e p i p h a n y

The Hope of Narnia message series

Introduction
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
 - begins when Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy tumble through the door of a mysterious wardrobe into Narnia
  - an enchanted world of talking beasts, fauns, dwarfs, giants and other wonderful creatures.
 - The children discover that Narnia is in bondage
  – held captive for a hundred years under the spell of the evil White Witch.
   “She’d made it always winter and never Christmas.”
 - Prophecies have foretold the end of the Witch’s reign.
  - One day Aslan will return to Narnia.
   - Aslan is the great Lion, the King of Beasts, Son of the Emperor – Beyond – the – Sea.

There is a story within the story
-  It’s the story of the gospel – the story of salvation.
-  Narnia waits deliverance from the dominion of the white Witch
 – to return to the peace and joy that it once knew.

This Wednesday’s focus:
Connect Group message:  Searching out the secret things of God - Lucy looks into a wardrobe

Title:  The Relevance of Jesus’ Name

Focal Passage:  Isaiah 26: 8 (NAS)
Indeed, {while following} the way of Your judgments, O LORD, We have waited for You eagerly; Your name, even Your memory, is the desire of {our} souls

I.  Follow the Judgments of God’s Name

“Aslan is on the move!”  At the mention of his name, the children have what theologians call a numinous - a mysterious, supernatural - experience of the divine presence.
It awakens one’s spiritual understanding and elicit’s a profound personal response.

1.  Follow His glory - Deuteronomy 28: 58 - To the righteous the name of the Lord is “glorious and awesome”
 "If you are not careful to observe all the words of this law which are written in this book, to fear this honored and awesome name, the LORD your God,

2.  Follow His majesty - Psalm 8: 1 - majestic is His name
 1 O LORD, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth, Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!

3.  Follow Him with praise - Psalm 113: 3 - His name is worthy of praise
 3 From the rising of the sun to its setting The name of the LORD is to be praised.

4.  The Wicked will follow his righteous judement - Isaiah 64: 2 - to the wicked it speaks of judgement
 As fire kindles the brushwood, {as} fire causes water to boil-- To make Your name known to Your adversaries, {That} the nations may tremble at Your presence!

5.  The Wicked will follow blasphemy and will receive scorn - Psalm 139: 20; Isaiah 52: 5 - the object of blasphemy and scorn
 20 For they speak against You wickedly, And Your enemies take {Your name} in vain.
 5 "Now therefore, what do I have here," declares the LORD, "seeing that My people have been taken away without cause?" {Again} the LORD declares, "Those who rule over them howl, and My name is continually blasphemed all day long.

Illustration:
Ashton kutcher - whatsin a name

If you here the name Kelso, then that means that Ashton Kutcher is an actor on that 70’s show

If you hear movie star host, then that means that Ashton Kutcher is a host for MTV’s show Punk’d

If you hear Demi Moore’s man, then that means if he lived in your neighborhood girls, that he wouldn’t date you, but he would date your momma.

One thing for sure - We serve a Big God with a Big Vision

Vision Statement - How Big is Your God? It is the dream of a place socially active in global and local outreaches. This place will facilitate a glocal (global + local) small group outreach. There will be an active small group outreach in every city of Robertson County. Social and spiritual outreach will be conducted in every country of the world by supporting foreign missionaries. This is a place that desires to be a community church, not a church in the community. It is the dream of a place that expands its public ministry into every home through televised and/or webcasted services

II.  Wait eagerly for God
Isaiah 26: 8 (NAS)
Indeed, {while following} the way of Your judgments, O LORD, We have waited for You eagerly; Your name, even Your memory, is the desire of {our} souls

Later in the story the children learn that their arrival is a fulfillment of prophecy - a sign of Narnia’s long - awaited deliverance is drawing near.
Narnia waited eagerly for the coming of the Savior.

Romans 8: 19
For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.

Mrs. Beaver is symbolic of Simeon when she exclaims “To think that ever I should live to see this day!”
Simeon rejoiced when he witnessed the arrival of the Christ - child, the delieverer of the world.

Application:  In our lives we must wait eagerly for the return of our Lord.
1. We must wait eagerly for His return to this world
2. We must wait eagerly for Him in our personal lives
 When the sins are destroying our lives, we must wait eagerly
 When troubles are tearing through our days, we must wait eagerly.
 When the drugs are killing our friends and the only thing we can do is pray, then we must wait eagerly
 When we see a world, that is no longer caring about the church or Jesus, then we must wait eagerly
 When it gets financially tight, because we just gave away our last dollar to someone in need, then we must wait eagerly.
 
