The 6th season of 24 begins January 14th. I admit it – I am one of those guys that really enjoys the show. A few weeks ago I was watching football with my five year old daughter when an ad’ for the show came on. My daughter asked me, “Who’s that?” I said, “That’s Jack Bauer.” in my best Don LaFontaine voice. She asked, “What does he do?” And I explained, “Jack is willing to sacrifice his life to save the world.”
As I sat there thinking and talking with my little girl I began to consider the desire the world has for a savior, a deliverer who can conquer evil and rescue the helpless. This is not to say that the world recognizes Jesus as the savior it needs, but that the human condition leads us all to sense our need for one.
The world is looking (and has been from the beginning) for someone to rise up and make things right – to demonstrate both justice and mercy, and this is a common theme that emerges in the stories we tell. From Jack Bauer to Harry Potter to many of our classic superheroes, the world loves stories of one who loves enough to deny themselves to rescue others.
One of the questions I have to answer is – do the people in our community see real sacrificial love? Do they experience it in their lives, or will our pop culture stories be as close as they ever get to it? More to the point, what am I doing to demonstrate the gospel through sacrificial love and service? To put the gospel on display most beautifully it requires both the telling and the demonstration of Jesus’ love and sacrifice.
I am resolved to live sacrificially; to preach the gospel in both words and deeds. To not only tell the world of a Savior who sacrificed all to win many, but to show them what sacrifice looks like.
