When the Pevensies arrived in Narnia they found a land covered in ice and snow. Hearts frozen, longing, as the inhabitants of the land wander in a world that is ‘always winter, but never Christmas’. They are waiting, searching, hoping in this frozen desert of sorts.

Wasn’t it much of the same way for the people of God as they awaited that first Christmas?

Longing, searching, wondering, wandering, waiting, hoping…

And there was this baby. A baby born to an elderly couple who had spent their life waiting.   A baby that was different from the rest. He looked wild, he didn’t follow the rules of the winter. He was a voice in the desert speaking.

And they came to Him and asked “Who Are You?”

John the Baptist answered.

His Identity was defined by who He is Not.

John knew that the question behind what they were asking was really, are you Him? Are you who we have been waiting for?

“He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Christ.”

He knew who he was and who He was not. This great man, this great speaker did not pretend to be more than He was.

His identity was defined by what Scriptures said about Him.

John quotes the words of Isaiah.

“I am the Voice of the one calling in the desert. Make straight the way for the Lord.’

His Identity was defined by his Relationship with Christ.

“He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie”

There was this man crying out to all who would hear.

Prepare yourselves.

His salvation is coming.

A voice in the desert.

Can we not relate?

To the fictional Narnians.

To the first century Jews.

Longing, Searching, wondering, Wandering, waiting, hoping in a world that is full of ice, snow, empty beauty.

Do we know who we are?

Do we define ourselves by what we are not?

We are not God. We are not Christ. We are not our Savior.

That is freeing.  it is He who accomplishes His Work, we are merely to obey.

Do we define ourselves by what scriptures say about us?

Adopted, Forgiven, sanctified, loved, created, chosen….

Beloved, do we hear this? Do we believe this? Are we reading the Scriptures to determine our identity?

Do we define ourselves by our relationship with Christ?

Christ is EVERYTHING.

He is our Lord, our Rescuer, our Salvation.

Are we praying? Are we listening?

Are we in relationship with him?

The White Witch has ruled over Narnia for far too long.

But Aslan is on the Move

 

“Every valley shall be filled in,

Every mountain and hill made low.

The crooked roads shall become straight,

the rough ways smooth.

And all mankind will see God’s salvation.”

Luke 3:5-6

Notes from Rev Matthew J. Carr’s Sermon on Sunday December 14, 2014. You can listen to full sermon here.