One of the challenges with being a writer is being able to keep the attention of the audience. Sometimes you have illustrations that you want to use, but not every person would relate or connect to what you’re saying. Thus, it challenges authors or speakers to think of comparisons that most people would understand in culture today.
As kids, I think a lot of us grew up watching superheroes on television. And, as the years have gone by, the acting and the cinematography of these movies or shows have become more powerful and dramatic. It is truly mind-blowing what film producers today can create with their computer imaging systems. Combined with the acting and stunts, hero films have become some of the most influential sources in the world.
Occasionally, they have also become good illustrations.
In 2019, an eagerly-awaited film called “Avengers: Endgame” released in theaters all over the world. It was, essentially, the grand finale of over a decade of Marvel movies, with each film building on the next. Ticket sales broke record, as fans had been following this timeline of heroes for over ten years. Even people who initially weren’t crazy about Marvel films had joined in on the bandwagon after hearing how well-crafted these movies were.
I was actually one of those people. And while I certainly didn’t approve of all the content in some of the movies, I still enjoyed following these fictional characters in all of their perilous adventures. Steve Rogers (aka Captain America) was always my favorite of the bunch. I liked the fact that he always wanted to do what was right. He was the leader whenever the Avengers assembled for a grand film. He was also a person whom they looked up to and would follow into some pretty ugly situations.
The previous Avengers films had already involved world-threatening conflicts which made great demands on the heroes. This film, however, made the greatest demands on the them. They recently lost an important battle which ended up reshaping the world for the next five years. Thanos—the imminent foe from outer space--whom many of the former movies had teased, won the battle that earth couldn’t afford to lose. So, in this final film, the Avengers get a chance to reassemble one last time. At a great cost, they manage to undo the tragedy of the former battle, but they still have to face the titan and his formidable army.
Unsure if their efforts had actually worked, the original Avengers face Thanos alone. He comes down on them violently and without mercy. One by one, he manages to knock out even the best of the heroes, until the only one left is Steve Rogers, who grasps his half-broken shield. His suit, which normally shows the American red, white, and blue colors is now coated in ash. At that moment, the evil villain releases the army from his ship, and they prepare for one final strike, knowing that one soldier can’t possibly take on an entire army.
Exhausted, Steve manages to struggle to his feet and yanks the fastening strap on his shield. He grimaces in pain as he walks toward the powerful army, panting and having no strength left. He knows he can’t win against this force. Neither his strength, nor his shield would last. The world, which had known him as the First Avenger, would now remember him as the last Avenger.
Steve struggles to the battlefield when, suddenly, he stops. He hears crackling on his comm and a familiar voice—one he hasn’t heard in 5 years--breaks through his ear piece. “On your left,” the voice says. Steve then turns around to see portals opening with emerging heroes. These are the same heroes who had been defeated in the previous battle. Hundreds of them pour out, and, together, they all reassemble for one final battle to determine the fate of the universe. Steve’s resilience and fighting spirit return as he realizes he is not the last Avenger. (As a spoiler, the heroes win).
You may not be a fan of hero films, and that is certainly understandable. Although I watched the movies for years, I finally had enough of all the computer graphics and make believe. It was fun for a time, but I grew to enjoy true stories much more, especially my own.
Ever since watching that final Avengers film, I always wondered how I could tie in “Steve’s last stand” as an illustration. And while it may not be a perfect illustration, in some ways it really does remind me of the Church and what is true about us as individual believers.
Maybe like myself you’ve had moments when you asked God, “Where are the faithful in the land??” David asked this same question several times in the book of Psalms. He faced some very serious difficulties in his life, and he didn’t always have God-fearing friends near to him.
As I consider first my own spiritual walk, I think apathy is one of the great dangers that can settle into the Church. I’m just as guilty as anyone else for being an apathetic person at times. It’s easy to think or assume, “Ah, someone else will take care of it.” The problem is that we can take it so much for granted that others will do a job that we need to do ourselves. Or, maybe on the other side of the spectrum, it can be discouraging when we see people who call themselves Christians but live very fleshly lives.
