Once Upon A Time and the Real Savior

There’s a huge revelation the show Once Upon a Time is coming to, that Henry the son of the savior and grandson of Snow White is on the verge of discovering.  And if that discovery comes to pass, the need for a greater Savior will become even more evident in the plotline of this wonderful series. 

In our often oversimplified fairy tales we tend to classify characters as good or evil.  And the characters single choice can direct every other following choice in a trajectory of what is right and good and true or what is manipulative and lustful for revenge and power.  But as we all know, sometimes the right choice is just not clear.  In this series, it seems that the best intentions of the good characters is continuously thwarted by the bad.  So many times Snow White, or Mary Margaret in our world, has extended the gracious offer of diplomacy with Regina, the evil queen or manipulative mayor.  But each episode displays a complicated backstory to their relationships in the fairytale world. 

Henry, in his naiveté, sees the power and negative effects magic has upon all the adults around him.  He still thinks of each person within the box of goodness or evil, and blames magic for the constant fighting and power play between these people he loves, that are all related to him somehow.  He doesn’t understand that the problem is within the hearts of those he loves.  The adults in the room do not rush to explain the truth to Henry, even though he can sense the lies they try to comfort him with.  Maybe if they did have a heart to heart, it would go something like this. 

Henry, magic is not the problem of our town.  Magic is amoral, neither good nor bad.  All magic has a price, so be careful how you use it. 

You see, magic might be seen as a gun.  A gun is merely a gun until it is held by a person.  The gun then becomes a weapon or a tool, depending on who is holding it. 

Likewise, magic can be used for both good and evil. 

The real issue is, ALL of our hearts are evil. 

The Bible teaches us that all of us are evil, and that it is God’s grace that allows any mercy, grace, and love possible in our lives. 

We all struggle internally with temptations every day.  They may not be as big as stealing a magic dagger to control a demonic lord to kill all your enemies.  But the temptations are there. 

You have seen all of us give into the temptation to lie, convincing ourselves that lies are acceptable if they are to protect the person we love.  But lies are never truly justifiable.  They just seem easier than explaining the truth. 

Henry, Mary Margaret may make the right decision most of the time, but she is not perfect.  The dark stain now growing in her heart will destroy her without a serious intervention of something or someone that can save her.  She will wallow in guilt and darkness and perpetual self destruction, or maybe will lash out in violence towards people around her.  She needs someone greater than herself to rescue her, someone who can rescue her from the inside out.  Emma may have saved Storybrook from the curse, but even she cannot save her mother’s heart. 

But Henry, there is great news!  Even though there is darkness in all of our hearts, even though we scheme and manipulate and lie to keep control, even though the very purest of us all is just as corrupt on the inside, there is a real Savior, a TRUE Savior, and He made the ultimate sacrifice for our sins some 2000 years ago.  He alone can cleanse us within, can take our hearts of stone and turn them to hearts of flesh.  He took our sin and filth and unrighteousness and offered us His righteousness, His purity, His cleanness, His life.  If we cling to Him, even the deepest darkest stain of evil is cleansed and made righteous and pure by his blood.  The salvation he offers is free to us, but it cost His life to make it possible.  He is the Only Truly Pure Good Person who ever lived.  He is Perfect!  In fact, He lived a perfect life that is credited to us by faith in him!  Because He took the punishment for all of our evil and sin, everything wrong and scary and bad, he bore upon the cross for us.  He takes our punishment and pain and sin and gives us life and love and righteousness.  And He alone has the power to do that, the power to grant this salvation, because He alone was resurrected from the dead.  If he can raise the dead, there is nothing he cannot do.  This Henry, is our REAL savior.  Cling to Him, only He can never let you down.  Many people love you as much as they can, but only Christ can love you perfectly.  Please come to Him.