Superman is important to Christians.  The hero has a longstanding tradition, whether intentional or not, of being a Christ figure.  His father sends him from the heavens down to lowly earth in order to lead and save humanity.  He is (nearly) all powerful, a God among men.  The only thing fiercer than his strength is his goodness.  

Man of Steel has been catching a lot of negative feedback, but I just don’t see it.  I thought this was the best Superman movie yet.  Here's why:

SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Good

• No sex!  Finally, a blockbuster movie that doesn't flaunt what the good Lord gave it.  There's no skin tight leather Black Widow here and nobody decides to get dressed in front of the camera at entirely inappropriate times like certain members of Starfleet (I'm looking at you Into Darkness).  Let's face it, with the history of Lois Lane and Clark's X-Ray vision, it would have been easy to throw sexual garbage in there.  Instead, they took the high road and made a movie that believes there are more things that sell than just sex, like…
• Action!  Holy canoli!  Here's a Superman movie that actually shows the kind of scale and devastation that would be involved if someone as indestructible, fast, and powerful as Superman actually got into a fight.  Some have complained that there is too much destruction, but when Superman and his equals face off, it's silly to think that there would be little or no collateral damage.  This movie shows just how devastating a superpunch can be when thrown in Kansas, Metropolis, spaceships, satellites, and everywhere else you can imagine.
• Jumps right in.  We all know the classic story of Superman.  So much so that it's honestly starting to get stale. Planet goes boom, Superbaby lands in a field.  Kents raise him and then “Holy super pubescent powers Batman!”  Clark meets Lois.  Will they?  Won’t they?  How many more scenes will those glasses fool her?  Until we all want Clark to just tell her his secret already!  Instead of dragging all of that out for us again in time honored fashion, this movie handles it in a fresh and different way.  The Lois arc moves quickly and some well-timed, emotional flashbacks give us what we need while allowing the film to jump right into its own story arc.
• Realism.  Superman movies have always been hokey and filled with more cheese than a calzone.  This one was more serious and I like that.  None of that "Up, Up, and Away" business.  This movie tried to seriously deal with what Clark would go through growing up on earth.  How would the nation and world react knowing such an unstoppable individual existed?  Could he ever really be one of us?  
• Old villain, new experience.  Zod and the gang from the Phantom Zone are old characters who have been recycled over and over.  But this movie does a great job of making them new and fleshing them out.  Deeper backgrounds, creepy dialogue, and a new armored look made these villains better than ever.  (Props to my friend Don for pointing this out to me)
• Great acting and casting.  Henry Cavill nailed Clark/Kal/Superman which is no easy task.  I think what I liked the most was that, aside from the Kryptonians, everyone in this movie looked like real down to earth people.  Movies filled with gorgeous people often add to the phoniness of the film.  These actors looked real and made the movie all the more immersive.

The Bad

• Rapid clean up.  The end of the movie doesn't really address or display the aftermath you would expect from the colossal showdown.  Jump to the Daily Planet where everything seems A-OK.  Apparently, the devastated city regrew overnight.  And let's just pretend the entire planet is fine and earth's atmosphere and gravity have better healing powers than Wolverine.
• Confusing science.  How does the atmosphere and sunlight give the Kryptonians all of that power with just an instant of exposure?  Why is it that the Kryptonians with all of their technology can't just relocate to one of their outpost planets?  For that matter, why can't they make their AI floating computer things sound better than an echoing cassette player in my bathroom shower?   How is Lois standing calmly in the open bay of a flying aircraft without falling to her death?  And what is the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow?!
• As always, Superman's disguise is lousy.  But for tradition's sake, you've just got to give the guy a pass on that one.  In other news, the costume looked great!
• Long action.  These fights tend to drag on and on.  That’s enjoyable for most people but can leave you overwhelmed.  It makes sense that when you have indestructible Kryptonians punching each other in the face, you're going to be there a while.  In the midst of the high speed and long fights, it's easy to get a little lost wondering who is throwing what punch and which guy is getting his face rammed through an exploding vehicle.  Overall, I suspect the majority of teens and guys won't raise this objection.  It's an adrenaline ride many will enjoy.
• MAJOR SPOILER HERE Superman breaks his golden rule and they don't give it enough consideration.  The Man of Steel never kills.  It would shatter the ability for earth's people to trust him and would take him one step closer to being a tyrant accountable to no one.  When he breaks this huge rule, he cries for a second and sheds a single tear.  It left me feeling like the movie makers didn't realize what a big deal that moment was for Superman history.

