HEROES
Jn 15: 12-13
INTRO
WHAT MAKES A HERO
WE NEED THEM, LOVE THEM, DO WE UNDERSTAND THEM?
LOOKED UP TO, BUT MORE - WHO WERE YOUR HEROES GROWING UP? WHY?
BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY DID / ACCOMPLISHED
OR WHO THEY ARE - THEIR CHARACTER
HOW THEY TREATED YOU
WHAT MAKES A HERO?
CULTURE TODAY ELEVATES PEOPLE FOR WRONG REASONS
IDEAS , PRINCIPLES
PEOPLE CALLED HERO BECAUSE THY ARE
WILLING TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO "MAKE IT"
EXAMPLE:(NEWS ANCHOR, WORKS 5AM-10PM, THEN MOM?)
PHYSICAL ABILITIES - RUN FAST, JUMP HIGH
HIT BASEBALL 400FT, GOLFBALL 300YD
SOMEHOW WE LOST OR TWISTED OUR VIEW OF WHAT MAKES A TRUE HERO
TEXT
(Jn 15:12-13 KJV) 12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
DEFINITION OF HERO
A PERSON NOTED FOR COURAGE AND NOBILITY OF PURPOSE (AMER HERITAGE.)
BASED ON SCRIPTURE AND JESUS HIMSELF - GREATEST HERO OF ALL
SOMEONE WHO IS WILLING TO GIVE SOMETHING OF GREAT VALUE FOR THE BENEFIT
OF OTHERS
3 MAJOR CHARACTERISTICS OF HERO: SELFLESS, SERVANTS HEART, WILLING TO SACRIFICE
EXAMPLE: MY GRANDFATHER
JAMES SHELTEN
SPENT SUMMER GROWING UP ON FARM
HARD WORK, HELPING OTHERS
WWII - BATTLE OF THE BULGE
HE DOESN’T TALK ABOUT IT MUCH
IN ANOTHER MANS BOOK ABOUT WWII, WROTE MY GRANDFATHER
"MOST SELFLESS ACT HE HAD EVER SEEN"
MEN CUT OFF, 300 YDS UP HILL, BACK TO SAFETY
PURPLE HEART, MEDAL OF HONOR V FOR VALOR
GRANDMOTHER DIED ABOUT 8-9 YEARS AGO
WHEELCHAIR, THEN BED
GRANDPA NEVER LEFT HER SIDE
FED, CLEANED, READ TO HER
2HRS SHORT OF 50YRS OF MARRIAGE SHE DIED IN HIS ARMS
1. SELFLESS
Php 2:3-4( KJV)(3) Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. (4) Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
GRANDPA LIVED IT OUT
GRANDPA INTERVIEWED FOR LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
VETERANS ORAL HISTORY PROJECT
HE DESCRIBED THE BATTLE AND MENTIONED HEAD INJURY
AUNT ADDED INFO ABOUT SAVING 2 MEN
HE WAS NOT AFTER PERSONAL GLORY
PUTTING THEIR NEEDS AHEAD OF HIS JUST WHO HE IS
REASON SELFLESS IS HEROIC -IT IS CHRISTLIKE
JESUS WANTS SELFLESSNESS OF US , THATS WHY HE MODELED IT FOR US
BORN IN MANGER IN BETHLEHEM
BAPTIZED IN RIVER JORDAN
ARRESTED, BEATEN, SPIT UPON
NAILS PIERCED HIS HANDS / FEET
SPEAR PIERCED HIS SIDE
A HERO IS SELFLESS - PUTS NEEDS OF OTHERS AHEAD OF HIS OWN
2. SERVANTS HEART
Php 2:5-7 (KJV) (5) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (6) Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: (7) But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
MT 20 : SAYS JESUS CAME NOT TO BE SERVED BUT TO SERVE
JN 13:14-15 KJV (14) If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. (15) For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
WHEN YOU PICTURE HERO , WHAT DO YOU SEE?
