Called To BE A Hero

Absolutely! This could be a really engaging 4-week FCA/IB-style devotional for middle school students. Marvel gives students a familiar story world, while Scripture gives us the true foundation: who Jesus is, what He did, how we respond, and how we live for Him.

I would structure each week around one foundational truth of Christianity, one Marvel movie connection, a key Scripture, a middle-school application, and a discussion/activity.

4-Week Theme: “Called to Be a Hero: Following the Real Hero—Jesus”

Week	Faith Foundation	Marvel Connection	Key Scripture	Big Idea
1	Who is Jesus?	Spider-Man	John 1:1,14	Jesus is not just a good teacher—He is God who came to us.
2	Why do we need Jesus?	Avengers: Endgame	Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23	Sin separates us from God, and we cannot save ourselves.
3	What did Jesus do for us?	Avengers: Infinity War/Endgame	John 3:16; Romans 5:8	Jesus willingly sacrificed Himself because He loves us.
4	How do I follow Jesus?	Black Panther	Luke 9:23; Galatians 2:20	Following Jesus means surrendering our lives and becoming people who serve others.

Week 1 — “Who Is the Real Hero?”

Marvel connection: Spider-Man

Who is Jesus?

For Many superhero movies we start with the same plot, go versus evil.  To take it further we cast a victim that needs saving and by the end of the movie a development of the character or a firm foundation about the hero will appear.  As we let the story unfold the hero’s super power is discovered and gives rise to their identity.

During this process we see win’s and losses, however ultimately it winds up becoming victorious in the end.

Spider-Man Miles the youngest spiderman in the thriller “Into the Spider Verse” discovers who he was meant to be in a moment of defeat.  Trapped in his dorm room with no way out and facing insurmountable odds, receives encouragement from his father telling him he loves him.  This is the pivotal moment that he learns to take the leap of faith.

God has called each of us to take the leap of faith, however this jump wasn’t was never meant to be alone.  Our Christian faith begins not in ourselves but with something even more important: Know who Jesus really is allows us to become the hero’s we were meant to become. 

Each hero originates with an origin, however Jesus had know origin because He is the beginning and the end.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” — John 1:1. Why is this so significant? Jesus was the past is our present and our future.  He was part of the creation of the universe alongside the Father and Holy Spirit.  In Genesis we find scripture express,

Scripture Supporting Jesus as the Creator of the Universe

Christian theology teaches that Jesus, as the Word (Logos) of God, is the divine agent through whom the universe was created. While Genesis 1:1 identifies God as the Creator, several passages explicitly state that creation was accomplished through Jesus.

Key Verses:

• John 1:1–3 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made.” This passage identifies Jesus as the eternal Word who brought all things into existence Bible Hub+1.
• Colossians 1:16 – “For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him.” Paul affirms that Jesus is the source and purpose of creation Bible Hub+1.
• Hebrews 1:2 – “In these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom also He made the universe.” This verse highlights Jesus as the appointed heir and the agent of creation Bible Hub+1.
• Psalm 33:6–9 – “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of His mouth. He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm.” These verses describe creation as an act of God’s word, which is identified in John 1:1 as Jesus biblerepository.com+1.
• Hebrews 11:3 – “By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” This verse affirms that creation was brought into being by God’s command, which Scripture identifies as Jesus’ command through His word biblerepository.com+1.

Theological Context:
Scripture presents creation as a unified work of the Trinity. While God the Father is the ultimate Creator (Genesis 1:1, Psalm 102:25), the Son (Jesus) is the Word through whom creation was accomplished (John 1:1–3, Colossians 1:16, Hebrews 1:2). The Holy Spirit also participated in creation (Genesis 1:2, Psalm 33:6), but Jesus is the central figure in the narrative of creation GotQuestions.org.

Summary:
The Bible supports the view that Jesus is the Creator of the universe through passages like John 1:1–3, Colossians 1:16, Hebrews 1:2, Psalm 33:6–9, and Hebrews 11:3. These verses affirm that Jesus, as the eternal Word of God, was present at creation, spoke it into existence, and sustains it.

Then connect it to John 1:14:

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”

Message:
Spider-Man is fictional. Jesus is real. Spider-Man has superpowers; Jesus is God who became human. Jesus isn’t simply someone who teaches us to be good. He is our Savior and Lord.

Middle School Connection:
Students are constantly figuring out, “Who am I?” But before we understand our identity, we need to understand who Jesus is.

