Superhero

Growing up, I was fascinated with the concept of superheros. They didn’t have blockbuster movies about them when I grew up (I know, I’m a dinosaur), but they did have a lot of superhero cartoons. My favorite superhero? None other than Superman!

Superman was awesome! He could run really fast, fly, jump over tall buildings, melt things with laser beams from his eyes, and he was also bullet proof. He laughed in the face of danger, “Hahahahahaha!” He had the knack of always showing up at the right time to save any number of people that had gotten themselves into some sort of trouble.

But, alas, these superheros do not exist in reality. Though they may make for some great films, the reality is that they are a mixture of myth, folklore, and some really bad theology. In other words, they’re fiction.

There is, however, one guy, one man, that had supernatural abilities that were used to save others. His name is Jesus, and his story is true. He, too showed the innate ability to rescue people at just the right time. He lived about 2,000 years ago in a land called, “Galilee” (Which, when you think about it, sounds kinda like a place a superhero would come from).

Check out this story penned by a guy named John:

When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going. (John 6:16-21 ESV)

Yep, Jesus saved his best friends from drowning in the middle of the Sea of Galilee. How did he do it? It’s simple really: 1-He walked about three to four miles on top of the water of a storm-tossed sea; 2-He teleported the boat, and his friends, to safety. It was a piece of cake! But, the story doesn’t stop there.

Matthew tells this same story in Matthew 14:22-32, but he added some more details to consider. In addition to the things mentioned above, Jesus also: 3-Gave Peter the ability to walk on water, too (though he epicly failed when he took his eyes off of Jesus); 4-Calmed the storm the instant he stepped foot into the boat.

Notice also that Jesus had a great superhero catch phrase as he approached the boat, “It is I; do not be afraid.” When Jesus said this, it wasn’t just a cool catch phrase. Instead, he was saying it as the Messiah, the Son of God, the great “I Am.” In other words, the Son of God was saying, “Chill. I’ve got this!” And, unlike other “sons of god” from lore and legend, Jesus really did live, and really is the Son of the Almighty God.

When you are going through life’s storms, don’t forget that our superhero, Jesus, will use every power in the universe to help you get through it.

If you’ve haven’t yet become friends with Jesus, there is no time like the present. Jesus’ favorite thing to do is save people, after all! Give him a shout out. Ask him to step into your boat and watch what happens.