: It Will Be Harder Than You Think

Introduction

There are times when we lose sight of the cost of forgiveness. Aslan hints at this cost in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. We will be reminded of the extent to which God went in order to win us back from sin, and also be reminded of the extent of God’s love for us.

 

Study

In The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, read in chapter twelve, beginning on page 130 with the paragraph, “But as for Aslan himself, the Beavers and the children...” and ending on page 132 with, “’All shall be done,’ said Aslan. ‘But it may be harder than you think.’”

 

Then answer the following questions:

•      What had Edmund done that was so bad?

                          

•      In another part of the story, Edmund is called a traitor. The name traitor indicates that he is working for the wrong side. Which side is Edmund supposed to be on?

                           

•      Who is hurt by Edmund joining the White Witch—Edmund or Aslan?  

 

Read Genesis 2:15-17 & 3:6:

The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die....

 

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, she took some and ate. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

 

•      Who is the traitor here? How does this traitor compare to Edmund?

           

 

Read Psalm 14:2-3:

The Lord looks down from heaven  on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good,  not even one.

 

•      Who is the traitor in this passage? Compare this to Edmund.

           

•      A key sentence in the excerpt we read from The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe was Aslan’s statement, “All will be done, but it may be harder than you think.” Discuss what you think is the significance of this statement both as it applies to the story and as it applies to our lives according to Psalm 14:2-3.     

 

 

Read Matthew 27:11-23:

Meanwhile, Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied.

When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge— to the great amazement of the governor.

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Now it was the governor’s custom at the Feast to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him.

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While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.”

But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.

“Barabbas,” they answered.

“What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked.

“They all answered, “Crucify him!”

“Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.

But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

 

        •    How does this fit the quote from Aslan?

           

 

Read Romans 5:6-11:

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

 

        •    What has God done for traitors?