Jesus Vs 1 – Thanos the merciless mad titan

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Thanos the merciless mad titan

Welcome everyone to Redemption Church in Plano Tx. My name is Chris Fluitt and I have been so excited about our new sermon series for such a long time. Let’s jump right into scripture.

Exodus 14:13-14 (NIV2011) “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

Jesus Vs

God will fight for you. Sometimes in our struggle we need a reminder that God will fight for us… we only need to be still.

To help us remember that we have a series entitled Jesus Vs.

Jesus will fight for you, but how does Jesus fight? How could he possibly fight your worst foes? Well we are going to see Jesus stand toe to toe against one of the most terrifying villains.

Jesus Vs Thanos

The merciful savior Jesus Christ, vs the merciless mad Titan Thanos. How do you think this fight might go?

You got a look at Thanos in our intro video. He is a bad guy.

Thanos

He hails from a moon of Saturn called Titan and is often called the “Mad Titan.”

Recent measurements have Thanos to be 8 feet tall and nearly 1000 pounds… that is half a ton. Beyond being large, he also has super-strength, speed, and an advanced intelligence.

Infinity Gauntlet

The Mad Titan is never satisfied with his abilities. He is obsessed with gaining all the power in the universe. He seeks to gain all this power through the infinity gauntlet. It is a metal glove that is jeweled with 6 infinity stones. By wearing this infinity gauntlet Thanos then becomes the strongest being within the comic book universe.

Thanos is definitely a bad guy, yet he is more complicated than most villains. He has a specific purpose for the power he seeks.

Thanos

As revealed in our intro video, Thanos’ home world, Titan, was once beautiful but fell to ruin because of the people who lived there. Thanos reveals his plan to “save” the world…

As Thanos said himself “With all 6 stones I could simply snap my fingers and they would all cease to exist… I call that mercy.”

How could Jesus possibly defeat Thanos? Earth’s mightiest heroes, the Avengers, had a lot of trouble in their fight against Thanos. Empowered with the Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos does indeed snap his fingers and all who saw the movie, Avengers Infinity War, got a front row seat to what Thanos calls Mercy.

Jesus Vs Thanos

How could Jesus possibly defeat Thanos and the power of his infinity gauntlet?

At the heart of this cosmic comic combat is this very theological idea of mercy.

MERCY

Mercy is showing compassion toward an offender or enemy, instead of using power to punish or harm.

Mercy is showing kindness and love. Mercy is forgiveness & patience.

Jesus is obviously merciful. Scripture declares the God of the Bible to be a God of mercy.

Psalm 86:15 (NIV2011) But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.

Psalm 145:8-9 (NIV2011) The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.

Lamentations 3:22-23 (NIV2011) Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Jesus Vs Thanos

Jesus, the God of the Bible is a merciful God. He is full of mercy, kindness, compassion, and love.

A lot of people have the wrong idea about the God of the Bible. Some people think the God of this universe is more like Thanos.

Remember Thanos said that he would use the power of the infinity stones to destroy half the universe… and he called that mercy.

Jesus vs Thanos is really a battle between Merciful God & merciless god.

Merciful God vs merciless god

Thanos thinks that destroying half the universe is merciful. He suggests that because it is random & dispassionate that it is mercy. After wiping away life from the universe he will sit down and watch the sunset on a “grateful universe.” This is Thanos’ Endgame.

Thanos, the merciless god, seeks to bring death. His answer for the problems of the world is dispassionate destruction & death. Although Thanos has great power in his hand, he never seeks to bring anything but death. He is merciless!

You need to know that the God of the Bible is nothing like this. You need to know that Jesus, the savior is not seeking to wipe out life, but to give life. You need to know that the God of the universe loves the universe and shows great kindness. You need to know that the God of scripture does see the problems of the world, but His response is mercy, compassion, forgiveness, and love. He is merciful!

Is God always merciful?

But wait a moment… Is God always merciful? Was the flood merciful? Is a place called hell merciful?

We could spend a lot of time on this question. It is a fair question. Here is a brief answer…

God is both merciful & just.

Psalm 89:14 (NIV2011) Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; mercy & truth go before you.

God is kind & compassionate but He also judges fairly. If we do wrong then we will be judged by God. Scripture also says that what a man sows he will also reap (Galatians 6:7).

God did judge the world through the flood. God has prepared a place of judgment called Hell. This occurred because God is just… but while Thanos is all “judgment” God never ceases to be merciful.

Here are 3 ways God is merciful even in judgment.

  1. He creates a way of escape
    1. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV2011) …God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
    2. God mercifully always provides a way of escape.
      1. Was there a way of escape from the flood? YES THE ARK!
      2. Is there a way of escape from Hell? YES THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST
  2. He gives space for grace
    1. In His letter to the Churches in Revelation God speaks of a evilest person… A person who was worthy of great judgment named Jezebel… Here is what your merciful God says about her…

      Revelation 2:21 (NIV2011) I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling.
    2. God mercifully provides time to repent.
      1. Did God allow space to repent before the flood? Yes, almost 1000 years!
      2. Is God allowing space to repent before the final judgment? Yes Jesus went to the cross giving us the message of redemption nearly 2000 years ago.
  3. God mercifully corrects us
    1. Hebrews 12:5-6 (NIV2011) And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”
    2. God justly corrects us in loving merciful ways. He corrects us, not as an attempt to destroy us, but to lead us as parent lovingly leads a child.

