Lost in the World of Video Games...

As many of you well know, my blog has been rather sparse as of late. In fact, the crickets have been chirping for well over two weeks by now. The reason for this scarcity is mostly due to the Microsoft game developers for creating one of the most addicting games I have ever played: Fable. So far (according the in-game clock) I have spent over 19 hours the past week or so immersed in a fantasy world.

In Fable you start out as an innocent young boy in a mythical world with magical creatures. As you progress in the game you are forced to make choices that determine whether your character will become good or evil. For example, if you decide to pillage a town and slay its inhabitants, you will obviously earn evil points, and your character will begin to physically express his wicked heart (i.e. you will begin to grow horns out of your head, your eyes will turn red, etc...). But right now my character is aligned to the side of righteousness and I have developed a halo above my head :)

But another game that I got for Christmas has wowed me even more than Fable; Shadow of the Colossus is the most epic and artistic game that I have ever played. It has a very simple setting: the girl that you love has died and so you have traveled to the end of the world to seek out a legendary power rumored to be able to bring the dead back to life. When you arrive you discover a temple filled with 16 statues. The god of the temple informs you that if you wish to bring your love back to life, you must slay the 16 colossi (the incarnations of the statues) that inhabit a desolate, cursed world. Armed with only your sword and bow, you must somehow topple these giants, thousands of times larger than yourself. The game, composed entirely of 16 fights, is strangely captivating, and never gets boring. This is one of those rare games where every moment is great. The first time I fought a colossus my mouth dropped wide open in disbelief. Shadow of the Colossus is easily one of the top five best games ever made.

Ok, well, I'm gonna go slay some giants right now... be back later...

-John

Happy Holidays!

Wait! Before you begin to think that I have lost my mind and joined the ranks of our secular, post-modern culture, allow me to explain my title...

With all the recent talk and controversy about whether or not the words "Merry Christmas" should be replaced with the more sociably-acceptable "Happy Holidays," it is doubtless that most Christians (at least the ones who understand the aim of this proposal) have become quite upset at this clear attack against the Christian faith.

However, it is rather ironic that the secularist's very purpose (to rid the public square of anything religious) completely undermines itself in this case. Perhaps if they had paid more attention to what words actually mean, they would presently drop their argument and run away screaming like schoolgirls with their tails between their legs... [sorry, I couldn't resist ; ) ]. But seriously, the word "Holiday" is none other than the contraction of the words "holy" and "day." Betsy Childs, a writer for Ravi Zacharias International Ministries pointed out that, "Although Christmas in the West may have degenerated into a celebration of food, gifts, and time off work, secularists unwittingly keep reminding us that it should, above all, be observed as a holy day!" mmm... The irony is delicious...

Thanks to the secularists, I am reminded that Christmas is very much a "Holy Day." We celebrate the Holy One, appearing in the flesh as the babe in the manger. But we understand that he did not stay in the manger, for it was not his birth, but his death and resurrection that brought salvation to his people. It is Christ's holiness that showed the necessity for God's wrath, wrath that one day he bore so that a people, enslaved to sin and walking in darkness, would be set free and see the brilliance and splendor of His glorious majesty. And that is what we celebrate, a Holy God ransoming and rescuing sinners, to make for Himself a holy people who will all, one day, be gathered around the throne to praise Him for his Holiness.

His holiness gives us our hope, for unless we are clothed in his righteousness, we can not approach the Holy One of Israel. This hope is captured in the words of the beloved Christmas hymn:

O Holy night, the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt His worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine! O night when Christ was born!
O night divine! O night, O night divine!

Happy Holy Day,

Jonathan

Surprised?

You scored as The Amazing Spider-Man!

After being bitten by a radioactive spider, Peter Parker was transformed from a nerdy high school student into New York's greatest hero. Peter enjoys the thrill of being a super hero, but he struggles with the burdens of leading a double life. He hopes someday to win the heart of his true love Mary Jane, the woman he's loved since before he even liked girls. Right now, he just wants to make it through college and pay his bills.

