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Hello Redemption Church! Hello to everyone online. My name is Chris Fluitt and I give you a Texan “Howdy Ya’ll” from Plano Tx.

We are finishing our very fun sermon series today, and I want to remind you that we need your help with our new series that starts next week. So pull out your phone!

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The next weeks we will be taking your questions and answering them live in service. Send us your questions now! 214-856-0550. This is our anonymous text line so you can ask us anything.

This fun interactive series starts next week… but today we are looking at a final confrontation in our Jesus Vs series.

Jesus Vs

Scripture tells us that God will fight for you. Each week we have imagined what a fight between Jesus and super-powered comic villain would look like. We talked Thanos, Uatu the Watcher, Galactus, Venom.. and even last week our Care Pastor Marshal Blessing brought us a great battle against Professor X.

I have enjoyed the series. I pray that you have as well. If you missed any week or want to revisit any sermon we want to remind you that you can access it all through our podcast, youtube, or even our website. For your benefit we even post our sermon notes on our website. Go check it out at REDEMPTIONPLANO.COM/SERMONS

Today we are finishing off this series by taking another look at Thanos.

Jesus Versus Thanos

Back in week 1 of the series we compared Jesus the God of mercy, to the Thanos the Merciless Mad Titan. What we will talk about today will have a lot to do with the overall plot of the Avengers movies… HOWEVER… I will do my best not to throw out spoilers to Avengers Endgame… even though it came out over a month ago. I do this out of love for you guys… With that said…

Remember Thanos is this god-like bad guy who tries to gain a powerful weapon… What is that weapon?

He tries to gain the Infinity Gauntlet that is powered with all 6 Infinity Stones. His goal is to snap his fingers and destroy half of the life in the universe. …And at the ending of Avengers Infinity War, as you saw in our intro video, Thanos does snap his fingers.

The Snap

The SNAP was tragic. I remember how it made me feel. Even more than that I remember how it made made my children feel. When the screen went to black and the credits started to roll I remember my 8 year old yelling “What!? No! The bad guy can’t win.” I remember him starting to cry and I remember holding him in my arms.

I know that it is a movie.. I know that it is a comic book character.. But the SNAP was tragic and it hit me deeper than I thought it was going to hit.

The SNAP left us with 2 kinds of people… It left DEAD PEOPLE…

Half the life in the universe turned to dust. Even our favorite super heroes, the Avengers, fell to dust. One moment they were there, and the next moment they were gone. The SNAP left us with DEAD PEOPLE..

The SNAP left us with one other kind of person. It left us with LOST PEOPLE…

No one knew what to do. Our heroes, that always seem to know what to do, were so shocked by the outcome of the snap.. they were lost… lost for words, lost for ideas, lost for what to do next.

The Snap was TRAGIC, it left us with DEAD PEOPLE & LOST PEOPLE… and it left everyone hopeless.

When Thanos snapped his fingers it hit me deep within my heart and it reminded me of another snap.

The Snap Decision

In the book of Genesis, in the Garden of Eden, there was a snap … Adam & Eve made a snap decision.

This snap decision was tragic. When Adam & Eve decided to be in relationship with Satan it was tragic. They were removed from God’s presence and their relationship with God was changed. The shame they felt was tragic. Do we really fathom the tragedy that took place on this day?

This snap decision left DEAD PEOPLE & LOST PEOPLE.

Death never existed , but after the snap.. Eve saw her son Able lying lifeless… Adam buried his son in the ground.

The people you love, because of the snap they dust away and we don’t see them, hear them, or hold them anymore. Do we understand the reason we stand around a casket and watch it lowered into the ground? It is because of the snap. Every person you love… good people… people you hold in your memory even now… THE SNAP LEFT US DEAD PEOPLE.

And everyone is who is left alive… we are all lost. Lost for words, lost for ideas, lost for what to do next?

We are so lost… we will steal money so that we can kill ourselves with drugs…
..go into massive debt to buy things we need in an effort to impress people we don’t even like…
…our world claims to not believe in God yet at the same time blame him for everything…
…We are so confused we don’t even value life… we are lost.

It is all because of the snap decision. It is tragic and it left us dead people and lost people, and it left us hopeless.

Suicide – on the rise.
Divorce – on the rise.
Depression – on the rise.
Starvation, cancer, disease, school shootings, abortion, human trafficking… It is all because of the snap decision in the Garden… it is all because of Sin!

Jesus Versus Thanos

You know what we need? We need someone to “avenge the fallen.”

Avenge the Fallen

This phrase was used in marketing for the movie. It showed our heroes who had died when Thanos snapped his fingers and had the words “avenge the fallen” written. It was clear that the Avengers who remained were going to try to avenge the ones who fell after the snap.

We need someone to avenge… We need someone to defeat Thanos…

Thankfully there is a new Avenger.

Captain Marvel

This new Avenger can fly… This new Avenger is the strongest of all… This new avenger has power flowing within them… Can someone name this new Avenger?

No it isn’t Captain Marvel, A.K.A. Carol Danvers… The new Avenger is Jesus!

Jesus the Avenger

Did you know that Jesus is an Avenger? You knew this right? Here is a screen grab… There is Hulk, Captain America, Thor… and there is Jesus! Jesus is an Avenger guys!

Ok this picture is not real… but it is true that Jesus is an Avenger.

1 Thessalonians 4:6 (HCSB) This means one must not transgress against and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger of all these offenses, as we also previously told and warned you.

