Little children it seems, are fascinated by tales of an age-old struggle of good and evil, by mythical creatures, mad scientists, villains and heroes—especially heroes. Kids love the idea of a champion, someone strong, reliable and good, who always comes to the rescue in the nick of time, routs the bad guys and triumphs in the end. If the wicked wizards resort to magic, no worries!  Our hero just happens to have supernatural abilities that trump them every time.

You would think that any youngster seeing this plotline play out for the zillion^th time would be bored to tears, but they’re not.  Not only do they watch or read these kinds of stories non-stop, they demand their favorite episodes over and over again.  Victory never grows old.  [I have raised children of my own and have about a dozen grandkids, so don’t test me.  I know what I’m talking about.]

Yet, a funny thing happens as we grow older and begin to leave childhood behind.   Our heroes shrink to embarrassing memories (privately mourned).  But their abandonment leaves a void.  We may experience unconscious pangs for awhile, ranging from wistful longing to a piercing pain, depending on our makeup and personal circumstances.

This is more than nostalgia.  There is something else occurring simultaneously with feeling suddenly ashamed of all that ‘hero nonsense’—grown men and women fighting for truth and justice, while parading around in capes and cowls and body stockings.   It’s the bitter disappointment that accompanies recognition of the fact that fallible beings have an uncanny knack for letting us down in the hero department, in 100% of the cases.  It isn’t a matter of “if,” but “when.”

For many, the loss of a hero is so keenly felt that they are driven to find a successor, perhaps a whole series of them, to place atop that sadly empty pedestal.  Who replaced your childhood heroes?  Some celebrity?  An athlete? A multi-billionaire?  A gang leader?  Your spouse?  You, maybe?  How’s that working out for you?

I’d like to introduce you to a REAL hero, someone whom most do not know: Jesus Christ.  Please hold the howls of protest—I’m aware that Jesus ranks kind of high in the name recognition category.  However, I did not offer to introduce you to someone of whom you have not heard, but rather to someone whom most do not know. It’s time we remedied that for the few who have the courage and open-mindedness, not to say the independence of thought to hang in for the explanation.

Why does Jesus stand out from the crowded field of candidates?  What makes Him my Hero (and ought to be yours)? Time, space and my own limitations prevent me from giving a full answer, but I’ll hit a few of the highlights.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep (us).  But to do that, He had to become one of the sheep and live among us.   So, He lowered himself, put His glory aside and left heaven behind. Jesus was born so that He could die for us.

Jesus experienced powerful temptation throughout His life on earth designed to disqualify Him as a sinless substitute who could suffer the Father’s wrath in our place. He fought fiercely and overcame it all. Jesus earned the right to suffer for us.

Jesus led a life of unselfish and unswerving dedication to His mission, while facing constant opposition from those He came to save.  Yet He went on preaching the gospel, setting people free, healing the sick, and raising the dead.  Jesus came to help us.

Jesus is the outward expression of the invisible God.  The fullness of God’s being resides in Him, yet in a form that we can see, hear, and touch.  True man and true God, Jesus makes God personal and accessible for us.

Jesus devoted Himself to doing the Father’s will, instead of His own.  Even when facing the unspeakable ordeal of beatings, flogging, and death by crucifixion, Jesus prayed, “Not my will, but yours be done.”  Jesus loves us and gave Himself for us.

Jesus boldly confronted the large, well-armed party sent by the plotters to arrest Him, demanding to know whom they were seeking.  He identified Himself repeatedly and said, ‘If it’s me you’re looking for, let these [His disciples] go.’  Jesus defends and protects us.

Jesus courageously allowed Himself to be betrayed and handed over to satanically inspired and empowered enemies.  He could have destroyed them, but insisted that scripture be fulfilled to the letter. Jesus proved the reliability of God’s word to us.

Jesus showed His compassion for all people by dying for a lost world in open, active rebellion against Him.  So brutally mistreated that He hardly looked human, stripped, spat upon—mocked, jeered and taunted even on the cross—Jesus persevered for us.