Johnny Cash - Personal Jesus
Feeling unknown
and you're all alone,
flesh and bone,
by the telephone,
lift up the receiver,
i'll make you a believer

Take second best,
put me to the test,
things on your chest,
you need to confess,
i will deliver,
you know i'm a forgiver

Reach out and touch faith
Reach out and touch faith

Your own, personal, Jesus
someone to hear your prayers,
someone who cares

Illustration:  There are those that do not desire to wait eagerly for God

A college professor, and devoted atheist and active in the ACLU, was teaching his class. He shocked most of his students when he flatly stated that once and for all he was going to prove there was no God.

Addressing the ceiling he shouted: "GOD, if you are real, then I want you to knock me off this platform. I'll give you exactly 15 minutes!!!!!
The lecture room fell silent. You could hear a pin drop.

Ten minutes went by. "I'm waiting God. If you're real knock me off this platform!!!!"

Four more minutes went by. The professor, in a taunting tone said, "Here I am, God!!! I'm still waiting!!!"

His count down got down to the last 15 seconds, when a Navy SEAL, just released from the Navy after serving in Afghanistan and Iraq and newly registered in the class, walked up to the Professor, hit him full force in the face, and sent the him tumbling to the floor.

The Professor was out cold!!
The students just sat there in stunned silence.
The Navy SEAL nonchalantly took his seat in the front row and sat silent.

Eventually, the professor came to and was noticeably shaken. When the professor regained his senses and could speak he glared at the Navy SEAL  and said, "What the heck is the matter with you, why did you do that?

The Navy SEAL replied, "God was really busy, protecting America's soldiers,  who are protecting your right to act like a  punk ...so he sent  me."

Transition:  When we call on the name of the Lord it must be with reverence and respect

III. Desire the mentioning of His name

Don’t be ashamed to hear or speak his name in your life.
Mark 8: 38 (NAS) - "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."

Romans 1: 16 (NAS) - For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 
Our world is in a political correctness battle.
Today we are in a battle over the name of Jesus.
We are in a battle for every courthouse, every dollar bill and every school.
I’m afraid we have only seen the beginning of the worst.

The only way through it is to desire, understand and grasp the power of Jesus’ name

Edward Perronet, pub.1780

All hail the pow’r of Jesus’ Name!
Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem,
And crown Him Lord of all;
Bring forth the royal diadem,
And crown Him Lord of all. 
Let every tribe and every tongue
Before Him prostrate fall,
And shout in universal song
The crowned Lord of all;
And shout in universal song
The crowned Lord of all.

Power of Jesus’ Name
The power of Jesus name has the ability to free us from whatever bondage that we are in.

"To holy people the very name of Jesus is a name to feed upon, a name to transport. His name can raise the dead and transfigure and beautify the living." 
John Henry Newman quotes (English Cardinal, 1801-1890)

Acts 3: 6, 16
John 18: 4 - 6
Philippians 2: 9 - 11

The Hope of Narnia message series

Connect Group Blurb - The Spell Begins to Break - Spiritual Warfare - Isaiah 52: 7

Title:  Let the sin TREMBLE

Play Narnia Story clip in chapter nine
You see Edmund making excuses for the one that is leading him to do bad things.  He was so caught up in the lure of the Turkish Delight (the sin) that he would make any excuse in the world to get it.  But he knew deep down inside that it was not right.

Focal Passage:  Romans 8: 5 (NAS) - For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

I.  Allow the wrongs in your life to tremble
 Edmund’s reaction to the name of Aslan is one of fear and horror.
  Why?
   Because his mindset was on the sin and not God
    Romans 8: 7 (NAS) - 7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,
  Edmund made excuses for being greedy for Turkish Delight.
  When he experienced the name of Aslan, it made the greed in his life tremble.
 
John 3: 20 (NAS) - 20 "For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

God is light - 1 John 1: 5 (NAS) - 5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
Those that don’t come to God  and do nothing will tremble at his powerful name.

