Our Last Battle (16)

 Sixteen – In His Arms

The conclusion of Chapter Nine of The Last Battle sees Shift telling the Narnians assembled at Stable Hill that a donkey in a lion skin has been masquerading as Aslan, thus knocking the props from under Tirian’s plan to unveil the Ape’s lies by showing everyone poor Puzzle. Tirian realizes that lies can be strengthened by just a little truth.

We see this all around us, lies incorporating truth; religiously, politically, academically, lies and lies and lies…but do we care as long as we get what we want? 

While the story of The Last Battle isn’t finished, in one sense it is, just as Our Last Battle is completed by this point, well, for many of us it is, we’ll get to the rest of us in the next reflection. While a physical battle awaits Tirian and his cohort, their internal battle, the battle of the heart is consummated, for they are willing to follow Aslan and to be faithful to one another even to death, an honorable death, that treasure which no one is too poor to purchase. 

You see, if we haven’t fought the battles of our heart, if we haven’t taken up our cross and followed Jesus, learning to live lives of denial and self-sacrifice, we will succumb to the notion that Aslan and Tash are the same, we will worship Tashlan. It may be from fear, from moral and spiritual confusion and promiscuity, from ego, from peer pressure, from a lust for power and prestige and material gain; I suppose the list is endless. Initially, our Tashlan will probably look good. It will look Biblical and theological and religious and maybe patriotic and political and make social and economic sense and be alluring. Tashlan will appeal to whatever is in us that is not surrendered to the Lamb of God. 

Tirian has taken a journey from anger and murder to self-sacrifice for the sake of his people and for Aslan. I think we all have journeys from the self and the ways of the self to laying down our lives in love for others, which is the greatest love. This means laying down our lives for “the least of these my brethren,” a prospect we seem reluctant to embrace. (Matthew 25:31 – 46). Will we take these journeys? 

In Chapter Ten the Ape then tells the Narnians that Tashlan will no longer leave the stable to appear to them, but that if they wish to see Tashlan that they can come, one by one, into the stable. 

As Tirian and his friends contemplate the unfolding events on Stable Hill, the King says to Jill, “Courage, child, we are all between the paws of Aslan.”

These are not words of resignation; they are words of trust and commitment. These are the words of those who follow the Lamb wherever He goes, those who have the testimony of Jesus, who overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony, and who do not love their lives even to death. 

These must be our words as we live in a world that has gone mad, and in the midst of a professing church, at least in the West, that is selling itself to the surrounding culture – and make no mistake, I am talking about “us” and not those other people who do not profess to hold Scripture in high regard. We must trust the arms of Jesus, the One who says, “I will never leave you or forsake you. I will be with you always, even to the end of the age.”

When no one volunteers to enter the stable, Ginger the Cat, now a coconspirator with Shift, says that he’ll go in, and with that he primly and arrogantly enters the stable, thinking that nothing will happen to him. What follows are noises of terror, with Ginger bolting from the stable, making unintelligible sounds while climbing a tree for safety, having lost the Narnian gift of speech. Whatever happened in the stable is not what the Cat expected, nor was it what Shift and the Calormene officer, Rishda Tarkaan, expected. 

The Narnians recall the teaching that at the creation of the world, when Aslan bestowed the gift of speech on some animals, that He warned them that if they learned the ways of the dumb beasts that they would lose the gift of speech and become like them. 

When we learn the ways of the world, the ways of false thinking and religion, we also lose the gift of speech, the gift of discernment, of clear thinking and feeling and loving and living. Words no longer have real meaning for we have prostituted them, we now use words for manipulation, we have become a nation, a world, of liars – the great liar must be rejoicing. People who are good at “spin” now make good money as consultants, are now elected to high office, and have great religious followings, including within the professing church. 

Major “Christian” institutions now produce miracles of spin, justifying sexual abuse, greed, political alignments, hoarding wealth while people go hungry and homeless, Tashlan seems to be reigning. If someone questions their actions, they quickly spin a response, using ever more convoluted language – I think these practitioners even confuse themselves. 

When Vickie and I watch television advertising we often look at each other and ask, “What was that about?” There are images and words, but there is no substance. But that is the way of our society, in religion, in politics, in commerce, in education – we have destroyed words and language and coherent thought, and in the process are destroying ourselves. 

We are an example of people living in a strong delusion, for we have not received the love of the truth…we are living in a delusion so strong that only God could have sent it (2 Thessalonians 2:11 – 12; Romans 1:18 – 32).

Amid the deceit and ugliness of the assembly on Stable Hill, an unlikely man of integrity and purity arises, Emeth, a young Calormene officer. Even though Emeth worships Tash, or at least thinks he does, his is a pure heart, a heart of devotion to an image which he thinks is the true God. Tirian and his cohort recognize this in Emeth, and honor and admire the young officer. The faithful Narnians have more in common with Emeth than they do with the Narnians who have abandoned Aslan. 

