Part I
Of course we would see it
in our superhero and adventure movies
it’s the stuff of legend
it’s the stuff of the epic
Jesus looked out over the city
the City of Creation
saw the villain in the wings
making its move to attack
saw us in the danger zone
saw us under threat
and our hero’s mind was made
his was an easy decision
Fight for the one you love
with perfect and holy abandon
He protect
he attack
He faces dangers to get us back
Standing on the edge of the precipice
From the throne of heaven,
looking at the path of salvation,
that road which led to redemption
that would have to go through the flesh
and turmoil
and hunger
and pain
and fake friends
and betrayal
and not being understood
and being lied on
and being tempted in all ways but not giving in
and seeing God in context
amidst the broken and the poor
and seeing free will painfully choose less than God
but He – our hero not losing faith
and being broken and surrendered
going through all kinds of perils
even facing Death itself
It’s the stuff of superheroes
It’s like that final training montage
before the big boss battle
of some superhero blockbuster
animated or live action
The scene is set for confrontation
And you can tell that the stakes are high
and you can tell that the threat is real
and it’s not a perfect 1 to 1 comparison
but there are pieces that run parallel
so let me try to pull out a parable
cause there a few things
these pictures paint about Christ
Jesus considers the cost for saving us,
considers the danger,
and he’s like
what’s up?
There is a call, a challenge,
from Satan, and from Sin and from Death
and they’re posing a threat
think they’re setting a trap
but Jesus settles up to the edge like
ah, risk, danger…
what’s up, danger?
And he takes that leap,
from heaven to earth
to show the way
that heart-led, love-led, diving into danger
that we might call heroic
and superhuman
is so just like our God
and he meets us in the mud to redeem.
it is the broken being made even more beautiful
as our hero moves in boldness to save the day
Jesus Christ takes that leap for us
it’s absolute madness
The villain has orchestrated his scheme
put into place a wicked regime
and it looks like
it’s not gonna be looking too good for the good guy
and the common sense part of you is saying
no don’t go, it’s a trap!
but the hero doesn’t care about that.
it’s like a hostage situation
and he,
well he protect
he attack
he faces dangers to get us back
we the civilians are in distress
but the truth is that
we went willingly
turned against the hero willingly
chose sin willingly
choose sin willingly
so that makes it even crazier
because the hero has every right
to leave the betrayers behind.
but even knowing all of this,
God so loved the world that he gave
the hero loved so much that he leapt
and did not consider equality with God
and a comfy position on the throne of heaven
as something to cling to jealously,
exclusively, in isolation,
but instead made himself a servant for us
he left behind his throne above
so let us praise him
and rejoice
and marvel at this reckless love
Part II
and it wasn’t enough for him to rescue us in our distress
to make a fool of those “supervillains”
sin and death
oh no
he did more than that
instead of just setting us free
he left us the spirit
gave us powers, gear, equipment
as if he was bringing on sidekicks
an invitation to come along
to be super natural
an invitation to be who we were meant to be
to find our true identity
to taste eternity
and Jesus Christ said
this is eternal life
to know the only true God
and the Christ whom he has sent.
an invitation to wear the cape
to wear the cowl
to carry the cross
to fight the battles
to boldly say
what’s up danger?
to look insecurity in the face and not blink
to face uncertainty in life and not be afraid
or when I am afraid, to trust in God
to live in the truth that
though all the world may turn away
still your love for me remains
so if all the world may turn away
still your love for me will remain
to be breathless
to forgive those that hurt us
it is a conversation
it is an invitation
to live right
in righteousness
right standing in relationship
let the redeemed up the Lord say so
let the redeemed of the Lord love so
as if we were redeemed
as if there were
a love that fought for us like mad
that came after us
intercedes for us
pleads for us in our weakness
and on our behalf
to save us from our sins and to save us from ourselves
And he was plotting on his human foes
even though they would slay him
those same ones that
were hurting him
that crucified him on that cross
and he said
father forgive them
for they know not what they do
and I could just imagine it
with a wink and a nod like
oh Centurion, oh Roman, oh Godbeloved pagan
I am coming for you too
I am dying for you too
my love has been running after you
to this moment of crisis
and beyond to your forgiveness
The redemption is for all
because everyone of us, has fallen
but Jesus is calling
Jesus is calling
Jesus is calling
and he calls into the darkness
and he says let there be light
and the darkness trembles
and he calls out to us
and he says, live
and breathe me in
because I am the breath of life
and the gift that keeps on giving
the hero that steady keeps on saving
so come and let us love
Oh come and let us love
let us praise our superhero
let’s proclaim his reckless love
let us praise our superhero
let’s proclaim his reckless love
A few months ago the worship leader at our church and I talked about some possible collaborations/features with me accompanying the worship for part of our worship time during service. The above is our first piece together.
The invitation served an amazing opportunity to stretch spiritually, and creatively, using some of the gifts God has given us to glorify Him and reach others.
Thought this, the day we celebrate the birth of Christ, was an appropriate day to share it!
Merry Christmas!
Major influences for this spoken word include:
The film Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse (Sony Pictures Animation, 2018)
The song “What’s Up Danger?” by Blackway and Black Caviar from the Spider-man: Into the Spider-Verse (Soundtrack from & Inspired by the Motion Picture) (Republic Records, 2018)
The song “Reckless Love” by Cory Asbury (Bethel Music, 2017)
The love of God the Father, embodied in Christ, translated to us, and lovingly and with absurdly abundant grace disseminated to all who call, and believe on His name by Holy Spirit
first image via freek4kwallpapers.com, second image via fanpop.com
Festival of Booths 