Are You Going To Be a Hero?

In May 2014, a mudslide engulfed the town of Ozoh in northern Washington. After receiving a frantic phone call from his wife, Chris Langton tried to get home. Unfortunately, the highway was blocked by the mud, and he could not get through. So he got out of his car and tried to run home. But he didn't make it because along the way, there were a lot of people stuck in the mud, and he, heroically, saved multiple lives by pulling them out of the mud and getting them to safety. Luckily, when he did get home, his house wasn't damaged and his family was safe. Chris was recognized by the Red Cross for his heroic acts. What makes a person a hero? Usually there is a crisis. Maybe it is something that appears impossible. And one person or a group of people go over and beyond the call of duty by doing something to change someone else's life for the better or even save other people's lives. Now, who is your hero? Who is our Savior? As we read in Romans 7, our hero is Christ. He is our Savior. He gave his life for us. Look at Romans 7, verse 24.

Romans 7, verse 24. O wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from this body of death? So yeah, we are, Paul and us, we are in a situation that we are condemned to death. That's it. And our carnal human nature kind of puts us deeper and deeper into trouble. And then the answer is, at the beginning of verse 25, when Paul says, I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. He is our Savior. He is our true hero. He did mission impossible. We were condemned to death, and he single-handedly, by emptying himself and becoming a human being and dying for us without sin, did mission impossible. And as we read in Hebrews chapter 2, verse 9, Hebrews chapter 2, verse 9, we see, says, yeah, but we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, you know, was he emptied himself and became lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory. He was rewarded for this heroic act, let's put it that way, that he, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. So he did this act to save us. He gave his eternal life as our Savior, and therefore it says, yeah, in verse 10, therefore it was fitting for him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering. Christ is therefore the captain of our salvation, he's our Savior.

But as we are approaching the day of trumpets, and as we are approaching the symbolism of terrible days ahead, because there will be terrible days ahead, we are going to go through a crisis at the end time. And you and I need to be heroes in this crisis at this end time, because we will then, if we go through it, and we overcome as God's heroes, following him with his help and with his Spirit, we will then receive also a crown of glory for that act of heroism at the same time. Turn with me to Romans chapter 8, Romans chapter 8 verse 17, because there it says, we as children then is, is of God and joint is of Christ. That's what we'll become and what we are. If indeed we suffer with him, if we go through this time of crisis overcoming like heroes, that we may be glorified together like Christ was glorified.

So that we, therefore, brethren, may be in the kingdom of God as God's children in glory. Why? Why? Have you ever wondered why?

Why are you and I called to go over and beyond and in a sense to be heroes? Why? Well, in Revelation 5 verse 10 it says that we will rule the earth. You read that in Revelation 5 verse 10. It says, we shall reign on the earth. We'll be kings and priests to our God.

You see, God is proving us and training us for a future job. Our future role is going to be one of helping to change people's lives in the world tomorrow and beyond for the better and even help them overcome. Therefore, as eternal life today, those are the people as well. We are being trained for a job to help Christ in fulfilling the role of saving mankind. We will have a role of helping him.

But we have to prove that we have the caliber of giving ourselves in humility to serve others like a hero. And we have to prove that today as we go through different crises in the world. Now, I'm going to give a statement that kind of to some people may shock initially. And the statement is, we are not just called to be saved. We are not just called to be saved. Obviously, we are called to be saved. But that is not the only reason why we are called. And that is not the reason why we are called now.

