Author: reelparables

Posted on

Be Your Kid’s Spiritual Hero

Every story has a hero.

The Matrix has Neo. Lord of the Rings has Frodo. Star Wars has Luke Skywalker. Frozen has, well, no spoilers… yet. Your kids have you.

Frodo-Ring

Every hero has a goal.

As parents, our goal is to see our kids grow in wisdom, in stature, and in favor with God and man (Luke 2:52).

We want to teach our kids about God and His Word.

We want to help our kids understand God’s Story and we want to help our kids understand their place in God’s Story.

Simply put, we want to disciple our kids.

Every hero has a struggle.

The goal is easy enough – disciple our kids. So what’s the problem?

Sometimes this is easier said than done.

Sometimes our kids would rather watch TV or a movie.

Sometimes our kids are more interested in entertainment than they are education.

Sometimes they simply check out at the mention of a well-known Bible story.

Sometimes they just want to watch Frozen for the 100th time.

Sometimes they want to build a snowman!

Every hero has a mentor.

let-me-be-your-obi-wan

Neo has Morpheus. Frodo has Gandalf. Luke Skywalker has Obi-Wan. You have me.

Let me help you share God’s Story with your kids! Let me be your Morpheus. Let me be your Gandalf. Let me be your Obi-Wan.

Every hero takes action!

Yes, you can share God's story with Finding Nemo! Check out Reel Parables to see how!

Like Jesus often did, I will show you how to share God’s Word with a story.

Like Paul, we can use our culture to share God’s Story. (Acts 17:16-34)

Sharing God’s Story with Disney’s Frozen is a movie-based Bible study that uses a movie your kids already love to teach them about the most important story, God’s Story.

Why? Because Frozen tells a very biblical story.

Arendelle is under a curse because of one person’s actions.

Only an act of true love can lift the curse.

In Frozen, this act of true love ends up being sacrificial love.

The story ends with a sacrificial death and a resurrection!

Yes, Disney’s Frozen can teach us God’s Story!

Download your copy of Sharing God’s Story with Disney’s Frozen today!

Together we can share God’s Story with Disney’s Frozen.

You – and your kids – will not be disappointed.
Get my free e-book, How to See God’s Story in Movies. This free download will help you share God’s story with your kids and students by showing you how to see God’s story in movies.

Not only will this guarantee that you get the latest Reel Parables posts, but you will also get my most popular downloads, including “How to Time Travel.”

And be sure to check out our new Start Here and About pages!

Until next time, God bless.

Simon L Smith

Posted on

[Download] Sharing God’s Story with Disney’s Frozen

Right-Click the image and select download. And be sure to check out the Sharing God’s Story with Disney’s Frozen Bible study/devotional over at Amazon.

SharingGodsStorywithFrozen

Sharing is caring! Would you please share this post? I truly appreciate it.

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out Sharing God’s Story with Disney’s Frozen over at Amazon.

Get my free e-book, How to See God’s Story in Movies. This free download will help you share God’s story with your kids and students by showing you how to see God’s story in movies.

Not only will this guarantee that you get the latest Reel Parables posts, but you will also get my most popular downloads, including “How to Time Travel.”

And be sure to check out my About page for more info on what I do around here at Reel Parables.

Until next time, God bless.

Simon

Posted on

Sharing God’s Story with Disney’s Frozen – Dancing with the Devil

Today’s post is from the Sharing God’s Story with Disney’s Frozen bible study.

This movie based bible study uses Disney’s Frozen and therefore contains spoilers.

Be sure to check out our Frozen page for more ways to share God’s story with Disney’s Frozen.

When did you know that Hans was the bad guy? Where you surprised? If so, why were you surprised that he ended up being the bad guy?

How did you know that Hans was the bad guy?

Why was Hans the bad guy? What did he want? What was he willing to do to get what he wanted?

How would you describe Hans before you knew he was the bad guy? How would you describe Hans after you knew that he was the bad guy?

