Grace to you, and peace in Jesus’ name. Amen.

The second article of the Apostles’ Creed is as follows:

[ I believe] in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.

What does this mean?
I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord, who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death, that I may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom, and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, just as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity. This is most certainly true.

With that in mind I want you to think for a moment about what a hero is. A hero is someone who saves another person or people. Often it is through some extraordinary action; something that people would not normally do, often at the risk to their own life or personal safety.

In the attacks that occurred on 9/11/2001 several people died. Some because of the terrorist attacks. Some fighting the terrorists. Some trying to rescue people suffering from the attacks. Perhaps the images most clearly in our minds are those police and firefighters that ran into the towers to save people, and who with the victims, died when the buildings fell.

Soldiers are heroes when they risk their lives to defend the freedoms we enjoy in our country. We give special honors and medals to those who conduct themselves with great valor and honor, without regard for themselves or their own safety to save and protect others. We give special respect to those who gave their lives defending our nation and this nation’s security.

Heroes are too often in too short a supply. We long for heroes. Men who exhibit true honor, valor, integrity and honesty. Men who use their strength to defend and protect those weaker around them rather than oppress them.

T here is an ancient story about a man named Beowulf. That story has been retold over and over. It has been made into a movie several times. What is sad is how often those retelling the tale, fail to convey the true meaning, in that story.

Beowulf is a man of incredible power and strength, who comes to the aid of a king whose kingdom is in collapse and utter despair, because a monster named Grendel is attacking and killing people, and there is nothing anyone can do to make him stop. He attacks over and over, again and again, and each time more people die.

Beowulf hears of this trouble and travels to the afflicted kingdom. He speaks to the king, who is disrespected by his people and his counselors because he is considered weak and unable to defend his people.

Beowulf never shows disrespect to the king but honors him, and defends the king’s honor to all who would question it. Beowulf eventually fights and defeats Grendel. In doing so he earned the right to take the throne from the king. Beowulf returns and continues to honor the king even when others tell him to take the throne. The king in gratitude rewards Beowulf with great honors and riches. Beowulf however takes only what is fair for the task he has performed, nothing more.

The story of Beowulf is a story about what makes a man a real man. It is a story about honor, valor, integrity and honesty. It is a story that must be read, because all of the movies fail to convey the very point the story was written to teach. It is a story every young man should read, to learn what it means to be a real man. It gives the best definition of what a hero is.

The second article of the Apostles’ Creed teaches that Jesus, “Is my Lord.” Those words should ring out like a bell sounding across the countryside. “Is My Lord.” We don’t always think of Jesus as a hero. We generally don’t call Jesus a hero, but Jesus is the best example of masculine strength this world has ever seen.

Jesus is certainly a hero in that He rescues and saves us from eminent peril and danger. What greater danger is there than being cast through the gates of Hell? What greater peril is there than your approaching death? The Large Catechism states that to call Jesus our Lord is the same as calling Jesus our Redeemer. The one who paid our fine and our debt, so we would not be subjects of Satan but rather children of God. Jesus is our Redeemer, Jesus our Savior, Jesus our Liberator. Jesus is my Lord.

I suppose the reason we generally don’t call Jesus our hero is because I think there is one major difference between a hero and our Lord. A hero doesn’t save a person eternally. For example: A fireman may run into a burning house and save a person from death by carrying them out through the flames, smoke and heat. Yet once the act of saving them is complete the hero has no more responsibility for that person. The fireman, and the person who was saved, return to their regular daily lives and life goes on. Certainly the saved person may be filled with gratitude and appreciation. They may even remain in contact with each other, even for years, but the hero has no responsibility to do that, nor is there any requirement that he continue to provide care or protection.

Jesus as our Lord is not like a fireman who rescues us from the flames of Hell and then just goes on about His business, and we about ours. Jesus takes us under His wing.¹ He continues to provide and care for all we need, all of our lives. That gives us a glimpse at what the end of time looks like. He is more like a fireman who rescues a child and then adopts that child and makes him a member of his family. Jesus rescues us from the flames of Hell certainly, but more than that He makes us a child of God.² He makes us His own, “to live under Him in His kingdom.³”

That is why Jesus is called Lord, not just hero. In fact the title Lord is used to describe Jesus more than any other title in the New Testament. Jesus didn’t just save us. He defeated Sin, death and the power of the devil. He conquered those things that endangered us. Having completed that task He was exulted, lifted up.

Not just to be given special honors and a medal, but to be enthroned. To reign as King and Lord of His people forever. He now sits at the right-hand of the Father, in the position of power and might, authority and dominion, as both steward of all, and Lord over all of creation. He is also our Mediator between us and the Father. He declares us clean and saved.

After Jesus said, “It is finished!⁴” there was a parade of events. Jesus descended into Hell to proclaim His victory in the very heart of the enemies territory.⁵ The ultimate insult to the ruler of that dark place, Jesus stood in the Basilica of Beelzebub⁶ and proclaimed His victory and Satan’s defeat. There Jesus shamed and humiliated Lucifer. Then Jesus leaving the grave walked among the people proclaiming His victory and their salvation from slavery to that dark master. Then He ascends into Heaven to assume His position of reigning dominion and power over all things. He now sits in the place of highest honor for all eternity. Not just the Divine nature of Jesus, but also the man Jesus. He reigns as true God and true man eternally, who came to die for you and me. Is it not a wonder that the very early Christians declared Jesus Lord of lords and King of kings?

Certainly long before Jesus was born, and in all the time since, there have been many rulers, kings and lords. They were responsible for their people and subjects, and they carried out their duties to provide for those under their care in various measures of skill and faithfulness. Jesus however is more than just a lord or a king. He is the Lord of all lords and the King of all kings. In short Jesus is Lord, the very Author of life.

What does that really mean? “Jesus is Lord.” It means two things:

• Jesus is my Lord. The Law is: I belong to Him. I serve Him. I am His possession. I am under His orders and rules.

• Jesus is my Lord. The Gospel is: Jesus reigns over us so that He can make us holy, make us pure, strengthen and comfort all who live under Him. We live under Him so that He can grant us His gifts. We live under Him so that He can shield and protect us. We serve Him in “everlasting innocents, righteousness and blessedness. This is most certainly true.⁷”

The words, “Jesus is my Lord” go far beyond Jesus is my hero. We are born in a sense without a Lord. We are conceived as enemies of God.⁸ Other things dominate and threaten us. We belonged to sin, idols, Satan, and certainly we belonged to death. These things tyrannized and terrorized our lives.

When we are reborn,⁹ through Holy Baptism, that is no longer true. Now you have a Lord. He became your Lord when He rescued you and saved you, through His innocent suffering and death, by pouring out His holy precious Blood. So now “Jesus is my Lord” become the shout of victory for all who call on His name.

Is Jesus your hero? Certainly He should be that, but He is much, much, more than just a hero. He is your Lord.

Amen.

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