If you could choose a Superpower…
Everyone seems consumed with superheroes and superpowers. So, if offered, what superpower would you choose? Wisdom, Strength, or maybe being Fireproof. Solomon, Samson, and the three Hebrew boys were each blessed with these supernatural powers.
The Bible is full of amazing men and women who did amazing things. Men like Moses, Elijah, and Elisha, through the power of the Holy Spirit, parted bodies of water, prophesied plagues, made the sun stand still, called fire down from heaven, stopped the rain for three years, and I could go on and on.
When the Holy Spirit came upon David, he killed a giant, a bear, a lion, and was unbeatable.
Even with all of David’s greatness, you can’t even compare him to his great grandson Jesus. For three years, Jesus did so many miracles John 21:25 says all the books on earth could not hold them all.
What about John the Baptist? What was his superpower? Eating locust and honey? Baptizing people in water? The Bible did not record one miracle that John the Baptist did, or did it? Luke 1:7 says, “He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah.” John made crooked ways straight. He was a voice in the wilderness calling people to repentance.
What if God considers calling people to repentance a superpower? Jesus in Matthew 11:11 says, “Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist. John certainly did not see himself as “great”—he did not see himself as worthy enough to baptize Jesus. (Matthew 3:13-14) or even to carry His sandals. (Matthew 3:11).
Immediately after stating that John is the greatest “among those born of women,” Jesus says, “Yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he”. (Mathew 11:11b)
As a basketball coach, dunks and game winning half court three-pointers are impressive to the crowd and make the highlight reels, but are those plays any more important than a layup, a deflection, a tipped pass, a charge, or an unselfish assist. Defensive players have superpowers too and are considered warriors and fierce competitors by coaches, yet most people focus on the best offensive players!
My point. If John the Baptist was the greatest, then we need to realize what greatness in the Kingdom is all about. Could greatness be so much more than doing what the world considers a miracle? Pointing people to Jesus and discipling them is greatness! Jesus is the answer. He was and is and will always be the answer. Jesus walked on water, walked through walls, calmed storms, and healed the sick. We are called to be his hands and feet. Yes, Jesus said we can do greater things, greater than we can even dream or imagine. Yes, healing the sick is included in that, but greatness is also giving a drink of water to the thirsty. We are called to distribute living water that will never run out!
Superheroes show up and give you a drink when you are thirsty. In the middle of a huge timeout at the end of one of our recent games, I remember hearing one of my players do just this! He had not played a single minute in the game, but as we came into the huddle he says, “Is everyone good?” He was not asking, do you need to sub out, he was offering them a drink! That is greatness! That is exactly what walking in the power of the Holy Spirit looks like.
It is time to become the greatest superheroes on earth. We all have the superpower necessary to be great fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters. We can all feed the hungry and give a drink to the thirsty. We can all love and share the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Yes, that means calling a sin a sin and not avoiding the truth. It is standing up and telling the world that there is only way to spend eternal life with our Savior. Boldly sharing that there is Hell and we need the Power of the Holy Spirit, repentance, and God’s grace and favor to overcome the enemy. Through Jesus Christ death and resurrection, We have already been given the superpower, His name is the Holy Spirit. Through Him we are all called to be SUPERHEROES!
Photo by Andrew Thornebrooke on Unsplash