What changed? (Not attitude, but actions?)

What did Hans want and desire? (To be king!)

To whom did Hans lie? What was his lie? Why did he lie? What did he hope to gain by lying?

Whom did Hans deceive? Why did he deceive Anna?

If Elsa represents us (the lost ones who need a savior) and Anna represents Jesus (the savior we need), then who does Hans represent?

From the beginning, he appears to be a handsome and honorable young prince.

(From the beginning the Devil seems to be honorable, “surely you won’t die! God knows that you will know good from evil!”)

But is Hans as honorable as he appears?

Does he have the honor that he portrays?

Is he sincere? Or does he have a secret?

Simply put, does Hans have an image or does Hans have integrity?

Hans is all image with no integrity! He wrapped himself up in a very nice, attractive and appareling image (like an angel of light!) so he can trick Anna, gain her trust, and steal the kingdom.

II Corinthians “for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

Hans presents a perfect image. But inside he lacks integrity.

And this makes Hans the true enemy; the devil of the story, the Satan of the story, and the true evil of Frozen.

Like the devil, Hans looks good on the outside but is bad on the inside.

Like the devil, Hans wants a position that is not his (Isaiah 14:13-14). He wants it so badly that he is willing to lie and kill for it (John 8:44), deceive for it (Revelation 12:9), and blind others to the truth to get it (2 Corinthians 4:4)!

While Anna emptied herself of selfish ambition, Hans filled himself up with it!

Yes, Elsa certainly plays the role of the antagonist; she ignores/abandons Anna, she causes the curse and appears to be the “enemy.”  But Hans, who appears to be an ally, is the real evil in Frozen!

Hans has vain ambition in that he wanted something that was not his. He is a liar. He is a deceiver. Hans is a murderer. He will do whatever it takes to get what he wants. He will do whatever it takes to win!

He lied, but like the devil did so in a way that sounded good, beautiful, and true. He said all the right things. He appeared to do all the right things. He told Anna what she wanted to hear.

We know Hans is the true bad guy because he is willing to lie, deceive and kill for something that is not his. Just like the devil.

[Tweet “Yea, Hans is more like the devil than most devils in movies.”]

Vain Ambition

Read Isaiah 14:13-14.

You said to yourself, “I will climb up to the sky. Above the stars of El (God) I will set up my throne. I will rule on the mountain of assembly on the remote slopes of Zaphon. I will climb up to the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High!”

Most bible scholars attribute this part of Isaiah to the Devil, Lucifer and use it to show what the devil is really like. The devil wanted to be like the “Most High,” a common name/description of the one true God. In an act of rebellion the Devil – one of God’s created beings (angels) – wanted to be like God. He did not want to be with God but wanted to be like God or to replace God. The devil wanted a position that was not his. He wanted to a position that was not his. He was prideful. He had vain ambition.

In the same way, Hans wanted a position that was not his; he wanted to be king of Arendelle.

If the devil’s first (main?) sin was rebellion – wanting to replace God – are there areas in your life where you are in open (or not so open) rebellion? Are there areas of your life where you want to be God?

If so just remember that God already knows and still loves you! Just please don’t take His patience as a sign that He doesn’t know or that He doesn’t care. He is slow to anger and His patience with us has a purpose.

The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

God is patient with us so that we will repent and draw near to Him.

Angel of Light

Read 2 Corinthians 11:14-15.

And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will correspond to their actions.

As we have already seen Hans looked good on the outside, but was ugly on the inside. He had a wonderful image but lacked integrity.

Contrary to most movies, the devil doesn’t really scare us. Why would he? If he showed up looking ugly and scary most of us would know to stay away! Instead, he shows up looking like an “angel of light,” pretty, appealing, and looking good.

His goal is not to scare us. His goal is to trick us.

How does the devil trick us? How did Hans trick Anna?

