Our better hero.

Who is your favorite hero?

You know…the one who saves the day in some distant or imaginary civilization?

It seems as if humanity universally loves stories where there’s a grand adventure culminating in a giant battle which feature an unlikely hero who rescues the people from destruction and launches them into a future of peace and prosperity.

Heroes like:

Scripture teaches in Hebrews chapters 4-5 that Jesus is a better high priest of a better covenant. Or to grossly oversimplify and modernize–He’s a better hero of a better adventure that brings about a better civilization of peace and prosperity.

Do you think about Jesus that way? When you watch yet another Avengers or Justice League movie with your kids–does it occur to you that you are merely watching a rerun of The Story? C.S. Lewis was famously convinced of Christianity as he began to recognize that the gospel was simply the True Myth in the vast anthology of lesser ones.

Why not bring that up at the end of your next movie night? What did tonight’s story show us about our need for rescue? In what ways did that hero look like Jesus? In what ways did that hero not look like Jesus?

In what ways do our heroes not look like Jesus? This is where Hebrews 4-5 comes into play. No hero can ever measure up to Jesus. Jesus is better. 

• He doesn’t wield a magic hammer of lightning and thunder. He created and controls the entire weather system.
• He doesn’t sacrifice his life to save one mother’s son because she’s lost three others. He sacrifices his life in order to save all sons and daughters for all mothers and fathers everywhere.
• He doesn’t go willingly into a deadly arena in order to deprive all others of life so he can survive. He volunteers to go into the arena to conquer death through his own death so that all the others may live.

He is the better hero. Don’t let his poor and humble and dusty first century sandals and robe deceive you. Don’t let lyrics like, “gentle Jesus, meek and mild” cause you to forget His great might. Don’t be fooled into thinking he was weak because of his grace–and disgrace. 

Don’t be fooled into thinking he was weak because of his grace–and disgrace. 

The enemies He defeats are stronger. The victory He wins is more glorious. The rule and reign of his perfect Kingdom will never be interrupted by a new villain in a new sequel. “Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end” (Isaiah 9:7). 

Jesus’s wisdom, cunning, bravery, strength, endurance and sacrifice–and yes–gentleness, kindness and love far exceed anything proceeding from the mind of your favorite director. 

Our son Jake, as a preschooler, stopped me in my tracks one day and said, “He was pretty tough to take the nails.” Yes son, He was. The toughest. I encourage you to your kids about Jesus with this kind of heroic language. 

“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords” (Revelation 19:11-16).

Here’s to the return of our better hero,