement. One is horror and dread. But if that is the emotions that just the mention of his name brings, imagine what meeting him in person would be like… Mr Beaver says … “If there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they’re either braver than most or else just silly.” He tells the children that Aslan is not safe – but he is good.
Every animal in Narnia fears Aslan. For some it is a healthy fear, for others it is an unhealthy fear.
Similarly, awe and joy or hatred and fear are the opposite reactions people feel when Jesus’ name is mentioned. The Bible says that People will either love or hate Jesus. But the diversity of their reaction doesn’t diminish the fact that Jesus is above all others and will one day command all the respect and dignity he deserves. In Narnia, everyone feared Aslan and they uttered his name with fear and respect. Phil 2:9-11 says that
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Jesus rules and the Bible says that one day he will return and take back what is rightfully his – this world and those in it who belong to him.
Listen to how John described Jesus in his vision of these events Rev 19:11-16
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. 12 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. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 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. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
Jesus is NOT safe. We can not control him. We can not tame him. We can not tell him what to do, because He is God and is King of kings and Lord of Lords. He demands our attention and our allegiance. To come before him strikes fear into every heart. For some it is a healthy fear born of respect, but for others it a horrendous fear born out of an impending punishment.
But while Jesus is not safe, he is good. Aslan came to save those under a curse and Jesus did too.
3. Their Power - Their comings started to reverse the effects of the curse.
When Aslan appeared, the curse of Winter started to be reversed and spring came. The mere presence of Aslan broke the curse. Similarly, the mere appearance of Jesus began to break the curse of sin, suffering and pain that had tortured our world from almost its inception. When Jesus came, he healed people. He drove out demons. He raised people from the dead. He treated people with respect and showed concern for others – even the little people. The curse of selfishness was being reversed by his mere presence in this world.
4. Their Sacrifice - They both recognised the highest law - Justice.
Probably the most poignant moment in the book or the film is when one realises that Aslan is offering himself as a sacrifice to save Edmund. Edmund is a traitor and that crime is punishable by death. Aslan knows this. When Jadis comes and demands Edmund be handed over to her, Aslan doesn’t try to excuse Edmund’s behavior or lash out and destroy Jadis or seek to find some loop hole through which they can all live happily ever after. He recognizes that there is a higher law that must be upheld – that of justice.
The law of justice says that when a person sins, they must be punished. That law is in operation in Narnia and it is in operation in our world. Last week we came to the awful realization that we are all lawbreakers and thus we all stand condemned. God is a just God and demands that Justice be done but that unfortunately requires a death – our death. Jesus doesn’t try to excuse this or find some loop hole. A death is required – there is no escaping that fact.
5. Their Sacrifice - They both gave themselves up willingly to save another.
And so Aslan offers his life for Edmund and Jesus offers his life to save us. Both were kings. Both were all powerful, yet they willingly gave up their position of power and submitted themselves to one who would kill them.
What an act of sacrifice. Edmund certainly didn’t deserve it and was powerless to escape it – yet Aslan was willing to die. We didn’t deserve Christ to go to the cross for us either, but he did it, because he loved us. He wanted so much for us to be free from the condemnation of sin, that he took the punishment.
Has anyone loved you that much before – that they would willingly lay down their life for you…
Rom 5:7 says “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Jesus gave up his life to save you. What a sacrifice
6. Their Sacrifice - They both were mocked and tortured before death.
But the sacrifice was made worse through the mocking and torture. Both Aslan and Jesus submitted themselves to ridicule by their captors. They were stripped of all dignity. They were humiliated, they were abused and tortured before finally being killed in the cruelest of ways. Aslan was bound, muzzled and shorn. Jesus was beaten, flogged, ridiculed, stripped naked and nailed on a cross to suffocate to death.
What gets me is that at any point through their ordeal, either Aslan or Jesus could have destroyed those who sought to destroy them. But they resisted because they knew that this wouldn’t solve the problem at all – Justice still needed to be served. And so they died for Edmund, for you and for me.
7. Their Victory - They both rose from the dead.
But it wasn’t just the manner of their sacrifice that Aslan and Jesus shared in common. Their victories were also alike.
Lucy and Susan were inconsolable after Aslan had been slaughtered. All hope was gone, but then something remarkable happened – Aslan was no longer on the table. In fact the table had been cracked in two. And beside it was Aslan – “shining in the sunrise, larger than they had seen him before”.
After Jesus’ death, the same thing happened. He was buried and his disciples were hiding, fearful they would be next to be rounded up and executed. All hope was gone – they were sad and mourning. Yet when some of Jesus’ friends went to embalm the body on the third morning, they also found something remarkable had happened. Instead of a tomb with a rock over the entrance, they found an open tomb. There was no dead body in it any longer – there was only a bright shining angel telling them that Jesus had risen.