The Amazing Spider-Man 79% Neo, the "One" 75% Maximus 71% El Zorro 71% Lara Croft 63% Batman, the Dark Knight 63% Indiana Jones 63% William Wallace 58% Captain Jack Sparrow 58% James Bond, Agent 007 54% The Terminator 50% Which Action Hero Would You Be? v. 2.0 created with QuizFarm.com

Thanks to JJ for the tip-off to this one.

Aslan, the King of Kings?

In 1950, Clive Staples Lewis introduced the world to one of todays most well-known and beloved fantasy realms, the land of Narnia. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (noted as “the LWW” hereafter) was the first of seven Narnia Chronicles to be published and is probably the most celebrated of Lewis’ fictional works. Although from a literary standpoint, the book is thoroughly captivating and considered a masterpiece by most critics, C.S. Lewis managed to create much more than just a great piece of literature. The LWW is richly layered with Christian themes, messages, and parallels that add tremendous depth to an already profound story of courage, hope, and forgiveness. The Chronicles of Narnia: LWW offers the most classic example of a Christian parallel (later to be defined as a Christian supposal) of any fictional book in modern literature. The LWW meets three standards that make it a superb parallel to the Christian faith; it contains a Messiah, or Christ figure, presented as Aslan, the great Lion; it portrays the problem of sin and temptation in the White Witch and Turkish Delight; and it vividly presents the gospel story of forgiveness and redemption through the character of Edmund.


In the land of Narnia, Aslan is the “Son of the Emperor across the Sea,” a great and noble Lion. The very name of Aslan strikes fear in heart of those who delight in evil, yet kindles hope in those who long for his appearing. In order to understand the character of Aslan and his relation to Jesus, one must recognize Lewis’ intention in writing the Narnia Chronicles. Lewis did not set out to create a direct Christian allegory. In fact, Lewis explicitly warns readers against trying to make a one-for-one match between Narnia and the real world. In a May 1954 letter to a fifth grade class in Maryland, he writes, "You are mistaken when you think everything in the books 'represents' something in this world. Things do that in The Pilgrim's Progress but I'm not writing in that way" (Letters to Children). Instead of a straightforward allegory, Narnia is what Lewis called a Christian “supposal.” In a December 1959 letter to a young girl named Sophia Storr, he explains the difference:

I don't say. 'Let us represent Christ as Aslan.' I say, 'Supposing there was a world like Narnia, and supposing, like ours, it needed redemption, let us imagine what sort of Incarnation and Passion and Resurrection Christ would have there.' (Letters to Children)

He elaborates on this point in a December 1958 letter to a lady named Mrs. Hook:

[Aslan] is an invention giving an imaginary answer to the question 'What might Christ become like if there really were a world like Narnia and He chose to be incarnate and die and rise again in that world as He actually has done in ours?' This is not allegory at all. (Letters of C.S. Lewis)

With that being understood, there are some obvious similarities between Aslan and Jesus. The most apparent is the sacrificial death and glorious resurrection that both Jesus and Aslan each undergo. Each lays down his life for another’s, to pay the penalty for a crime that someone else committed so that that person can go free; this theme will be explored further through the character of Edmund. All points considered, Lewis’ depiction of Aslan as the incarnate Messiah of a different world makes the LWW the best example of a Christian supposal in modern literature.


