Heroes Of The Faith Part 1 Series

Heroes of the Faith

Series

Text: 1 Samuel 17:1-11

The edgy television drama Heroes follows a group of individuals who carry an unusual genetic marker giving them unique, superhuman abilities. These superhuman capabilities include things like reading people’s thoughts, becoming invisible, time traveling, knowing the future, exhibiting incredible strength, and being indestructible. As the story progresses these heroes are coming to the realization that together they have a mission to ’save the world’.

The early taglines for the publicity of this series was “Ordinary people discovering extraordinary abilities."

It that was a hero is all about - - - Superhuman, extraordinary capabilities? Hollywood would have us believe that.

I think heroes are made another way. And I think the Bible give us a great of how heroes are made and who qualifies as a hero.

I. Who needs a hero?

It’s hard to imagine that in an “It’s all about me” society, that anyone would need a hero. After all, if I can do it myself, figure it out myself or at the very lease “google” it, why do I need anyone else.

But really, isn’t everyone in pursuit of a hero? Someone that they can look up to, emulate, and model? A well known child psychologist has stated that “The need for a hero is even more urgent for children because they don’t know how to think abstractly. But they can imagine what their hero would do in the circumstances, and it gives them a useful reference point to build abstract thinking skills."

Truth is, we all need a hero. Someone we can look up to, someone we strive to be like.

Heroes live a life worthy of imitating.

The Apostle Paul told the early church believers that if they were looking for a hero they could look to him. He said “14 I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. 15 For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you, imitate me. and again in 1 Corinthians 11:1 he instructed again that they “imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ”.

Remember what our earlier definition of a Hero is? “Ordinary people doing extraordinary things.”

Our country is in need of some heroes

Our community would use a few heroes

Our Church could benefit from some heroes

Our homes desperately need to be led by a couple of heroes

II. What makes a Hero?.

Israel was in desperate need of a hero. Oh, they had a king, Saul, a man who at one time was the most influential man in the kingdom, chosen by the people, not so much because he was God’s pick, but because of his statue and status. The Bible puts it this way:

1 Samuel 9:1-2

1 There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, , a Benjamite, a mighty man of power. 2 And he had a choice and handsome son whose name was Saul. There was not a more handsome person than he among the children of Israel. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.

But something had drastically changed by the time Israel got to the battlefield of Sochoh. Let’s look at our text again (verse 11)

11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed (broken and cracked, defeated) and greatly afraid (drained of courage)”.

In the next several weeks we are going to take a biblical look at some - maybe not so well known - Heroes of the Faith. Men and women, just like you and I, that rose to the occasion of their day and made themselves available to be used of God in a great way.

What are some of the characteristics of these and other heroes? Here are some common traits among true heroes:

Sacrifice A hero will, without thought, put his own needs aside for the sake of others.

Determination A hero will possess an inner resolve to see a matter through without weighty consideration of potential cost and loss or public opinion

Courage Mental or moral strength to resist opposition, danger, or hardship. Courage implies firmness of mind and will in the face of danger or extreme difficulty An ingrained capacity for meeting strain or difficulty with fortitude and resilience

Selflessness A hero will purposefully put others above him/her self. By the very breakdown of the word a hero will focus less on his “selfness” and more on others.

Perseverance A hero doesn’t quit when the going gets tough. He pushes through when pressed in, He uses external pressure to propel him to the finish.