Heroes (Do You Have What It Takes?)

HEROES

Jn 15: 12-13

INTRO

WHAT MAKES A HERO

WE NEED THEM, LOVE THEM, DO WE UNDERSTAND THEM?

LOOKED UP TO, BUT MORE - WHO WERE YOUR HEROES GROWING UP? WHY?

BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY DID / ACCOMPLISHED

OR WHO THEY ARE - THEIR CHARACTER

HOW THEY TREATED YOU

WHAT MAKES A HERO?

CULTURE TODAY ELEVATES PEOPLE FOR WRONG REASONS

IDEAS , PRINCIPLES

PEOPLE CALLED HERO BECAUSE THY ARE

WILLING TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO "MAKE IT"

EXAMPLE:(NEWS ANCHOR, WORKS 5AM-10PM, THEN MOM?)

PHYSICAL ABILITIES - RUN FAST, JUMP HIGH

HIT BASEBALL 400FT, GOLFBALL 300YD

SOMEHOW WE LOST OR TWISTED OUR VIEW OF WHAT MAKES A TRUE HERO

TEXT

(Jn 15:12-13 KJV) 12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

DEFINITION OF HERO

A PERSON NOTED FOR COURAGE AND NOBILITY OF PURPOSE (AMER HERITAGE.)

BASED ON SCRIPTURE AND JESUS HIMSELF - GREATEST HERO OF ALL

SOMEONE WHO IS WILLING TO GIVE SOMETHING OF GREAT VALUE FOR THE BENEFIT

OF OTHERS

3 MAJOR CHARACTERISTICS OF HERO: SELFLESS, SERVANTS HEART, WILLING TO SACRIFICE

EXAMPLE: MY GRANDFATHER

JAMES SHELTEN

SPENT SUMMER GROWING UP ON FARM

HARD WORK, HELPING OTHERS

WWII - BATTLE OF THE BULGE

HE DOESN’T TALK ABOUT IT MUCH

IN ANOTHER MANS BOOK ABOUT WWII, WROTE MY GRANDFATHER

"MOST SELFLESS ACT HE HAD EVER SEEN"

MEN CUT OFF, 300 YDS UP HILL, BACK TO SAFETY

PURPLE HEART, MEDAL OF HONOR V FOR VALOR

GRANDMOTHER DIED ABOUT 8-9 YEARS AGO

WHEELCHAIR, THEN BED

GRANDPA NEVER LEFT HER SIDE

FED, CLEANED, READ TO HER

2HRS SHORT OF 50YRS OF MARRIAGE SHE DIED IN HIS ARMS

1. SELFLESS

Php 2:3-4( KJV)(3) Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. (4) Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

GRANDPA LIVED IT OUT

GRANDPA INTERVIEWED FOR LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

VETERANS ORAL HISTORY PROJECT

HE DESCRIBED THE BATTLE AND MENTIONED HEAD INJURY

AUNT ADDED INFO ABOUT SAVING 2 MEN

HE WAS NOT AFTER PERSONAL GLORY

PUTTING THEIR NEEDS AHEAD OF HIS JUST WHO HE IS

REASON SELFLESS IS HEROIC -IT IS CHRISTLIKE

JESUS WANTS SELFLESSNESS OF US , THATS WHY HE MODELED IT FOR US

BORN IN MANGER IN BETHLEHEM

BAPTIZED IN RIVER JORDAN

ARRESTED, BEATEN, SPIT UPON

NAILS PIERCED HIS HANDS / FEET

SPEAR PIERCED HIS SIDE

A HERO IS SELFLESS - PUTS NEEDS OF OTHERS AHEAD OF HIS OWN

2. SERVANTS HEART

Php 2:5-7 (KJV) (5) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (6) Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: (7) But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

MT 20 : SAYS JESUS CAME NOT TO BE SERVED BUT TO SERVE

JN 13:14-15 KJV (14) If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. (15) For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

WHEN YOU PICTURE HERO , WHAT DO YOU SEE?

LEADING MAN WITH PERFECT TEETH GALLOPING ON HIS TRUSTY STEED

BRANDISHING HIS SWORD READY TO FOIL VILLAIN AND SAVE THE DAY

SCRIPTURE PAINTS A DIFFERENT PICTURE

LORD JESUS W/ TOWEL AROUND WAIST - GRANDPA

WASHING THE FEET OF HIS DISCIPLES

PICTURE OF TRUE HERO - OF JESUS

THAT’S WHAT JESUS WANTS FROM US

HERO HAS A SERVANTS HEART

3. WILLING TO SACRIFICE

TEXT: GRANDPA - PUT LIFE ON LINE FOR FRIENDS

JESUS NOT ONLY WILLING, HE MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE

Php 2:8 KJV And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself,

and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

A HERO IS WILLING TO GIVE SOMETHING OF GREAT VALUE FOR THE BENEFIT OF OTHERS

BIG POINT

STRUCK ME THIS WEEK - I REALLY WANT YOU TO GET THIS

IN ORDER TO GIVE SOMETHING, YOU MUST LET GO!

ILLUSTATION: (I had a church member come to the front and pretended to give him my Bible, but wouldn’t let go of it, so I never really gave it to him. You have to let go of something in order to give it away - just like giving Jesus your life - you have to let go of control!)

JESUS DEMONSTRATED THIS FOR US ON CROSS

WHEN HE SAID "FATHER INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT"

HE WAS LETTING GO

NO ONE TOOK HIS LIFE, HE GAVE IT

Joh 10:18 KJV No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.