Another great danger is fear. In a previous post, I mentioned how numbers can be something that we easily let control our lives. Some believe the lie that Christianity is going to be stomped out. Others to choose to fear the future of the Church itself. I’ve struggled with this myself at times.
Whatever runs through our minds, whether it is sometimes distractions or lies or discouragement, I’ve learned how important it is to pause and look around me. I don’t know about you, but I can easily get into a routine. I sit on the left side of the pews, sing songs, listen to the sermon, socialize after the service, and then I leave. But in that routine, I often forget to pause and thank God for how many believers showed up.
“On your left.”
It’s a phrase that Steve Rogers and his friend Sam Wilson exchanged as a personal taunt in the movies they shared. It was meant to be a reminder to the other person that, “I’m here, in case you forgot.”
Sitting on the left-hand side of the Church building, sometimes I have to say to myself, “On your right.” When all of us believers stand up to sing, the Holy Spirit encourages me: “Look how many faithful Christians are standing all around you! God is faithful! Like you, they too have had their week of challenges, distractions, discouragements, and battles. But look: you’re here together!”
What is even more amazing is that these faithful believers do more than just meet with the congregation on Sunday mornings. They visit with each other and pray with each other throughout the week. They help feed and clothe each other. They cry together and heal together. They sharpen each other. They spur each other on to love and good works.
At any time, any one of us (including myself) could choose to stay home and tend to ourselves. We could neglect church life and put off time spent with other Christians. We could fill in our time with other things. But next time you’re in your church building, just take a moment and look around you. These people not only chose to come today, but also have been choosing to come for years (some for decades). They love God and they love others. It is the love of Christ that compels all of you to reassemble and encourage one another. And that is just one local body.
There are THOUSANDS of local bodies all over the world.
Yes, this really is a moment to say, “Praise God!”
Like the scene with Steve’s last stand, maybe it’s easy at times to think that we stand alone. When Steve tightened the strap on his shield and walked slowly to the battlefield, he truly thought he was the last one. He had no idea that reinforcements were coming, and that he would regain his fighting spirit.
Although we should never let numbers control us, something I’ve learned is that we believers need each other. Mankind was made to be relational. We can’t put our hope in man, but it is other followers of Christ who speak into our lives, sharpen us, pray with us, and encourage us.
Some ‘Christians’ in the world have opted out of meeting with other believers, which is very unfortunate considering the fact that we are COMMANDED to keep meeting with one another (Heb. 10:24). Choosing to not to meet with other believers is direct disobedience to God’s Word. We are to encourage one another, and all the more as we see the day approaching. Like Steve, we can’t fight the battle on our own.
Over the weekend, I had the joy of spending time with my brother and new sister-in-law. Of the many things we chatted about, one of those topics was Church. We reminisced on how wonderful it is to have a local body to meet with. For those who are truly believers and gather with other believers, we know that it’s not that we ‘have it all figured out.’ We sure don’t. But what keeps us coming together week after week is the love of Christ and what He has done for us. We have all chosen to follow Him and commit our lives to Him. We are unified in Christ, having been spiritually baptized into Him. We are all members of one body. We have the privilege of impacting the world and making disciples of all nations.
If there’s any place that a believer can cry, it’s with other believers. We are all broken people with past stories and who have been spiritually healed by the same God. He has changed all of us and continues to do so. We are there for each other, even into some of the ugliest situations. We aren’t superheroes, but we have been changed by the hero of history: Jesus Christ. We have been changed by His unconditional love. We know that His death on the cross was the greatest heroic act, and it was utterly sacrificial. His victory over death was the grand victory. By His death He conquered death.
“And He died that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died and was raised” (2 Cor. 5:15).
“let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Heb. 10:24).
Next time you’re in your Church building, sitting in your pew, whether you have to look on your right or on your left, remember to thank God for His faithfulness. The day might come when it’s only two or three people that you see. But remember that they still chose to keep coming.
As believers, we know that our struggle is not against flesh and blood. It is a spiritual war that we are engaged in (Eph. 6). But we also remember an important truth together: the battle belongs to the Lord.
Where are the faithful in the land?
On your right.
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