You see, if we were just called to be saved, we could have been called in the second resurrection where it will be a lot easier. You see, that might sound strange to some of you, but it all ties in to the understanding of God's plan of salvation for mankind as depicted by God's festivals. And we love these festivals every year. Every year, we remind ourselves of the sequence of events of God's plan of salvation. Christ dying for us, we having to obey God's laws completely as receiving the first fruits of the Spirit so that then we can overcome till the end. And then when the time of the end comes, trumpets, as we approaching, which is a very specific day, to come. Look at Revelation 8, verse 1 and 2. Revelation 8, verse 1 and 2 says, when he opened the seventh seal, so they are. The book of Revelation has got seven seals. It comes now to the lost seal. There was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. So the day of trumpets symbolizes the day of these seven trumpets. A specific day in God's plan of salvation, in which represents specific events at the time of the end. In other words, the day of the Lord. Brethren, these are not the regular trumpets that we played or are played every month or every holy day. These are specific seven trumpets, which have a very special meaning in the plan of salvation. And they're very specific because of these seven. They will be a lost. It will not be played again. That's it. It's these seven. They have a prophetic symbolism. These trumpets of God. And there is a lost of these seven. So it's not, oh well, we play trumpets on this holiday or the other holiday. Well, of course, we play trumpets at the beginning of the month, or at least the Jews did. And I believe they will be played again in the world tomorrow. But the point is these seven have a prophetic symbolism, and they are symbolized by the day of trumpets. In 1 Corinthians 15 verse 52, in 1 Corinthians 15 verse 52, we have a scripture that you probably know are of my heart that says, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. You see, of these seven, it's the last. It's the seventh. It's the last of these seven. The trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed, and we'll put on incorruption, and the mortal will put on immortality. Brethren, this last trumpet, the last trumpet, and all seven are symbolized by the day of trumpets, but this last trumpet is the one which points us to the resurrection. Very simple. It's clear. It's biblical. Then, in other words, it symbolizes the time of the resurrection. And I believe God always does things on time. So then we add to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. Again, a very well-versed scripture. And then in verse 16 it says, For the Lord himself, that's Christ himself, will descend from heaven with the shout of the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. You see, this is the trumpet of God.

And the dead in Christ will rise first, and then the ones that are alive will be changed, and so on. So we've seen in 1 Corinthians 15, it's the last trumpet that will be the resurrection. In 1 Thessalonians 4 says, this is the trumpet of God. And obviously, therefore, it's the last, it's the seventh of these seven trumpets. And it also shows the art that it will be the resurrection. And if we jump forward to Revelation 11 verse 15, then the seventh angel sounded, which obviously is, therefore, the seventh trumpet, which therefore is the last, which is, as we see, when Christ will come, and it is when will be the resurrection. And it says, and it was loud voices in heaven, the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and it shall reign forevermore. You see, the God of the world today is Satan. He's the God of this world. But from that day onwards, Christ is coming down, and the kingdom of God is going to then rule on earth. The kingdom of God, which is the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, in other words, the kingdom of God the Father, the kingdom of God, and is going to be run, the chief executive officer, let's call it that, will be Christ, and He will reign forevermore.

And there are a number of events that are triggered with that. With that seventh trumpet, that last trumpet, which is symbolized, is part of the symbolism of the day of trumpets, because the day of trumpets also includes the other six, the symbolism. But the set of events is outlined very briefly in verse 18. And it says, the nations were angry, and God's wrath has come. And then it says, and there are three key events that will happen. First, the time of the dead that they should be judged. So, at this last trumpet, it's the time that the dead will be judged. Some dead will be judged to be resurrected to be in the first resurrection, and some dead will be judged to remain sleeping for at least another thousand years. That's the time when the dead will be judged, whether to resurrect and to be in the first resurrection, or to stay sleeping for a little longer. Second, and that you should reward. So, it's the time of the reward. So, the first resurrection, and then those resurrected will be rewarded. Your servants, the prophets, the saints, and those who fear your name, small and great. And thirdly, as part of the symbolism of this event, is these rulers of this world that are destroying the world. As we saw at the beginning of verse 18, they are angry and they want to fight with Christ, and Christ will zap them up because it says he'll destroy those who destroy the earth. And this then represents a time which is a time in which Christ will start ruling on earth.