There can be no doubt that Aslan had risen from the dead – he took some time to play with Lucy and Susan before appearing before his army and helping them defeat Jadis for once and for all. Similarly there can be no doubt that Jesus rose from the dead. He appeared to over 500 people before he returned to heaven and will one day return to command his army in defeating Satan for once and for all.
8. Their Victory - They both rescued those who choose them as Lord.
When Aslan rose from the dead, he took Lucy and Susan to the castle of the white witch to rescue those who she had turned to stone. These were animals who had remained loyal to Aslan, yet who had fallen under the curse and power of the white witch. Aslan showed his power by bringing all those turned to stone back to life.
The bible also says that one day Jesus will demonstrate his power in rescuing those who had fallen under the curse of Sin. Remember what the curse is? Death. God created this world without sin and Adam and Eve, if they had not sinned, would have lived for ever. But when they sinned, the world changed – it started to unravel at the seams. Death, disease and suffering entered the world. But one day, that will all be stopped. All those who have died will be brought back to life and Jesus will rescue from the curse of death those who have pledged allegiance to him. On that Day, everyone who a personal relationship with Jesus will be brought back to life and will live for ever in God’s presence – a place we call heaven.
9. Their Victory - They both destroyed those who oppose them.
But there is another side to Aslan’s victory. Because while he rescues those loyal to him. He also destroys and banishes from Narnia, those who were not loyal. Those who opposed him were destroyed.
The same thing is true about Jesus’ victory. We read before about Jesus’ final destruction of those who would oppose him … Rev 19:11-21
11 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. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. … 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. … 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great.”
19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20 But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet … The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21 The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
Jesus will defeat all his enemies and will banish them from his presence to live out all eternity in exile. This is the place commonly referred to as hell. It is a horrible place because there is nothing good there. God is good and loving and kind and just. But God is not in hell. So in hell there is no goodness, love, kind deeds or justice. Hell is just the opposite of what heaven is. There won’t be any celebration and no parties with your mates. It is described as an eternal fire, an everlasting punishment where there will only be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Jesus’ victory will be conclusive and complete and you will either find yourself sharing in the victory celebrations on the side of the Lion of Judah or you will find yourself facing his wrath and judgment. There are only 2 places you can take a stand – there are no grandstand seats where you can enjoy the spectacle but not get involved. You are either for Jesus or you are against him. And ultimately the choice is up to you.
Next Sunday night I want to explore the question – what is beyond your wardrobe. We each have a spiritual destiny that is awaiting us. There is another world – an eternal world which we are going to one day find ourselves in. Death will be like walking through the wardrobe. But what will your eternal destiny look like? Some of us, when we die can expectantly look forward to spending eternity with Jesus in his glorious heaven. But some of us can only look forward to destruction and an eternity of separation from God in hell. What is your destiny looking like tonight.
There is no doubt that Jesus is our Aslan. He is all powerful because he is God. He has the ability to make things new and to reverse the effects of the curse – he has proved that. Jesus also died for you. He gave his life up willingly because he knew that we were all condemned to die. We were all enemies of God who had betrayed him and were destined to spend eternity being judged for that. But God loved us so much he sent his son to die for us so that if we believed in him, we might receive forgiveness and our relationship with God could be restored. Jesus died so that we may live. That is an amazing truth, but one that many people proudly refuse to accept – the refuse it at their peril. One day Jesus will come back and will defeat once and for all Satan and all who stand with him. That will be a fearful and horrible day because the Lion will roar in judgment. Which side will you be standing on at that Last day? I pray that you will receive Jesus’ gift of forgiveness and submit your life to the lordship of the Lion of Judah. Let’s bow our heads in prayer.
I am conscious that there may be some tonight that haven’t ever committed their lives to Jesus, and therefore are currently under his condemnation. I want to give you the chance tonight to switch sides and change allegiance to Jesus. You can do that tonight – it’s easy. All you need to do is admit that you are currently on the wrong side and that you want to change. Admit that you have done things which make you a lawbreaker therefore condemned to death. You can ask forgiveness for these things and Jesus promises that he will forgive and wipe the slate clean. You are free then to have a relationship with the almighty God. If you want to do this tonight, pray this simple prayer after me …
Lord, I’ve come to realise that I am on the wrong side tonight. I am standing as a lawbreaker before you and therefore deserve to be judged and condemned. But Lord, I don’t want to spend eternity apart from you and all that is good. I am sorry for the things that offend you and for my rebellion against you and your law. Thank you that you died for me – to pay the price for my sin. I want to accept your offer of forgiveness now. Please forgive me and free me from the condemnation of my sin. I acknowledge that you are God over all and have a right to my life and I will seek to follow you from this day on. Thankyou. Amen.
If you prayed this prayer tonight, I’d love to pray with you afterwards. Please come and talk to me.
