The Mirror of Erised

Introduction (5m)

Leah is a Harry Potter Fan

In case you didn’t know! Some Christians have a problem with the Harry Potter stories, but if you dig a little deeper, you discover the books tackle many of the same subjects the Bible does. Harry’s story is about the fight between good and evil. He encounters the big questions of life like love, fear, and death and even resurrection.

Harry Potter’s Context

For those of you who don’t know, Harry is an orphan. Parents killed by an evil wizard when he was only 1yo. Raised by aunt/uncle, who despise him. Now 11yo and in first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

In Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, at Christmas, Harry is given a package with an unsigned note: “Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was returned to you. Use it well.” Opens package, discovers something he didn’t even know existed - an invisibility cloak. When you put it on, completely invisible.

Decides to try it out at night after curfew, and when almost caught, hides in a nearby room and discovers a very special mirror. The Mirror of Erised. In it, Harry sees his parents. In this clip, Professor Dumbledore explains why:

Video: Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone - The Mirror of Erised - 4:00

What are your deepest desires?

The Mirror of Erised - Desire backwards, shows you the deepest desire of your heart. If you stood in front of the Mirror of Erised today, what would it show you? What is the deepest desire of your heart?

Explanation (5m)

J teaches us that whatever the desires of hearts are, that is what we will invest in

Matthew 6:21 NIV

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

When Jesus says our heart will be where whatever our deepest desires are, he’s not just talking about affections/emotions

When Bible talks about heart it means, our whole inner being, the core of what it means to be human, the wellspring of all we do.

If what we really desire in life is a career/a relationship/our family/materialism/even our ministry for God, then we will devote all our time, money and energy to it

Our total being will be all out for whatever it is we truly desire, whatever shows up in the Mirror of Erised. We may talk about having a heart for God, but our actions will reveal where our true desire really is.

This verse is worth memorising, because it can be our Mirror of Erised

It can show us where our heart really is, what our deepest desire really is. It is natural for career, education, home to occupy such a large place in our lives, but Jesus warns against becoming totally absorbed by the them.

Instead, Jesus encourages us to make the treasures of heaven our deepest desire

Matthew 6:20 NIV

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

When you store up treasures in heaven, instead of viewing money as the source of your provision, you see God as the source. Instead of accumulating more and more things - food, clothing, houses, cars - because you sure there isn’t enough to go round, you selflessly love others with the things you have. You accumulate to give it away.

J warns against focusing our deepest desires on the things of this life

If anything in this world - even a good thing - is everything to you, then that is an earthly treasure. And the reason for making the treasures of heaven our deepest desire is that the treasures of earth will be destroyed. They are temporary. You can’t take it with you, as they say!

Jesus’ promise is that if our deepest desires are the treasures of heaven rather than the treasures of earth, then we will receive a reward:

1 Corinthians 3:11–14 NIV

For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.

What the reward is, the Bible is silent, which is probably best, otherwise that would become our obsession instead!

But the reward we receive in heaven will be substantial and it will be beyond our wildest dreams. Nothing will destroy it. And we can have a foretaste of it now, as Jesus promised:

John 10:10 M:BCL

A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.

Application (5m)

So how should we live?

If we want to store up treasure in heaven, if we want that to be the deepest desire of our heart, how should we live.

Leah has made her decision today

She has chosen Jesus as her Saviour. She has asked him to forgive her and to keep her from doing wrong. She has chosen to be obedient to him and help others to follow him. She has promised to communicate with God, to learn from his Word, and to lead a clean and good life. There is no doubt today, what Leah’s deepest desires are in her heart. I am sure that is what she would see if she looked into the Mirror of Erised.

And her commitment today prompts us to ask ourselves the same question: what do we see when we look into the Mirror of Erised?

What are our deepest desires? What are we investing in? How should we live?

Ask yourself these questions this morning:

What occupies my thoughts when I have nothing else to do? What occupies my daydreams? That is where your deepest desires are.

What do I worry about the most? That’s where your treasure is.

Apart from my loved ones, what or whom do I most dread losing? That’s your deepest desire.

What are things I measure others by? Their success? Their clothing? Their homes? Their education? That’s where our treasure lies.

What is it that I know I cannot be happy without? That’s where my heart truly is.

God will not force us to put him first

He’s too loving, kind and gentle for that. He wants us to choose to love and serve him freely. He wants us to choose to make him our deepest desire, just as Leah has done this morning.

Let’s learn together to live in his presence

To learn to do everything for him and him alone. Let’s get our priorities right. Let’s aim to see the treasures of heaven in the Mirror of Erised.

I invite you look into the Mirror of Erised this morning and see:

2 Now my heart?s desire is to know you more, To be found in you and known as yours, To possess by faith what I could not earn, All-surpassing gift of righteousness. Knowing you, Jesus, knowing you, There is no greater thing. You?re my all, you?re the best, You?re my joy, my righteousness, And I love you, Lord. Graham Kendrick © 1993 Make Way Music www.grahamkendrick.co.uk 

Next Steps

SB 565 - All I once held dear, built my life upon

All I once held dear, built my life upon, All this world reveres, and wars to own, All I once thought gain I have counted loss; Spent and worthless now, compared to this: Knowing you, Jesus, knowing you, There is no greater thing. You?re my all, you?re the best, You?re my joy, my righteousness, And I love you, Lord. (After last chorus) Love you, Lord. 2 Now my heart?s desire is to know you more, To be found in you and known as yours, To possess by faith what I could not earn, All-surpassing gift of righteousness. 3 O, to know the power of your risen life, And to know you in your sufferings, To become like you in your death, my Lord, So with you to live and never die. Graham Kendrick © 1993 Make Way Music www.grahamkendrick.co.uk  Used By Permission. CCL Licence No. 135015 Copied from The Song Book of The Salvation Army Song Number 565