Our True Super Hero

At the end of Quentin Tarantino's "epic" Kill Bill, there is a discourse by "Bill" about his favorite super-hero: Superman. In his speech, Bill explains why he likes The Man of Steel above all others in the super-hero mythology genre.

The main point of the comparison is that Superman doesn't have to BECOME someone else. He doesn't assume a different identity as others do. Peter Parker puts on a costume and becomes Spiderman, Bruce Wayne does the same to become Batman, Bruce Banner becomes the Incredible Hulk, and, most recently Tony Stark becomes Iron Man when dons the uniform.

This is not the routine for Superman. He was born Superman. When he came to Earth from Krypton and was found by the Kent family, his blanket was actually his future-cape. You see, Superman WAS always Superman. There never was a time when he was not Superman. IN fact, Superman had to set aside his real identity in order to mingle in the lives of those whom he was to serve. When Superman put on his "costume," it was the costume of one of us. He became the mild-mannered, journalist Clark Kent. When there was a need that looked "like a job for Superman," it was the costume of Clark Kent (the alter-ego) that was shed for the reality of Superman.

Philippians 2:6-11 tells us that Jesus is the REAL superman who, as God "did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness... He humbled himself" in order to do for us what we could never do: living a perfectly righteous and God-pleasing life.

One preacher noted several years ago that the "swaddling cloths" that Jesus was wrapped in as an infant would have also been used as burial cloths (like those Joseph of Arimathea used to wrap Jesus' body after the crucifixion). Jesus was FAR more than some carpenter's son who later became the leader of a new religious sect when he put on his new costume and played a different role. Jesus never ceased to be God. He put on a uniform of flesh and blood in order to live the life we could not and die the death we deserve - all for our benefit and the glory of God.

Colossians 1:15-23 is a great discourse from the Apostle Paul on Jesus' mission and divinity. In verses 19 - 20 we are told that Jesus' work - on our behalf - was so right that "God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him and through him to reconcile to himself all things ... by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross."

Because of the REAL Superman we, who "once were alienated from God and were (His) enemies ... because of (our) evil behavior. But now (two of the greatest words in Scripture) HE has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation" (Col 1:21-22).

Paul goes on to say "this the gospel." Indeed, it is the gospel - GOOD NEWS!