I have heard there will be another "Transformers" movie coming out in 2016. This will make No. 5.
These movies — about shape-shifting, alien robots that disguise themselves as automobiles and morph into flying, fighting, sentient super-machines — are popular.
It may be because Transformer toys were popular in the 1980s. Boys and girls who went crazy for Transformers are now dads and moms, eager to show their children how great it can be when a rusty tractor-trailer morphs into a superhero.
These Transformers are more than what meets the eye.
Similarly, Jesus is so much more than what many people give him credit for. They tend to transform Jesus into what they want, rather than accept him as he is.
Some attempt to turn Jesus into just "a friend." Some use him as an excuse to justify certain behavior.
Some turn Jesus into a kind, meek and mild person who doesn't have a backbone to stand up against evil.
Some have turned him into a permissive sort who doesn't confront inappropriate behavior or challenge those who stray from the path he has set.
Some portray Jesus as a "spiritual genie" who — if you pray enough, believe enough, or just plain try hard enough — will grant your wish for some perceived need.
Some transform Jesus Christ into their idea of who he is or who he should be. They transform his words to support their particular side of an argument. They transform him into the champion of the crisis du jour.
But we cannot make Jesus into what we want him to be. Quite the opposite: Jesus transforms us. He takes the sins of the world in the same way a water filter takes impurities out of water, by absorbing and holding all that isn't clean, and giving back only what is clean.
Jesus has authority over everything in this world, whether human pride and ego want to acknowledge that or not. He is so much more than anyone could ever transform him into.
Jesus is so much more than what meets our eye. And we are so much more than what meets the eye. Don't lose sight of this.
In fact, when you focus on Jesus as being more than he is assumed to be, he reveals even more about himself.
How awesome is that?
The Rev. Mark Broadhead is Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church of Crestview's pastor.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Forget the toys — Jesus is the ultimate Transformer