It is not unusual for those who follow Jesus to have more affinity with non-Christians than with professing Christians. Many men and women who respond to the common grace of God in Christ have a greater sense of compassion and care and concern for others than professing Christians, many of them have a nobler sense of ethics and integrity than professing Christians. Vickie and I have known folks of other religions who have a clearer sense of morality and ethics than professing Christians, and it has been much easier to talk to them about issues of truth and falsehood than with professing Christians.

Perhaps one reason for this is that American Christians tend to politicize and monetize everything, rather than view life through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Of course the core issue is whether we belong to Jesus or not, whether we are following the Lamb wherever He goes. Whether we have determined to know only Jesus Christ, and Him crucified (1 Cor. 2:2).

Are we taking the adventure that Aslan gives us?

The adventure from living for ourselves to living for Jesus and others, to surrendering our lives, our hearts and souls, to Jesus Christ. Is this our journey?

The Cost of Witness (12)

 The Cost of Witness (12)

“These things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me” (John 16:3).

“But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me” (John 15:21).

The context of the latter verse is “the world”; the context of the former verse is the synagogue, “They will make you outcasts from the synagogue…everyone who kills you will think he is offering service to God” (16:2). The truth of Jesus’ words was not only borne out in the first century, in the Acts of the Apostles and beyond, but we have seen its fulfillment in persecutions instigated by the professing church throughout history. Even today, in some lands, “Christian” churches in power, usually aligned with the state, use their power to stifle believers who will not acknowledge that particular church’s primacy.

I am at a loss as to how such institutions can claim to be the one true church, the ancient faith, when the nature they display is contrary to the Lamb of God who gives Himself for all peoples of the world. I cannot understand how anyone can excuse or defend religious persecution. If our respective traditions have this sin in their histories, let us acknowledge the evil – yes evil – learn from it, and resolve not to commit the sins of our ancestors. 

And let’s be honest enough to recognize that there must be errors in thinking and theology and church practice that led to such heinous behavior. We cannot separate the behavior from the theology, somehow, some way, the theology, the thinking, led to the evil of persecution. 

This should also be a warning about attitudes that may stop short of persecution, as we normally think of it, but which nevertheless are ugly and mean spirited within the professing church. I have been in some nasty church leadership meetings as well as congregational meetings. There is something amiss when professing Christians act like vipers – such behavior does not display the Nature of the Lamb, and if not His Nature, then whose nature? Let’s always recall that the Upper Room begins with Jesus washing our feet…the moment we stop washing the feet of our brethren we can expect problems. 

Those who persecute followers of Jesus, whether they are in the world or in the professing church, do so because they do not know the Father. If what Jesus says is true, then what does this say about those professing Christians in history who have persecuted other Christians? 

It is easier to understand, I think, persecution from the world, for the world is the world is the world, and Psalm 2 will always be true. It is difficult, at least for me, to understand persecution from the professing church, for I want to assume that professing Christians are Christians in nature, the Nature of the Lamb. I don’t fully understand these things. I do know that the Cross will attract opposition, within and without the professing church; I do know that the children of the natural, of the flesh, will persecute the children of the spirit and promise (Galatians 4:29). I often find more honesty in the world than in the professing church, the people of the world often have no reason to play hide and seek, while folks in the professing church are adept at maintaining religious self-righteousness. 

“If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains” (John 9:31). 

As we conclude our passage, John 15:18 – 16:4, which I’ve titled The Cost of Witness, let’s again note that Jesus has told us these things so that we “may be kept from stumbling” (John 16:1), and that He wants us to ponder these things as we face opposition within and without the professing church (John 16:4). To follow Jesus means to be identified with Jesus and the Father, it means to display His Nature to others, and it means going outside the camp to Jesus, bearing His reproach, “For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the City which is coming” (Hebrews 13:14). The “camp” which we are to go outside of is the religious camp; we live in the world but not of the world, and we are careful to understand that there are two Jerusalems, two mothers, and that our City and Mother is that which is above (Galatians 4:21 – 31).

The validity of our traditions and doctrinal and practical distinctives is the measure in which they encourage us to seek that City which is above and to seek the communion of saints in the Trinity which we see in John Chapter 17. Their validity is the measure to which they encourage us to lay down our lives for our brethren outside of our traditions. Their validity is the measure in which they teach us to think of ourselves as the People of God, the Bride of Christ, the Temple of God, as opposed to other self-identifications. 

We ought not to be surprised when we are put out of the church, nor when folks think they are doing God service when escorting us to the altar of sacrifice. 

There is, after all, a cost to witness, a cost to be paid for discipleship. (Mark 8:34 – 38). 

Our Last Battle (15)

 Fifteen – Accepting the Treasure

In Chapter Nine of The Last Battle, as Tirian and his cohort process Farsight’s news that Cair Paravel has been seized by the Calormenes and its inhabitants slaughtered, and that the noble Roonwit has been killed, their hope for reinforcements is shattered. They also realize that the Calormene army is on the march from Cair Paravel to Stable Hill, and that the longer they wait to return to Stable Hill and tell the deceived Narnians the truth about Puzzle and the Ape, the more likely the Calormene army will be there to overwhelm them. If they can arrive before the army, and display poor Puzzle for all to see, surely the Narnians will rally to their King and to the true Aslan. 

