ASLAN IS ON THE MOVE Psalm 7: 6-11
Do you remember when they used to have those computer-designed posters in the malls? They looked like a pattern of colours. But if you "really looked at them," you were supposed to see a hidden picture in them?
For a long time, I thought people were simply pretending to see something there, because I sure didn’t! Then one time, I don’t know if I crossed my eyes or what, but suddenly I "saw" a 3-D form in the flat picture!
This was a case where I "looked and looked, but could not see." Then suddenly my eyes were opened!
That’s rather like what I want to tell you about this morning. There is a film which shall be released soon.
And on the surface, I can guarantee that you will see a rollicking good story! When I first read the book on which this film is based, that was all that I saw -- a nice children’s story, a fairy-tale, maybe even a story with a good moral.
It was only after I had read the book through 2 or 3 times, that I began to realize that it was full of God!
So this morning, I would like to give you a few hints,
so that when you see "THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE," (and I certainly hope you will see it!),
you will be able to see both things at once.
To begin with, let’s look at the man who wrote "THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE," and all six of the other Narnian Chronicles. His name is C.S. Lewis.
Clive Staples Lewis was the professor of Medieval English Literature at one of the prestigious colleges of Cambridge University. He was a scholar and world-authority in his field. But besides being extremely intelligent and well-educated, C.S. Lewis had another admirable trait: he never quite grew up.
Some people, while they are quite young,become embarrassed and ashamed of things they consider "childish:" things like fun and games, romping in the grass, or a good story!
But not C.S. Lewis. He said of himself, "When I became a man, I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up."
C.S. Lewis found joy and beauty in ordinary things:
a walk in the country, a talk with his friends, a warm meal when he was particularly cold and hungry.
Listen, as he describes this meal which the children from our world ate, in the Narnian home of Mr. and Mrs. Beaver: "There was a jug of creamy milk for the children (Mr. Beaver stuck to beer) and a great big lump of deep yellow butter in the middle of the table
from which everyone took as much as he wanted to go with his potatoes and all the children thought-- and I agree with them-- that there’s nothing to beat good freshwater fish if you eat it when it has been alive half an hour ago and has come out of the pan half a minute ago. And when they had finished the fish Mrs. Beaver brought unexpectedly out of the oven a great and gloriously sticky marmalade roll,
steaming hot, and at the same time moved the kettle on to the fire, so that when they had finished the marmalade roll the tea was made and ready to be poured out. And when each person had got his (or her) cup of tea, each person shoved back his (or her) stool so as to be able to lean against the wall and gave a long sigh of contentment."
C.S. Lewis writes so that even the most ordinary and common-place things take on a glow of being special-- significant, beautiful, and glorious.
It reminds me of the story of the young mother and her daughter, sharing a compartment in a train with a group of strangers. As the train rumbled through the country-side, the little girl kept pointing and saying,
"Look, Mother, see the cow! --There’s a horse!
--Look at the pretty cottage!"
Her mother was embarrassed, at disturbing the peace in the little compartment, so finally she apologized to the other travelers: "I’m sorry, but you’ll have to excuse her, she’s still at the age when she thinks everything is wonderful!"
Children look at the world through eyes of wonder and awe. And that is how C.S. Lewis invites us to look--with the eyes of little children. And to help us approach with wonder and awe, Lewis created a new world-- the land of Narnia.
Narnia is a land where dreams come true, where animals can talk, and trees can walk. It is a land where the mythology of our world is a reality.
There are unicorns and centaurs, spirits of the trees and streams and wells, fauns and mermaids.
It was made a happy, beautiful land; where all the creatures lived in peace and joy.
But then something happened. The White Witch came to Narnia. She had great powers and soon established herself as the "queen" of the land. But her rule was harsh and oppressive. As one instance of her power and cruelty, she made it so that it was always winter in Narnia-- always winter, but never Christmas!
And for those of us to whom Christmas is the only good thing about winter, that was cruel indeed!
So the once happy land of Narnia was happy no longer, as they lived under the evil magic of the White Witch.
I hope that the things we are saying here, are striking some bells within your memory. For within the Church,
we, too, speak of a happy land-- the Garden of Eden or Paradise-- and how that beautiful creation was spoiled by the coming of evil and sin. What happened in Narnia, happened in our own world,
many, many ears ago.