But there are a number of events between today and then. There are a number of events between today and then. Where we are today is what is described in Matthew 24 verse 8, Matthew 24 verse 8, which is various events that are described there from verses 5 and 6 and 7. And then in verse 8 says, all these are the beginning of sorrows. That's where we are today, at the beginning of these birth pangs. There's going to be birth pangs until the resurrection. Terrible things are going to happen, and you and I are going to go through a world crisis, a world crisis. And you and I need to be heroes in this crisis.

That's why we were called to stand up and be soldiers of Christ, ambassadors of Christ, and be an example, be a hero through these days of crisis. And so I just want to highlight three simple principles that are very important to be a hero for Christ.

And the first one is very simple, very basic, is to show humility through acts of service. Show humility through acts of service. That's what Christ did. As we read in Philippians chapter 2 verse 5, Philippians chapter 2 verse 5, he was in the form of God. And it says that we need to have the same mindset as he did. He says, let this mind be in you. Let this vibe, this feeling, this attitude be in you, this way of being, being you, which was also in Christ, which was what? He was in the form of God. He was of the God-kind. And it did not consider robbery to be equal with God. It's not robbery that Christ can identify himself, what he was before he became a human being, equal with God. With God the Father, of course. But he, verse 7, made of himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant and coming in the likeness of men.

He became a human being. He humbled himself and served mankind to the point that he died for us on the cross. That's his act of service.

Our act of service must be a similar act. He exemplified that during the Passover. As we know, during the Passover, he had a foot-washing ceremony. And you know what he said. Let's turn to John 13. John 13. John 13. Verse 13. You call me teacher and Lord, and you say, Well, for so I am. If I, then, your Lord and teacher have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. It was, I am the one that was in the form of God. I have come down to serve you. Symbolize you by the foot-washing ceremony. In humility, serving you. You go out and do the same. Oh, yes, wash your brethren's feet. But the meaning is, do the same, be humble, and serve other people. That is what the meaning is all about. For I've given you an example that you should do as I have done to you. His example is beyond the foot-washing. His example was his whole life and dying for us. And that's why, in his very first lecture, in the Sermon on the Mount, he starts with the Beatitudes. And the very first Beatitude is humility. The very first Beatitude is humility, being poor in spirit. Turn with me to Matthew 5, verse 3. Matthew 5, verse 3.

He says, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God. This Beatitude, brethren, or this attitude to be in, is foundational. It's like the one that you build the others onto, because then you have mourning, which is basically repentance. And then you have meekness, which is basically teachability and being gentle. And then you have hunger and thirst for righteousness, which is really want to do what's right. And then you realize that we've got to be merciful, and we've got to be sincere and pure in heart, and we have to make peace. These are all attitudes that build one on top of another. You cannot be a peacemaker if you don't have humility. If you take humility out, the whole will crumble down. That is the basis. If you turn to John 15 verse 13, John 15 verse 13, Christ in His lecture, in John 15 verse 13, it says, greater love as no one than this than to lay down one's life for his friends. That is an heroic act. That's an act of heroism, because you lay out your life for others, to serve others. And that's what we're going to be doing in the world. Tomorrow, we're going to prove it today by doing it today. That's what is required of us.

You also know in Matthew 20 when people were talking to Christ about leadership, and then he said in Matthew 20 verse 25, he said, you know the rulers of the Gentiles lorded over them. They keep them under their thumb, lording over them. And those who are great exercise authority over them. A servant leader, a servant following Christ's principles, is not a dictator. And so your job and my job, your sacrifice and my sacrifice, is an act of heroism. Is a heroic act. And that is described in Romans chapter 12 verse 1. Romans chapter 12 verse 1. That is what is described as a living sacrifice. Because giving a life might not necessarily mean that you literally die, but you give of yourself for others. I beseech you. Therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, please, please, I beseech you. For God's mercy, please, for the love of God, please, present your bodies a living sacrifice. Be a hero by giving your life to others. Holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. That is why we are called. That's our reasonable service. And so the first point to be a hero, we got to give ourselves in humility to serve others. And the second point goes with it, is that we got to fight that fight till the end. We got to fight doing it. A hero will struggle and go through that difficulty all the way till the end. And he makes it through to get a crown of glory, a medal of recognition. But our medal of recognition, our crown of glory, is God's kingdom. So we got to fight. Christ fought till the end. As we can see, he fought, immediately after he was baptized, he was tempted by Satan, and he fought Satan. And look at 2 Timothy chapter 2 verse 3 through 5. 2 Timothy chapter 2 verse 3 to 5. You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Christ. We have to endure difficulties in this life.