Deceiver

Read Revelation 12:9.

So that huge dragon – the ancient serpent, the one called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world – was thrown down to the earth, and his angels along with him.

(To deceive is to cause someone to believe something that is not true, typically to gain some personal advantage.)

The devil doesn’t need to scare us. Instead, he wants to deceive us.

Isn’t this what Hans did? Who all did Hans deceive? Why did he deceive these people?

Murder and Liar

Read John 8:44.

You people are from your father the devil, and you want to do what your father desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.

Again, this describes Hans. He liked, to just about everyone, and even tried to kill Anna!

But why? Why did Hans want to kill Anna?

Blinds to the Truth

Read 2 Corinthians 4:4.

Among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe so they would not see the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God.

Again, this describes Hans!

He blinded everyone to the truth and then tried to get his own way.

Hans is an amazing representation of the Devil.

He is a liar, a cheater, and a murderer.

He longs for something – a position – that is not his and will do anything, even kill, to get it.

Watch out for the Hans in your life.

Remember, the devil is not out to scare you, he is out to trick and deceive you!

[Tweet “Yes, Frozen can even teach us about how the devil works!”]

Like this? Be sure to head on over to Amazon and check out Sharing God’s Story with Disney’s Frozen!

Sharing is caring! Would you please share this post? I truly appreciate it.

Also, here are some free downloads to help you share God’s story with Disney’s Frozen!

SharingGodsStorywithFrozen (Frozen and the “Romans Road”)

SharingGodsStorywithDisneysFrozenandtheWordlessBook (Frozen and the Wordless Book)

Get my free e-book, How to See God’s Story in Movies. This free download will help you share God’s story with your kids and students by showing you how to see God’s story in movies.

Not only will this guarantee that you get the latest Reel Parables posts, but you will also get my most popular downloads, including “How to Time Travel.”

And be sure to check out my About page for more info on what I do around here at Reel Parables.

Until next time, God bless.

Simon L Smith

Posted on

Sharing God’s Story with Disney’s Frozen – Sacrifice

Today’s post is from the Sharing God’s Story with Disney’s Frozen bible study.

This movie based bible study uses Disney’s Frozen and therefore contains spoilers.

Be sure to check out our Frozen page for more ways to share God’s story with Disney’s Frozen.

Early in Frozen we are told that,

Only an act of true love can thaw a frozen heart.

This is a very powerful – and biblical – idea.

Our frozen hearts separate us from God. But God demonstrates His love for us by chasing us down.

Our hearts are frozen because we are under a curse. But like in Frozen, there is someone who can break that curse and thaw our hearts!

Anna chased after Elsa like God chased after Adam and Eve and chases after us!

This is because Anna loved Elsa like God loves us.

Knowing this, and knowing that Anna is the one that loved Elsa so much that she went looking for her, what role might Anna play in Elsa’s redemption?

But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

Not only did Anna go out and find Elsa but she demonstrated her (agape) love for Elsa by sacrificing herself to save her.

Anna demonstrated her love for Elsa by dying for her, by dying in her place.

Anna, who did nothing wrong, died to save Elsa.

Anna certainly did not deserve to die. She didn’t freeze the kingdom. She didn’t leave her sister, her home, and her kingdom.

She didn’t do anything wrong. Elsa did.

But Anna died.

Why?

Because she loved Elsa the way Jesus loves us.

Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself. Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well. Philippines 2:3-8

This very much describes Anna!

If she had stayed in Arendelle then SHE would have been the queen! But instead of looking out for herself (selfish ambition) or her position (becoming Queen) she humbled herself and went out to find – and save – Elsa.

You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had, who though he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature. He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross!

She had the same attitude towards Elsa that Christ has towards us. She left her glory (her kingdom where she would have become the queen) and went out looking for Elsa so that she could save her.

And in the same way that Christ humbled himself to the point of death, so did Anna! As we already stated Anna humbled herself to the point of death so that she could save Elsa.

