The Fantastic Four

The Fantastic Four

A Sermon by Roosevelt Wright, Jr.

For the Tabernacle Baptist Church

Monroe, La.

Introduction

Do you remember the comic book, the Fantastic Four? There are many super heroes that have fueled the fantasies of children and adults for generations. Many of these super heroes have been in our lives for several generations. Generally, they fight evil and champion the cause of good.

Who is your favorite?

For some, Superman is the best of the super heroes. He came from the Planet Krypton just before it was destroyed. Because of the yellow sun of this galaxy he assumed super powers that allowed him to leap tall buildings with a single bound, become more powerful than a locomotive and run faster than a speeding bullet.

There are others too. Remember the Incredible Hulk? He was the mild mannered man who was exposed to gamma rays which turned him into a green monster when he became angry. Spiderman was able to climb buildings and perform incredible acrobatics with a new found ability to emulate the web tendencies of spiders. There are others including: Batman and Robin, Wonder Woman and the Green Lantern. A new generation was exposed to the Power Rangers and an African-American super-hero, Spawn.

Many of the super heroes of Marvel comics have been presented to a new generation through Hollywood. Nearly every comic book hero has a movie. This year, one of the block busters was the movie, “The Fantastic Four.”

The Fantastic Four became super heroes as a result of a mistaken scrambling of their DNA. One came to possess the ability to stretch like rubber. A female member of the group soon realized she had the ability to become invisible. Another had a very hot temper and when he was pushed turned into a human torch. The fourth could feel no pain. Together the Fantastic Four were able to perform powerful feats, overcoming evil as they championed the cause of good in the world.

The Fantastic Four, like all of the super heroes, were ordinary people. Many of them like Spiderman and Super Boy were just teenagers. Yet, at some point they came to know that they possessed extra abilities, under certain conditions, that could be used for the betterment of mankind.

America cheered as it watched the Fantastic Four on screen and read the comics, but did you know that God has a Fantastic Four relationship with every believer?

Through his presence in the life of a believer God transforms an average student, band member, football player, dancer or cheerleader, from being just an ordinary person, to a spirit driven achiever. This Fantastic Four is not the stuff of comic books or movies. This Fantastic Four is the winning team of The Father, The Son, The Holy Ghost and You!-The Fantastic Four.

As Christians, we are strengthened by the knowledge that God helps us rise about the ordinary to do the extraordinary. Together with our unseen backup team, every believer steps into the world, not as one person, but with the assurance that three others are always present. What a team, the trinity and me!

Exposition

This text focuses on three believers who acknowledge the permissive will of God, the power of God and their acceptance of his will.

The King of Babylon conquered the entire region of Judah and carried most of its craftsmen, scholars and thinkers back to Babylon. He began a three year program to repatriate these Jews so that they would accept Chaldean customs. Among the three, were four men, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah;

commonly known as Daniel, Meshack, Shadrack and Abednego. The four were adamant believers in God’s kingdom. They prayed regularly and even refused the king’s efforts to re-educate them to the Chaldean political viewpoint and life-style.

It wasn’t long before it became obvious to all who observed them, that these four men had a special anointing. They were able to do things that others could not do. The Three Hebrew Boys had great wisdom and knowledge. Daniel had the gift of wisdom and the special ability to interpret dreams.

What they said and did was fantastic. Their deeds and wise acts were fantastic. Their unyielding faith in God was fantastic as well.

Daniel interpreted a dream for the King. In so doing Daniel was given the opportunity to serve as a prime minister or leader of governors in the land. It was a position that he refused. However, he recommended similar positions for the three young men who were with him.

As foreigners and powerful political leaders in the land, the three young men and even Daniel himself, were often the subject of efforts to oust them from power. One such move came when the King erected a statue of himself and sent out a decree that said when certain music was played that everyone should bow and worship his image. Those who refused to do so would be punished by being cast into a fiery furnace the same day. The king’s Chaldean advisors made certain that the resistance of the three was noted. The Chaldeans, who denounced Daniel and his associates to the king, were astrologers who wanted to predict a happier future for the king and his realm.