“The world is a dangerous place. Not because of the people who are evil; but because of the people who don't do anything about it." 
Albert Einstein quotes (German born American Physicist who developed the special and general theories of relativity. Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921. 1879-1955)

The evil in your life will tremble at the sight of victory and freedom.
It will physically manifest itself into your emotions and should make you sensitive to the light and truth of God.
Why is it that people get really frustrated or even mad about things at church or seeing someone enjoy a successful and joyful life?
 The sin in their life is manifesting itself through its fear and horror.
 They get mad because their sin makes them are ignorant to God’s will in their life

Two people with unique hair colors living in Oklahoma were sitting on a bench talking
.........and
>one with unique hair color says to the other, "Which do you think is farther
>away..........Florida  or the moon?" The other blonde turns and says
>
>"Helloooooooooo!!! can you see Florida.......?????"

Ignorance is not good

>
>CAR TROUBLE
>
>A person with unique hair color pushes her BMW into a gas station. She tells the mechanic it
died.
>After he works on it for a few minutes, it is idling smoothly. She says,
 
>"What's the story?" He replies, "Just crap in the carburetor". She asks,
 
>"How often do I have to do that?"
>
>SPEEDING TICKET
>
>A police officer stops a person with unique hair color for speeding and asks her very nicely if
he
>could see her license. She replied in a huff, "I wish you guys would get
 
>your act together. Just yesterday you take away my license and then
today
>you expect me to show it to you!"
>
II.  Resist the lure of sin

"He that but looketh on a plate of ham and eggs to lust after it hath already committed breakfast with it in his heart" 
C.S. Lewis quotes (British Scholar and Novelist. 1898-1963)

Deep down he knows better than to trust the White Witch, but he cannot resist the lure of the Turkish Delight.
 2 Peter 2: 19 (NAS) - promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved

Core Value of Epiphany is Accountability - Vision - epiphany is the dream - a place of families for families.  It is the dream of a place that cares so much about new families that it will go the distance.  Families of all ages and sizes will connect with others that have been in their shoes.  It will be a place that offers relevant training to promote successful and joyful living in today's world.

Edmund has the opportunity to turn back, but he hardens his heart [Proverbs 28: 14 (NAS) - How blessed is the man who fears always, But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity] and plunges deeper into sin [Romans 2: 5 (NAS) - But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,]

"Love comforteth like sunshine after rain, But lust's effect is tempest after sun; Love's gentle spring doth always fresh remain, Lust's winter comes ere summer half be done; Love surfeit's not, Lust like a glutton dies, Love is all truth, Lust full" 
William Shakespeare quotes (English Dramatist, Playwright and Poet. 1564-1616)

He didn’t have to go to the White Witch’s house, but because he did he was imprisoned.

Romans 8: 5 - When we have our mind set on the sin of our life, we are not able to focus on the Spirit of God which is the Spirit of Freedom.

Edmund was imprisoned by his own lust.
He became a slave to the sin.
You must resist the lure of sin.

Illustration:  Cab driver and Halloween nun
> >A cabbie picks up a Nun. She gets into the cab, and notices the very
> >handsome cab driver won't stop staring at her.
> >
> >She asks him why he is staring. He replies: "I have a question to ask
> >you, but I don't want to offend you". She answers, "My son, you cannot 
> >offend me. When you're as old as I am and have been a nun as long as I 
> >have, you get
> a
> >chance to see and hear just about everything.
> >
> >I'm sure that there's nothing you could say or ask that I would find
> >offensive."
> >
> >"Well, I've always had a fantasy to have a nun kiss me."
> >She responds, "Well, let's see what we can do about that, number 1, 
> >you
> 
> >have to be single and number 2, you must be Catholic."
> >
> >The cab driver is very excited and says, "Yes, I'm single and 
> >Catholic!
> 
> >"OK" the nun says. "Pull into the next alley."
> >
> >The nun fulfils his fantasy with a passionate kiss. But when they get
> >back on the road, the cab driver starts crying. "My dear child," said 
> >the nun, why are you crying?"
> >
> >"Forgive me for I have sinned. I lied and I must confess, I'm married
> >and I'm Jewish."
> >
> >The nun says, "That's OK.
> >My name is Kevin and I'm going to a Halloween party."

