Grace

Movie

Clip

Bible

Study

G R AC E Ephesians 1:7

WORD: GRACE MOVIE: LES MISERABLE, 2000 CLIP: SCENE 1 VERSE: EPHESIANS 1:7 DIAGRAM: CROSS

Les Miserable Clip Summary and Set-up: Les Miserables is a film in which an ambitious police officer (Javert) is trying to capture a criminal (Jean Val jean) who in his previous life had escaped from prison but has now repented of that life (due to favor from a priest shown to him right after his escape) and has successfully started over and is

BIBLICAL PARALLELS - P. 2

a city leader and righteous politician.

Javert is the newly appointed deputy of the city recognizes Jean Val Jean from his ealier life and tries to capture and sentence him for the criminal activites of his former life. The movie shows the subsequent chase between the justice-loving Javert and the newly redeemed Jean Val Jean. The movie

DIAGRAM - P. 3

depicts a number of scenes that show the distinction between law and grace and forgiveness versus justice motifs.

Scene one depicts his jail break and his subsequent life change by the good treatment of the town priest.

DISCUSSION - P. 4

BIBLIC AL PARALLELS Picking the Topic

IN TR O D U CT IO N TOPIC: GRACE, MERCY E WHAT YOU DO NOT DESERV DEFINE: GRACE - GETTING !

AT YOU DO DESERVE MERCY - NOT GETTING WH

N YOU DESERVE) BEEN TREATED BETTER THA EXAMPLE: (WHEN HAVE YOU

CL IP

FInd a word that communicates the subject matter most concisely, clearly, and comprehensively. Think about the needs of your audience as you select your topic and make sure that your topic is biblically accurate and gospel-centered. The basics of Christianity are the most misunderstood, yet most precious topics and one should look to start here. Usually defining what a word is and what it is not is a good way to start and will give the audience a good reference point.

LEAD-IN QUESTION:

ATED JEAN VAL ABOUT HOW THE PRIEST TRE WHAT WAS SURPRISING CLIP. THE M OF MERCY AND GRACE FRO JEAN? SHOW AN EXAMPLE TRANSITION QUESTION:

DEALS WITH US? ON/CONTRAST OF HOW GOD HOW IS THIS A COMPARISI CONNECTIONS:

CHANGE? - YOU CAN SEE FOR JEAN VAL JEANS LIFE WhAT WAS RESPONSIBLE S DREAM) AND LOVE (HI WEEN HOW HIS FEAR A DISTINCT CONTRAST BET S. ION ACT JEAN VAL JEANS (THE BISHOP) MOTIVATED FIGURE • BISHOP - CHRIST IST FIGURE • CANDLESTICKS - CHR ANITY • JEAN VAL JEAN - HUM FT - OUR SIN • JEAN VAL JEANS THE

SCRIPTURE THE FORGIVENESS OF ION THROUGH HIS BLOOD, "IN HIM WE HAVE REDEMT GRACE.” ~ ING TO THE RICHES OF HIS OUR TRESPASSES ACCORD EPHESIANS 1:7 YET FORGIVENESS IS N HE WANTS TO FORGIVE. IF GOD IS GRACIOUS, THE S FOR OUR REFORE THE PRICE GOD PAY NOT FREE, BUT COSTLY. THE OD. BLO ’S EMPTION PAID BY CHRIST FORGIVENESS IS THE RED

“WITH THIS SILVER, I BOUGHT YOUR SOUL, RANSOMED YOU FROM FEAR AND HATRED AND NOW HAVE GIVEN YOU BACK TO GOD” ~BISHOP The Movie Set the Clip up with a movie context/ summary and a lead in question. It is always helpful to fill people in where the scene falls in the stage of the movie (Only give them the details that are needed to get the point you are trying to make.)

Also, give your audience a lead in question.

This will tell them what to look for in the clip. Finally, look to make as many connections as you can from the clip with reality - this will provide your transition to the verse.

Incorporating the Bible Find a Scripture that captures the truth you are looking to communicated clearly and accurately. Try to find one that contains the word that you are focusing on for the study. This is the ground for everything we are trying to communicate up until this point and we will build the discussion questions off of it.

D I AG R A M

1. Wrath: God’s just punishment

of Humanity because of our sin

2. Mercy: God absorbing what we deserve-His wrath, by

the cross

of Christ.

3. Grace: God giving us what we don’t deserve - Christ righteousness

!

A PI CT U R E O F GO D ’S M E R C Y AN D G RAC E IN AC TIO N

PREPARATION! 1. HAVE A WHITE BOARD READY 2. DRAW IT CLEARLY, LEGIBLY 3. SPEAK AS YOU DRAW AND DRAW IT IN ORDER OF YOUR ARGUMENT. 4. MAKE SURE THE AUDIENCE IS CLEAR ON HOW THE DIAGRAM ANSWERS THE QUESTION OR DESCRIBES THE TOPIC. 5. ASK THEM TO IDENTIFY WITH ONE OF TWO SCENARIOS

Diagrams Diagrams are often very helpful because most people are visual learners. Anytime you can find a picture to reinforce words or biblical truth it almost always clarifies, sharpens, and clears up misunderstanding. Pictures can speak a thousand words.

Look for drawings or ideas that are simple but capture a lot of meaning. A good test of simplicity is its reproducibility. Could the audience replicate this after one try? They need not be exhaustive, but are used to campture one main point.

The Cross Diagram This diagram serves to answer the question, “How does God both do away with our just punishment and give us His righteousness?” In other words, How does God use mercy to keep us from getting what we do deserve and grace to grant us what we do not deserve. The diagram starts with placing in “God” and the “man icon” apart from each other and drawing a line from God to man signifying his wrath poured out on us because of our sin. But, God absorbs that wrath by Himself through the cross of His Son and it is signified by a horizontal line drawn across the vertical line. Thus, the cross absorbs God’s wrath meant for us and shows God’s mercy to us (not giving us what we do deserve). Then, the completed horizontal line highlights the cross as God’s new way of relating to us in grace (giving us what we do not deserve) by giving us the perfection of Christ’s righteousness. Therefore, Christ gets the punishment and we get the perfection!

DISCUSSION ?’S Topic – Grace Verse – Ephesians 1:7 “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of his grace.”

1. Clarify/De3ine: Redemption, Forgiveness, Grace.

2. In your opinion, what is the main point of Eph. 1:7?

3. What is the relationship between God’s grace, God’s forgiveness, and God’s redemption?

4. What is central to God’s character that motivates his forgiveness? Does this change how you view God? 5. What did forgiveness cost God? Why? Further Study – Ephesians 2:4-­9

Topic – Grace Verse – Ephesians 1:7 “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of his grace.”

1. Clarify/De3ine: Redemption, Forgiveness, Grace.

2. In your opinion, what is the main point of Eph. 1:7?

3. What is the relationship between God’s grace, God’s forgiveness, and God’s redemption?

4. What is central to God’s character that motivates his forgiveness? Does this change how you view God? 5. What did forgiveness cost God? Why? Further Study – Ephesians 2:4-­9

Topic – Grace Verse – Ephesians 1:7 “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of his grace.”

1. Clarify/De3ine: Redemption, Forgiveness, Grace.

2. In your opinion, what is the main point of Eph. 1:7?

3. What is the relationship between God’s grace, God’s forgiveness, and God’s redemption?

4. What is central to God’s character that motivates his forgiveness? Does this change how you view God? 5. What did forgiveness cost God? Why? Further Study – Ephesians 2:4-­9