The missing element in faith today
I have always enjoyed the Rocky movies, not necessarily due to the fact that they were all
worthy of Academy awards (except the first one in 1976), but because they portray a
characteristic that has been lost in the church and in our society in general, namely bravery.
Bravery entails courageous willingness to do the right thing despite overwhelming
opposition, challenges or even danger. Rocky had to face fierce opponents in each movie
that were armed with abilities that reached far beyond his own capabilities. There were
severe risks attached to each of these challenges: possible permanent brain damage due to
too many blows to his head; an adversary that was so accomplished that Rocky could lose
his life in the boxing ring. In each case, his friends and family pleaded with him not to risk
the jeopardy, but Rocky chose to face the challenges time and time again, because that is
who he is: he is a boxer and he refuses to step down. He decided that there are trials in life
that are worth risking your life for and that makes him a hero.
In the past Christmas season, the Rocky story was once again raised to life in the film
“Creed”. In this film, Adonis (Johnson) Creed, illegitimate son of Apollo Creed, decides to
follow in his father’s footsteps and asks Rocky, who is now an old man, to train him. Apollo
was one of Rocky’s fiercest opponents in the first two Rocky movies, he became Rocky’s
coach in the third movie and was eventually killed in the boxing ring by the Russian Ivan
Drago in the fourth movie.
Creed is challenged by Ricky Conlan, the light heavyweight boxing champion. This
provocation seems to be made too early in Creed’s boxing career and the chances that he
would win is extremely slim. True to the Rocky tradition, he however accepts this challenge
and after that nothing is ever the same again…..Adonis Creed becomes a hero!
We seldom realize that the Gospel developed in circumstances where the followers of Christ
often had to make heroic “Rocky-decisions”. Take Paul for example: while he was in
Caesarea he decided to go the Jerusalem for the sake of the Gospel. The believers warned
him that his life would be in danger and this warning was confirmed by a prophet, Agabus.
Luke reports on this incident in Acts 21:12-13:
“When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to
Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am
ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord
Jesus.”
When the love of Jesus has won your heart, you have no other choice: You become a hero!
People can plead and beg but in your mind’s eye you see the people who will be lost and
can be saved by the good news of the Gospel; you imagine a nation that will perish without
God’s grace. Just like Paul, who was overwhelmed by God’s love on his way to Damascus,
you see and feel what others do not comprehend.
In 2 Cor 5:14 Paul states:
“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and
therefore all died.”
This turns Paul into a hero!
Just imagine what the church would be like if it consisted out of a group of selfless heroes
instead of selfish consumers. How would it be if the church was made up of congregation
members who - driven by God’s love - gave their lives for each other and for South Africa?
Anyone can be a hero… a hero is simply someone who gives up their own comfort and puts
other’s need ahead of their own: a teacher who serves her pupils with patience and love; a
CEO that leads his people with humility and a servant attitude; a mother who invests her life
into her children; a husband who bravely wins his wife’s heart despite his awkwardness with
the expression of his emotions.
We need more heroes. Every person is just one selfless deed away from heroism. We should
choose to follow in the footsteps of our Hero who faced humiliation, suffering and
ultimately death on Calvary and who triumphed over it all.