III.  You will never be safe and secure until God is priority in everything
 The chief of the Witch’s Secret Police refers to Edmund as the “fortunate favorite of the Queen - or else no so fortunate”
 There is no safety or security for those who make deals with the devil.
 He is a liar and a father of lies - John 8: 44 (NAS) - "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

He promises the world [Matthew 4: 8 - 9 (NAS) - Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; 9 and he said to Him, "All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me."], but he devours all who fall into his trap [1 Peter 5: 8 (NAS) - Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour]

IV.  Invitation
 For us to avoid his trap, we must allow our sins to tremble.

The Hope of Narnia

Things typically aren’t what they seem
Opening Illustration:
> Two traveling angels
> > >
> > >
> > >      Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night
> > >      in the home of a wealthy family.
> > >
> > >      The family was rude and refused to let the angels
> > >      stay in the mansion's guest room.
> > >
> > >      Instead the angels were given a small space in
> > >      the cold basement.
> > >
> > >      As they made their bed on the hard floor, the
> > >      older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it.
> > >
> > >      When the younger angel asked why, the older angel
> > >      replied, "Things aren't always what they seem."
> > >
> > >      The next night the pair came to rest at the house
> > >      of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and his
> > >      wife.
> > >
> > >      After sharing what little food they had the couple
> > >      let the angels sleep in their bed where they could
> > >      have a good night's rest.
> > >
> > >      When the sun came up the next morning the angels
> > >      found the farmer and his wife in tears.
> > >
> > >      Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole
> > >      income, lay dead in the field.
> > >
> > >      The younger angel was infuriated and asked the
> > >      older angel how could you have let this happen?
> > >
> > >      The first man had everything, yet you helped him,
> > >      she accused.
> > >
> > >      The second family had little but was willing to
> > >      share everything, and you let the cow die.
> > >
> > >      "Things aren't always what they seem," the older
> > >      angel replied.
> > >
> > >      "When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I
> > >      noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the
> > >      wall.
> > >
> > >      Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and
> > >      unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed the
> > >      wall so he wouldn't find it."
> > >
> > >      "Then last night as we slept in the farmers bed,
> > >      the angel of death came for his wife. I gave him
> > >      the cow instead.
> > >
> > >      Things aren't always what they seem."

We must strive to see things the way that God sees them.

Song of Solomon 2: 11 - 12 (NAS)
11 'For behold, the winter is past, The rain is over {and} gone. 12 'The flowers have {already} appeared in the land; The time has arrived for pruning {the vines,} And the voice of the turtledove has been heard in our land.
The beloved has come back, for a new relationship is being brought to life.

Title:  Anticipate God’s renewal in your life

I.  Let the sin pass away (v.11)
	
V. 11 - For behold, the winter is past, the rain is over (and) gone.
The beloved knows the change in the season, because he was familiar with the previous season

1 John 2:8 - Yet I am writing you a new command, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.

The winter = past sin of the believer
Isaiah 44: 22 - 44:22"I have wiped out your transgressions like a thick cloud And your sins like a heavy mist. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you." 
2 Corinthians 5: 17 - Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

The sun of righteousness is what dispels the rain
Psalm 126: 5 - 5 Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting. 
MalachI 4: 2 - But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall.

the coming resurrection and deliverance of the earth from the past curse is here implied (Romans 8:19, Revelation 21:4, 22:3).

How do you let sin pass away?
1. Get the right perspective
	See a sin problem for what it is
Romans 7: 11 (NAS) - for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. 
	Sin is a deceiver and a killer, but why do people sin, because it is a temporary pleasure.  God offers a permanent pleasure in His glory.

2. Be remorseful about the sin and the separation from God.
3. Repent it out - 180 degree turn from sin and turn to God

Edmund’s eyes are opened, and he begins to see the White Witch for who she really is and is able to start turning away.

Illustration:  It is a perspective game.  We need to see sin as sin in our life and not just some passing pleasure.  When we start seeing things as they really are, then life will be a lot easier!!!
Words Women Use

Fine:  This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.

Five Minutes:  If she is getting dressed, this is half an hour.  Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given 5 more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.

Nothing:  This is the calm before the storm.  This means “something” and you should be on your toes.  Arguments that begin with “nothing” usually end in ”fine”.

Go Ahead: This is a dare, not permission, DON’T DO IT!!

Loud Sigh:  Although not actually a word, the loud sigh is often misunderstood by men.  A “Loud Sigh” means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here arguing with you over “Nothing”.

