This talk was delivered at a youth club in Sunderland in June '08

Aslan - the Resurrection - Prove it!

Watch 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' (2005 version) -  1:48:06 - 1:50:17

Over the last few weeks we have considered the evidence for the existence of God.  Inspired by a question aked in the movie 'Contact' we have considered the evidence for God - within us as humans, in creation and through history.   But any consideration of the evidence for God must consider he place where he most clearly and most importantly has made himself known - through the death and resurrection of his Son Jesus.

C.S.Lewis wrote the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe as something of a parable of a Christian world view.  And in his book Aslan, the lion is the Jesus Christ figure - who in the Magicians Nephew creates the world through his song, and in this movie saves the worl through his death and resurrection.

Of course, in our world, many doubt that Jesus was raised from the dead - but they must answer the evidence put forward by those who saw it.  In a letter to a church in one of the first centuries most developed cities - Corinth, Paul writes these words -

'I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me - that Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said.  He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, as the Scriptures said.  He was seen by Peter and then by the twelve apostles.  After that, he was seen by more than five hundred of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died by now.  Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles.  Last of all, I saw him, too, long after the others, as though I had been born at the wrong time.'  (1 Corinthians 15:3-8 - NLT)

Knowing how people would be sceptical, Paul points out a number of important things.  Firstly, notice the number of times he uses the word 'seen'.  Jesus resurrection was not an issue of rumour - people saw him.  Lots of people.  At one point, 500 in one go - which brings us on to the second important point.  As Paul wrote these words many of the 500 were still alive.

Why is this important?  Well, they would be able to verify the truth of what Paul was saying.  Paul is not making unsubstantiated claims about the resurrection - as near as you can get, this is proof!

The third, and most important thing to point out is the reason for his death.  Aslan hints at this in the clip we have seen.  Christ died for our sins.  It was no accidental death or mistake.  He knew what he was doing.

C.S.Lewis once said that Jesus must be either Mad, Bad or God.  I don't know if you have ever thought that?

He claimed through his words and actions to be God.  Either he was deluded, genuinely thinking he was God but being worg.  He was mad.  He may have known he wasn't God, but kept up the pretence anyway so as to get people to follow him - Bad, or, he was who he said he was.  God!

Question - is it possible for humans to be genuinely raised from the dead?

No, of course not.  Which means, if Jesus claimed he would and then did so, then he was who he said he was.  God came to earth in his Son, Jesus Christ so that he might die for our sins.

So, we are left with a question.  What do you make of the evidence.  You can't sit on the fence.  Do you believe Jesus words, and the words of Paul and others who saw him raised from the dead?  If not, what are your reasons?  There is much at stake in your decision.

You see, the thing is, like Aslan, Jesus death was a sacrifice so that others might not die.  Every one of us lives in rebellion against God.  The punishment, fair and right, for our rebellion is death.  but Jesus came and died that we don't need to take our own punishment, and was raised both to show us who he was and what he had done, and to give us new life.

The question is - do you believe him and what do you make of the new life he offers?