The Godly

Man of Steel doesn't disappoint the Christian looking for Christ imagery.  The dialogue is ripe with stuff that believers can unpack.  Superman strikes a pose that reminds us of the cross and Clark even visits with a priest for counsel.  There's so much of this, that some non-Christians might gag on it as it's shoved in their faces.  Sorry guys, I didn't make the movie.  

While undoubtedly violent, I believe that Man of Steel will open family and friends to great conversations about faith, sacrifice, and even the purpose of your own life.  Just check out these words from Jonathan Kent, "You are my son. But somewhere out there you have another father, and he sent you here for a reason. And even if it takes you the rest of your life, you owe it to yourself to find out what that reason is."  Powerful words for Clark and just as powerful for you and me.  

With Man of Steel, you get a very entertaining movie that continues the tradition of Superman by pointing to the real Savior.  

Good old Sesame Street.Ah yes, the difficult concepts of near and far. Michaela and I have been working on those for a few months now. We stand by the mirror and jump back and forth saying near and far. She laughs and smiles and when we're done she says, "Mah," which means "more" in Michaelanese. 

But some day she'll grow up and have those concepts nailed down. She'll know that things that are near are things she can touch and see and interact with. She'll learn that things that are far are often out of reach. They are the things she can't see, can't touch, can't change, can't do anything about. She'll learn just like we all do what near and far mean.

But Jesus must not have watched Sesame Street, because He doesn't seem to have learned this lesson.

Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. - John 4:46
So Jesus is back in Cana. There is a man from the next town over whose son is dying back home. He comes looking for Jesus and begs Him to heal his son. It must have been serious and he must have tried a lot of other things to get his son well. Usually the last thing people do is run around the country looking for holy men to heal their kids. 

The royal official said, "Sir, come down before my child dies." - John 4:49

He begs Jesus to come back to Capernaum to help him.  Near and far. This man understands the concept. I can picture what this father might have been thinking and saying as he begged the Lord.   Jesus, we are in Cana and my son is dying in Capernaum. That's far away, twenty miles to be exact. We can't do anything to help him from here. Please Jesus, come down to Capernaum with me. If we leave now, we might get there in time for you to save him. 

"Go," Jesus replied, "your son will live." The man took Jesus at his word and departed. - John 4:50

What an under appreciated little verse. We're so used to Jesus healing people in the New Testament that it's easy for this to just seem like any other person He healed. But there's something special about what He does here. Jesus heals a boy that is 20 miles away with just a few words! Your son will live. The man later finds out that his son got better at the very moment that Jesus was speaking with him. It didn't take any time for Jesus' words to act with power even from so far away. 

With Jesus, far is near. We may not be able to see or touch or interact with or change things that are far away. But Jesus can. Wherever you are, no matter how far you may feel from God, Jesus is near. He sees you and your need. You're not outside of His reach. He can change your life in an instant. You don't need to be in the right room, building, or even city to be touched by God.

What's also incredible about this story is that the royal official believes Jesus. He takes Jesus at His word. Oh how much more simple life would be if we did that! I think of the times God has seemed far and life has seemed so difficult and I read a verse that tells me God is with me and will work all things out for good. I think of all the times I've read those verses and not taken God at His word. So I stress and I fret and I worry and God ends up keeping His promise. Instead, I could have walked away with joy trusting God would do as He said. 

Today, be reminded. You and I may struggle with near and far. But God isn't limited by a few miles. Even when He feels far away, remember that far is near to God. You can turn to Him anytime, any place. And remember to take Him at His word.  His Word is final and He is faithful to keep His promises.

Here's a little reminder that near and far are child's play to the Creator of the Universe. 

Did you know that Easter is bigger than Christmas?  I know it may not seem like it.  For Christmas, we spend months decorating, planning, and shopping.  We dish out a thousand or more dollars to buy gifts and host huge parties.  We go on vacations and return home to visit family.  We tell elaborate stories about Santa, Rudolph, and Frosty and we might even set up a Nativity scene and go to midnight mass or service. 

On Easter, we paint eggs, eat candy, have dinner, and call it a day.  But I'm telling you, Easter is bigger than Christmas.  Easter is the biggest day of the year for Christians.  It's our Super Bowl Sunday.  Why?

Well let me ask you this: What's more important, the day Frodo is given the ring or the day he drops it into the fires of Mount Doom?  What's more significant, the day Tony Stark built his first Iron Man suit or the day he saved the world from an alien invasion?  The day the plan for Argo was drafted by Tony Mendez or the day those Americans made it back home?  The day Abraham Lincoln was born or the day he issued the Emancipation Proclamation?

