Across the Pastor’s Desk

By the Rev. Dan Baker, First Lutheran Church

With the Super Bowl rematch between the Giants and Patriots just a few days away, it is easy to find someone talking about the big game. Fans will idolize their heroes — names like Brady, Manning, Cruz and Jacobs. But once the game is over, whose name will be remembered the most? And for how long? Days? Months? Or perhaps, years?

We all have heroes in sports, politics or business, to name a few. They are people we look up to, admire and even idolize for their character, talents or accomplishments. They may even help us aspire to higher levels, to lift our spirits and help bring us happiness.

Do you have any heroes you look up to on Sunday morning? In the book of Hebrews, the 11th chapter, we find the Bible’s “Hall of Fame,” a listing the heroes of old like Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Issac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses and Rahab. They were heroes of the faith! Listen to what some more of them did:

“And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated — the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. (Hebrews 11:32-44 NIV)

These Bible heroes are still remembered and celebrated today — a few thousand years after their walk here on earth. Their lives continue to inspire us to be faithful to God and one another. We still need heroes today as we face the giants, the hardships, and pains. We also need faithful people to look up to who will be remembered for generations to come. Who is your hero? Perhaps you can be a hero in the faith for someone else, too!