In this Reel Parable, we are Elsa, separated because of our actions and in need of help Anna is Jesus, the one who sacrificed himself so we can have eternal life.

Why did Anna save Elsa?

Did Anna deserve to die?

Why was this an act of “true love?”

How was this act of true love (agape) different from a simple “true love’s (Eros) kiss?” What’s the difference between the two?

If you are not a Christian, what actions separate you from God?

If you are a Christian, what actions negatively affect your relationship with God?

Who deserves to be punished for those sins?

Why would Jesus take the punishment – die for – your actions?

Why would Jesus love you that much?

Have you confessed those actions (and your sinfulness in general) to God?

Remember 2 Peter 3:9 and I John 1:9:

The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

You are not getting away with anything. You may not have been caught yet, but you are not off the hook. Someday you will give an account for your sins.  Some of you may feel that you are doing that now (sin does, after all, affect relationships) and some of you may feel like you are getting away with something.  Please know that God will make all of us give an account.

God is patient so that you will repent.

Justice will be served. Please, I beg you, don’t take God’s patience as a sign that you are getting away with it. God’s patience towards you is so that you will repent – turn from your sins and turn towards God – and “get right” with God.

The goal is not to “get away” with it, the goal is to “get right” with God. Repent while God is still showing His patience.

That’s where the confession comes in for both Christians and non-Christians.

But if we confess our sins, he (God) is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness. (I John 1:9)

In the same way that an “I’m sorry” can restore a broken human relationship, an “I’m sorry” can also restore a broken relationship with God.

If you are not a Christian then this is an act of faith; Repent (turn from your sin and turn towards God) and confess your sins to Him.

As Christian, we will still sin. Although our sins have been forgiven (justice already served!) they can still negatively affect our relationship with God. Some people will say it like this; sin breaks our fellowship with God. We don’t lose our salvation, but we can break our fellowship with God.

And because God knows that we will still sin this applies to Christians also. We need to restore that fellowship by confessing our sins. This is our “I’m sorry” to God.

[Tweet “Remember, Anna loved Elsa the way that Jesus loves us.”]

When Elsa was out of fellowship with Anna, Anna chased her down.

God has done the same for us.

Notice also that Elsa apologizes to Anna, the one whom she has sinned against.

We need to do the same with God. We need to apologize (repent and confess) for our sins so that we can restore our relationship (fellowship).

Like this? Be sure to head on over to Amazon and check out Sharing God’s Story with Disney’s Frozen!

Sharing is caring! Would you please share this post? I truly appreciate it.

Also, here are some free downloads to help you share God’s story with Disney’s Frozen!

SharingGodsStorywithFrozen (Frozen and the “Romans Road”)

SharingGodsStorywithDisneysFrozenandtheWordlessBook (Frozen and the Wordless Book)

Get my free e-book, How to See God’s Story in Movies. This free download will help you share God’s story with your kids and students by showing you how to see God’s story in movies.

Not only will this guarantee that you get the latest Reel Parables posts, but you will also get my most popular downloads, including “How to Time Travel.”

And be sure to check out my About page for more info on what I do around here at Reel Parables.

Until next time, God bless.

Simon L Smith

Posted on

Sharing God’s Story with Disney’s Frozen – Hide and Seek

Today’s post is from the Sharing God’s Story with Disney’s Frozen bible study.

This movie based bible study uses Disney’s Frozen and therefore contains spoilers.

Be sure to check out our Frozen page for more ways to share God’s story with Disney’s Frozen.

Kid Note: Did you play hide and seek with your kids? If not then now would be a great time! Remember to tell them how much you love them when you find them!

[Tweet “Why we are just like Elsa from Disney’s Frozen.”]

Because we are cursed, our frozen hearts negatively affect our relationships with others and with God. This leads us to run away – separate ourselves  –  from others, including God. But even though we are separated from God, we are valuable to Him, we are important to Him, and He still loves us!

