…I am the Almighty God… – Genesis 17:1, Amplified Bible (AMP)

I recently watched a short documentary about the making of Man of Steel, the 2013 blockbuster movie about the DC Comics character, Superman. During the documentary, one of the producers of the film likened the character of Superman to a melding of the Old and of the New Testaments of the Bible. Like Moses, Cal-El was saved from destruction in a tiny vessel made specifically for his deliverance. Like Jesus, Clark Kent has superhuman powers that he uses for the good of mankind. All of this caught my attention, but then Amy Adams, the actress who played Lois Lane in the movie, said something that REALLY caught my attention. She said, “Who doesn’t want to believe in someone who helps us by saving us from ourselves?” For the first time in a long time, I found myself actually talking to the television as I emphatically shouted the words, “His name would be Jesus Christ, and a lot of people DON’T want Him!”

I have never heard someone tie the Superman character to biblical roots, but after hearing it said, I can’t say that I am surprised by the connection. Superman is supernaturally powerful, he fights for truth, and he sacrifices himself for the benefit of others – all noble, biblical themes. There is something sad about this connection between Superman and the Bible, however. The Superman character is one of the most popular in all of the comic book world, and that fact proves how much people identify with and long for a savior. But most people only want a savior that confronts the evil in others, not one that stares down the evil within themselves. To truly save us from ourselves, as Ms. Adams put it, we must first be saved from the evil within – the very evil, sin nature that condemns us to eternal damnation apart from Christ’s sacrificial, saving atonement. But when we have to face our own sin – when we are the bad guy in the tale – the Superhero isn’t as attractive, and the storyline is not as entertaining.

The key reason why so many people reject the real Superman is this: Christ requires people to give up their right to themselves, and most people just don’t want to do that. They want to be the captain of their own ship, not realizing that they are steering their ships into oblivion. On this Thanksgiving Day 2013, I am thankful that the real Superman – Jesus Christ – proved to me that He is the only true superhero and that I ought to give unto Him the command of my ship. Since the day when my “big” rescue from eternal damnation occurred, Christ has rescued me time and again from the fruits of my own foolishness. Of course, He has also rescued me from the foolishness of others who would do me harm, and for both types of rescues, I am totally grateful.

How grateful are you? Totally? Or partially? How much of the control over your life have you surrendered to Christ, and how much control have you held on to? Your submission is the measure of your gratitude.

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