The world desperately needs a savior

One of the superhero movies that has faded into obscurity is a film made back in 2006 called “Superman Returns” starring Brandon Routh and Kate Bosworth.  I’m not proposing that this is a perfect movie by any stretch of the imagination.  It has noticeable flaws.  I think it could have done a better job of explaining some of the plot points, for example.  But for all the issues this movie has there is one scene that has really stuck in my mind to this day.

In the film, Lois Lane is heartbroken because Superman left Earth for a time.  She didn’t know when or if he would ever return.  Five years passed, but he did return (hence the movie title).  Superman discovers that Lois has moved on with her life, he finds that she has a child and she is in a committed relationship with another man.  Superman is also very sad to learn that Lois has written an article (and she won a Pulitzer for it) called “Why the World Doesn’t Need Superman.”

In the aforementioned memorable scene, Superman asks Lois why she wrote such a paper.  “I moved on,” she replied.  “So did the rest of us.  That’s why I wrote it.  The world doesn’t need a savior, and neither do I.”  Later on in the scene, Superman, while flying high above the city with Lois in his arms, asks her, “What do you hear?”  She answered that she didn’t hear anything.  “I hear everything,” he responded.  “You wrote that the world doesn’t need a savior, yet every day I hear people crying out for one.”  What he was saying without directly saying it is that Lois was absolutely wrong; the world does need a savior.  It’s true in the world of superheroes, but it’s also true in real life.

In Luke 2, we read words that are so familiar we can easily miss their vast importance.  When Christ was born, an angel from Heaven announced, “There is born unto you this day, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11; italics mine).  Further, in Matthew 1, we read that an angel conveyed to Joseph that they should name the child Jesus, because, “He will save His people from their sins.”  Yes, the world does need a savior, and His name is Jesus Christ.

What does it mean that Jesus is Savior?  The Bible tells us that humanity has a problem: sin.  We are sinners, both by inherent nature and by personal choice.  I once heard Billy Graham put it this way: “All of mankind is infected with a disease called sin.”  It’s a blight upon our souls and hearts.  The book of Romans puts it succinctly: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  God loves us and wants to be in friendship and fellowship with us, but our sin is repugnant and vile to Him. 

Seeing our dilemma, Jesus, Immanuel, God in human flesh, came to Earth as an infant.  He grew up, and died a violent death on a cross to pay the penalty of humanity’s sin.  He paid our “sin debt” as Charles Stanley has put it.  We’ve all accrued a massive debt to God that we could never pay, but Jesus paid it on our behalf.  I love these words from an old hymn: “Jesus paid it all.  All to Him I owe.  Sin had left a crimson stain; He washed it white as snow.”  1 Peter 3:18 says, “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.”  

However, this doesn’t mean that everyone is now automatically in a right relationship with God.  We have to make a conscious decision to put our faith, trust, and reliance in Jesus.  To use the Biblical terminology we have to “believe” in Jesus.  John 1:12 states, “But as many as received Him, to those who believe on His name, to them He gave the right to become children of God.”  

Let me try to illustrate this.  Yesterday, so many people had Christmas gifts placed in front of them.  But for them to actually be appropriated, they had to be accepted and received.  If not, they would simply sit there and be of no benefit whatsoever.  It’s the same with salvation from sin in Christ.  Ephesians 2 says, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and that not of yourself, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (italics mine).  Have you accepted God's gracious gift?

Growing up, I used to hear a sentiment in gospel tracts or sermons; it was this question: “If you died today, do you know for sure you would go to Heaven?”  I would relegate this question to nothing more than a mere hypothetical situation given to illustrate a point.  But if this year has taught me anything, it is that we don’t know when our last day on Earth will be.  Only God knows when we are going to pass away.  It could be 50 years from now, but it could be tomorrow.  We simply do not know.  I urge you, dear reader, to be ready for eternity.  I’m convinced that some of you reading these words have heard this message before, but you’ve resisted putting your faith in Christ alone to save you.  It’s time to stop fighting and submit to God.  Don’t delay.  Put your faith and trust in Jesus today.

Kevin