We have already established that in this Reel Parable that Elsa is the prodigal sister and fits nicely with Jesus’ other Lost parables along with the lost coin, the lost sheep, and the lost son.

Like the Prodigal Elsa ran away. But like the Prodigal someone was looking for her also.

So who went looking for Elsa?

In Jesus’ Lost parables the woman, the shepherd, and the father all represent God (and I would say Jesus specifically) and His desire to find us like He “found” Adam and Eve when they were hiding in the garden.

Why did the woman search for the coin? Why did the shepherd search for the sheep? Because the coin and the sheep were valuable to and meant something to the woman and the shepherd.

Why was the father out looking for his son? Because the father loved the son.

So why did Anna chase after Elsa? Because she loved her. Regardless of what Elsa did Anna still loved her!

Anna loved Elsa the way God loves us!

But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

Why was God looking for Adam and Eve in the garden? Did He really not know where they were? No, of course not. Their actions (sin) affected that relationship. Because of their actions, they were hiding (separated) from Him. But regardless of their actions, regardless of their sin, God still loved them, went looking for them, and made a way for their relationship to be restored. Simply put, because God still loved Adam and Eve.

While Elsa was still in her rebellion and separated from Anna, Anna demonstrated her love for Else and went looking for her to save her.

While we were sinners, separated from Him, God demonstrated His love for us. He loved us before we ever loved Him. He loved us when we were still hiding from Him.

This kind of love becomes our example.

We love because he (God) loved us first. (I John 4:19)

We love others because God loves us.

And we should love others the way God loved us, sacrificially.

In the bible, there are three specific types of love: Philia, Eros, and Agape.

  • Philia – This is brotherly or friendly love and where we get words like Philadelphia (the city of brotherly love). This is the love between Kristoff and Sven, best friends.
  • Eros – As you can probably tell, this is erotic, or romantic love. This is the romantic/physical love between a husband and wife. This is the love between Anna and Elsa’s parents and poked fun at with Anna and Hans.
  • Agape – Agape love is sacrificial or unconditional love. This is how God loves us. This is the love that hurts because the one you love may not always love you back. This is the love that Anna shows when she dies for Elsa.

While philia and eros are usually easy ways to love, agape love is a hard way to love.

As the movie starts Anna loves Elsa with philia love, a sisterly love that was, to some degree, conditional. When Else stopped replying Anna stopped knocking and stopped asking if she wanted to build a snowman. Philia love may stop knocking and asking.

But agape love does not stop.

When Anna seeks after Else she is showing agape love. A love that is sacrificial and unconditional.

Knowing this, and knowing that Anna is the one that loved Elsa so much that she went looking for her, what role might Anna play in Elsa’s redemption?

Why did Anna chase after Elsa?

What was her plan? What was she going to do?

Why did she put herself in danger?

Why did she leave Arendelle?

What did Elsa expect to do after she ran away?

Why did Elsa leave Anna?

How did that make Anna feel?

What was Elsa afraid of?

Would you have run away like Elsa?

Would you have chased Elsa like Anna did?

So, did you play hide and seek with your kids? If not what are you waiting for? And remember, when you find them, tell them how much you love them!

Like this? Be sure to head on over to Amazon and check out Sharing God’s Story with Disney’s Frozen!

Sharing is caring! Would you please share this post? I truly appreciate it.

Also, here are some free downloads to help you share God’s story with Disney’s Frozen!

SharingGodsStorywithFrozen (Frozen and the “Romans Road”)

SharingGodsStorywithDisneysFrozenandtheWordlessBook (Frozen and the Wordless Book)

Get my free e-book, How to See God’s Story in Movies. This free download will help you share God’s story with your kids and students by showing you how to see God’s story in movies.

Not only will this guarantee that you get the latest Reel Parables posts, but you will also get my most popular downloads, including “How to Time Travel.”