LEADING MAN WITH PERFECT TEETH GALLOPING ON HIS TRUSTY STEED
BRANDISHING HIS SWORD READY TO FOIL VILLAIN AND SAVE THE DAY
SCRIPTURE PAINTS A DIFFERENT PICTURE
LORD JESUS W/ TOWEL AROUND WAIST - GRANDPA
WASHING THE FEET OF HIS DISCIPLES
PICTURE OF TRUE HERO - OF JESUS
THAT’S WHAT JESUS WANTS FROM US
HERO HAS A SERVANTS HEART
3. WILLING TO SACRIFICE
TEXT: GRANDPA - PUT LIFE ON LINE FOR FRIENDS
JESUS NOT ONLY WILLING, HE MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE
Php 2:8 KJV And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself,
and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
A HERO IS WILLING TO GIVE SOMETHING OF GREAT VALUE FOR THE BENEFIT OF OTHERS
BIG POINT
STRUCK ME THIS WEEK - I REALLY WANT YOU TO GET THIS
IN ORDER TO GIVE SOMETHING, YOU MUST LET GO!
ILLUSTATION: (I had a church member come to the front and pretended to give him my Bible, but wouldn’t let go of it, so I never really gave it to him. You have to let go of something in order to give it away - just like giving Jesus your life - you have to let go of control!)
JESUS DEMONSTRATED THIS FOR US ON CROSS
WHEN HE SAID "FATHER INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT"
HE WAS LETTING GO
NO ONE TOOK HIS LIFE, HE GAVE IT
Joh 10:18 KJV No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
JESUS GAVE HIS LIFE BECAUSE HE PUT YOUR NEED AT THE TOP OF THE LIST
WE NEED WHAT JESUS GAVE. GREATEST NEED WE HAVE
WE NEED A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD / CONNECTION
OUR CONNECTION IS BROKEN BECAUSE OF SIN
THE BLOOD OF JESUS HAS POWER TO RECONCILE US TO GOD
RESTORE THE CONNECTION, RELATIONSHIP POSSIBLE
WE NEED IT, HE IS WILLING TO GIVE IT
JUST AS HE WANTS US TO BE LIKE HIM IN SELFLESSNESS AND SERVANT HOOD
JESUS WANTS US TO BE WILLING TO SACRIFICE, GIVE SOMETHING OF GREAT VALUE
HE WANTS - YOU
HEART, MIND, BODY, SPIRIT
HE WANTS IT ALL, TO GIVE YOURSELF TO HIM
BIBLE: IF YOU CONFESS W/ MOUTH JESUS AS LORD AND BELIEVE IN
YOUR HEART GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD, YOU WILL BE SAVED
CONCLUSION
YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED, FOR EACH CHARACTERISTIC OF A HERO WE SEE IN SCRIPTURE JESUS SEEMS TO WANT US TO LIVE IT OUT.
DOES HE REALLY EXPECT US / ME TO BE A HERO? - ABSOLUTELY!
DO WE HAVE IT IN US?
IN US - NO
IF WE TRY TO BE A HERO IN OUR OWN POWER, WE GET IN THE WAY
IN HIM - YES
AS BELIEVERS WE HAVE HIM IN US
JESUS IS THE HERO IN US
IF YOU LET JESUS HAVE CONTROL IN YOUR LIFE
HE WILL DO HEROIC THINGS THROUGH YOU
YOU CAN BE A HERO - A REFLECTION OF JESUS
OF HIS LOVE, GRACE,
SELFLESSNESS, SERVANTS HEART, SACRIFICE
NO MESSAGE IS GREAT IF IT DOESN’T ASK YOU TO DO SOMETHING GREAT, TO BE SOMETHING GREAT
TODAY THROUGH HIS WORD JESUS IS CALLING US TO BE NOTHING LESS THAN A HERO
PARENTS HERO TO CHILDREN, HUSBANDS / WIVES, WIVES / HUSBANDS, PASTOR
TO HIS FLOCK, TEACHER /STUDENTS, LEADERS / FOLLOWERS, CHURCH TO YOUR COMMUNITY
GOD WANTS YOU TO RESPOND TO HIM TODAY
WHO DOES HE WANT YOU TO BE A HERO TO?
WHAT DOES HE WANT YOU TO LET GO OF?