The second Christian theme contained in the LWW is that of sin, evil, and temptation. The White Witch, who claims to be the true Queen of Narnia, is a clear representation of evil and deception. But even more intriguing than the White Witch herself is an enticing concoction that she creates to lure Edmund, one of the four Pevensie children who wanders into Narnia, into her deceptive plan to prevent the prophecy (about her reign coming to an end) of being fulfilled. Turkish Delight is a bewitched candy that the Witch gives to Edmund to put him under her spell and convince him to betray his brother, his sisters, and Aslan. Edmund eventually gives in to his desires. At first, it’s just for the Turkish Delight, but soon afterwards for the Witch’s feigned promises of power and prestige. The story of Edmund’s temptation alludes to Jesus’ teaching in Matthew chapter eight, where He explains that “everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.” The New Testament writer James also expands on this theme, “…each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death” (James 1:14-15 NASB). In fact, the sentence that Edmund receives for his treachery is certain death from the White Witch; she refers to the “deep magic” written on the Stone Table that states if anyone becomes a traitor, then they rightfully belong to the White Witch. The deep magic written on the Stone Table is much akin to the Law that only brings sin and death, which the New Testament writers explain in their gospels and epistles. The apostle Paul declares that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God,” and that the “wages of sin is death…” (Romans 3:23 and 6:23 NASB). Finally, Edmund realizes his mistakes and deeply wishes that he could take them back. But first, the “deep magic” must be dealt with or Edmund will receive certain death. This powerful Christian imagery demonstrates Lewis’ literary genius and helps to create the LWW as a classic example of a fictional Christian supposal.


Finally, the most important theme that the LWW contains is the gospel message of forgiveness and redemption. Since Edmund is guilty of betraying his friends and cannot save himself from his deserved punishment, he needs someone to intervene, to take his place. Aslan does just that; in what seems like foolishness, Aslan sacrifices himself on Edmund’s behalf while patiently enduring brutal torture until he is eventually murdered by the White Witch and her minions. This is a direct parallel of Jesus’ death and crucifixion. The Old Testament prophet, speaking of the Messiah, wrote these words,

He was pierced through for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities… He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth. (Isaiah 53:5,7 NASB)

If the story ended there, all would be lost; the White Witch would rule Narnia and Edmund’s life would be forfeit. But death was not victorious. With a great cracking and deafening noise the stone table was split in two and Aslan rose. Confused, the two Pevensie girls asked Aslan what had happened. Aslan explains that,

…though the Witch knew the Deep Magic, there is a magic deeper still which she did not know. Her knowledge goes back only to the dawn of time. But if she could have looked a little further back, into the stillness and the darkness before time dawned, she would have read there a different incantation. She would have known that when a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor’s stead, the Table would crack and Death itself would start working backwards. (75)

Very similarly, when Jesus died, the curtain of the temple was torn from top to bottom and when he rose from the dead he appeared to his disciples. Just as Aslan took the place of Edmund, Jesus took the place of sinners who were bound by the Law to sin and death. The “deeper magic from before the dawn of time” is parallel to God’s plan for salvation for all those who would ever believe in Him. Speaking of the resurrection of Christ, the apostle Paul writes,

‘O Death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:55-56 NASB)

The gospel story in the LWW is a vivid representation of forgiveness and redemption found in Jesus, which makes Lewis’ story a classic Christian supposal.


Even with all of its heavy Christian imagery, one may still argue that the LWW is only a fantasy story that happens to have “spiritual” themes. This is derived from the fact that so many people will read the Narnia Chronicles without ever noticing the Biblical parallels. Although this may be true, one must remember that C.S. Lewis very clearly explained that the Narnia was a Christian supposal, and though the LWW does have “spiritual” themes, they are undeniably Biblical. In fact, at the end of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Aslan explains that He lives in the real world as well as in Narnia,

…but there I have another name. You must learn to now me by that name. This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there. (123)

In June 1953, an eleven-year-old girl named Hila wrote to Lewis, asking what the other name that Aslan went by in our world was. Lewis replied,

As to Aslan's other name, well I want you to guess. Has there never been anyone in this world who (1) Arrived at the same time as Father Christmas. (2) Said he was the son of the Great Emperor. (3) Gave himself up for someone else's fault to be jeered at and killed by wicked people. (4) Came to life again....Don't you really know His name in this world. (Letters to Children, 1996)

The Chronicles of Narnia convey undeniably Biblical references and parallels which help to make it a spectacular example of a Christian supposal.