And be sure to check out my About page for more info on what I do around here at Reel Parables.

Until next time, God bless.

Simon L Smith

Posted on

Sharing God’s Story with Disney’s Frozen – The Prodigal Sister

Today’s post is from the Sharing God’s Story with Disney’s Frozen bible study.

This movie based bible study uses Disney’s Frozen and therefore contains spoilers.

Be sure to check out our Frozen page for more ways to share God’s story with Disney’s Frozen.

Our hearts are frozen (broken) because we are all under a curse. This curse affects our relationships with each other and with God.

Our frozen hearts result in broken and lost relationships.

In Luke 15 Jesus tells three stories or parables; one of a lost coin, one of a lost sheep and one of a lost son. In a lot of ways, Frozen is another one of these lost parables, this time it’s the story of the lost sister.

Because of fear Elsa flees from her family, her home, and her kingdom (she is the queen after all!), much like the prodigal son left his family and home.

While Elsa and the Prodigal Son left for a different reason they both left because they thought they knew what was best. Their frozen hearts affected their relationships.

The Prodigal Son left to pursue his own desires and to do what he wanted to do, but so did Elsa.

Elsa was afraid. She was afraid of her powers and she was afraid of hurting Anna. Because of this fear she left the only family she had left and set up a new kingdom just for her.

But like the other “lost” parables someone was looking for her.

Read Luke 15.

Who searched for the lost coin? Why did they search for the lost coin?

Who searched for the lost sheep? Why did they search for the lost sheep?

Who searched for the lost son? (While his father was not out looking for him, he did let him go, and he was looking for his return! Notice that the father saw him while he was still a long way from home! His father WAS looking for him and was eagerly waiting for him to return.) Why did they search for the lost son?

Who searched for Elsa? Why did they search for Else?

Discussion or Contemplation Questions:

Why did she leave Arendelle?

What did Elsa expect to do after she ran away?

Why did Elsa leave Anna?

How did that make Anna feel?

What was Elsa afraid of?

Would you have run away like Elsa?

Would you have chased Elsa like Anna did?

How do you know that the coin was valuable to the woman?

How do you know the sheep was important to the shepherd?

How do you know the father loved the son?

How do you know that Anna loved Else?

Remember, we too are separated from God. Like the coin, the sheep, the son and Elsa, we are lost.

Even though we are lost, how do we know that God loves us?

But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

Just like with the woman, the shepherd, the father and Anna, we know that we are valuable, special, and loved by God because HE came looking for us!

If you are doing this Reel Parables Movie based bible study with your kids, now would be a good time to play hide and seek! When you find them let them know how much you love them!

No kid can hear it enough…

Like this? Be sure to head on over to Amazon and check out Sharing God’s Story with Disney’s Frozen!

Sharing is caring! Would you please share this post? I truly appreciate it.

Also, here are some free downloads to help you share God’s story with Disney’s Frozen!

SharingGodsStorywithFrozen (Frozen and the “Romans Road”)

SharingGodsStorywithDisneysFrozenandtheWordlessBook (Frozen and the Wordless Book)

Get my free e-book, How to See God’s Story in Movies. This free download will help you share God’s story with your kids and students by showing you how to see God’s story in movies.

Not only will this guarantee that you get the latest Reel Parables posts, but you will also get my most popular downloads, including “How to Time Travel.”

And be sure to check out my About page for more info on what I do around here at Reel Parables.

Until next time, God bless.

Simon L Smith

Posted on

Sharing God’s Story with Disney’s Frozen – Caught in a Curse

Today’s post is  from the Sharing God’s Story with Disney’s Frozen bible study.

This movie based bible study uses Disney’s Frozen and therefore contains spoilers.

Be sure to check out our Frozen page for more ways to share God’s story with Disney’s Frozen.

Review: Our hearts are frozen; scared, selfish and evil.

The reason we have frozen hearts is that all of us, like Arendelle, are under a curse.