How? As a good soldier. Because it says in verse 4, no one entangles in warfare no, I beg your pardon, no one engaged in warfare and tangles himself with the affairs of this life.

So no one that is fighting in a war is going to be distracted with other things. He's focused on the goal. And our goal is to be followers of Christ, serving others like he did in humility. And we must not be entangled ourselves with the affairs of this life. In other words, we are not here to please ourselves.

And then we continue. Verse 5, and also if anyone competes in athletics is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. A hero, a winner, an overcomeer is going to compete according to the rules. And then you'll get the reward, the crown. Brethren, how many of you have difficulties and challenges in your life? Some of you, many of you, have health issues. Others have job problems. Others have difficulties with friends at school or whatever. We all have difficulties. And particularly when we deal with people, those difficulties become quite challenging. Quite challenging. Turn with me to Ephesians 6. Ephesians 6. And there, starting in verses 11 and 12, we read, Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Oh, how often we forget, oh, we think that this person is against me, or it's that person against me, or this person is inspiring the other one to get against me.

And how often do we think that that person is my enemy? But you know, those people quite often don't even know what they're doing, because they're being inspired and be known to them by Satan. Verse 12, For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood. You and I are not fighting against this person or that person or somebody else. We are fighting against demons and spirit beings. We gotta remember that, that our war is a spiritual warfare. Never lose sight of the true enemy. As it says, we are fighting against principalities, against powers, against rulers of darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of the wickedness in the heavenly places. Our war is not against human beings.

Satan hates God. Satan hates Christ. And if you and I are going to be following God and following Christ, he is going to have you as his target, and me and us as his target as well. Now, if you are going and doing your own thing and not pleasing God, then why should Satan attack you? But if you are trying to please God, he is going to attack you. You will be hated in this crisis, in this life. Mark 13 verse 13. Mark 13 verse 13. And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. Because you are living God's ways, you are really pleasing God. You are trying your best to obey him and live according to his way. You will be hated by all. Everybody will hate you. And so, brethren, we have to fight the good fight till the end, understanding who the enemy is. And then you will be rewarded if we prove that we are prepared, if we have the mindset, the mentality, like Christ has, of serving others, of being humble and serving others, and we stick into it till the end. We will be rewarded if we prove that we have that caliber of character. Look at Matthew 24 verse 44. Matthew 24 verse 44.

Therefore, you'll be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at the hour you do not expect. If you and I get involved in things and just say, ah, we'll take it easy, whatever, this has been like it always been, whatever it is, you'll be caught unawares.

Because who then is a faithful, faithful, that he does what he needs to be done, and why servant, whom is master made ruler over his household? Who is then the one that is behaving and doing with the humility and service of Christ, as he gave us an example, as he says, Go and likewise do as I have done to you, like I've washed your feet, go and wash others. That's what we're going to be doing, obviously beyond foot washing in our lives. So he says, Blessed is the servant whom is master when he comes will find so doing. So doing what? Being a year old now in this crisis of the end time and just being overcoming, because even though others may say things to us or may do things to us that you and I just feel like hitting them back, we have to be heroes in this battle. We've got to be so doing till the end.

