Sermon Central
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The Real Superhero
Contributed by Roger Hasselquist on Apr 26, 2024 (message contributor)
Summary: A superhero is one who can defeat evil enemies and protect those who need it. That describes what Jesus has done for us when He died in our place on the cross and then showed His power by rising from the dead. Psalm 110 prophesied that He would come as a superhero.
Alba 4-28-2024
THE REAL SUPER HERO
Today, we are going to look at Psalm 110. It is a Messianic Psalm, meaning that it refers to the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ. It is a Psalm of David and here is what it says:
1 The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” 2 The Lord shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of Your enemies! 3 Your people shall be volunteers In the day of Your power; In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning, You have the dew of Your youth. 4 The Lord has sworn And will not relent, “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.”
5 The Lord is at Your right hand; He shall execute kings in the day of His wrath. 6 He shall judge among the nations, He shall fill the places with dead bodies, He shall execute the heads of many countries. 7 He shall drink of the brook by the wayside; Therefore He shall lift up the head.
Do you know what today is? Yes it is Sunday. And it is April 28th. But like most days, today has a special designation. It is considered a holiday. “What holiday” you ask? You may or may not have ever heard of it. This National Superhero Day! In 1995 Marvel Comics' employees created National Superhero Day, and it is celebrated on this date.
Each year on April 28th, National Superhero Day honors superheroes, both real and fictional. On the website, nationaldaycalendar.com it says, “Batman, Superman, Captain America, Wonder Woman, Iron Man, Hulk, and Spiderman are just some of the superheroes whose names we recognize. Even though they are fictional, these superheroes provide role models for our children. They serve and protect while fighting evil.”
Then the website asks, “Have you ever been rescued from a risky situation or saved from injury or death? Those who come to our aid are called heroes. Some heroes happen to be in the right place at the right time. Others choose to be a hero as a career (though they wouldn't call themselves heroes.)
“Our real-life superheroes may not have superpowers or wear capes. However, just like fictional superheroes, children also look up to them as role models. They serve and protect their communities. These real-life superheroes also dedicate their lives to helping others or saving lives. Military personnel, police officers, and firefighters, are just a few of the heroes who protect us on a daily basis.”
You may have someone in mind that you consider a superhero because of what they did, or the influence they were to you which made a big difference in your life. Or perhaps, you have faced situations where you felt it would have been nice to have a superhero to rescue you or change some circumstance you were facing.
Well, let me tell you about a superhero who is available to help you. He didn't wear a cape, just sandals and a long robe. And the description we are given in Isaiah 53:2 says, “There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him.” (NLT) But still, He is the greatest superhero the world has ever known.
If you are a Christian, you know who it is. Because, you have a superhero, and His name is Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God. A superhero is one who can defeat evil enemies and protect those who need it. That describes what Jesus has done for us when He died in our place on the cross and then showed His power by rising from the dead. Psalm 110 prophesied that He would come as a superhero.
The first verse of this Psalm is found a number of places in the New Testament. Even Jesus quoted it in Matthew 22:44. In an effort to instruct the Pharisees as to how the Messiah could be more than just an earthy king, He had this discussion:
Matthew 22:41-45: While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?” They said to Him, “The Son of David.” He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool” ’? If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his Son?” And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.
Of course the answer to the question Jesus put before them is that, yes, the Messiah would come as a descendant of King David. But also he would be more than just a man. He would be someone that even King David would call his Lord.