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 True Rocky aficionados refuse to acknowledge Rocky V as an official part of the canon. It is an apocryphal work.
Rocky fans also generally agree that Rocky III was the best of all – primarily because it featured the best bad guy: Clubber Lang. Lang is the quintessential antagonist. He is someone we love to hate.
Clubber Lang was single-minded in his devotion to the supreme object of his life: to be the heavy weight champion of the world. In one memorable scene, he de¬scribed his focused life to a group of reporters, “I live alone, I train alone, and when I win the title, I’ll win the title alone.” The reporters asked him, “Do you hate Rocky Balboa?” Lang replied, “No, but I pity the fool. And I will destroy anyone who stands in my way.” The reporters continued, “What is your prediction for the fight?” “Pain, I predict pain.”
Clubber Lang’s focused passion provides us with a powerful metaphor of the biblical concept of devotion to God’s Word. This theme is everywhere in the New Testament.
“They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching…” (Acts 2:42)
“Paul began devoting himself completely to the Word…” (Acts 18:5)
“But we will devote ourselves to the ministry of the Word…” (Acts 6:4)
The word translated devoting or devote in these passages is from the original Greek word proskartereo. It means to be steadfastly attentive to, to give unremitting care to, to continue unceasingly with great intensity and single-mindedness.
It is a powerful word that helps us understand we should approach God’s Word with devotion – the devotion of Clubber Lang training for victory.
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