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Loft — Wed

29 Mar

Posted at 18:00h in Loft — Wed

Main Idea

Much like how Lilo sees the good in Stitch, adopting him into her family even when he is not perfect, God sees the good in us and adopts us into His family. Our relationship with God does not end in a fleeting moment of being chosen by him. We continue to become more like Jesus throughout our relationship with Him in a process called sanctification. In the same way, Stitch becomes more and more like Lilo (the one who adopted him) throughout the movie. In the end of the film, we see Stitch finally understanding what it means to love others and be in a family, which is a huge part of what it means to follow Jesus.

Scripture

3 It is the same with us. When we were children, we were slaves to the basic spiritual powers of the world. 4 But then the chosen time came. God sent his Son. A woman gave birth to him. He was born under the authority of the law. 5 He came to set free those who were under the authority of the law. He wanted us to be adopted as children with all the rights children have. 6 Because you are his children, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts. He is the Holy Spirit. By his power we call God Abba. Abba means Father. 7 So you aren’t a slave any longer. You are God’s child. Because you are his child, God gives you the rights of those who are his children.

Galatians 4:3-7
 

23 God is the God who gives peace. May he make you holy through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept free from blame. May you be without blame from now until our Lord Jesus Christ comes. 24 The God who has chosen you is faithful. He will do all these things.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

Discussion Questions

  1. Have you seen Lilo & Stitch? What did you think about the movie?
  2. How can we see God in Lilo & Stitch?
  3. What are ways you can try to become more like God?

 

22 Mar

Posted at 18:00h in Loft — Wed

Main Idea

Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust control Riley’s emotions. Joy tries to keep Riley as happy as possible, but this becomes very difficult when they move to a new city. The other emotions, especially Sadness, start interfering even more with Riley’s happiness. Even though it is good to be positive, Riley suffers a lot of disappointment and tough circumstances that cannot be fixed by pretending to be happy. She learns that it’s ok to be sad and express those emotions to her parents. In our lives, we cannot depend on our own strength to be joyful all the time. It’s ok to be upset when things go wrong. And it’s ok to tell God about it. God would sooooo much rather us be open and honest to him about our feelings than shut down and turn away from him. Jesus experienced and expressed his emotions to God, even anger and sadness. Instead of running from our emotions, we should embrace them and share them with God, even when they might be about Him. We can find true peace and joy even in the hardest of circumstances, not by our own strength, but from the strength of God.

Scripture

About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (Which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”) 
Matthew 27: 46 (NIV)

Discussion Questions

      1. Have you seen Inside Out? What did you think about it?
      2. How do you see God in Inside Out?
      3. Who do you usually talk to about your emotions?
      4. Have you talked to God about your feelings?

 

08 Mar

Posted at 18:00h in Loft — Wed

Main Idea

In the beginning of Monsters Inc, we are greeted with a society whose norm was to send monsters into childrens’ rooms daily to scare them. We see that Sully and the other monsters believed that the children themselves are harmful and scary. The introduction of a child named Boo helped Sully to realize their backwards way of thinking. Instead of scaring kids, the monsters could make them laugh. This story shows us that children are greatly important and have the power to make monumental change. Jesus even emphasizes the power of having faith like a child – that even adults could learn from the way that children see the world.

Scripture

Mark 10:13-16 NIRV

13 People were bringing little children to Jesus. They wanted him to touch them. But the disciples told the people to stop.
14 When Jesus saw this, he was angry. He said to his disciples, “Let the little children come to me. Don’t keep them away. God’s kingdom belongs to people like them.
15 What I’m about to tell you is true. Anyone who will not receive God’s kingdom like a little child will never enter it.”
16 Then he took the children in his arms. He put his hands on them and blessed them.
 
*See also Matthew 19:13-14, Matthew 18:1-4, 1 Timothy 4*

Discussion Questions

  1. Have you seen the movie Monsters Inc? What did you think about it?
  2. How can we see God in Monsters Inc?
  3. What are some special qualities you see in me?
  4. What skills do you think I have that could help change the world?

 

01 Mar

Posted at 11:31h in Loft — Wed

Main Idea

God can show up in our lives in ways that we don’t expect. He knows what is best for us. As a result, when we ask Him for things, He may not show up exactly as we would want or imagine. Rather, He shows up and answers prayers as we NEED. In the movie, Carl is seen living a lonely life until he gets bothered by wilderness explorer Russell. Russell ends up taking him on an adventure that changes both of their lives for the better. Similarly, if we trust God to fulfill our prayers, He will answer them in a way that is often better than we could imagine.