Enough comparisons, let's get back to Jesus.  What's bigger, the day the Savior was born or the day the Savior actually triumphed? 

There is no bigger day for Christianity than Easter!  In fact, it's so important that Paul says that if Jesus didn't rise from the dead then you're faith is useless (1 Cor 15:14 and 17).  On Easter, we celebrate that Jesus not only was born, not only lived a great life, not only died in our place, but that Jesus was victorious!  By His resurrection, Jesus proved that He had conquered all of our great enemies. 

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep... But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. - 1 Corinthians 15:20, 58

Jesus conquered Satan by His resurrection and showed that He is the King of this world and His power is greater than the evil one's.  We don't have to be afraid of the devil anymore.  Our King is bigger and better and stronger.  No plan or scheme of the enemy can ever harm a child of God.  Our God lives!  Our God is victorious!

Jesus conquered sin by His resurrection and proved that we can be forgiven through Him and freed from the bondage of sin. We no longer have to live in fear of God's judgment or feel wracked with guilt for our mistakes. We no longer have to struggle without hope against our secret sins whether they be pride, gossip, pornography, alcohol, drugs, sleeping around, or whatever.  There is freedom and a way out.  Sin has been defeated.  Our God lives!  Our God is victorious!

Jesus conquered death by His resurrection and wrenched us from the grip of our greatest and oldest foe.  We no longer live in fear of that day that's coming for us all.  When a Christian dies, it's as much a party as it is a funeral because we know that death is not the end.  Death cannot hold us because it could not hold Him.  The grave doesn't have the final word, Jesus does.  To us, death is sad but it is also overwhelmingly joyous because to die is to be alive with Christ forevermore.  We Christians can look death in the face and ask, "Where, O death, is your victory?  Where, O death, is your sting?" (1 Cor 15:54b-55)  Our God lives!  Our God is victorious!

Easter is our Super Bowl Sunday because it is the day we celebrate that Jesus is victorious and, for those of us who have put our faith in Him, so are we.  We have victory over Satan because Jesus conquered him.  We have victory over sin because Jesus broke its chains.  We have victory over death because Jesus rose again! 

Do you have that victory?  If you'd like to be free from Satan, sin, and death, you can.  If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. --  Romans 10:9-10  If you've put your faith in Jesus today, let me or a Christian friend know so we can help you take your first steps of faith.

I hope these truths settle in you deeply this week and that you have a Happy Easter as you celebrate Jesus' victory!

Burning bush.  Parting of the Red Sea.  Angelic appearances.  The walls of Jericho.  The resurrection.  All were crazy awesome miracles.  And you and I didn't get to see a single one of them.  Just once, wouldn't it be awesome to see a miracle?  Why did Moses, the prophets, and the apostles get to have all of the fun?  It would be amazing to actually see God doing something real in my life.  It would be a huge anchor for tough times when doubt creeps in.  But it seems that spotting a miracles is harder than finding Waldo in those old picture books.

Are you familiar with the miracle at the wedding of Cana when Jesus turned water to wine?  At the wedding reception, the banquet hall runs out of wine.  Talk about a buzz kill.  So Jesus' mother Mary asks Jesus to do something about it.  At first, Jesus doesn't really want to but mom gets her way.  He heads over to the entrance of the hall and finds these huge jugs of water that were there so the guests could wash their hands when entering and leaving.  He turns all of that water into wine.  The servers that went with him took the wine and gave it to the master of the banquet who thought it was the best wine he had ever tasted.

Sound familiar?  But here is what I want you to notice.  Look at these three verses.

...and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now." What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. - John 2:9-11

There were lots of people at this party, maybe over a hundred.  Jesus performs a miracle that every single one of them benefit from.  They all go on to enjoy the wine.  Yet only a handful of people even realize that something amazing has happened.  Most of them have no idea that God has just done something extraordinary.

I wonder if this is true of us today.  Is God at work all around us and we just miss it?  Is He doing things in the day to day and we enjoy the blessings without realizing where they came from?  I think so.  And here's what I learned from this passage.

The Servants: Sometimes when God does something, He does something colossal right in front of you and there is no hiding it.  Sometimes He parts a sea, raises the dead, or turns water to wine.  The servants didn't ask for a miracle and they weren't looking for one but God gave them one anyway.  God's gracious like that.  If this has happened to you, great!  If it hasn't, don't sweat it, you're in the majority.

