My little guy really enjoys superhero books. Specifically-BATMAN! Well, he’s 4. So, the books he brings home from the library are the “I Can Read Books.” These books are great because they are SHORT and give the gist of the story… but because they are short, sometimes they tend to oversimplify the story. While my four-year-old doesn’t care… sometimes it bugs me.

Not today though. This oversimplified version of Batman spoke to me. This book about friends and foes of Batman had such a strong theme of darkness and light that I had to share!

Point 1: Gotham City was filled with darkness, AND the bad guys loved it.

The darkness is the perfect place for crime and self-driven ambitions. It’s the perfect place for people take advantage of others. You name it- in the darkness, it can go on- lying, cheating, stealing, killing… the list goes on.

It’s not just Gotham… it’s the whole world. THE WORLD is FILLED with DARKNESS. We live in a very broken world filled with darkness. But this darkness can be better known as sin.

“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil (John 3:19).”
People love the darkness… People love their sin…

I know all Christians are nodding their heads and agreeing with me right now, but do you realize just how strong your flesh is? Just how strong that sin nature is? Just how fallen we really are?

It’s not just the bad guys who love the darkness. It’s a battle we all struggle with. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).” That’s why we need the Light!

Point 2: Batman fights the darkness with the help of some friends.

Batman fights the darkness with all types of gadgets including his famous bat mobile. He also has a list of allies who help him and support him fighting the darkness.

But what happens if you shine light into the dark? It’s not dark anymore.

Jesus is that LIGHT shining into the darkness. He is the Light of the World. He literally fights the darkness by shining His love. “In Him was the life and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it (John 1:5).”

The Light of the World created the world and came to save the world! But it wasn’t by fighting the bad guys. It was by dying for the bad guys. WHAT! Who wrote this story- God did!

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him (John 3:16-17).”

There is more to venture into about Jesus assembling the help of friends during His earthly ministry and using us… but let’s stick to the Light of the World for this post.

Point 3- The Bat Signal

Police Commissioner Gordon shines the Bat Signal alerting Batman help is needed, but also bringing hope to the citizens.

Shining that light might have started by alerting the hero, but in doing so, it brought hope to those who needed the hero. A light was lit in the middle of a dark situation. And when people saw that light, they knew someone was coming to help. Police Commissioner Gordon never intended to be the hero, but to point to the hero and in doing so, he made an impact on the community.

That’s our job too!

Jesus is the Light of the World, and this Light is HOPE for all mankind! But did you realize He also said we are the light of the world? We are called to shine His light into the darkness, in order to bring God glory!

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Much like the brightness of the Bat Signal brings hope to Gotham City- a city of darkness- the Light of Christ can bring lasting hope to all the people living in darkness- sin.

Shine that light for all to see.