That’s Okay:   This is one of the most dangerous statements that a woman can make to a man.  “That’s Okay” means that she wants to think long and hard before deciding how you will pay for your mistake.

Thanks:  This is the least used of all words in the female vocabulary. If a woman is thanking you. Do not question it, just say you’re welcome and back out of the room slowly.

Edmund sees the White Witch as destructive.
Until we are able to see the manipulative sin in our life as destructive, then we will never start making steps toward recovery.

II.	Don’t allow sin to make you (v. 12a)
a.	The sin doesn’t have any good in it and will mold you the same way The flowers have (already) appeared in the land;

Just as the flowers of the spring sprout up to decorate the land that winter leaves, the beauty of righteousness will sprout in our life as the season of sin leaves.

Illustration:
There is a television show called “Made” – it is where a high schooler has someone hired to make them into someone that they want to be.

Romans 6: 13 (NAS)  and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
We are not to allow sin to be our master, but we are to let the grace of God to rule us.

Edmund allows the Witch to master his life.
The Witch does not have a drop of kindness or compassion in her entire being
	She doesn’t show compassion to her own animals.
	Proverbs 12: 10 (NAS) - A righteous man has regard for the life of his animal, But {even} the compassion of the wicked is cruel.

This truly displays her inner self.  To abuse something that is under her, displays her lack of compassion and mercy.

Numbers 22: 22 - 35 - Balaam was checked for beating his donkey. The angel took care of the donkey

"I hope to make people realize how totally helpless animals are, how dependent on us, trusting as a child must that we will be kind and take care of their needs... [They] are an obligation put on us, a responsibility we have no right to neglect, nor to violate by cruelty." 
James Herriot quotes (Scottish Veterinarian and Writer. 1916-1995)

You can see the degree of a man’s mercy when he interacts with God’s creation.  Animals are God’s creation and our servants.  It is foolish to mistreat them. They are here under our care as our servants, for food, work and enjoyment.

Sin in our life will make us mean to all of God’s creatures.
	Romans 6: 22 (NAS)  But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death (death of relationships and your very soul), but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Illustration:  SIN'S POWER
Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman told of a distinguished minister, Dr. Howard, from Australia who preached very strongly on the subject of sin. After the service, one of the church officers came to counsel with him in the study. "Dr. Howard," he said, "we don't want you to talk as openly as you do about man's guilt and corruption, because if our boys and girls hear you discussing that subject they will more easily become sinners. Call it a mistake if you will, but do not speak so plainly about sin. "The minister took down a small bottle and showing it to the visitor said, "You see that label? It says strychnine -- and underneath in bold, red letters the word 'Poison!' Do you know, man, what you are asking me to do? You are suggesting that I change the label. Suppose I do, and paste over it the words, 'Essence of Peppermint'; don't you see what might happen? Someone would use it, not knowing the danger involved, and would certainly die. So it is, too, with the matter of sin. The milder you make your label, the more dangerous you make your poison!"

III.	Flee selfishness (v. 12b)
The time has arrived for pruning (the vines,) and the voice of the turtledove has been heard in our land.
	Sin causes you to be selfish.  Don’t be selfish

"Selfishness is not living as one wishes to live, it is asking others to live as one wishes to live." 
Oscar Wilde quotes (Irish Poet, Novelist, Dramatist and Critic, 1854-1900)

Selfishness stops creativity.  To be a place that embraces creativity, we must be a place that is not selfish.

For the first time Edmund fells pity - or compassion - for someone besides himself
	Philippians 2: 4 (NAS) - do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

"Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness." 
Martin Luther King, Jr. quotes (American Baptist Minister and Civil-Rights Leader. 1929-1968)

1 John 4: 7 (NAS) - Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

Tutledove - The name is derived from the plaintive cooing of the bird.
	- It is one of the smaller members of the group of birds which ornithologists usually call pigeons.
	- The turtle-dove occurs first in Scripture in (Genesis 15:9)
	- In the Levitical law a pair of turtle-doves or of young pigeons are constantly prescribed as a substitute for those who were too poor to provide a lamb or a kid.
	- It is this voice that the beloved hears in the new land.
	- It is the voice of sacrifice, for those that are unable to sacrifice for themselves.
	- It is the voice of redemption.
	- It is the voice of salvation for those that are damned.
	- It is the voice of hope in a life of darkness.
	- It is the voice of a second chance for those that are broken.