Grace
This past Thursday I went with a group of people to see the newest Avengers movie. To say the least, I was really excited because I love the stories of these superheroes. I really enjoy the community and family that takes place within the teams. I absolutely love the teamwork, the sacrifice, the commitment, the attention to detail and people, the power of hope, and the message of valuing all life that comes from these films.
This most recent Avengers movie was epic. It was filled with an incredible storyline right from the start of the movie. If you haven't seen the movie and don't want it spoiled, stop reading. Without getting too nerdy on you, essentially the movie starts with the Avengers kicking some butt and stumbling upon a very powerful weapon that they try to turn into an A.I. (Artificial Intelligence) system that would help with their combatting the evil in the world. The name of this A.I. is "Ultron" from whom the title of the movie comes: "Avengers 2: Age of Ultron."
Here's the plot twist. Ultron is created to maintain peace in the world. This is the program that has been established in Ultron and its job is to finish its program. However, Ultron sees that because of humanity's corruption, evil, pride, greed, wars, and many other downfalls there is only way to make peace in the world: to get rid of humanity. Ultron even goes to the extent of creating a new type of android for him to be in that would be unbeatable. However, this android is downloaded with another program that sees through a different vision. This character is named the "Vision" and helps to defeat Ultron in this movie and the comics.
As the movie is drawing to an end, the Vision finds Ultron in one last scene before Ultron is defeated. They are talking about how Ultron made the Vision to be the new type of "humanity" in which there would be "true" peace. Ultron states that there is no hope for humanity unless they are destroyed. The Vision says something so remarkable though. He states that humanity is full of fear and needs protection, and ultimately that humanity will make mistakes. But there is grace for all of their mistakes.
I was blown away. The proclamation of grace in a major blockbuster film. Of course, for those rolling your eyes and shaking your heads, Jesus was not proclaimed. Of course, none of these superheroes reveal the fullness of Christ. If they did it would be heretical and be missing the point of these stories. Superheroes are not saviors. I simply wanted to gesture that the attributes of Jesus were proclaimed and revealed in minor ways that hopefully lead to greater conversation and pursuit of this idea of grace.
It's amazing to me that the idea of this movie is that the world is filled with sin and the only way sin is overcome is not through extinction, but through grace. It wasn't a blaring revelation or action scene, it was a simple gesture from a character named the Vision. It was the understanding that in freedom of will there will be mistakes, but God's grace covers the multitude of sin. Not only this but grace empowers us for eternal life, now and forever.
I think sometimes we miss the opportunities that come through God's unmerited favor. We are clothed in victory yet we commit ourselves to defeat. We are called a child yet we label ourselves by our problems, addictions, and desires. We are blessed to be a blessing yet we claim our wants as needs, and hoard resources in the name of being blessed. We are called to proclaim the Good News of Jesus to all people, in all nations, at all times, yet we are only looking for giant platforms and titles to do so.
I'd much rather take the approach supplemented in the newest Avengers movie. Let's take a community of supernatural people (the Church), empower them with love and truth (Holy Spirit), give them opportunities to portray their God-given abilities to the world (evangelism, mission, worship, prayer, etc.), and celebrate the reality that God's grace covers it all (Jesus, the Gospel).
Yes, I make mistakes. Yes, we make mistakes. Yes, the world is a disaster. But there is grace. Maybe we should spend more time praying than pointing fingers at issues and people. Let's be a people who pray as Peter did, "May you have more and more grace and peace through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord (2 Pet. 1:2)."
May we be a people who are supernaturally living the big actions of love through small revelations of grace. Amen.