In "THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE,"
children from our world visit and become involved with, the people of Narnia. But there is another character in this story: Aslan. Aslan is a lion,
or rather, he is The Lion-- the King of beasts, the true king of Narnia.
But he is not always there. In fact, most of the time, he is absent. But if anyone is a match for the power of the White Witch, it must be Aslan. And so all the creatures of Narnia, frightened and sad, lived in hope that, someday, Aslan would return to their land, to put everything to rights.
Again, this reminds us of the Bible, and how the Jews,
century after century, looked and hoped for the coming of a Messiah; the Christ who would destroy their enemies and establish peace and justice once more.
Our Narnia adventure begins with four children: Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, and a wardrobe. For those of you who don’t know, a wardrobe is a portable closet, where you hang clothes. But this is a magic wardrobe, for through it, people can walk from our world into the world of Narnia.
In our world, there is nothing very special about these children-- they were simply four of the thousands and thousands of London children, sent to live in the country, during the bombings of World War 2.
But when they stepped through the wardrobe, they became very special indeed. The animals of that land were as surprised to see them, as we would be,
to see a mermaid, a unicorn, or a tree walking down the street!
The children find that, against their wills, they are drawn into the White Witch’s plans and must choose--
between Aslan and the White Witch.
But what can they do? They have no magic, no power, even very little strength. How can they oppose the White Witch?
And that is a good question for us, too. Sure, there are things wrong with our world. And, yes, we must all choose: to be part of what is wrong, or part of what is right in our world. But, what can we do? What difference can one person make? Surely we have to wait, to gather strength, to accumulate numbers, before we can do any good.
Or do we? Is it possible that all our excuses for not doing what we know we should, are just that? Excuses? Is it not possible that the time comes when we must lay aside our excuses and stand up-- perhaps alone-- for what is right and good and decent? And is it not possible that, when we finally do determine to act, we won’t really be alone? Perhaps someone else, just as frightened as we are,
will stand at our side. Is it not possible that, when we finally do determine to resist evil and stand for what is right, God Himself will be with us?
In Narnia, it was only when the children resolved to do what needed to be done, that they received the good news that, "Aslan is on the move!"
Yes, Aslan was on the move! The huge golden Lion had arrived in Narnia. But there was still much to be done before all was put right. And what that was,
tells us a great deal about: evil, redemption, and forgiveness.
The problem is, I don’t want to tell you too much,
because I don’t want to spoil the story for you. But I do hope that, when you see "THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE," you will be able to something of the "story within the story." For the story of Aslan,
is also the story of the most important thing that ever happened in our world. That is why, although it was written for children, it is also enjoyed and loved by adults.
C.S. Lewis wrote this story for a little girl named Lucy Barfield, and this is how he dedicated it:
"My dear Lucy, I wrote this story for you, but when I began it I had not realized that girls grow quicker than books. As a result, you are already too old for fairy tales, and by the time it is printed and bound you will be older still. But some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again. You can then take it down from some upper shelf, dust it, and tell me what you think of it. I shall probably be too deaf to hear, and too old to understand a word you say, but I shall still be your affectionate godfather, C.S. Lewis."
One of the things our family discovers each time we have read through the Narnian Chronicles -- and we have read them together many, many times -- is that we are a little sad when they come to an end. Aslan is so good-- so kind-- that we can’t help wishing he were real!
This is what Lucy said to Aslan, when the time had come for her to return to our world: " ’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.’ "
And that is why I am taking time on a Sunday morning, to explain a children’s story to you: because Aslan, in all his goodness and kindness and wisdom,
is a part of our world, too. There is only one Person in our world, who can satisfy the hunger, who can quench the thirst, created by reading Narnia; and I hope you will all discover Who that is!
FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU FOR ALL HOLY DESIRES, ALL NOBLE AMBITIONS, ALL WORTHY DREAMS AND HOPES AND WISHES. HELP US, THAT WE NEVER GROW SO OLD, THAT THE WORLD IS NO LONGER WONDERFUL, THAT GOODNESS IS NO LONGER BEAUTIFUL, OR THAT TRUTH IS NO LONGER WORTH LIVING-- AND DYING -- FOR. LET US BE CHILD-LIKE IN OUR LOVE AND DEVOTION, IN OUR LOYALTY AND SINCERITY, IN OUR WORSHIP AND CONCERN.
GRANT THIS, WE PRAY, FOR JESUS’ SAKE. AMEN.
