Welcome back to all of our listeners! I’m BJ Sipe, and you’re listening to the Set Your Mind Above podcast – where everyday ordinary events teach us extraordinary eternal truths. I’m so glad that you’ve tuned in today, I am excited to share my life and my faith with you, and I sure hope that you’ll do the same with me along the way.
We all love a good hero story, don’t we? Good triumphing over evil. The underdog beating the big dog as a superstar is born. The damsel in distress being freed from her tower as the knight in shinning armor brings down the fearsome dragon. It doesn’t matter exactly how it plays out; the reality is that in every culture in every generation people have gravitated towards a hero. In our current generation, the trend that we want to jump on is that of the superhero. From Marvel to DC, from Ironman to Superman, the superhero is loved by young and old alike. We all have our favorite superhero, though if you were to ask me, not even Batman or Superman hold a candle compared to TurboMan (and if you get that reference, we need to be friends). These stories generally follow the same trope. From rags to riches, born out of a troubled past the hero overcomes overwhelming obstacles to develop superpowers and deliver the world from certain doom out of the hands of some great evil. When everything seems hopeless, against all odds the hero emerges victorious and saves those he loves most. Now, superheroes aren’t the only kind of hero that we love in our culture. I believe the true heroes of our time are the one’s that are risking it all in order to serve others: the firefighters, the doctors & nurses, the police officers, our teachers, and the list goes on. Everyday we can see countless examples of people that have saved others in many different capacities, sometimes it’s pulling them out of a burning car, sometimes it’s pulling them out of a dark place mentally. Such individuals deserve to be honored, recognized, and respected for their constant service to others. Why are we talking about heroes? Well, yesterday I spent some time telling you about a new coffee shop that I explored when I was back in Salem, Oregon. I had gone in and out of the coffee shop all week, enjoying my time there in the mornings working and meeting with others. But it was not until my last day in town on Friday that I noticed something what was painted across the back wall. My dad and I had just sat down to enjoy a plate of quiche and a cortado when it caught my attention. It was an expression in bold letters probably 10 feet in length, and it read in a deep forest green color the following: you are the hero of your story. I sat there, sipping my coffee, contemplating this statement. Now, I get it. When you walk into a coffee shop, part of what they are selling is not just a beverage but a culture. They want to establish a positive, encouraging atmosphere. Who doesn’t want to be told that they are a hero? I don’t know for certain what these folks had in mind who put this saying on the wall. Maybe they were intending to encourage others to take control of their life? To communicate that you cannot look elsewhere to change your circumstances, that you need to look inward. While some of these things might be true, the more I reflected on this statement, the more I didn’t like it. The reason for my not liking it? Because in actuality, it’s just not true. I am no hero…in fact, in the story of my life, more often than not I am the enemy.
You see, when we open up the pages of Scripture and understand the gospel, we see a very different story. We are not the hero, but we desperately need one. At the heart of today’s podcast is the message of the gospel, and that is what I want to share with you today. Ephesians 2:1-3 makes us painfully aware of our spiritual circumstance. It reads, “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also.” There are none who are righteous of their own accord, not a single one that is living upon the earth. The reality of our situation is that we as people are sinners. All of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We have made ourselves enemies of God, and even enemies of each other. Just look around at this world, look at what our sin has done? Selfishness, hate, murder, deceit, jealousy, apathy, and the list goes on. We destroy one another and destroy ourselves. We are our own worst enemy, and as a result every single one of us is lost & spiritually dead from our sinful condition. The worst part is that there is nothing that we can do to save ourselves. Our position is hopeless and helpless, just as someone who is dead can do nothing, so we who are spiritually dead can do nothing to deliver our souls from such death. We are no hero…but there is a hero. There is a Savior, and his name is Jesus Christ. Let’s continue reading in Ephesians 2:4-10, “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.” There is nothing we could do to save ourselves…but Jesus can. My friends, there is no greater hero story than that of the gospel of Jesus Christ! To quote John the Baptist, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world!” You are not the hero of your story, Jesus is. The text does not say, “But we,” rather the text says, “But God”. Salvation is a gift, and it is freely offered to you through Jesus. Only Jesus can save us from ourselves. Only Jesus can take us from darkness and bring us into his marvelous light. Only Jesus can breathe life into that which is dead and make it live! And here is the best part…there is no one that he cannot save. No matter how great your sin is, his grace is greater. So here is my question to you: what are you waiting for? The gospel message that was preached from the very beginning is the same message that is being preached to you today. On that Pentecost Day, as recorded in Acts 2, Peter preached, “Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” So what are you waiting for? Salvation by grace through faith is yours today through our hero, our Savior, and our King Jesus Christ! Make him the hero of your story today.
Thank you so much for listening to today’s episode. Tune in, Tuesday-Fridays, as a new podcast episode will be uploaded each day. Also, be sure to follow the Facebook page for the Set Your Mind Above podcast for future announcements and video sessions. As you have the opportunity, share these thoughts with your friends and family, and share with me what important lessons you are learning from every day, ordinary events. Until next time know that I love you, that God loves you, and may we all each and every day set our minds above.