Remember He-Man?

I remember quite distinctly an account that happened in my living room as a young boy. It was mid-afternoon and my brother and I were watching He-Man on the television. He-Man was a cartoon character who lived by the sword – the Power Sword to be exact. He would raise his sword in the air and proclaim “By the power of Grayskull…. I have the power.”
With so much power being demonstrated I wondered about Jesus and called out to my mom who was preparing supper in the kitchen. I asked one question which would for the next few years radically alter our form of entertainment and leisure activity!

“Mom, is He-Man more powerful than Jesus?”

I don’t remember exactly what my mom said, but I remember what she did.She unplugged the TV and moved it into the study, and then a few days after that moved it to I don’t know where – but it was gone. And it remained gone for quite a few years!

Images are incredibly powerful, and the image of a fictional character, He-Man on the television was seen as potentially more powerful than the image of Jesus Christ that had been developed in my heart and mind. An image can be created through words, with description, or through art, or visual media.

If you have ever heard of Jesus you have an image in your mind of what He must look like, what He must sound like when He speaks. This image may be informed by the pastor or priest. It may have been created through your reading of the Gospels in the Bible.You may have heard the first verse of the poem:

“Gentle Jesus meek and mild,
look upon this little child,
pity my simplicity,
suffer me to come to Thee”

You may see Him from art that attempts to depict Jesus. Jesus holding a lamb tenderly, Jesus addressing crowds seated on a mediterranean hillside, Jesus on the cross, Jesus being brutally beaten in Mel Gibson’s movie “The Passion”.

In the final book of the Bible, a man named John had an incredibly elaborate vision into the future, and specifically into the spiritual realm. He saw the Lord Jesus a number of times in the heavenlies and provides us with an incredible description of Jesus who is now seated at the right hand of God the Father, and is coming back to the world to culminate all history with one final exclamation mark – establishing a new heaven and new earth.

Here is how John sees Jesus in this vision:

He had the appearance of a man,
Dressed in a robe that reached His feet
A Golden Sash around his chest
Hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow,
His eyes were like a blazing fire
His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace
His voice was like the sound of rushing waters
Coming out of His mouth was a sharp double edged sword
His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance

John, who was so familiar with Jesus that he would lie next to him and rest his head on His chest fainted when He saw Jesus looking like this. He fell on the floor as though dead!

At a later point an Angel identifies Jesus as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.
John sees Jesus and He has the appearance of a lamb that has been slain.
The slain Lamb has seven horns, and seven eyes.
From that moment on for a few chapters any reference to Jesus is referenced to The Lamb!
The Lamb although having the appearance of being slain is very much alive and not only that, He is in charge!

Finally in Revelation 19 he sees this:

“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.

The armies of heaven were following him,riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.

Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations.

“He will rule them with an iron scepter.”

He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS”

This is the final image of Jesus that we are left with in the Bible.He is everything we see in the Gospels. He is loving, He is patient, He is kind and compassionate – but He is also fearsome, mysterious, courageous, violent, victorious!

That is my King – I’m on His side. He has the Power.

justdonlon