The Master of the Banquet:  Sometimes when God does a miracle, we give the credit to someone or something else.  The master of the banquet drinks the miracle wine and praises the groom for saving such exquisite wine for last.  I don't blame him for making the assumption, it's a pretty logical one, but he gives credit to the wrong guy.  Are we ever like that?  Do we thank luck or karma instead of God when something great happens to us?  Do we pat ourselves on the back for our own hard work when God graciously provides a job, promotion, or good grade that we actually didn't deserve?  How often do we give God's credit to others?

The Guests:  Sometimes when God does something, we don't even notice at all.  Most of the guests at the wedding kept drinking, eating, talking, and having a great night.  They were completely unaware there was a wine shortage, let alone a miracle to make more!  We can go through life enjoying all of our blessings but never even considering where they came from or how grateful we ought to be.  

The Disciples:  Sometimes when God does something, we have to be paying attention to notice.  The disciples were likely seated with Jesus at the banquet.  But they didn't accompany him when He got up to perform the miracle.  Jesus didn't call them over and say, "Watch this!"  It seems from the story He left them at the table and went to the entrance without them.  Yet the Bible says they saw His glory and believed in Him.  Why did they get to see this miracle?  Because they were watching Jesus.  They didn't take their eyes off of Him.  When He got up and walked to the door, they kept watching.  They were paying attention and wondering what He was going to do next.

I think God is constantly at work in our lives.  He's not doing things as huge as parting the Red Sea in your daily life.  That's not what I'm saying.  But I do believe that He is blessing you daily, providing wisdom daily, speaking through His Word daily, answering prayers daily, and so much more every single day.  We need to learn to be like the disciples.  Keep your eyes on the lookout.  When something unexpected and good happens, pause for a second and say, "Thank you God!"  Every day make it a habit to ask God what He is up to and what He wants you to see and learn today.  Keep your eyes on God, and just like the disciples, you're going to see Him doing some amazing things.  May God bless you and surprise you as you watch!

P.S.  I've actually seen God do some big miraculous things in the past.  Nothing quite as big as the Red Sea or resurrection, but big enough that I'd call it a miracle.  However, those bigger things are somewhat infrequent in my life and I've found it's important to learn to watch for the smaller day to day things God is doing.

This is the fifth video in this training series.  You can find the previous videos in the links below.

• Intro
• Part 1: Defining Penal
• Part 2: Defining Substitutionary
• Part 3: Defining Atonement

You made it!  We've gone through the theological concept of the penal substitutionary atonement and learned that Jesus' death on the cross was God's way a paying the penalty of sins in our place so that we could be forgiven and at peace with Him again.  Today's video is the last in this series and the goal is to see how we can use what we know as we have normal, every day conversations with people.  

Well, that's it!  I hope you've found this series helpful.  As always, feel free to comment with questions or feedback.  God bless you and may He give you fruitful opportunities to share the gospel soon!

This is the fourth video in this training series.  You can find the previous videos in the links below.

• Intro
• Part 1: Defining Penal
• Part 2: Defining Substitutionary

To recap, penal substitutionary atonement is a fancy theological term that answers the question, "What did Jesus do by dying on the cross?"  The word penal tells us that His death on the cross was the just penalty for the crime of sin.  The word substitutionary tells us that His death was actually paying the penalty for our crimes and sins. Jesus traded places with us sinners.  Today's video will focus on the word atonement.

This is the third video I've put up to discuss the theological concept of Penal Substitutionary Atonement.  If you're just joining in, you can find the INTRO HERE and PART 1: DEFINING PENAL HERE. 

As a recap, we have learned that phrases like "Jesus died for your sins" are often misunderstood by non-Christians and not necessarily fully understood by Christians either.  Penal Substitutionary Atonement is a theological term used to address the issue of what exactly Jesus' death did.  The word Penal is used to convey that His death on the cross was related to the crime of sin and the just penalty for sin which is death.  Today's video will hopefully explain the second word: Substitutionary.

Yes, I know that is lightning and not thunder...
Boanerges.  It means sons of thunder.  Jesus gave that nickname to James and John in Matthew 3.  This is just speculation, but I think He chose that name for a reason.  I think James and John were energetic and loud.  I think they were the kind of guys that were the life of the party.  They brought the boom and the noise with them wherever they went.  They were used to the spotlight.  They craved the spotlight.  That's what I think at least. 

As I mentioned last week, I've created some training videos for people at my church.  You can find my quick intro HERE. 

Before you hear what I have to say, take a look at the following Scriptures.