Scripture

1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up.
3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”
4 When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.”
5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”
6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
Exodus 3:1-6 (NIRV)
 
18 One day Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee. There he saw two brothers. They were Simon Peter and his brother Andrew. They were throwing a net into the lake. They were fishermen.
19 “Come. Follow me,” Jesus said. “I will make you fishers of people.”
20 At once they left their nets and followed him.
21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers. They were James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee. As they were preparing their nets, Jesus called out to them.
22 Right away they left the boat and their father and followed Jesus.
Matthew 4:18-22 (NIRV)

Discussion Questions

      1. Have you seen the movie Up? Did you like it?
      2. How can we see God in Up?
      3. Has God ever answered one of your prayers? Did he answer it as you expected?

 

22 Feb

Posted at 17:00h in Loft — Wed

Main Idea

Remi is so focused on his new life cooking for people with Linguini that he starts to see the world in a new way. When he reunites with his family, his Dad tries to show him all the ways that humans are out to get them because they are rats; however, Remi knows that there are some humans that have good in them, even to the point of standing up to protect them from danger. When we follow Jesus, it changes a lot of the ways that we live our lives and see other people, leading us to care for people that we would never notice before. While things may get hard and people disagree with us sometimes, God is right there helping us when we are struggling. Even when we can’t see it, God is always working in us and the people that we interact with.

Scripture

Matthew 5: 43-46

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor.(Leviticus 19:18) Hate your enemy.’
44 But here is what I tell you. Love your enemies. Pray for those who hurt you.
45 Then you will be sons of your Father who is in heaven. “He causes his sun to shine on evil people and good people. He sends rain on those who do right and those who don’t.
46 “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Even the tax collectors do that.

Matthew 9: 9-13

9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew. He was sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him. Matthew got up and followed him.

10 Later Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house. Many tax collectors and “sinners” came. They ate with Jesus and his disciples.

11 The Pharisees saw this. So they asked the disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”

12 Jesus heard that. So he said, “Those who are healthy don’t need a doctor. Sick people do.

13 Go and learn what this means, ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice.'(Hosea 6:6) I have not come to get those who think they are right with God to follow me. I have come to get sinners to follow me.”

 

Discussion Questions

      1. Have you seen Ratatouille? What do you think about it?
      2. How else can we relate Ratatouille to God?
      3. Should our lives change as a result of following Jesus? How?
      4. Have you ever stood up for someone else?

13 Feb

Posted at 17:27h in Loft — Wed

Main Idea

Rapunzel is on a journey to find the truth, but she is held back by many deceptions and distractions much like how we can get distracted and deceived by things other than God. In the beginning, Rapunzel is seemingly content in her tower filled with art, baking, candle-making, and more. Mother Gothel tries to keep her in the dark by feeding her lies. However, deep down Rapunzel knows that she is not truly fulfilled or using her gifts as she should. In the end, she realizes her place is in the kingdom using her gifts of kindness to lead her people with joy and love. God gives us gifts to be a light to others and follow him well. He wants us to seek the truth about him. We ALWAYS have a place with God. He is with us even when we are lost, just like Rapunzel was the “lost princess.”

Scripture

“There you will worship man-made gods of wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or eat or smell. But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.” 

Deuteronomy 4: 28-29 (NIV)

 

Discussion Questions

      1. Have you seen Tangled? What do you like about the movie?
      2. How can we connect God to this movie?
      3. How can we, as a family, make God the focus of our lives?

07 Feb

Posted at 14:11h in Loft — Wed

In Kids Ministry, we believe God extends grace—even in places we least expect it. This semester, we are watching clips from popular movies and relating them to Jesus! We believe that God is all around us, so we are dedicated to looking for Him in movies with the hope of seeing Him elsewhere because of this practice.

Main Idea

Mulan is focused on bringing honor to her father, much like how we should be focused on bringing honor to our Father (God). In the beginning, she tries to do so by changing who she is and being who she felt she was supposed to be to impress the matchmaker. However, her trying to change herself didn’t work. God does not want us to pretend to be someone we’re not. He wants the real us because he created us as we are WITH A PURPOSE. But that doesn’t mean we aren’t supposed to change. We are supposed to become more like Him.

Scripture

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
— Romans 12:2

Discussion Questions

      1. Have you seen Mulan? What do you like about the movie?
      2. What can we learn about God through the movie Mulan?
      3. What are things you already do to honor God? What are some things we can do as a family to honor God?