By Dr. Kerry Knight, Emerald Beach Church of Christ
On November 12, 2018, in Los Angeles, California, we lost one of history’s great storytellers. Since 1939, Stan Lee had been responsible for creating some of the world’s most popular superheroes. He gave us the likes of Spider-Man, the X-Men, Thor, Iron Man, the Fantastic Four, the Incredible Hulk and Ant-Man. The Avenger franchise alone generated $10 billion in ticket sales at the box office since 2008. What made his work so brilliantly successful? He was interviewed by Entertainment Tonight in 1984 and offered some insights.
“The whole formula, if there was one, I think was to say: ‘let’s assume that somebody really could walk on walls like Spider-Man, or turn green and become a monster like the Hulk. That’s a given, we’ll accept that. But, accepting that, what would that person be like in the real world if he really existed? Wouldn’t he still have to worry about making a living? Or people distrusting him? Or having acne and dandruff? Or his girlfriend jilting him? What are the real problems people would have? I think that’s what made the books popular.”
Superhumans with normal struggles, that’s it. We Christians can relate to that. We need someone who can rescue us (put a check by that one). And we need a person who can identify with us, without losing his powers, someone who can identify with our hardships and temptations, and struggles without falling victim to them (another check mark). That person is Jesus Christ.
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16)
