Lessons From Superman Series

Lessons from Superman

Scripture: 1 Peter 2: 11-12 Date: 10 October 2010

Purpose: To encourage the congregation to realize who they truly are through the Salvation that has been given through Jesus and become the heroes that God call each to be.

There are some areas in life that I am grown up enough to admit I have not grown up in. For instance, I am still a child when it comes to superheroes. Something about superheroes has always intrigued me. Maybe it is their special abilities to overcome things that would normally be the normal person’s un-doing, or perhaps it is their mysterious nature about them as they usually have an alter ego that they are hiding from the rest of the world?

Bruce Wayne is hiding that he is Batman, Peter Parker is hiding that he is Spiderman. Their alter egos are that they are superheroes and they are hiding who they really are from the rest of the world. They put on a costume and fight crime.

But when we take a look at my all-time favorite superhero, Superman; we see the opposite. Superman is hiding as Clark Kent. His alter ego is Clark Kent. His true identity is Superman. He is really an alien and he is living among us, blending in, hiding who he truly is. HE IS NOT FROM THIS PLANET!! Superman’s citizenship is on Krypton.

Thinking about this lead me to our scripture reading for today. It is found in

1 Peter 2:11-12.

Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

I am a huge fan of “Smallville”, a television show that is about Superman growing up. The series follows superman’s adolescent years as he is growing up. He is discovering his true purpose as he is discovering who he truly is.

I have noticed some lessons about Superman that I believe we can apply to our lives as Christians. Let me ask you this morning…

I.Who are you?

A.Superman is an alien from Krypton. Even though he has grown up here on earth he still feels a sense of incompatibility.

Webster’s Collegiate 10th edition dictionary defines alien as, "...belonging or relating to another person, place or thing; otherworldly; differing in nature or character, typically to the point of incompatibility; a resident of another home, country or planet." Incompatibility: that word has had familiar meaning among Christians for centuries. In actuality, experiencing a feeling of "incompatibility" with this world is completely normal for Christians

1.Christians are called by Jesus to be aliens in this world. We are redeemed, blood-bought, children of the living God and this automatically makes us different than the rest of the world In Philippians 3:20, Paul writes

Philippians 3:20-21 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ

2.Superman grew up as Clark Kent in Smallville hiding who he truly was among the rest of the world. He was always very careful making sure his powers were never seen. He didn’t want anyone to see who he truly. He was an alien living among us just trying to fit in.

3.This is one area that I sadly say many Christians are just like Superman in. Many of us are trying to fit in as well.

4.We come to church on Sunday and we feel at home and we get inspired to be a better Christian and then we’re ready for the week. Monday comes rolling around and we put on our worldly costume and we play that part of blending in very well.

5.We are very careful to never expose ourselves as we are in fear of being made fun of or being out- casted, shunned, separated, or seen as a Jesus Freak.

6.Scripture teaches us that we are to do the opposite. Romans 12:2a says, 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

7. "Do not be conformed to this world..." The word "conformed" here literally means to ("put on the form, fashion or appearance of.") Paul is essentially telling us not to look, act, dress, or even smell like the world.

8.One translation says to be "transformed, by the renewing of your mind." This means "making new"; changing to new thoughts, views and feelings. Christians are represented throughout Scripture as new creatures

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!