It clearly says it! The Lord is an Avenger!

Jesus fights for you! He avenges the fallen.

Exodus 14:14 (NIV2011) The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

The Lord is an Avenger! But you and I.. We are not called to be Avengers.

Romans 12:19 (HCSB) Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for His wrath. For it is written: Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay, says the Lord.

Listen up! There are enemies all around but the Lord is your Avenger. There are people who will do you wrong but the Lord is your Avenger… Vengeance is his. Stop trying to get revenge on the people who do you wrong.

Jesus the Avenger

The fact that Jesus is your Avenger is great. This means you don’t have to defeat Satan – That is a job for Jesus the Avenger. You don’t have to get revenge on Thanos, that is a job for your Avenger, Jesus Christ!

There are people who have done you wrong, but you have an Avenger!

The Lord is going to defeat Satan. The Lord is going to avenge every Child of God who has been martyred (Rev 6:9-11). Thanos is no match for Jesus. He can avenge Thanos anytime He chooses. ..but listen to this.

We need more than an Avenger.

Defeating Thanos does not reverse the Snap.

Defeating Satan does not reverse the Snap Decision.

Unless we have more than an Avenger, we are still stuck with a tragic past… dead people… lost people… and no hope.

Jesus Versus Thanos

This really is not Jesus vs Thanos… This is really Jesus vs The Snap

Jesus vs The Snap

I don’t think it is a spoiler to say that Avengers Endgame is not as much about defeating Thanos as it is trying to undo the snap of Thanos.

The reason Jesus came to Earth was not to simply get revenge on Satan… Jesus did not come to avenge you and then just let you die and be buried in a grave with no hope. Jesus came to undo the snap… He came to do more than avenge

Luke 10:19-20 (NIV2011) I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Jesus has power over the enemy, and He gives you power over the enemy…This is his work as an Avenger… HOWEVER DON’T REJOICE THAT THE SPIRITS SUBMIT TO YOU… REJOICE THAT YOUR NAME IS WRITTEN IN HEAVEN!

Rejoice that the Snap has been undone! Rejoice that everything that had been lost is now reclaimed by Jesus Christ! Remember I told you…

We need more than an Avenger.

We need a REDEEMER!

What we really need is a redeemer who comes and undoes everything the snap brought us.

Redemption Church! We have more than an Avenger! We have a Redeemer!

Ephesians 1:7 (NIV2011) In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace

He has redeemed us by His blood! We are forgiven of all the sin of the snap.

Galatians 3:13 (NIV2011) Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”

Isaiah 44:22 (NIV2011) I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.”

Lamentations 3:57-58 (NIV2011) You came near when I called you, and you said, “Do not fear.” You, Lord, took up my case; you redeemed my life.

Do not fear! You have more than an Avenger! You have a REDEEMER!

Jesus does not Avenge the Fallen! Jesus Redeems the Fallen!

Redeem the fallen

Jesus not only defeats the enemy, He undoes all the works of the enemy!

Colossians 1:19-20 (NIV2011) For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Reconciles what? How much does He reconcile? How much does He redeem? ALL THINGS! Jesus redeems ALL THINGS!

Bad news Thanos! Bad news Satan! Not only has the Avenger defeated you, but the Redeemer has undone all of your work.

You listen to me Redemption Church! All your sin, failure, shame… everything in your past, present, and future… Jesus Christ has REDEEMED it through His blood shed on the cross.

Imagine the look on Satan’s face when he sees all his work undone.. He is going to see all the chains he used to bind you with DUST AWAY and become nothing. It is going to be a bad day for him… but a great day for you!

I don’t think you get it… Satan had Abraham caught in the snap. Abraham died in his sin. They buried him and his body turned to dust… all the people who even knew Abraham, well they are all dead too… BUT JESUS IS A REDEEMER! Abraham is going to rise from the dead, he will have a new body, and Abraham will live with the Lord forever! All of Satan’s work has been undone and Abraham is redeemed!

Jesus has come to redeem the fallen. He has come to raise them from the dead, take away their sin, and give them life.

The redemption of Jesus Christ is everything the world is longing for!

Romans 8:19 (NIV2011) For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.

Romans 8:21 (NIV2011) that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.

Romans 8:22 (NIV2011) We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.

All creation is waiting eagerly for redemption! …groaning for it to take place.

Jesus redeems all things! Redemption is what the world is longing for!

The answer for death is… REDEMPTION!
The answer for cancer is…
The answer for starvation is…
The answer for child abuse is…
The answer for school shootings is…
The answer for addiction is…
The answer for pollution is…
The answer for human trafficking is…
The answer for depression and suicide is…

The redeemer is here today! Let Him undo all the work of the enemy!

In a moment we are going to talk to God. I want us to experience redemption in this place today… but first…

How do you know you’ve been redeemed?

When the thing that brings you so much shame & guilt… the thing you used to hide and hope no one knew… You know you have been redeemed when that thing you hid in shame you are now called and able to raise it up in victory. You have been redeemed from it!

Tragedy to Triumph! Dead People become Eternally Alive People! Lost people become FOUND people! Redemption turns your hopelessness into blessed assurance!

He redeems it (the thing) and it becomes victory.

Psalm 107:2 (NIV2011) Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story— those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,

I want you to do 2 things today as we talk to God!

#1 Receive His Redemption!

#2 Thank Him for His Redemption and tell someone else! Let the Redeemed of the Lord tell their story!