Daily Devotional

I’m a huge fan of superheroes. Some of that is occupational hazard--any junior high ministry director should probably be conversant in Marvel movies—but I’m also a total nerd and love to geek out over anything superhero related. There may or may not be a replica Captain America shield hanging in my office. But before you dismiss me as a costumed crazy, hang on: I think there’s an important connection to the gospel here.

Superheroes have been around for a LONG time (Superman first appeared on comic book pages in 1938), but their “pop culture” status surged in the 21st century, starting with Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man in 2002. Of the fifty highest grossing films of all time, 14 (over one-quarter) are superhero films (while nine more feature a protagonist with special powers, such as a Jedi Knight, boy wizard, or ice princess). Leading the charge is the juggernaut that is the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), which had made over thirty billion dollars in the past twenty years. Such impressive box office numbers beg the question: why do we seem so drawn to stories with superheroes?

I’m no sociologist, but my running hypothesis is that superhero stories tap into a specific part of the human psyche.  Storytellers throughout history have found that people seem hard-wired to enjoy not just stories about heroes (those who defeat the forces of evil by their mighty exploits), but specifically super-heroes: those who appear human in some sense, but who possess powers and abilities that we ordinary mortals do not. These are ubiquitous in world literature, though most don’t wear spandex. The myths of Greece, Rome, the Near East, and the Far East are full of demigods with superhuman strength and bravery. We see this in the Judeo-Christian world, too: the “hagiographies” of the Middle Ages describe saints wielding miraculous, unearthly powers. We could even point to the true biblical accounts of “superheroes” like Moses, Samson, or Elijah.

Ultimately, we tell ourselves superhero stories because deep down, we understand we need a Savior. As fallen humanity, we are, in the words of Nick Fury, “hopelessly, hilariously outgunned.” We cannot save ourselves; we need someone with power to save beyond anything we possess. Yet these stories show us that the Savior we desire is not some alien, outside force, but someone like us, who can “sympathize with our weaknesses” (Hebrews 4:15). Who better fits this description than our Savior, Jesus? Being fully God, he defeated the enemies we never could – sin, Satan, and death. But being fully man, He did so on our behalf – as one of us. Our longing for a hero like us but with power beyond ours—expressed in ancient Greek myths and modern Marvel movies—is fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ.

We see an example of this Hebrews 12:2, which calls Jesus the “author” of our faith. The Greek word here, archēgos, describes a person who begins or originates something and then continues as its leader. It can be translated “founder,” “pioneer,” or even “captain.” In ancient Greece, the word was applied to a mythological figure such as Hercules who would found a city and then become its patron deity. Archēgos is a “hero” word: it describes someone who accomplishes something we could not, then protects and leads those who follow in his footsteps. The author of Hebrews, by using this word, tells us that this is exactly what Jesus has done for us.

I’m not saying our next sermon series should be “Finding Jesus in Marvel Movies.” If anything, the proliferation of hero stories illustrates fallen humanity’s willingness to find saviors in anyone other than Jesus. Rather, my point is that we as Christians have what C.S. Lewis calls “the true myth:” the REAL story that meets the longing in every human heart that gives rise to our modern superhero obsession. We can boldly proclaim to a world in need that there is a Hero who can meet every need we have, fight every battle we face, triumph over every danger we encounter. We need a Hero – and that Hero is Jesus.

"English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers."