The Super Superhero

Bible Reading: Mark 1:21-28

“What sort of new teaching is this?” they asked excitedly. “It has such authority! Even evil spirits obey his orders!” Mark 1:27

Plastic Man is one cool-but-almost-forgotten comic-book superhero. He could stretch, twist, and mold his body into any shape. He could go from paper thin (for sliding under locked doors) to brick-wall solid (for blocking a bad guy’s escape). Talk about it: Who is your hero?

Your childhood hero might have been Superman, Spider-Man, or a Pokemon character. But in reality, there is only one true super-man: Jesus Christ. As God in human flesh, he had a special power that made him more super than anyone around him: his authority. Even though he looked like an ordinary man, his commanding actions showed who he actually was. He was the Son of God.

Jesus’ teaching had power because he knew God the Father personally. He not only taught what God’s Word said but also what it meant. He explained how to have a deep relationship with the Father.

Can you think of a time you were reading the Bible and a passage seemed to flash at you like strobe lights? Have you read a verse and suddenly realized it fit a situation you were dealing with right then? That was Jesus, making God’s written Word come alive for you, just like he did for those listening in the synagogue. Today Jesus has the authority to work through the Holy Spirit to catch your attention with the Word, teach you what it means, and apply it to your daily life.

Jesus’ authority doesn’t stop with his teaching. All through the Gospels we can spot Jesus acting with power.

• He cured sickness (see Matthew 8:14-15).

• He commanded waves to be still (see Matthew 8:26-27).

• He forgave sins (see Matthew 9:2).

• He gave sight to the blind (see Matthew 9:27-30).

• He walked on water (see Matthew 14:25).

• He multiplied fish and bread (see John 6:1-14).

• He brought the dead back to life (see John 11:43-44).

Jesus is the all-powerful Lord of the universe. And his greatness means he deserves to be Lord of your life as well!

TALK: How are you letting Jesus be Lord in your life today? Is there any area where you haven’t let him rule?

PRAY: Thanks, Jesus, for being stronger than any problem we could ever face. Help us to give you total control of our life.

ACT: If you’ve picked an area in your life where you know you’re not letting Jesus exercise his authority, think of a plan for how you can change.