Some things I don’t get.
Like when the hero dies at the end of the movie.
Call me unsophisticated, I like my heroes alive and ready to move on to the next thing.
Why?
Because death is so final.
Death isn’t just a bookend. It’s the end of the book and regardless of how tough a situation a hero is put in, once he doesn’t bump into the adversary called death, he can always come back.
I don’t care if he’s wounded or beaten or comes to the very brink of death – as long as he doesn’t cross that threshold, I’m good.
Forget how fantastic a story is. Forget how much emotion a script may evoke – if the hero doesn’t make it, I’m not sold.
The Easter story was probably written for me.
Normally when a hero dies, he doesn’t predict it.
He may predict being beaten. He may predict being taken to the end of his endurance, but a hero who says I’m going to die and knock out death? That remains the purview of one.
His death wasn’t a surprise to Him.
It was to those He walked with, even though he had predicted it.
You have to hand it to them though, this situation had no precedent. Not even in fiction was there such an occurrence and definitely not in fact.
All that changed with the cross.
Fighters do a lot of talking before title bouts. It appears to be a legitimate tactic to psyche out the opposition. Jesus said what he needed to say before Calvary happened, but I don’t think His intent was to psyche out the enemy.
I think His intent was to psyche his followers up by letting us know what it meant and would mean to have Him on our side.
He predicted His death and resurrection.
The occasional fighter may predict the round they will knock out the opposition.
Sometimes they get it right.
They may get it wrong but still win the fight. Sometimes they get it wrong and are beaten.
When Jesus made this prediction, He wasn’t guessing or toying with the emotions of his disciples. He was stating the facts and without missing a beat, He did what he said He would do.
Our Lord got into the ring and punched death out all the way to Hades; then He came back to let us know He had done the impossible.
That’s a hero’s ending I’m alright with.
You know why? Life is a lot less scary knowing I have such a God in my corner.
And life does get scary.
Things sometimes seem hopeless and the reminder in this hero’s journey is when circumstances go beyond what can be salvaged, God still has a plan.
A plan that ensures our ultimate victory.
Now that’s a plot line I can get on board with.