Jewel the Unicorn is the first to speak amid their anguish, “There is no need of counsel,” they must return to Stable Hill and “proclaim the truth, and take the adventure that Aslan sends us.”

As Tirian contemplates the likely battle ahead of them, he commands Jill and Eustace to return to their own country. Jill, even though she is afraid, refuses to do so. She will remain on her mission, she will be faithful to the end, she will not abandon her friends. Eustace, true to his character, points out that they can’t go even if they want to, they didn’t choose to come and they can’t choose to return – Aslan is the One who transports them from England to Narnia, and from Narnia back to England.  

As Tirian realizes that Jewel is right, that they must yield themselves to the adventure that Aslan gives them, another realization descends upon the faithful few, they will likely be killed in the coming hours, they will purchase that treasure which no one is too poor to buy, an honorable death. 

Eustace asks Jill, “What’ll happen if we get killed?’

She replies, “Well, we’ll be dead I suppose.” 

Upon further reflection she adds, “Even if we are killed. I’d rather be killed fighting for Narnia than grow old and stupid at home…and then die in the end just the same.” 

Later, after the cohort make their way back to the Stable and await evening, when the Narnians will be assembled and they can reveal the truth, Tirian says to Jewel, “Kiss me, Jewel, for certainly this is our last night on earth. And if ever I offended against you in any matter great or small, forgive me now.”

“Dear King,” said the Unicorn, “I could almost wish you had, so that I might forgive it…I would choose no other life than the life I have had and no other death than the one we go to.” 

I wonder, if when Jill and Eustace considered their situation, they might have been looking back into the adventure that Aslan gave them in The Silver Chair, for a certain adventure it was, an adventure in which death seemed more certain than life at times. And I wonder, if when reflecting back on their confrontation with the Queen of the Underland, that they recalled what is perhaps the finest testimony given in the entire Narniad, given by their friend Puddleglum, that included:

“I’m on Aslan’s side even if there isn’t any Aslan to lead it. I’m going to live as like a Narnian as I can even if there isn’t any Narnia…Not that our lives will be very long, I should think; that’s a small loss if the world’s as dull a place as you say.”

As Roonwit might say, “Even a Marsh-wiggle can purchase an honorable death.”

The lives of Jill and Eustace, their friendship, had been forged through trials and victories in following Aslan and serving others. They had both made serious mistakes in The Silver Chair, they had been disobedient to Aslan, they had struggled with each other; out of those fires had come a friendship reflecting the glory of Aslan, a friendship unbreakable, a friendship that also bonded them to the others who had served Aslan in Narnia. 

Eustace and Jill, in looking at each other, would not have seen fault, but rather Aslan’s glorious redemption and faithfulness to them and to those around them. This is what friends do, they see Jesus Christ in one another, and together they learn to look to Jesus and take the adventure that Jesus gives them. Where will their friendship take them? 

Jill and Eustace have shared their young lives together in Aslan, and they will die together in Aslan. 

But consider Jill’s thinking, beyond her years, or maybe because of her years. She would rather be killed fighting for Narnia rather than grow old and stupid at home, dying in the end just the same. 

Let me share a little secret with you, most of us are growing old and stupid. Most of us have spent all our lives preserving our lives and we are too stupid to know that we are going to die anyway. 

The essence of Christian ministry is, “Death works in us, but life in you” (2 Corinthians 4:12).

The essence of Christian love and calling is, “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:12 – 13). 

The essence of Jesus’s call to us is, “If anyone will follow Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever will save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the Gospel’s will save it” (Mark 8:34 – 35). 

The essence of our overcoming is, “The blood of the Lamb, the word of our testimony, and not loving our lives, even unto death” (Revelation 12:11). 

Falling into the ground and dying produces fruit, this is what Jesus says (John 12:24), and yet we are focused on self-preservation. 

There is a sense in which the essence of our life in Jesus Christ is our death in Jesus Christ. We cannot receive His love, we cannot share His love with others, unless we live lives of dying to ourselves and to the world around us, a world that would seduce us and kill us in so many ways, a world that would deaden us to the suffering of those around us. To the shame of the professing church in the United States, we do not teach this, we do not live this…and yet we call ourselves Christians. 

O dear friends, if we are not living for Jesus Christ, if we are not sharing Him with others, if we are not loving the unlovable and touching the untouchable, if we are embracing other gods than Jesus, including political, economic, and national agendas, including so-called Christian worldviews, if we are not embracing the disenfranchised, including the stranger in our midst, if we are not insisting on Jesus being the sole object of our love and devotion within our churches and seminaries and “Christian” colleges and other ministries…then we are growing old and stupid. Then we are worshipping Tashlan, soon to be revealed as Tash.   

Do not speak to me of self-preservation, speak to me of the Christ of the Cross and the Cross of Christ. 

Is it not better to die with a friend or two, than to be swept up in the delusion of the masses, including the Christian masses? 

This question is at the heart of Our Last Battle. 

“But if not…” (Daniel 3:18).