First Presbyterian Church      Rev. Michael J. Imperiale

Salt Lake City, UtahNovember 27, 2005

“Aslan and the White Witch:

Snub Evil and Cultivate Good”

I Peter 3: 8-18

Introduction

It wasn’t until summer vacation after my twenty-second birthday that I came across The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. From The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe to The Voyage of the Dawn Treader to The Last Battle, I could not put these seven short books down. As a young high school music teacher and relatively new Christian, I was captured by the imagination of a parallel world where biblical themes and events brought deeper meaning to the real world of faith in Christ.

Written between 1950 and 1956, the Narnia series has been read and loved by millions of people. And now Disney and Walden Media have produced a major motion picture in conjunction with the C.S. Lewis Foundation. It opens in theaters December 9. This is another amazing opportunity for the Christian community to share the meaning of Christmas and the Christian faith with the world around us. Children, teens and adults will love the real and CG characters, the amazing cinematography, and classic story. So, invite your family and friends to go see the film and then come to First Pres to hear more about its imagery and meaning.

In this make-believe world, Lucy, Edmund, Susan, and Peter meet Aslan the great lion and son of the Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea, the true King of Narnia. Aslan is on the move to help Narnia become freed from the tyranny of the White Witch whose evil spell has made Narnia a hopeless place. Wistfully, the creatures tell the children that in Narnia it is “always winter and never Christmas.” The adventures to follow chronicle the evil works and will of the White Witch and the good works and will of Aslan.

The message for us today is to snub evil and cultivate good. Which brings us to the Bible passage for the sermon this morning. I Peter 3:8-18.

I. Inside and Outside the Church (vs. 8-12)

As Peter concludes this letter to Jewish Christians driven out of Jerusalem and scattered in churches throughout Asia Minor, he reminds them to snub evil and cultivate good. “Finally,” he writes, “all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers and sisters, be compassionate and humble.”

God’s word here lists five key elements that should characterize any group of believers inside the church. They are all great goals for us as a church, as a family of God, a community of faith at First Pres. Harmony: pursuing the same mission to love God, love neighbor, and make new disciples; the same vision to reach the Avenues for Christ and offer mission and ministry throughout Salt Lake City; the same goals to make our church a home and a haven to as many as we can reach. Harmony does not mean uniformity – everyone looks the same, thinks the same, prefers the same things. There is a healthy diversity in the body of Christ. But harmony does mean unanimity – being on the same page confessing Jesus alone as Savior and Lord, knowing and living in the truth of his word, being open to growing and learning as followers of the One who loves us so. That’s harmony.

Next, there’s sympathy: being responsive to one another’s needs; to develop friendships in the church where we know when and how to meet those needs. Third, there’s love: to see each other a family members, treating each other as real sisters and brothers. The great Russian novelist Dostoevsky once said that “hell is the punishment of being unable to love.” Karl Meninger spoke of his work as a prominent psychiatrist, “Love cures. It cures those who give it and it cures those who receive it.” Jesus said to his disciple, “Love one another.”

Then, there’s compassion: being affectionately sensitive and caring toward one another. And lastly, humility: being willing to know and be known; to receive the help we need in our faith and life; showing our need for Christ and each other in the church.

Clearly, these qualities came hard for Peter. In his early days with Jesus, they did not come easily for this impulsive, strong-willed, blustery disciple. See Mark 8 and John 13 for some examples of Peter’s less-than-shining moments. Yet the Holy Spirit changed Peter. Over the years, the reality of the Resurrection, the eternal hope he had in Christ molded his strong personality for God’s use. He learned the tenderness, compassion and humility of a follower of Jesus.

Then Peter turns his attention for our general ethical behavior outside the church. “Do not repay evil for evil or insult with insult,” for he knows first hand how the world will oppose Christ and his followers. Peter certainly knew the pressures of the hostile world in which he and the early church lived. Yet he says to respond with “blessing” instead of aggressive retaliation. He quotes Psalm 34: “Whoever would love life, keep your tongue from evil… seek peace and pursue it.” This has been the Lord’s will for his people all along.

In our fallen world, it’s often deemed acceptable to tear down people verbally or to get back at them if we feel hurt. God always wants us to rise above the hurt. Jesus said to bless those who give you a hard time; bless them and do not curse; pray for them that God’s love and goodness would break through into their lives. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Say nothing evil or hurtful. Snub evil and cultivate good.

These are the lessons C.S. Lewis teaches through the Narnia series. Look for the way the children and the creatures respond.

II. The Reason for Hope (vs. 13-18)

Now, why in the world would anyone follow Jesus and the biblical teachings to be compassionate, to not repay evil for evil, to actually suffer for doing good, to remain steadfast in faith and life in Christ? In the midst of such difficulties, why do Christians hold a constant willingness to speak up for God and to witness fearlessly to his saving grace? Why? Because it is right and true, it is helpful and holy. Because we have a living hope in the God who will eventually (even if not now) establish complete justice, mercy, love and redemption for all those who trust in Jesus Christ. In fact, we are to honor our Lord and Savior by always being ready to speak boldly about our hope.

Peter writes, “If with heart and soul you’re doing good things, who would want to stop you? Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, always in praise to Christ the Lord. Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you’re living the way you are, who asks you to give a reason for the hope that you have.”

Rather than fear those who deride our faith in Christ, we are to quietly trust in God as Lord over all. We believe that Jesus is truly in control of all events. So when he rules our thoughts and emotions, we may not be shaken by anything that others may say or do.

Some Christians think that faith is a private matter that should be kept to oneself. It’s true that we should not be boisterous or obnoxious in sharing our faith. Faith is personal but not private. We are told time and time again by Jesus and his first followers to be ready to give an answer, gently and respectfully, to those who ask. When others see your hope in Christ, when they see your desire to snub evil and cultivate good, they will ask.

We try to be and do all these things through God’s grace. Because Jesus died for our sins, once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, by faith in his name, he brings us to God. We try to be and do all these things because Jesus has done them for us. We are saved by grace alone through faith alone. But we were also saved for doing God’s will, pursuing the goals of the gospel, sharing the love and compassion of Jesus with the world in our day and time.

Conclusion

Lucy, Edmund, Susan, and Peter find their way into the parallel world of Narnia. When they meet Mr. Tumnus the faun, Mr. and Mrs. Beaver, the White Witch and her dwarfs, wolves and giants, and Aslan and his centaurs, unicorns and deer, they experience this parallel call and claim on their lives to trust in Aslan and to snub evil and cultivate good. When you read the book or see the film, share the real, biblical meaning with your family, friends and neighbors. Make the most of this opportunity. People will be talking about The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. What will you say?

Let us pray together.