Discussion Questions:

1. What makes someone a hero?
2. How is Jesus different from a Marvel superhero?
3. Why is it important that Jesus is both God and human?
4. What does it mean to call Jesus your Lord?
5. If Jesus really is who Scripture says He is, how should that change the way we live?

Challenge:
This week, learn one thing about Jesus from one of the four Gospels.

Week 2 — “We Can’t Save Ourselves”

Marvel connection: Avengers: Endgame

In Endgame, the Avengers discover that the problem they face is much bigger than any one hero can solve.

That gives you a great bridge to the Gospel.

Scripture:

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” — Romans 3:23

And:

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” — Romans 6:23

Message:
We sometimes think being a Christian means “try harder and be a better person.” But the Gospel says something deeper.

We have all sinned. We cannot fix our relationship with God through good grades, popularity, sports, good behavior, or trying harder.

We need a Savior.

Middle School Connection:
Students may feel pressure to look like they have everything together. Remind them:

You don’t have to pretend to be perfect to come to Jesus.

Discussion Questions:

1. Why couldn’t the Avengers solve everything individually?
2. What does Romans 3:23 say about every person?
3. Can being a “good person” save us from sin?
4. Why do you think admitting that we need help can be difficult?
5. What is the difference between earning salvation and receiving salvation?

Challenge:
Talk honestly with God this week about one area where you need His help.

Week 3 — “The Ultimate Sacrifice”

Marvel connection: Avengers: Infinity War / Endgame

This may be the most powerful week.

Use the idea of a hero being willing to sacrifice himself for others—but make sure students understand that Jesus’ sacrifice is infinitely greater than a superhero story.

Scripture:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son…” — John 3:16

And:

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” — Romans 5:8

Message:

The cross wasn’t an accident.

Jesus chose to give His life for us.

He didn’t die because He was weak.

He died because He loved us.

That’s the heart of the Gospel:

Jesus took our place so that we could be reconciled to God.

Middle School Connection:
Students understand friendship and loyalty deeply. Ask:

“How far would you go for someone you love?”

Then explain that Jesus demonstrated the greatest love imaginable—not just for His friends, but for sinners who didn’t deserve it.

Discussion Questions:

1. Why do superheroes sometimes sacrifice themselves?
2. How is Jesus’ sacrifice different?
3. What does John 3:16 teach us about God’s love?
4. What does Romans 5:8 mean when it says “while we were still sinners”?
5. How should knowing Jesus loves you change the way you see yourself?

Activity:
Give students a piece of paper and ask them to write:

“Because Jesus loves me…”

Then have them complete the sentence with something they need to remember.

Examples:

• “I don’t have to be perfect.”
• “I am never alone.”
• “I can forgive others.”
• “I can ask for help.”
• “I have hope.”

Week 4 — “Your Mission Starts Now”

Marvel connection: Black Panther

Wakanda’s leaders wrestle with an important question:

“What are we going to do with what we’ve been given?”

That becomes a great connection to discipleship.

Scripture:

What do you have in your hand Moses (Mind map)

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” — Luke 9:23

And:

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” — Galatians 2:20

Message:

Becoming a Christian isn’t just about saying, “I believe in Jesus.”

It’s about saying:

“Jesus, my life belongs to You.”

Following Jesus affects our friendships, our choices, our words, our attitudes, our social media, our families, our school, and how we treat people who are different from us.

Middle School Connection:

Students don’t have to wait until they’re adults to make a difference.

They can follow Jesus right now.

At school.

At home.

On the field.

In the cafeteria.

Online.

With their friends.

Discussion Questions:

1. What does it mean to “follow” someone?
2. How is following Jesus different from simply believing in Him?
3. What might it look like to follow Jesus at school?
4. How can we serve someone who is struggling?
5. What is one area of your life where Jesus is asking you to trust Him?

Final Challenge:

Ask students to choose one:

LIVE IT

• Encourage someone who feels left out.

SERVE IT

• Do something helpful without expecting recognition.

SHARE IT

• Tell someone what Jesus means to you.

PRAY IT

• Pray for a friend who doesn’t know Jesus.

The Four-Week Gospel Journey

You could make the entire series memorable with four simple statements:

WEEK 1 — KNOW HIM

Jesus is God.

WEEK 2 — NEED HIM

We are sinners and cannot save ourselves.

WEEK 3 — TRUST HIM

Jesus died and rose again to save us.

WEEK 4 — FOLLOW HIM

We surrender our lives and live for Jesus.

That gives students a simple progression:

KNOW → NEED → TRUST → FOLLOW

And your closing message could be:

“Marvel has many heroes, but we don’t need a superhero to rescue us. We need a Savior. His name is Jesus.”