Popular C.S. Lewis book inspires four weeks of sermons
If you’ve ever read the first installment of The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” perhaps you found yourself longing to travel to the mythical land of Narnia but couldn’t find the magic wardrobe.
The wardrobe has arrived, and it’s at South Valley Community Church in Gilroy. One full wall of the church depicts the land of Narnia in a giant mural, and to complete the scene, the stage is adorned with live trees, a street lamp and a wardrobe.
The set complements the sermons that will be given by senior pastor Eric Smith at every Sunday service in December. Smith will discuss the book as well as the upcoming movie based on the book, which is released in theaters today.
Although the book is a great story on its own, Lewis’ intention was to include a much deeper meaning, said the church’s associate pastor, Mark Turner.
“C.S. Lewis communicated greater spiritual truths in his stories, and we wanted to communicate what those truths are,” he said. “We’re really excited about the movie and we encourage people to see it, even nonbelievers. Everyone can get a lot out of this movie, even if they don’t seek the deeper truth.”
Turner didn’t want to give too much of the story away, but he said if people understand that the lion in the film is representative of Christ, they should be able to figure out the deeper implications of the story on their own.
“(Smith) really wanted to do this. He likes to go big with these kinds of things,” Turner said. “It’s a draw and it gets people’s attention, and it’s a great way to communicate the message of Christ.”
The 20-foot-by-35-foot mural was painted by local business owner Tom Graeser and his mother, Susan. A member of the church drew a scene of Narnia, based on a poster advertisement for the movie, on the wall, then left the painting to Tom and Susan. The two worked from a 27-inch-by-40-inch movie poster, and the project took them about a week to complete.
“I did it because I liked the picture, and I did it for my church and the community,” said Tom, a member of the church. “And I did it so people could know about me because I like doing murals, and I want to do more of them.”
Though he hasn’t read the book, Tom said he’s interested in learning the story and has found Smith’s sermons intriguing.
And, according to Turner, that’s the genius of C.S. Lewis: His work appeals to children as well as adults. Turner is reading “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” to his 11-year-old twin daughters, Jennie and Jodie. He said they look forward to hearing more of the story every night, and they’re excited about the movie and Sunday sermons.
“(The book) captures the attention of young minds and adults as well,” Turner said.
