Christ Died For Us

Alba 9-5-2021

CHRIST DIED FOR US

Romans 5:6-11

Scott Bayles, who is the minister of Blooming Grove Christian Church in Palmyra, Illinois, admits that he is a comic book geek. In a sermon titled “Super Heroes: Superman” he makes some interesting comparisons to our Lord Jesus Christ that I want to share with you.

He tells us that Superman has been saving the day since he was created by two Jewish kids from Cleveland in 1939. It’s hard to believe, but before Superman came on the scene there was no such thing as a superhero. Superman is the one who started it all.

And over the years fans, commentators, movie reviewers, and more have noticed a striking similarity between Superman and Jesus.

Superman, perhaps more than any other character ever created, is a literary Christ-figure—that is, a fictional character made in the image of Jesus.

The story of Superman is really a reflection of the gospel story. It’s the story of a father in the heavens who sends his only son to earth with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men, to be raised in a small town by adoptive parents, and eventually save the world.

But it’s not enough to simply identify these similarities without also asking what we can learn from them? How can Superman help us to better understand Jesus and draw closer to him? To help answer that question, Scott shares parallels between Superman and our Savior.

As a baby this future Superman was placed by his father in a rocketship bound for earth to protect him from a doomed planet. It crash lands on the property of modest farmers, Jonathan and Martha Kent, who raise the boy as their own in the rural Kansas town of Smallville.

As Clark Kent he experienced humanity first hand, but as Superman he can stand for truth and save the day. Of course, Superman’s duel identity, reminds us that our Savior—the one true Superhero—also has a duel nature, both fully man and fully God.

But then Scott tells about a comic book of which I was not familiar.

The Death of Superman. He bought his copy in November of 1992.

He says that people lined up for blocks outside of comic book stores and waited for hours just to get a copy of the illusive Death of Superman issue, which sold millions of copies and remains the bestselling graphic novel ever.

In the story that resulted in the death of Superman, a mysterious monster who had been imprisoned in an abyss far below the surface of the Earth, breaks free and begins wreaking havoc all over the Midwest.

He collapses an interstate overpass, demolishes an 18-wheeler in a head on collision with his fist, and wanders from place to place destroying whatever catches his eye.

One of the other heroes who tries and fails to stop him calls him Doomsday. A bystander describes him as, “The devil incarnate ushering in the end of the world!”

Superman is the only hero strong enough to face the ferocious monster in a battle that stretches across six issues and several states.

As their mêlée reaches Metropolis, in order to emphasize the drama, the artist who drew the final comic made each panel a full-page picture. Metropolis becomes the epicenter for the fight of the ages.

Streets are demolished and cars are hurled as the indestructible fighters crash through buildings. Their final punches send shock waves, shattering the glass from nearby windows.

Bruised and bloody, Superman refused to give up. Finally, he puts every ounce of strength into one last blow. He and Doomsday collide and then collapse onto the broken pavement.

On the last page, in a picture modeled after a famous sculpture of Mary holding the body of Jesus, Lois whispers to Superman, “You stopped him! You saved us all!”

Then the page folded out as Superman breathed his last and gave up his spirit. Scott admits “I’ll be honest with you. I cried when I read that story. Superman was my hero. And there he was broken and lifeless. It broke my eleven-year-old heart. This story and that image define for me what it meant to be a hero.”

And he continues, “Of course, at that same time I was reading my Bible and listening closely to the stories I would hear in Sunday School about a hero sent from above to save the world.

“And I made a connection. What Superman did in that comic book, Jesus did in reality. The monster may have been different, but the outcome was the same.”

“Jesus died on the cross to save us from our own sin and to rescue us not just for a time, but for eternity.”

He said, “A couple of weeks after Superman #75 hit the shelves, I was baptized and entrusted my life to the hero who gave his life for me. That’s why today Jesus is my superhero!