1. Introduction
The story is one of the Arabian Nights, the book of One Thousand and One Nights.
The story gives us a serious question regarding the lordship. Do we believe in Jesus as our Lord? Is the reason for my belief in Jesus not because I need another Aladdin’s Genie?
The story is one of the Arabian Nights, the book of One Thousand and One Nights.
The story gives us a serious question regarding the lordship. Do we believe in Jesus as our Lord? Is the reason for my belief in Jesus not because I need another Aladdin’s Genie?
2. Summary
There lived a poor boy called Aladdin. One day, a sorcerer visited Aladdin, deceiving himself as his late dad’s brother.
He asked Aladdin to bring out a lamp in a cave under the ground. He put a magic ring on Aladdin’s finger to protect him.
When Aladdin grabbed the lamp, he learned of the sorcerer’s scheme to kill him. He didn’t pass it on. The sorcerer closed the cave with a rock.
With the help of the magic ring, Aladdin was able to get out of the cave with the lamp. When he was rubbing the lamp by chance, the genie of the lamp turned up. The genie said he would do whatever Aladdin gave an order.
Aladdin ordered
the genie to prepare for forty slaves and lots of jewels. The king
accepted Aladdin as his son-in-law. Aladdin finally married the princess.
The sorcerer began to revenge against Aladdin. He pretended to be a lamp seller, who was exchanging old lamps with brand new ones.
The sorcerer began to revenge against Aladdin. He pretended to be a lamp seller, who was exchanging old lamps with brand new ones.
The princess brought the Aladdin’s lamp to the sorcerer for a new one.
The sorcerer summoned the genie of the lamp and ordered him to take the
princess away.
Aladdin came to know what happened later. He lost the lamp but still kept the magic ring. The genie of the ring took Aladdin to the place where the princess was captive.
Aladdin got the princess back. With the wisdom of the princess, Aladdin was able to kill the sorcerer. Times had passed. The king passed away, and Aladdin succeeded to the throne.
3. Lessons
(1) Who’s the Lord, and who’s the servant?
The genie of the lamp can do everything, but he is only Aladdin’s servant. The owner was Aladdin.
It is not a Christian faith. God is not just a power. The faith is associated with the question of who’s the Lord and who’s the servant.
Aladdin came to know what happened later. He lost the lamp but still kept the magic ring. The genie of the ring took Aladdin to the place where the princess was captive.
Aladdin got the princess back. With the wisdom of the princess, Aladdin was able to kill the sorcerer. Times had passed. The king passed away, and Aladdin succeeded to the throne.
3. Lessons
(1) Who’s the Lord, and who’s the servant?
The genie of the lamp can do everything, but he is only Aladdin’s servant. The owner was Aladdin.
It is not a Christian faith. God is not just a power. The faith is associated with the question of who’s the Lord and who’s the servant.
Romans 10:9 says, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’.....you
will be saved.”
Don’t expect God
to work for us like the genie. Think about prayer. Our prayer to God is not
like rubbing our hands on a magic lamp.
If our prayers are beyond what God wants,
God will refuse to answer them. That’s the sovereignty of God.
Remember! I am the servant: God is the Lord.
(2) If I believe in Jesus, can I expect prosperity in my lifetime?
The genie of the lamp provides Aladdin with everything he needs.
But the Bible places more value on eternity. 2Corinthians 4:18 says, ”So we fix our eyes.....on what is unseen.....but what is unseen is eternal.”
The cost of eternity could be hardship in our life. But Apostle Paul encourages us to pass through all that. The glory is waiting for us.
Romans 8:18 says, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”
(3) Are there any ethics in Aladdin’s magic lamp?
Remember! I am the servant: God is the Lord.
(2) If I believe in Jesus, can I expect prosperity in my lifetime?
The genie of the lamp provides Aladdin with everything he needs.
But the Bible places more value on eternity. 2Corinthians 4:18 says, ”So we fix our eyes.....on what is unseen.....but what is unseen is eternal.”
The cost of eternity could be hardship in our life. But Apostle Paul encourages us to pass through all that. The glory is waiting for us.
Romans 8:18 says, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”
(3) Are there any ethics in Aladdin’s magic lamp?
The genie solves
any problem no matter what the lamp owner orders. He doesn’t care whether it is
ethical or not.
Aladdin made a
fortune with no effort, thanks to the genie. It’s just like winning the lotto.
Even if he didn’t
have any political philosophy, he became a king. He would continue to rely on
the magic power of the genie for his ruling. Do we want such a leader?
Jesus says, “Do
not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come
to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5:17)
The law in the
Bible is the foundation of our life. Even after Jesus was crucified, the law
was not abolished. Rather, it’s been fulfilled.
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