Are You Waiting for a Hero?

Do you think of Jesus as a hero?

I heard this song, “Hero” by Abandon, the other day and I thought about Jesus and Advent.

We’re sort of numb to titles of Jesus like Savior and Lord. But what about Rescuer? Deliverer? Hero?

Does that give you a different response?

Jesus…Hero?

The song talks about how Jesus walked around like everyone else and seemed normal but there was something different about him. He healed the sick and raised the dead. He called people to follow him and he led them.

Then the song goes:

“And soon they all would say,

There he goes, a hero, a savior to the world.

There he stands, with scars in his hands

With love, he gave his life so we could be free.

The savior of the world.”

The Hero

What is a hero? A hero does extraordinary things, at the risk of his own life, to help someone who can’t help himself.

In fact, heroes often don’t make it out alive! Have you ever seen how many Medals of Honor have been awarded posthumously?

That’s what makes a hero so special. They do things that are dangerous, selfless and what most of us would consider crazy.

Advent Connection

Kids always find it hard to wait for Christmas, but think of waiting thousands of years! That’s what ancient Israel did! The Jewish people waited and hoped for the Messiah, a rescuer, a deliverer, a hero.

Sure, their hopes were worldly, but they were under occupation. Think about it. Basic freedoms were limited. One wrong move brought swift government retribution with no legal recourse. Wouldn’t you cry out for salvation?

Israel also hoped for a spiritual salvation to come from the Messiah as well. They continually disappointed God through serious sin and seemed powerless to stop themselves. This oppressed them as much as the Romans.

God continually spoke through the prophets, telling Israel what the Rescuer-Messiah would be like, keeping that hope alive. When he came, everything would be different. They would be saved!

My Hero?

During Advent we enter into that expectancy of Israel. We hear during Advent the prophecies that spanned the centuries promising the savior. We get a feel for the longing they felt waiting for a hero.

Now I don’t consciously think about Jesus as a hero everyday. In fact, I probably never do. But maybe I should. I’m in need of rescue as much as the people of Israel.

The world is still a dangerous place. I’m under the oppression of sin. I do things I hate and yet feel like I have no power to stop them…unable to rescue myself from myself.

I am in need of a hero! Someone extraordinarily brave who would do a selfless thing to rescue me from danger…the spiritual danger that daily threatens my life with Jesus Christ. I have a feeling you’re in need of a hero too.

Are you waiting for him? The Hero, the Savior of the world? Perhaps you should be this Advent season.