In summary, The Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, contains the most important tenets of the Christian faith which makes it an ideal parallel in the world of fantasy literature. By supposing Christ in the character of Aslan, demonstrating the fatal problem of sin and temptation, and retelling the gospel story through the character of Edmund, the LWW becomes the most classic example of a Christian supposal in fictional literature. When all has been heard, readers and fans of C.S. Lewis and his Narnia Chronicles can appreciate all-the-more his keen ability to masterfully intertwine such beautiful stories with rich Christian imagery into an unforgettable masterpiece that continues to stand the test of time.

A true Narnian,

Jonathan

His Judgment Cometh, And That Right Soon...

Last night at seven:ten (the college ministry at evbc), Tyler Johnson delivered a phenomenal message on a topic that is very difficult to accurately present and clearly communicate. The subject he was speaking on was none other than the judgment of God. The key passage he drew from was at the end of wisdom literature written by King Solomon:

"The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil" (Eccl. 12:13-14).

Tyler spent most of the message comparing our typical view of an earthly judge versus what God reveals in His word about the Lord as a perfect, holy, and just judge. His basic points were as follows:

• A judge is a person with authority. A judge has the ability (and the right) to assert authority over an individual because they are bound by the law. Similarly, God has authority over heaven and earth, including authority over every human being, because they are His creation. He is the potter, we are the clay.
• A judge is identified with what is good and right. Moses describes God as such, "The Rock! His work is perfect, For all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is He" (Deut. 32:4). Tyler made a great point that you would never want a neutral judge. Although it's becoming increasingly popular in our culture for a judge to maintain an attitude of neutrality ("claiming" to hold to no specific beliefs) when discerning every court decision, a judge whose convictions rest on neither side of an issue is unable make fair judgments. For example, let's say your best friend was mugged by a thief with a baseball bat and beaten to a bloody pulp. He manages to survive the atrocity but serious brain damage destroys his mind and he becomes a human vegetable, barely recognizable as the friend you once knew. Now, in court you stand in his defense and seek for justice to be done to the man who committed this terrible crime. But the judge cannot say whether or not what the man did was actually "bad" because he may have been the victim of a mental disorder or was the product of an imperfect society. The judge decides not to pass sentence. You would instinctively cry out that the judge was unjust and unrighteous in his decision. No one wants to stand before a neutral judge. But God is not neutral. He is good and righteous and holy. Indeed, He is the very source of all that is good and upright. He will not do violence to justice...
• A judge is a person with wisdom; that is, a judge is able to discern the truth in a matter. God being omniscient and filled with all wisdom and knowledge clearly separates Him from others. David confesses in Psalm 139 that he can not escape God's presence. Whether he ascends in to the heavens or makes his bed in Sheol, he cannot escape Him. The prophet Jeremiah proclaims something very similar: "'Am I a God who is near,' declares the Lord, 'and not a God far off? Can a man hide himself in hiding places so I do not see him?' declares the Lord. 'Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?' declares the Lord" (Jer. 23:23-24). God knows our very thoughts. We are utterly naked and layed open before Him. He knows the truth, and there is no denying the judgments He makes concerning us.
• A judge is one who has power to execute sentence. Because God is good and loves righteousness, he must punish evil. Sin must be paid for in only one of two ways. Either by Jesus on the cross, or by the sinner in hell. But praise be to our Lord Jesus Christ who gave himself as a ransom for our sins.
  
  It was deeply convicting to be reminded of the seriousness of God's judgment against sin. David Crowder wrote these powerful words:
  
  

  "We speak easily of Jesus as our pal--our friend who comes to us on bended knee to wash feet and bring hugs-- but we forget, with little difficulty, that it was God's justice, the necessity of His holiness, that brought death to givelife. It is His holiness that required the shedding of blood, the losing of life, to be the only way to make things right."