Jesus endured what was for Him, the most dreaded and agonizing part of taking our place in punishment—that moment when the Father had to turn His back on Him (our sins that Jesus bore brought separation).  Jesus paid the penalty in full for us.

Jesus suffered, died and was buried according to the scriptures and rose again on the third day, according to the scriptures.  By His resurrection, Jesus proved His power to lay down His life and take it up again.  Jesus assures us of resurrection, too.

Jesus is coming again for His own.  He will yet establish His long-promised kingdom on earth and will judge the world in righteousness.  All power and authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him.  Jesus keeps all of His promises to us.

Jesus is the ultimate reality. He is master of all things, because He made and sustains them. He is not subject to nature, He transcends it.  He does not change because He exists outside of time. Nothing is impossible for Him.  Jesus is worthy of our worship.

Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Him and no one comes to Jesus unless drawn to Him by the Father.  He that has the Son has eternal life; he that does not have the Son, does not have it.  Jesus gives us everlasting life.

Jesus never leaves us or forsakes us.  Our sin may interrupt fellowship until we confess, repent and seek God’s mercy, but He doesn’t abandon us or put us out of His family.  Jesus is our advocate with the Father, who mediates and intercedes for us.

Jesus is the door by which believers gain entry to the throne room of Almighty God. Through Him we have access through prayer, to God’s grace (undeserved favor) to help us in time of need.  Jesus gives us confidence that our prayers are heard.

Jesus purchased a pardon for us with His own precious blood and offers it as a free gift to those who put their trust in Him.  Jesus justified us, that we might receive forgiveness of sins. Then, He covered us with His righteousness. Jesus reconciles us to God.

What kind of hero is greater than Jesus?  Or who can compare with Him?  His divine attributes, His faultless character, His wonderful promises, His celestial majesty, His complete and utter perfection are unsurpassed.  Both He and His work are all-sufficient. There is no wholesome human need that Jesus is incapable of meeting and none that can be imagined.  Oh, yes, you may choose to live your brief mortal life without Him by your side, but why would you?  To spend eternity out of His presence is a horror-filled and unthinkable prospect.

Do you know Jesus—not the baby in the manger, or the good man/great teacher or the pitiful figure perpetually suspended from the cross—but, the roaring lion of Judah, the King of Kings, before whom every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord, to the glory of God the Father?  Is He your Savior, your Hero, your Master and your Friend?  I earnestly hope that He is.  If He is not, I pray that you will drop everything and come to Christ right now, this very minute.  It’s time for someone you can believe in.  It’s time for a TRUE hero. It’s time for Jesus.

HOW TO BE SAVED:

• Admit to God that you are a sinner (that you have not kept His moral law to perfection; in your thoughts, words and actions you have done what His law forbids and have failed to do what His love demands).  This is seeing yourself from God’s point of view and agreeing that He is right about you. Be as specific as you can.
• Believe in your heart that Jesus died for your sins and that God raised Him from the dead.
• Sincerely repent (turn away) from your sins, asking God to forgive you and to use His power to help you resist temptation, no matter how strong the pull of sin may be, at first.
• Acknowledge Jesus as the Lord of your life.  Invite Him to move into your heart and take up residence there, so that He can change you from the inside out.
• Trust His promise to save you and give you a new spiritual birth and a new nature (thoughts, desires, priorities, hopes, dreams and character).

SOME KEY TRUTHS:

• “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”  (Romans 3:23)
• “As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one.”  (Romans 3:10)
• “For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  (Romans 6:23)
• “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  (John 3:16)
• “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  (Romans 5:8)
• “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”  (I Corinthians 15:3,4)
• “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” (John 1:12)
• “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him…”  (Revelation 3:20)
• “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  (Romans 10:13)
• “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.” (Titus 3:5)
• “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”  (Romans 10:9)
• “Verily, verily, I say unto you; He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life; and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”  (John 5:24)
• “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing, ye might have life through his name.”  (John 20:31) 
• “These things I have written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”  (I John 5:13)