"To hear is to obey," said the Grand Vizier. He crawled backwards on all fours to the door, rose, bowed, and went out. (The Horse and His Boy, CS Lewis)
The Grand Vizier is scraping and grovelling to the Tisroc, the Emperor of the Calormenes, an enemy of Narnia. The one we find in The Horse and His Boy is capricious and merciless. Yet whenever a Calormene even spoke of the Tisroc, he must add “may he live for ever.” In the quotation above, we see how even the most senior minister, the Grand Vizier, had to bow and toady to the Tisroc.
Lent is over. Time for penitence is past – for now. Because Christ is risen, we may now stand in the presence of God.
It is easy to move on from the resurrection. Christ is Risen. Sure, Jesus defeated sin, death and the devil, rising from the grave, but that was last week. What’s new?
This is why the liturgical calendar has seasons. We had forty days of lent. Now we have fifty days of Easter. It is, in fact, forty days until the Ascension and then a further ten until Pentecost. Jesus’s resurrection should take some time to process and savour. Today, let us marvel at the fact that we can stand in God’s presence because Christ is Risen.
Look who’s come crawling back
Jesus is truly alone on the cross. He has been betrayed by everyone but let us note three people in particular. The first is Peter, one of Jesus’s closest friends. In Mark’s Gospel, he is only one of three invited to witness the Transfiguration and the raising of Jairus’s daughter. He boldly said he would never abandon Jesus. But he did that very thing, not just once or twice, but thrice.
In John 21, we see Peter’s restoration when he is asked three times if he loves Jesus. There is not a hint of ‘told you, so’ or ‘don’t you have something to say?’ or ‘so where were you on Friday? Busy?’. No. Peter is thrilled to see Jesus, who’s also brought breakfast. (I’m not sure if that’s a First Century AD equivalent to coffee and doughnuts, but it’s clearly a welcome meal). Jesus says to him what he said right back at the start: follow me!
The second character that might stand out for us – also written about in John’s gospel – is Thomas. He did not see Jesus when he appeared in the locked room and is sceptical. Why wouldn’t he be? But Jesus graciously reappears, and does not say ‘You had your chance but you blew it.’ He said:
“Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:27-28)
No grovelling required.
The third character is Judas. After he betrayed Jesus, almost immediately regretted it and was “seized with remorse” (Matthew 27:3).
“I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”
“What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”
So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. (Matthew 27:4-5)
What should Judas have done? He should have gone to Jesus who would have forgiven him as he asked God to forgive those who did not know what they were doing. Jesus is not a petty, paranoid dictator like Herod or the Tisroc who demands that we grovel. He is Risen, so we may rise and stand in his presence.
But don’t take my word for it. Listen to the Council of Nicaea.
Meanwhile, in Nicaea
In 325, there was meeting of bishops in Nicaea. This place has since been swallowed up by Iznik, not far from Istanbul in Turkey. This Church Council is notable for Athanasius’s defence of Christ’s divinity, argued that Jesus was “eternally begotten”, not made as Arius taught. But that’s one for another time.
The Council of Nicaea also issued twenty canon laws were issued to the church, including the prohibition of self-castration for clergy. So that’s good.
I mention the Council because it also prohibited kneeling for prayer on Sundays and during the Pentecost. Kneeling was appropriate for the season of Lent, a time of penitential prayer, but not the season of Easter – or the Lord’s Day on which we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
So why not trying standing up to pray during this Easter season? You are forgiven. Christ is Risen. You may stand in the presence of holy God. Modern residents of Nicaea, now Iznik, and the Calormenes would probably find that one hard to comprehend.
Let us end in Narnia as we began.
Edmund was not expected to live a life of grovelling subservience to Aslan, constantly reminded of his betrayal. Edmund stands tall, not because he is proud, but because he is forgiven. He can now lead a life of resurrection in the service of Aslan, Narnia and his High King and brother, Peter.
“Your Majesty would have a perfect right to strike off his head," said Peridan. "Such an assault as he made puts him on a level with assassins."
"It is very true," said Edmund. "But even a traitor may mend. I have known one that did." And he looked very thoughtful. (The Horse and His Boy, CS Lewis)
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Losing The Plot?
Storytelling is a lot harder than it looks. CS Lewis made it look easy. I’ve just started American Gods by Neil Gaiman and, wow, it’s smooth.
But the biggest problem with every spec sitcom script that I read is not characters or the jokes or the situation. It’s the plot.
I explain over here, and give details about a pay-what-you-like webinar I’m running on plotting later this month. Why not check it out?