So then, just as sin entered the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all people because all sinned. Romans 5:12

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

Why is Arendelle under a curse?

What is the curse?

Who caused the curse?

Who is affected by the curse?

Can those affected free themselves from the curse on their own?

What are we told is the only thing that can “cure the curse? (Think back to when Anna and Elsa were young.)

Arendelle is under a curse. Even though the curse was caused by one person (Elsa), everyone in Arendelle was affected. In a fit of anger and fear Elsa uses her powers and unleashes a curse over the entire kingdom. Because of Elsa’s actions, the entire kingdom is frozen. Boats are stuck in the frozen waters and visitors are now trapped and unable to leave. Because of Elsa’s actions, the entire kingdom is frozen, and everyone is affected.

The same is true for us.

Because of the actions of one man, Adam, we too are also all under a curse.

So then, just as sin entered the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all people because all sinned. Romans 5:12

Disney’s Frozen is an excellent parable of the biblical curse. And let’s be honest, the curse is a hard thing to discuss.

Read Genesis chapter 3.

Because Adam disobeyed God, the whole world was cursed; first the serpent, then Eve, and finally Adam, which also affected the entire world.

First God cursed the serpent (Genesis 3:14-15). As you read these verses look for hints of hope.

The Lord God said to the serpent,

Because you have done this, cursed are you above all the wild beasts and all the living creatures of the field! On your belly you will crawl and dust you will eat all the days of your life. And I will put hostility between you and the woman and between your offspring and her offspring; her offspring will attack your head, and you will attack her offspring’s heel.

Did you see it? Did you see the dramatic foreshadowing? Right in the middle of the curse, there was hope!

Eve’s offspring, the Son of Man, will attack (some translations say crush) the serpent’s head!

Someday Jesus, the Son of Man, will ultimately defeat the serpent.

Even in the curse, there is hope!

The same is true in Disney’s Frozen. When Anna is first injured we are told that ”Only an act of true love can thaw a frozen heart.” Even in the pain, there is a promise.

After God cursed (punished) the serpent God punished Eve. In addition to increased pain in childbirth, there will now be tension in her relationship with Adam.

A lot has been written on this topic and I am sure we won’t all agree. So I will simply state this; sin negatively affects personal relationships.

sin negatively affects personal relationships.

Regardless of what you think this part of Eve’s curse means I think we can all agree that sin affects relationships. Not just with others, but also with God.

Now Adam’s curse is the one most like the one in Disney’s Frozen. With Adam, the whole world was changed (just like all of Arendelle was changed).

Genesis 3:17-19:

Cursed is the ground thanks to you; in painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, but you will eat the grain of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat food until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you will return.

With Adam’s sin came the world as we know it, not the world as it was or as it should be, or as it will be. Just like in Frozen.

[Tweet “Because of Elsa’s actions, all of Arendelle was cursed (turned into a frozen wasteland.)”]

Always winter but never Christmas.

Because of Elsa’s actions, the whole kingdom was changed. Just like with Adam. Because of Adam’s actions, the whole world changed.

While all of this is tragic, Adam’s actions changed the world in at least one more way.

Romans 5:12:

So then, just as sin entered the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all people because all sinned.

Adam’s actions introduced sin to the world. And this world has never been the same.

(If you are doing this Reel Parables movie bible study with kids, ask them to recall something that they think is tragic and will never forget. For example, the death of a pet or a loved one, the first time a friend hurt them on purpose, etc. These are easy ways to show them that the world is cursed, bad, evil, broken, etc.)

Because of Elsa’s actions, she was separated from her sister and then from the entire kingdom. And notice that this separation affected everyone. The merchants were trapped in Arendelle and separated from their homes/loved ones. Anna was separated from her sister, the only family she had left.

This is just like Adam. Because of Adam’s actions, he was separated from God. And because of Adam’s actions, we too are separated from God.

