Avengers Assemble

The Avengers are an intriguing Superhero team. It is a team made up of several strong personalities and people with a variety of skills. In the movies, Nick Fury is the driving force behind assembling the team. He wanted a group of extraordinary people to fight the battles that couldn’t be fought by the average person. In the comics, there is a quote from the 70’s issues which summarizes the formation and purpose of the team. The quote states:

And there came a day, a day unlike any other, when Earth’s mightiest heroes and heroines found themselves united against a common threat. On that day, the Avengers were born—to fight the foes no single super hero could withstand! Through the years, their roster has prospered, changing many times, their glory has never been denied! Heed the call, then—for now, the Avengers Assemble!”

Fury tried to bring in Iron Man first. He approached Tony Stark shortly after Tony revealed that he was Iron Man. Tony was the first person to develop a sophisticated battle suit made of high tech armor. He could certainly be an integral part of the team. Fury also kept an eye on Bruce Banner after the accident which created the Incredible Hulk. The Hulk was uncontrollable but Fury believed his brute strength could be an incredible weapon.

Later, Fury’s operatives encountered the Asgardian Thor. Thor and his enchanted hammer Mjolnir could be a valuable asset in any battle. The other superhuman that Fury came across was Captain America. They discovered him frozen in ice in arctic waters. It was easier to convince Captain America to be part of the team because he is a soldier who is used to following leaders and orders.

Despite Fury’s efforts, the team didn’t come together quickly because the big personalities didn’t mesh well. They all had their special skills and they did well on their own but it was a different story when they needed to work together toward a common goal. Their huge egos and personal agendas filled the room. Tony Stark and Bruce Banner are men of science who trust their own intelligence far more than they trust Fury. Captain America wants to trust Fury because Cap is a soldier but he discovers that Fury has been withholding information. Thor’s main agenda is to capture his brother Loki and return him to Asgard for imprisonment. In spite of the conflicting personalities and agendas, Fury saw the powerful potential of the team.

Although he is far from Fury like, Jesus also sees the potential for a dynamic team when he looks at us. Jesus brings together a wide variety of people with different skills and different personalities. And yet, he wants us all to work together toward a common goal. In the Bible, the family of believers is called the “Body of Christ.” We are one body with Christ as our head. We have different functions within that body/family of believers. In Ephesians 4:4, 7 and 16, it says:

 

There is one body and one Spirit— just as you were called to one hope when you were called—… But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it… From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”

As part of that body of believers we are given grace from God in the form of various spiritual gifts. We don’t all have the same gifts. For example, some of us are better at preaching a sermon and some of us are better at singing a solo. Some of us are great at encouraging everyone we meet with the love of Christ and some of us are great friends who will always be there for anyone in need. Some of us are fantastic at building a church and others are great at serving a meal to the hungry. Regardless of our skills, we are all to work together to share the love of Christ. The Apostle Paul also talks about this in 1 Corinthians chapter 12:

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.” (1 Corinthians 12:4-11)

We want to use our gifts for the benefit of the church but we are often tempted toward sinful disunity. Our goals might not always start sinfully but when things don’t go our way, we are tempted to become divided. We might have a disagreement about the best way to use our time, talents, and treasures to serve God. Rather than working through our disagreement, we are tempted to tear down, back stab, or gossip about those who disagree with us. This is not how God wants his people to act.

Look again at the Avengers. Nick Fury had a great idea when he wanted to bring together a team of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. But he didn’t truly know how to unite them into a team. The team needed something to rally around and Fury couldn’t provide that. They needed more than simply a common enemy. They needed to be motivated to fight together. That motivation came in a tragic way.

Car accidents, physical violence, and other buy levitra viagra sudden impact-situations are the main causes of impotence. They are temporary solution that work greatly on the condition and achat viagra pfizer seanamic.com provide long-relief. So why viagra shop usa don’t you start searching online now and get conveyance across the Pakistan. Do you see any progress in that direction? JD: Today we have brain-based models viagra no prescription seanamic.com for most mental illnesses. While Loki was escaping imprisonment on the SHIELD Hellicarrier, Agent Phil Coulson tried to stop him. (Coulson had been the agent who did a lot of work to recruit the members of the Avengers.) Loki used his trickery to sneak up behind Coulson and stab him through the heart. Coulson died as a result of that wound.

After Coulson’s death, the Avengers worked tireless together to defeat Loki. His tragic death was their motivation, which led them to work past any differences they were having and work together as a team. Even Iron Man, who is normally very self-centered, was willing to sacrifice himself for the good of the team in order to save the world.

It took a while to bring the team together, but eventually, in order to stop Loki and an alien army, the Avengers assembled.

In a sense, God brings his people together as his own Avengers team. Sure, we do not have superpowers like Iron Man, the Hulk, Thor, or Captain America. But we do have different skills and abilities that can be used for the good of Christ’s church. We do have various personalities which at times can make it hard for us to work together as a team. Jesus can help us to overcome those differences.

Our help comes from the death of Jesus. The death of Jesus wins us eternal salvation. His death paid for sins once for all. His death is the event that unites all believers. Because of the forgiveness and eternal life that he won for us, we are motivated to come together as a family of believers. Because of what he did for us, we are motivated to tell others about his death and resurrection. We proclaim a salvation that is far superior to any earthly salvation. Jesus’ sacrificial death saved the World.

Jesus’ love for us helps us to set aside our ego and receive input that is beneficial. When we are tempted to tear someone down or back stab them because they acted unkindly toward us, Jesus helps us to forgive others and to put the best construction on the actions of others. We repent of our own sins and we help others see their forgiveness.  We build each other up and we share Jesus’ love.

Our goal is not to defeat an alien invasion that is threatening Earth. Rather our goal is to proclaim the gospel of Christ to people who need its saving message. We humbly see our sins and then we proclaim the forgiveness that is found only through the death and resurrection of Jesus. In a sense, we are Avengers assembled in order to share the love of Jesus.

Avengers History

The Avengers started back in 1963. Loki was looking for a way to get his brother Thor. He devised a plan to use the Hulk to fight Thor. Unfortunately for Loki, three other superheroes showed up because of Loki’s plot. Iron Man, Ant-man, and Wasp also came to fight what they believed was a rampaging Hulk. The five superheroes realized that they had been tricked and they turned against Loki. Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, Ant-man, and Wasp were the founding members of the Avengers.

The first Avengers movie came out in 2012 and was a huge box office success. The sequel Avengers Age of Ultron will come to theaters on May 1.