In the series finale of “Arrow” the mayor of Star City, Quentin Lance, was about to unveil a memorial statue honoring Oliver Queen – alias the Green Arrow – for his noble sacrifice. Lance began by saying these words:
“Thank you for coming. For a long time, I hated Oliver Queen. I blamed him for the death of my youngest
daughter, I blamed him for the violence in my city. I interrogated him. I hunted him, persecuted him. I’ve never been more wrong in my life. Oliver Queen wasn’t just a hero; he was a
good man; an honorable person. The fact
that he didn’t start out that way makes him, in my book, even more
honorable. He stands as a reminder to
all of us that anyone can change. So
will this [statue].”
I begin this way for two
reasons. First, to remember Oliver Queen and the entire so-called “Arrowverse”
– a universe of interconnected TV series – that officially ended earlier this month. I was late to the show “Arrow”, but thanks to Netflix, I got caught up. Oliver started off as a selfish playboy, to a
lone wolf vigilante who wanted to save his city all alone, to inspiring others
to fight alongside him; a group known as “Team Arrow”. As a matter of fact, in the end, important
figures like The Flash, Supergirl, and Superman willingly followed Oliver. Ultimately, Oliver Queen selflessly gave his
life to save others, and then in true superhero story fashion, actually came
back from the dead – demonstrating for us a type, a shadow, a picture of Jesus
Christ.
Secondly, I am bringing all
this up because I have in mind that someone is need of change. You don’t recognize the person looking back
at you in the mirror anymore. You’ve
made bad decisions. Lance was right in
his speech: Oliver Queen does show us that anyone can change, but I submit to
you that often such a change is impossible, unless
they have an encounter with the God of the universe named Jesus the Christ. When Jesus walked this Earth over 2,000 years
ago, He revolutionized lives, and He is still revolutionizing lives to this
day.
One man Jesus changed was the
Apostle Paul. Here was a man who
violently persecuted anyone associated with the name of Jesus; but one day on
the road to Damascus, Jesus spoke to him (you can read all about this in Acts
9) and his life was forever changed. Paul went on to boldly share the love and
grace he had found in Jesus. He once
wrote, “that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received
from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts
20:24).
As I said, earlier this month
it was the end of an era; the show “Superman
and Lois” had an absolutely incredible series finale. The conclusion of the show also marked the
end of the “Arrowverse” saga; an era that began with Oliver Queen in “Arrow” back in 2012. Being careful to not give spoilers, I can tell
you that in the last scene in “Superman
and Lois” Clark states, “Do everything you can to find
love; to give it, to hold on to it.
Because life it goes by so fast.”
I resonated with his words. Number one: it indeed has gone by fast; the
years have quickly flown by. Number two: his remarks on love made me
think of Christmas, and the extravagant, unconditional love of God.
The most famous verse in the
Bible is actually an appropriate Christmas verse: “For God so loved the world
that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not
perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
In another place, Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest…for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you
will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29). That offer from Jesus is for you today. Let this be the best Christmas ever, because
you put your faith, hope, and trust in Jesus, the Christ of Christmas.
Can I conclude today by
sharing my own testimony? Jesus
revolutionized my life too; I met him as a young boy. A pastor once put it this way: He saved me not only from who I was, but who I would have become. To live life with the God of the universe makes
for a life that is anything but boring.
It can be bumpy and turbulent at times, but there’s no better way to
live. This testimony comes from the
depths of my heart and soul. The beloved
Christian singer, Carman, in a song called “1955”
once sang these words; they are my heart cry as well: “I believe in a God that
sets the captive free. I believe in the blood
that flows from Calvary…I’m so glad that the Lord saved me. I’m so glad that the Lord saved me. If it had not been for Jesus, where would I
be? I’m so glad that the Lord saved me.”
God bless,
Kevin
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