Jeremy Peugh
"Thoughts From Our Pastors" written by Pastor Jeremy
So living in San Diego every summer an event roles around called Comic Con. During Comic Con, they show trailers for the new movies coming out and I like to know what is going on in the super hero world. I think this is because as a kid I used to watch a show about half way through get to the good part, and then go outside and pretend that I had become the super hero.Yeah I am that kind of guy. Normal people watch the whole show; I was not a normal child. I was thinking about these two things and there's something about the heroes that resonates with me. If I was to think of a hero, "What hero most closely resembles the life of the Christian?"
So today as I was in meetings I was going through my favorite ones and kind of going through the list and judging what I thought about each one. We can look at being a Christian, being called to be a disciple of Jesus Christ as kind of that heroic life. So which one is most accurately Christian? What hero is most accurately reflected in the Christian life?
So lucky you, here are my thoughts. Let’s take Batman first. Well, he's just a normal human being—but through the sheer force of his will, he's able to lift himself up and be amongst the greats. He's there on the Justice League with Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash and Martian Manhunter. All these incredible heroes. He just did it on his own. I realize, OK, I want to do that, but in the Christian walk, this is a heresy. It is called Pelagianism. So Batman's out as a reflection of the Christian life.
Then I thought, well what about Superman. He's the son. He gets sent to the earth. He kind of saves and redeems us. That's not bad, but at the same time, that's a lot like kind of some of the modernist or humanist views of humanity. A view that says there's nothing essentially wrong with you. You have all of the power in you already. You're not fallen and you're just good. You're just good, you're not fallen.
That's kind of Superman. You have all the powers, you are NOT in need of anything and that's a heresy too because we realize that even though we are made for greatness, and we are made in God's image and likeness, we're also fallen. So we Christians cannot be like Superman either.
What about Shazam. He even has a movie coming out. His story is this just in case you have never read anything about him. His name is Billy Batson and he is just a kid. This wizard comes to him and says if you say the word Shazam, you have the strength of Hercules, you have the speed of Mercury, you have the wisdom of Solomon.
Maybe that's what the Christian life is because he's changed. He's a good kid, does his thing but then this power from outside comes inside and changes him substantially. That's pretty close, but here's the problem with that is what he does, what Billy Batson does, is he says the word Shazam and he turns into Shazam. He has this incredible power, grace and speed but if he wants to NOT live like that, he just says Shazam again he goes back to being Billy Batson. He is no longer a hero, super strong or powerful.
Now, this is how I think a lot of Christians prefer to live out Christian discipleship. We will say the word, "Jesus, come into my heart." We'll call upon the Holy Spirit when we really want him, but then when we don't really want to follow Christ we just kind of say, "God, go back on the shelf."
We take on and put off our Christianity like some people put on a hat and take it off. That is not the Christian walk. The Christian walk is full of hard work and life changes that should stay permanent. So I think the ultimate example of a superhero that aligns with who we are as Christians is Steve Rogers. Now, let's go back to the story of Captain America. Here's the young Steve Rogers and what is he? He's a good young man. He is brave. He has nobility. He wants to fight for the underdog. So he's good but he can't. He tries to fight and he gets beat up. He tries to defend people and he gets knocked down. He tries to join the army and he's not even strong enough to do that.
So again, he's not Superman. He's not Batman. What happens though? Well, they give him the Super Soldier Serum and it takes everything that he is and amplifies it. This is, we believe, what grace does.
That's why when they're having that little debate or that little argument between Tony Stark and Steve Rogers, Rogers says, "Take off the suit. What are you?" Stark responds, "Billionaire philanthropist playboy genius super-genius." Then Tony Stark looks at Steve Rogers and says, "Everything special about you came out of a bottle." It's actually kind of true. He was good in and of himself but fallen, not strong enough to do this but that external thing came internal and transformed him substantially from the inside out.
And this is exactly what happens to Christians when they accept Christ. We are good, but fallen. We are made good, but we didn't have the strength to live well. So what happened? God came and dwells inside of us now. He built on your nature; he elevated it, and perfects it. So that if you were talking to Mother Teresa and you're saying to Mother Teresa, "Mother Teresa, seriously... everything special about you came from God's grace," she would look at you and say, "Um, yeah! Hello?!?"
We have been saved and transformed substantially from the inside out. And what the guy says in the movie Captain America, it makes a good man great. It takes what you are in your essence as a human being, made in God's image and likeness and amplifies it. You're made into a son or daughter of God. The temple of the Holy Spirit. A disciple of Jesus Christ. Someone put on this planet to live consistently for God every single day. All the other super heroes have alternate egos, Billy Batson has Shazam, Bruce Wayne has Batman, Clark Kent has Superman, but Steve Rogers, is just Captain Steve Rogers. He is Captain America all the time. He doesn't take it on, take it off, and this is what we're called to do as well as Christians.
You realize God's grace, His presence, his very life, HE lives inside of you right now. He takes all of your good qualities and amplifies them. You've been made into a son or daughter of God. May we have the strength and to cooperate with His grace; to live every single moment of every single day worthy of that name. For we are sons and daughters of God.
Pastor Jeremy Peugh
Coming Up At Mount Carmel
Monthly Mission Focus:So this week I want to give you a link. This will take you to our SoCal District NMI Facebook page. It will show you pictures and videos from some of our local mission trips. Click here to check out the photos from our Work & Witness trip that just returned from Haiti or the Ojos Negros trips that are just south of our border.
Women’s Bunco Night:
Friday, August 10 at 7pm, $5. Ladies of all ages are invited to come to the church to enjoy time together, have some fun winning prizes and getting to know one another! Yummy treats and refreshments provided.
Wednesday Night 4 Week Bible Study Fellowship:
Wednesday 6:30pm at Hilltop Park we will be discussing God as being Relational and what that means for us. How does a Relational God impact how we should be be in relationships with others. If you would like to come, talk about who God is let us know so we can have the proper amount of food there. Also please bring some money to pitch in for food & drinks.
Senior High Camp:
July 29th– August 2nd, $325. High School students save the date for our Senior High Camp. We would love to see you and your friends be able to go. For more information and registration, see Chelsea or you can go to our district website: socalnaz.org
Fall Festival Planning Meeting:
Last Sunday we had a small meeting about what we are wanting to accomplish for our fall festival. As a group, we decided that the Fall Festival will be on Saturday, October 27. Please save the date and we look forward to serving the community through this event.
Summer Nights Outreach:
Thanks for all that came to the Summer Nights event. Our next event is August 12 from 5-7pm. We’ll be gathering together at Hilltop Park for an all church BBQ. This is a great time to invite friends, co-workers and other people you have been witnessing to.
Women's Ministry Bunco Night:
Friday, August 10 at 7pm, $5. Ladies, are you looking for a way to casually invite your friends to church? This event is a great one to do that with. We'll be playing bunco, eating snacks and winning prizes! Join us!
Offering:
To all those who give during out service or online, THANK YOU!!! The money you give goes to helping our community and the global church. If you missed giving this week, just visit our giving page here and give online.
We also are set up to receive Faith Promise through our online giving here just make sure that you select Faith Promise instead of general offering.
Tithing is a discipline that will strengthen your faith and the church cannot function properly without your support. If you consider Mount Carmel your church home, please pray about being obedient to the Lord in this way.
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