  
  Anyway, Tyler gave a great message that moved my heart to repentance for treating God's acts of mercy and grace with subtle disregard so much of the time. It also made me pray deeply for my friend Kaitlin who has been coming to seven:ten for a couple of weeks. I don't know whether or not she is a Christian but my assumption is that she is not. She was there when Tyler gave this message (a very difficult one to swallow if you're not a believer). Please pray that God would bring her to repentance and faith.
  
  Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
  
  Jonathan

Hope Rising

Currently Listening to:
Shawn McDonald
Simply Nothing
http://www.shawnmcdonaldmusic.com/

Hello Again!

I've been working my way through the book of Hebrews lately and this morning I stumbled upon a passage that made me stop and think. The author has just finished the infamous "Heroes of the Faith" chapter and begins the 12th chapter with what should be our response to this message:

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entables us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right had of the throne of God" (1-2).

A great many preachers have spent much time on these verses and have delivered volleys of inspirational and challenging messages, but this wasn't the part that caught my attention. The next two verses are ones that I have read before, but never gave the time to let them sink in...

"For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin;" (3-4).

God was made flesh, veiling His majesty, and humbled Himself to the point of death on the cross. This is our Savior, this is our Hero. Christ endured more than any of us, yet He did it all without any blemish of sin. Earlier on in Hebrews (chapters 2-5), the writer speaks of Christ as our great high priest; one who can relate to us because He was fully man, and was tempted in every way that we are but without sin, and one who was an acceptable and pleasing sacrifice to God because He was fully Divine. I find so much comfort from these truths. Because Jesus was a man, he knows full well the pains and sorrows and temptations that we suffer. And so it is Him we look to for perseverance and hope.

Verse four convicted me deeply. Read it once more, "You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin." Think about it: how often do we, when temptation arises, resist it to the point of "shedding blood?" I find myself at many times apathetic when it comes to battling sin and temptation. But the writer of Hebrews exhorts us to persevere and to daily fight the good fight.

So often I find myself growing weary and losing heart in my struggle against the world, my flesh, and Satan. But when I read this I was so needfully reminded that I need only to look to Christ and His struggles to be given hope. The psalmist encourages us:

"Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the Lord." (31:24)

and...

"I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth... The Lord will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul. The Lord will guard you going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever." (121:1-2,7-8)

The News in Brief

Life is crazy; everyone knows this. Juggling responsibilities can leave you complacent and tired, so I have created this blog with one intention of liberating myself from the mundane... all the while keeping YOU updated on what's new in my ever-so-interesting life.

With that in mind, here's the latest news:

• I'm finishing up my research paper for my eng 102 class. I'm glad I picked a topic that has relevance in my life... I'm writing about whether or not Evolution should be taught exclusively in public schools. My presupposition is (as most people who know me may have already guessed) that it should not be taught because it's ridiculous. But don't you worry, I promise I have better arguments than that in my paper ;) I'll be sure to post it around next Tuesday (the 15th) for all to enjoy.
• Something that has been on my mind for many years has now been moved to the forefront of my thoughts... I have decided that I must pursue film making. Now, whether or not I will make a career out of it, I do not know. But I am convinced that it will always be a hobby at the least. In fact, I met with Jordan Bennett last night and we were discussing possibly collaborating on a project soon. It makes so much sense... It's like all my life I've had loads of crazy ideas in my head and now I can finally communicate them in one of the most interesting mediums. So I'm saving up money right now for a decent camera, but I already started working on a script... It's all so inebriating!

I know... That's not much news, but I promise to henceforth be more diligent in keeping YOU updated.

I'll close with the quote that I found t'other day... It made me think:

“Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.” —G. K. Chesterton

I Can't Believe It!

Ok. So, I know I'm new at this so it may take me awhile to get used to the whole blogging thing... but here i go!