The Gospel According to Once Upon a Time
#6 – A Father’s Love
1 John 3:1a and John 15:12-13 (NLT)
By John Gill ~ August 11, 2024

During this summer and into the fall, we are considering various children's stories and the profound eternal truths they contain, truths that have their roots in the word of God. So far we have considered the Three Little Pigs, The Ugly Duckling, The Little Red Hen, The Emperor’s New Clothes, and The Velveteen Rabbit. This morning we will consider The Little Mermaid.

The original version of this story was written by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, the same author who wrote The Emperor's New Clothes. However, this morning we will consider Walt Disney's adaptation of that story, the version that most of us are familiar with.

You know, the Walt Disney company is not always the family friendly company it used to be years ago, and occasionally has gotten into hot water with various groups over a number of controversial issues. But, once in a while, the Disney corporation puts out a movie that, whether they are aware of it or not, contains powerful symbolism and profound theology. Disney's rendition of The Little Mermaid is one such masterpiece.

How many of you have seen it? To refresh your memory, let me give you the Reader's Digest version of the story:

Ariel, The Little Mermaid, is the young daughter of Triton, the mythical god of the seas. Now Triton loves Ariel a great deal, and Ariel adores her father. But she has a little problem with obedience (don't most kids?). For instance, one of the cardinal rules of mermaid-dom is that you stay away from those awful “flesh eating humans.” And Triton forbade Ariel from having anything to do with humans.

But Ariel is fascinated with human beings. In fact, she longs to have legs and live among the humans. One day, as she is at the ocean's surface spying on a ship, she catches a glimpse of the handsome “Prince Eric” and immediately is smitten. Just then, a great storm strikes the ship and Eric is thrown overboard. If it hadn't been for the intervention of Ariel, Eric would have drowned.

Ariel drags his unconscious body onto the beach. As she gazes on his handsome face, she falls deeply in love, and sings to him with her hauntingly-beautiful voice. But, when Eric begins to wake up, Ariel becomes frightened and flees back into the sea. Eric didn't get a good look at her, but the music Ariel had sung echoes in his ears.

It just so happened that, lurking in the depths of the ocean, was the octopus-like sea witch, named Ursula. Ursula quickly came up with a scheme to dethrone King Triton and make

herself the ruler of all the seas. So, she summons Ariel and makes a very tempting proposition to her. In exchange for Ariel's beautiful voice, the sea witch would magically change Ariel’s mermaid-tail into human legs.

But there were conditions. In order to keep the legs AND regain her voice, Ariel would have to get Eric to kiss her within three days. But if, by sunset on the third day, Eric still had not kissed her, Ariel's spirit would forever belong to the witch.

Ariel is so much in love that she makes this foolish pact with the witch. Immediately her tail becomes two human legs, and she swims for the beach. Eric discovers her wandering the shoreline, but he does not recognize her because she cannot sing her song to him. But even without a voice, the two begin to fall in love, and Ursula starts to worry that she might lose her bet. So the witch transforms herself into a beautiful woman and, armed with the voice of Ariel, begins to woo Eric away from her. And, because she can now sing with Ariel's voice, Eric falls under her spell, and he decides to immediately marry this witch-in-disguise, -- instead of Ariel!

The wedding is to take place on the royal ship at sunset on the third day. As the sun begins to set, Eric discovers that it is actually Ariel who he truly loves, and he kisses her. But, alas, they are too late! And now, the video will pick up the storyline:

Show DVD, Scene 24 –

through when Ursula picks up the crown, places it on her own head, and says “At last, it’s mine!” 1

In the closing moments of the story, Eric succeeds in destroying the witch. With Ursula defeated, all the trapped spirits under Ursula’s wicked spell are restored to life. Triton also is resurrected and becomes the undisputed ruler of the Seas. And, in true Disney-fairy tale fashion, Eric and Ariel “live happily ever after.”

This familiar story is jam packed with possible sermons on the lessons the story can teach us - lessons that can be also found in the scriptures. When we usually reflect on this story, we focus on the beautiful young mermaid and her longing to be with her beloved prince. We are moved by her temptations and her foolish choices. We are inspired by the way she and Eric overcome the challenges they face to be together. Yes, when looking for lessons from this story, it's natural that we would focus our attention on The Little Mermaid herself.

But I don't believe that the power of the story focuses on Ariel. I am convinced that the real hero of the story is Ariel's father. No --- this story isn't about Ariel or even her love for Eric. It is a story about a father's love. But more than that, it is a parable about the wages of human sin, and the unmerited love and grace of God! Don’t believe me? Just consider with me these points from the story:

in this story we have Ariel - a child of the king (just like you and me); full of life and curiosity (like we are); and who loves the father (as we do). Yet stubborn and strong willed (like we

are); who fails to obey the word and commands of the father (just as we do); insisting on her way instead of his way (as we often do).

Driven by her own wishes and desires, she succumbs to temptation (as do you and I); she makes a pact with the devil (just like so many of us do); thinking she can handle it on her own-but in the end, loses (just like what happens to each of us when we try to deal with Satan on our own). And for her rebellion, she pays a great price (as will we, if we rebel against the father).

But also in the story, we have the father: a father who loves his child unconditionally (just as God loves you and me); who, in spite of his daughter's rebellion, will go to great lengths to redeem her from death (just as God has done for us); who willingly will sacrifice himself, taking her place in order to give her life (just as God has done for you through the cross of Jesus Christ)!

My friends, that is what the cross of Jesus Christ was all about. Listen to how Paul puts it in Romans 5: 6-11: “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person - though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. Much more surely, then, now that we have been justified by his blood will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled will we be saved by his life. But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we now have received reconciliation.”

What an amazing love the heavenly Father has for his children, that he would choose to die, so that we might live! - that he would rather die, than to ever live without us!

There's a wonderful hymn by Charles Wesley that speaks of that love more beautifully than any hymn I know. Two of its verses go like this:

And can it be that I should gain an interest in the Savior's blood? Died He for me, who caused his pain? For me, who Him to death pursued? Amazing love! how can it be that Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

My sisters and brothers, have you experienced the amazing love of the Father? - the joy of casting off the chains of sin and guilt and anger and unforgiveness and rebellion against God? Do you need to know today that our heavenly Father loves you so much as his son or daughter that he is willing to trade places with you, to suffer your fate, even to die your

death so that you can know the joy of eternal life? Has your heart been set free by the Father's love?

I hope so. But if not, it “can be”... before you leave this morning. All you have to do is to claim that love, and let God give you a new heart and a new life. Or maybe this morning, you already know the Father loves you, but you've allowed your love for him to grow cold. What better day could there possibly be than today to tell your heavenly Father just how much you love him, and thank him for making the ultimate sacrifice he was willing to make for you?

To give you a chance to reflect on this challenge we're going to close our message this morning with a time of prayer and reflection, as we listen to Charles Wesley’s great hymn, “And Can It Be,” sung by the contemporary Christian acapella group, GLAD. As they sing, you are encouraged to come to the altar rail for prayer, and thank your heavenly Father for the amazing love he has showered upon you.

Play “And Can It Be” by GLAD following Sermon and before Communion (No Confession Prayer this Week) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rmu9V5kEHQ

© 2024 by John B. Gill, III

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