How do you make a superhero?
I am certain D.C. and Marvel have formulas in this regard. But then how do you make a Biblical
superhero? And is there any such
thing? The term superhero brings with it
several connotations, some of which don’t seem in line with Biblical ideology. The basic difference between fictional
superheroes and a possible Biblical superhero is that the fictional ones seem
to contain all that power within themselves.
Something happens “to” them that creates, or they are born with, some
“ability” that from that moment on lives inside of them and can be used or
controlled and directed however they like.
The focus on the average superhero then is inward for his/her
power. If we were to examine possible
Biblical superhero what we quickly learn is that their power never originated
in them, it was “given” to them, and it could be taken away should they misuse
it, or defy the Giver. Marvel and D.C.
would have us look inward for power; the Bible would have us look upward for
it. It is a key difference.
Then consider for a moment where true power always has and
always will reside. It is not in
you. It is not in your intentions, or
will, or good ideas. Power is not yours
because people give it to you. No matter
what you oversee, those “positions” of power come and go. You may hold one now, but in time others will
hold it, and in times past others held it still. In this case again the power does not
originate to you, it tags along with a given position where much is
overseen. But that is not real
power. Real power, like what God has,
originates within Him. His imagination
becomes universal reality. His ideas
become the rules of physics, science, and the multiverse (should one
exist). He has no weakness. Perhaps with the exception of His love for
us. We have made God willing to die, to
take our place, our punishment, in order that we might be redeemed unto Him
again. His love for us motivated Him to
this for us. In our reality God holds
all the power, we hold none. And what
“abilities” we find ourselves with, are then gifts from a loving God; not the
random product of DNA propensity, environmental support systems, or even dogged
determination in practice-practice-practice.
We watch the superman movies because the child in us dreams
of being superman. But given our
propensities, should any one of us ever be given the superman abilities, the
chances we would misuse them are nearly absolute. The temptation to hold power over others
presents a temptation no human walks away from consistently. Imagine for a moment the things you encounter
during the day that aggravate you. Right
now, not much you could do about them.
But if you were superman/woman you could do whatever you want about
them, and no one would have the power to do anything about it. That kind of power is intoxicating, and the
reason our God knows better than to make us invincible supermen or women. We are instead vulnerable by design. This state of vulnerability was meant for a
singular purpose, to keep our focus on the true source of power in our God,
instead of trying to look for that power inside ourselves.
So back to our question – how do you make a Biblical
superhero. Step one, recognize any power
(or gifts) you will be given come from God, they do not start or end in you. Step two, be willing to be one. And here is where most of us simply respond
“no thanks” and walk away. Not many of
us want the responsibility of carrying great spiritual gifts within us. I am more comfortable with my life how it
is. I am not looking to be called to the
mission fields, inspired to share the Word with the Power that can only come
from the Holy Spirit portion of the Godhead.
That gift could even prove dangerous to me personally. And what if healing was your new thing? Are you ready to give up your life from the
constant and incessant demands of those in need to be healed of what makes them
sick. The sick far outnumber you. And they are relentless, that is, their need
is relentless. Are you ready to up-end
your life in order to serve in a mission that God would empower in you. Just to “be there” for people who need you
now can be taxing enough. Having that
number of people who need you multiply by thousands or tens of thousands could
mean constant text messages, voice mails, emails, and letters by the bag full. Are you ready to truly serve the world if
that is what you were gifted to do? Oh
yeah? Then try it. You may not be able to heal, or preach, but
you can love. And there is a ton of need
out there for that. A few days of it and
you will be exhausted, but then that is where the “gift” part is needed in the
first place.
Ask Peter and Andrew.
They were not born disciples of Jesus.
They became that. By luck? By happenstance? Right place, right time. Or because they were looking for Him, when He
sought them out. Think about that for a
moment. How their origin story works is
a little unclear, even with all of scripture.
But here are the basics. John the
Baptist was making the way clear for the Messiah in his mission. He had disciples who were eager to help
out. When Jesus appeared John sent two
of them (John and Andrew) to become disciples of Jesus. Both men were looking. Here was Jesus. Both men believed and immediately ran to
their respective brothers to add them to the ranks. The other two seemed less eager at least to
follow the words of their fishermen brothers.
But then Jesus came to them as well.
Luke tells the story in his version in chapter five picking up in verse
one saying … “And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear
the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, [verse 2] And saw two
ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were
washing their nets.” Luke is writing a
flashback. We know this because just
earlier Jesus was going to Peter’s house, and healing his mother-in-law. Jesus and Peter were already hanging out
together in earlier verses from Luke, so this snippet is a flashback/flash
sideways.
