Introduction

In The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe Aslan gives his life for the sake of Edmund. This is a picture of Christ, who gave His life for our sakes. We can understand that Jesus was really dead and is truly alive. He suffered in this way because of the great love He has for each of us.

 

Study

In The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, read in chapter fourteen on page 157 beginning with the paragraph, “And both girls cried bitterly...” and ending on page 161 with, “They couldn’t bear to look and had covered their eyes.”

 

Then answer the following questions:

​

        •    What images from this scene are the strongest in your mind?

 

Read Isaiah 53:1-9:

Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

He grew up before him like a tender shoot,  and like a root out of dry ground.

He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,  nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men,  a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

​

Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God,  smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way, and the Lord has laid on him  the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted,  yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

​

By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.

 

•      What is the significance of silence in this text and in today’s story?

           

 

Read in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in chapter fifteen, page 166, beginning with the paragraph, “It was quite definitely lighter by now,” and ending on page 168 with, “‘Not now,’ said Aslan.”

 

Answer these questions:

​

•      Lucy asked a yes or no question. Why would Aslan respond with the words, “Not now?”

                           

 

Read Matthew 28:1-10:

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

​

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

​

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.

 

•      What images from this scene are the strongest in your mind?

           

•      What is the importance of the fact that Christ actually died?

           

​

Read Isaiah 53:10-12:

Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,  and he will bear their iniquities.