“A person will worship something, have no doubt about that. We may think our tribute is paid in secret in the dark recesses of our hearts, but it will out. That which dominates our imaginations and our thoughts will determine our lives, and our character. Therefore, it behooves us to be careful what we worship, for what we are worshipping we are becoming.”- Attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson
I must admit… I am thrilled about the upcoming Warner Bros. film “Man of Steel.” The trailers have been phenomenal–especially the latest one. But there is one particular line in the trailer that really struck me. You will catch it at the 0:23 mark. Russell Crowe (playing Superman’s father, Jor-El) says of his infant son before sending him to Earth, “He’ll be a god to them.” Meaning that the people of Earth will worship their son as a god because of his “superpowers.”
Who is Superman? To some he is a god who came to our planet to save us from peril. I can see why people love this character–you can talk to him, physically see him, and at some point he may even carry you out of a burning building. That kind of stuff is cool to kids and adults alike. What boy has not tied a towel around his neck and run around the house to save the world? The question is: If Superman were real, would he be worshiped as a god?
2000 years ago, God the Father sent His only Son into the world to save us. Not from scary super-powered aliens, but from the power of sin and death. His name is Yeshua (or Jesus, as he is known to English-speaking peoples). While Jesus didn’t leap tall buildings in a single bound, He did heal the sick, cast out demonic spirits, raise a man from the dead, calm storms, walk on water, turned that same water into wine, supernaturally fed the hungry, and ultimately sacrificed His life upon a rugged cross of wood to save us from the wrath of God–and then came back from the dead and flew away! Let’s not forget that part! If we place our faith in the completed work of Christ upon the cross, the Bible tells us that He gives us victory over sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:57). While sin may not be some visible Lovecraftian monster that can blow up our physical planet, it is destroying humanity’s lives every day. Ultimately, sin will not only withers our fleshly bodies, but it will also destroy our eternal souls (Revelation 21:8) unless we submit to Christ. Unless we worship Christ.
Don’t be deceived: everyone worships something. Many people today worship themselves, safety, their iGadgets, their children, or fame. Some worship sports teams and others music. Some worship money and still others the government (I know, right?!). The problem is that the First Commandment clearly states: “You shall have no other gods before me. (Exodus 20:3, Exodus 5:7).” And for those who would make God #2 in their lives, Jesus added in Luke 4:8, “You must worship the LORD your God and serve only him.” He also said, “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. (Matthew 6:24a)”
The question today is who or what do you worship?
In His perfect love,
Dwight
The Parson
“Choose today whom you will serve… As for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” – Joshua 24:15
