America needs heroes. People we can look up to and imitate. As a youngster, I admired Superman, Mickey Mays, Hank Aaron and Dwight Eisenhower. In those days, America was the shining star in a world full of misery. Truth, Justice and the American way was more that a saying from Superman, it was a way of life. Most of all, America was a religious nation; everyone went to church and tried to genuinely follow the Christian example. As I grew into adulthood, I came to admire Jesus and have done my best to follow his teachings.
As I consider these things, the following passage from the book of John comes to mind…
John 1 ( World English Bible )
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made through him. Without him was not anything made that has been made.
4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn’t overcome it.
6 There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John.
7 The same came as a witness, that he might testify about the light, that all might believe through him.
8 He was not the light, but was sent that he might testify about the light.
9 The true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world didn’t recognize him.
11 He came to his own, and those who were his own didn’t receive him.
12 But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God’s children, to those who believe in his name:
13 who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 John testified about him. He cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me, for he was before me.’”
16 From his fullness we all received grace upon grace.
17 For the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.
18 No one has seen God at any time. The one and only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him.
Jesus: from creator to human form to teacher, healer and God’s emissary, Jesus and only Jesus stands above every other human that has ever walked on this earth. His life on this planet is an example for all to follow and his death was nothing less than the deliverance from sin for all who will truly obey God.
Jesus is my hero, bar none. Is HE yours?