The X-men have been around since 1963. They were created by the genius and awesome that is Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. The "X" in X-men stood for extra. There was something extra to their genes. They were also for a while referred to as the children of the atom. They began to mutate because of radiation exposure. It was 1963, just after the Cuban Missile Crisis. It was the height of the Cold War. The world was on edge. And this group of people, not bitten by radioactive spiders, not given powers by gamma rays, not given powers by unapproved space exploration, but just because they were born that way, had powers and were to defend not the free world, but defend humanity and themselves.
Over the last 40+ almost 50 years, the X-Men have battled various villains--mutants and human alike. They've also battled discrimination, genocide, and ostracization. Though they were at the fringe of society, they still were driven to protect it at all costs, even undo death.
Over the years, they've been revamped, reintroduced, rebooted. In the late 80's they had their own cartoon show. And again in the early 90's FOX came out with another one. In the early aughts, X-men Evolution came on the WB. There were also three major theatrical releases, one Wolverine movie and a prequel coming out soon. And now, there is an anime version coming out soon.
The show is ever evolving and rebooting. Ever being looked at from a different perspective. It is a story filled with interpersonal relationships, disenfranchisement, and down right angst at times. Each person has their own personal baggage. Some have dealt with it. Others have not. But each time the story comes out to another generation, it is rebooted to apply to the time. And it is welcomed with open arms, sometimes even from the purists. So what in the world does this have to do with Easter?
Jesus, for one, has been around a lot longer than the X-men ever have. He lived, died, and rose again almost 2,000 years ago. He is seated at the right hand of God, and still lives today. Even the purists say that. One of the things that I've always marveled at with the X-men is that though they were hated, despised, attached, ridiculed, they were still willing to lay down their lives for humanity.
We read in 1 John
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 1 John 3:16
Though he was hated, despised, attached, ridiculed, he still willingly to gave his life for not just humanity but for you personally. He was humble. He was meek. Did he get angry? Boy howdy he did (check it out here)But in the end, he went willingly to lay down his life for you. For me. For us all.
Yet, can we reboot Jesus? Can we take the same message he spoke, look at it from a different perspective? A story of a real man who live 2 millennial who changed the world. As we approach Easter, we need to look at the fact that Jesus is more than a man, but one who sacrificed all for you. This is the importance of Easter. How can you take the same story of salvation from sin, death upon the cross and reboot it so that it applies to each generation and yet still keeps the integrity of the story?