Luke chapter 21 says the same thing about this great crisis to come in our lives. Luke chapter 21 verse 16. He says, You will be betrayed even by your parents and brothers, relatives and friends. You know, sometimes you have some people in your family that are with you, and you've got some people in your family that will not be with you. And they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all for my namesake. This is a great crisis, but not a hair of your head will be lost. Now, what do you mean? Because some of you will die, says the eye at the end of verse 16. It will put some of you to death, but not a hair of your head shall be lost. Because this physical life in the end is nothing. God will bring it all back. Nothing will be lost by your patience, by your perseverance, by your endurance, by your hupamoni. You shall possess your life in the end. We have to persevere to the end. Look at verse 28. Now, when these things begin to happen, as you see this crisis developing in the world around you, and I deliberately avoided to get into a prophecy sermon about well, this thing's going to happen, that thing's going to happen, that whole thing, because in the end, what is important? Important is for you and I to remain faithful till the end, and to have the godly love and humility to serve others till the end, and remain faithful till the end. And all these things are happening. It's going to be pretty bad, it says, it's a crisis, but it says when these things begin to happen, look up!

Don't look down and be depressed and discouraged. Look up! Lift up your heads because your redemption is near. Look beyond that. Yes, it's going to be tough, but we've got to have to hold on.

But the redemption is near. Look up. Verse 34, but take heed to yourselves. The real one to be careful is that you and I don't get distracted with the things of the swolt. Computer games and whatever it may be, and things on the internet, or just sitting out, well, I'll just keep watching news and watching news and waste your time. I'm not saying don't watch news, but what I'm saying is take heed of yourselves. Redeem your time carefully.

Use your time correctly. As we heard in the sermon, stay close to God. Meditate on God. Listen. Stand still and go God's way. So take heed of yourselves. And then in verse 36, watch therefore. Watch what? Yourselves. Stay heed of yourselves. Watch and pray that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things, because the escaping all these things is that you will then be able to stand.

That means that you will be resurrected or changed or transformed to stand when Christ comes, and you will be with Him to stand with the Son or Man before the Son or Man. That's our goal. And when Christ comes, at the end of this crisis, it says, and those that are with Him are called and chosen and faithful, because that's why you are called to stand and prove your loyalty till the end, so that you will be a hero like Christ, who will come to save the world.

He is the hero, but we also need to be overcomeers under Him, heroes under Him, by overcoming with His help and using the power of God's Holy Spirit in this adverse world of Satan. That is why you and I are called. You and I have a job in the future to be with Christ to help clean up this world. It's interesting how that is described in Obadiah.

In Obadiah. At the end of Obadiah, Chapter 1, we've only got one chapter. At the end of Obadiah, Verse 21, then saviors shall come to Mount Zion to judge the mountains of Esau. Saviors will come in those which are resurrected saints, glorified as divine kings and priests, who will be given the privilege of playing a role in saving Israel and the rest of mankind. But for you and I to be there, we have to use God's Holy Spirit, which has been given.

We are the first fruits of the Spirit. We are the first that have received God's Holy Spirit. We are the first fruits of the Spirit. And we've got to use God's Holy Spirit all the way till the end, till Christ's coming at the Day of Trumpets, at the last Trump. And then as as glorified children of God, we will work with Jesus Christ, our Savior, because He is our Savior. He is the Savior of the church. And He is and will be the Savior of the whole of the world. And we need to imitate Him so that if we suffer like He did, we will be glorified with Him, as we read in Romans 8, 17, a little earlier.

I want to turn to one more scripture, and that is in 1 Peter chapter 2. 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 21. 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 21. This is an important scripture for us to remember. For this or to this, you were called. Yeah, it's the purpose of why we called now. We called because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow His steps.

And His steps are those of a humble service, of fighting till the end, and then will be glorified because we've overcome till the end. We will be glorified with Him, qualified to serve with Him because we have proven that we are willing to humbly serve mankind, and therefore helping Him to save the world. That is our calling. Are you going to be a hero?