John and Andrew were fishermen too. And as Luke sets the scene, they were their
too, they were helping out washing the nets, from an unproductive night of
fishing. The two boats are empty on Lake
Gennesaret in Galilee. The crowds are
pressing in on Jesus, so He steps into one of the empty boats and pushes just a
little distance offshore in order to preach to the multitude and be heard. Luke continues in verse 3 saying … “ And he entered into one of the ships, which
was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And
he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.” I imagine this was an awesome sermon. How could it not be? And while the crowd was listening to the
Truth, so were all four of the first disciples while they tended to cleaning
their nets. By the end of this sermon,
Peter knew this Rabbi was not like any other.
He understood why his brother was so convinced this was the
Messiah. But while Peter wanted the
Messiah to come, he was not sure he was worthy to have anything to do with
Him. Jesus was going to fix that.
Luke continues in verse 4 saying … “Now when he had left
speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets
for a draught. [verse 5] And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have
toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will
let down the net.” Keep in mind, this is
an origin story, for a superhero of the faith, one who would one day request to
die crucified upside down because he did not feel honored enough to die like
his Lord did. That takes extreme faith,
to hold it unto death. And to hold it
through the torture he would endure while dying. But this was way back at the beginning of
that journey of faith. At this point,
Peter figures a lesson in practicality is what the young Rabbi needs to
receive. Never tell a fishermen how to
fish. Peter figures once this idea
fails, Jesus will move on and leave him alone.
So easy enough to humor this would-be Messiah. He pushes out offshore and lets down the net
in the deep as instructed. Cant wait to
see the look on this Rabbi’s face when we come in dry as a bone and not a
single fish. Already fished these same
waters last night and nada, so now should be a quick rerun of that. Faith at an origin, is hardly the same as
faith at the ending.
Luke continues in verse 6 saying … “And when they had this
done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. [verse 7]
And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they
should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they
began to sink.” Oops. The Rabbi knows His fish. Not only does Peter hit the motherlode, he
needs a second boat to help take in the haul.
And they fill that boat and his so high, the boats are just short of
sinking entirely from the weight of the fish they took in. Ironically, this load could have fed the 5000
that would one day later require dinner before heading from a sermon of
Jesus. But alas memory is short. Now this miracle, and it is nothing short of
one, cannot be denied and is being witnessed by more than just Peter. All four of the first disciples are there
taking it in. But Peter in his origin
story, knows himself better than any of us would like to admit.
Luke continues in verse 8 saying … “When Simon Peter saw it,
he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O
Lord. [verse 9] For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the
draught of the fishes which they had taken: [verse 10] And so was also James,
and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon …” Depart from me, because I am a sinful
man. Have you ever been there? Ever looked at yourself in the mirror, and
known just how evil you really are, how many people you have hurt, some of them
on purpose? When we see our evil as it really
is, it does not inspire us to get close to Jesus for the fear of who we
are. But Jesus is not afraid of who we
are. He does not run from us and our sin
stains that will one day be covered by His very blood. He runs towards us. His miracles are for our benefit. He did not come here to leave us as we are,
but to start our origin story, and move us forward on a journey of faith that
ends very differently than it looks today.
It is the love for us that may be the only weakness our God has. For His love will motive Him to do anything
to save us. And He risks our rejection,
but He does not live in fear of it, He tries to conquer it for us.
Luke continues picking back up in verse 10 saying … “And
Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. [verse 11]
And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed
him.” I am certain Peter did not fully
understand what Jesus even meant by that invitation, only that it was a
continued invitation in the face of his revelation of self-evil. Jesus wanted Peter, even if Peter felt
unworthy. Jesus loved Peter right from
the get-go. Peter could sense it. He could hear it. He just knew it, without another word of it
to be spoken. That kind of love needs a
response. So Peter and the others
determined right then to leave their entire lives behind. The boat, the enormous catch of fish that
might have made them all rich for a season, even their families. They forsook it all and followed Jesus. They would care for their families from the
road. But not even family could lure
these men away from that pure source of love.
These men became Biblical superheroes of the faith. And this was an origin story point for each
of them. It was not the whole
origin. But it was a point within
it. What was common among them was they
were looking for the Messiah. They
recognized Jesus when He came to them.
And they left their entire lives behind them. They literally up-ended their lives no matter
what the cost, and followed Jesus, not having a clue where they were going or
what it meant to follow this Jesus of Nazareth.
They would soon find out that this new Rabbi was not well liked by all
the other Rabbi’s. This one spoke
differently. This one loved differently. And the whole world was to be changed by that
love. Each of them starting a journey of
faith they would all be given. You can
begin again too. You can look upward
even for the gift of faith. You can
realize you don’t need a power in you, you only need to connect to His power,
and no other need will ever cross your plate again. God manages your needs for you. What you want, that you don’t have, will
likely turn out to be something that He knew you did not really need anyway. In fact, it might have been that very thing,
that would harm you more than help you.
I wonder, what will your origin story look like? …
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