Is God always merciful?

Yes! And you have never been away from His mercy!

What Thanos called mercy was actually merciless judgment.

  1. Thanos offered no way of escape.
  2. Thanos gave no space for grace & repentance.
  3. Thanos offered no merciful correction.

The end result of a powerful yet merciless god is a lot of death…

But here is how a merciful God uses power!

Ephesians 2:4-5 (NIV2011) But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

Ephesians 2:6-7 (NIV2011) And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 136:1-4 (NIV2011) Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever. to him who alone does great wonders, His love endures forever.

The chapter goes on and after every observation the truth rings out – His love endures forever.

You woke up today because HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER!

You looked into your kitchen and there was something to eat because HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER!

You were able to put gas in your car because HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER!

You felt God’s presence today because HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER!

Thanos can snap all He wants – God’s Mercy ENDURES!

Mercy is God’s Endgame!

Jesus Vs Thanos

Compare how Thanos would save the world vs how Jesus saves the world.

Thanos brings death, BUT Jesus brings LIFE, PEACE, JOY, LOVE, HEALING…

Thanos exacts merciless judgment that ends up destroying the world… but Jesus comes not to condemn the world but that through Him the world would be saved (John 3:17)…

Thanos can only imagine saving half the world… But God so loved the entire world… everyone in it… that He gave his only son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life!

Thanos came to snap judgment but God’s word declares in James 2:13 that MERCY TRIUMPHS OVER JUDGMENT!

Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment

Watch what God does… God in all His mercy, came to a merciless world. He was born a man and was exposed to merciless people. He was taken against his will and was lied about and sentenced to a merciless death. He died the most merciless death. Nails in his hands & feet and a crown of thorns on his head… and in the middle of this conflict this Jesus cried out for YOU to receive mercy… for YOU to receive forgiveness.

Thanos wears the powerful infinity gauntlet on his hand but he will lose every time to the nail prints in the hands of the savior.

Merciless judgment took its best shot at Jesus, but on the 3rd day, Jesus rose from the grave to show us all that a merciful God triumphs over a merciless world.

Jesus is about to make quick work of Thanos. We will be coming to talk to God real soon. Get your heart ready to come talk to God.

Infinity stones

The Infinity Gauntlet is empowered by 6 infinity stones. With all those stones together Thanos could snap away all life in the universe. (How many know there is an spiritual enemy who would love the power to do just that?)

I want you to know that Jesus has power over all the infinity stones.

  • Space Stone
    • Jesus created all things! The furthest reaches of space were created by Him… And His presence fills the entire universe. You can’t find the space in this universe that Jesus is not present.
  • Mind Stone
    • God knows everything. He is Omniscient.
    • In the beginning was the WORD, the LOGOS, the thought and the plan of God. The Mind of God existed before all of creation, and Ephesians 1:11 says God works out everything according to the counsel of His will & plan!
    • Therefore, as Philippians 2:5 says “Let this MIND be in you that was also in Jesus Christ.
  • Power
    • Oh, You want power do you, Thanos? Jesus Christ has all power in heaven & earth!
    • There is power in His Word! There is power in His name! There is power in His Love! There is power in the Gospel! Those that praise Him experience His power! His very Spirit is Power!
    • He told us in Acts 1:8 “You shall have power after the Holy Spirit infills you!”
  • Reality
    • Jesus can change any reality. He walks on water. He walks through walls. He calms storms, raises the dead, and heals the sick.
    • Jesus creates a brand new reality! He creates a new heart for you. He changes how you see other people. He changes victims into victors… He changes sinners into saints… He simply speaks and then it becomes reality!
  • Time
    • Thanos, you are messing with the wrong guy! Jesus is the alpha & the omega… He is the A & the Z… He is the beginning & the End.
    • Jesus is before ALL THINGS! He is the author & finisher of our faith. Our God is eternal and He has actually set eternity within the hearts of man (Ecclesiastes 3:11) He has given us an eternal soul so that we can live with Him forever!
  • Soul
    • Jesus Christ has saved my soul. I am redeemed and my name is written in the Lamb’s book of life! My Soul is in His hands and no infinity Gauntlet can pull me out of His hands!
    • John 10:28-30 (NIV2011) I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

Thanos you lose! It doesn’t matter what weapon you have Thanos! NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST ME SHALL PROSER! (Isaiah 54:17)

Jesus the merciful wins! He has ALL POWER IN HIS HAND!

Jesus wins! Whatever enemy you are facing today… Jesus wins. Whatever weapon they are threatening you with… Jesus wins.

Let Him win in your heart today. Declare that Jesus wins!