Because Adam sinned, we all sin.

And remember, sin affects relationships.

It affected Elsa and Anna’s relationship.

It affected Adam and God’s relationship.

It affected Adam and Eve’s relationship.

And it affects our relationships even today.

Not only with each other but also with God.

But like with Elsa, we too can return to God and be restored to Him.

Like this? Be sure to head on over to Amazon and check out Sharing God’s Story with Disney’s Frozen!

Sharing is caring! Would you please share this post? I truly appreciate it.

Also, here are some free downloads to help you share God’s story with Disney’s Frozen!

SharingGodsStorywithFrozen (Frozen and the “Romans Road”)

SharingGodsStorywithDisneysFrozenandtheWordlessBook (Frozen and the Wordless Book)

Get my free e-book, How to See God’s Story in Movies. This free download will help you share God’s story with your kids and students by showing you how to see God’s story in movies.

Not only will this guarantee that you get the latest Reel Parables posts, but you will also get my most popular downloads, including “How to Time Travel.”

And be sure to check out my About page for more info on what I do around here at Reel Parables.

Until next time, God bless.

Simon L Smith

Posted on

Sharing God’s Story with Disney’s Frozen – Beware the Frozen Heart

This post is  from the Sharing God’s Story with Disney’s Frozen bible study.

This movie based bible study uses Disney’s Frozen and therefore contains spoilers.

Be sure to check out our Frozen page for more ways to share God’s story with Disney’s Frozen.

“The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; Who can understand it?” Jeremiah 17:9 (NASB)

Guard your heart with all vigilance, for from it are the sources of life. (Proverbs 4:23 NET)

Disney’s Frozen opens with a song, Frozen Heart, which warns us to beware of the frozen heart. Later we are told that “the heart is not easily changed.”

This is a very perceptive observation for anyone to make, much less a “Disney Princess movie.” But Frozen is far more than just a Disney Princess movie. Frozen is a Reel Parable; a movie that teaches part of God’s story.

The story’s foundation is the frozen heart; a heart that is scared, selfish and evil, and not so easily changed.

And so it is with our own story.

“The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9, NASB)

“For as he things in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7a, NKJV)

“For from within, out of the human heart, comes evil ideas, sexual immorality, theft, murder.” (Mark 7:21)

Our hearts need help.

But just like in Frozen our hearts are not easily changed.

Examine your own life or the lives of your friends and family. Regardless of how “picture perfect” our lives look on the outside (image), you and I know how our lives look on the inside (integrity). Often what we see on the inside is not as attractive as what we see on the outside.

[Tweet “We all have frozen hearts that are not easily changed.”]

We all have broken hearts. Or, as Disney’s Frozen would say, we all have frozen hearts. Malcolm Muggeridge once said that “the depravity of man (think frozen heart) is at once the most empirically verifiable reality but at the same time the most intellectually resisted fact.”

Like Elsa and Anna’s parents, our hearts want to protect our reputation, our kingdom, and our children. Sometimes to the point where we will do very foolish things.

Like Elsa, our hearts want to hide our flaws (or at least what we see as flaws). We end up hiding from and withdrawing from our families, our friends and from the whole world. We eventually hide from those who love us, and the God who loves us the most. Like Adam and Eve, we do our best to hide from the God who loves, even though He already knows everything about us. Even the things we try to hide.

Like Anna, our hearts give up hope and stop knocking. We are so hopeless that we stop asking if someone wants to build a snowman.

Like Kristoff, our hearts get caught up in our own day-to-day needs. We get so wrapped up in our own junk that we don’t see how we can help others.

Like Hans our hearts want for – long for – that which is not ours. This wanting leads to lying, cheating, and stealing. If left unchecked this longing may even lead to killing.

And like Olaf, our hearts desire the very things that will hurt us the most.

As the movie unfolds do your best to examine each of the character’s hearts.

  • What does Else want and what is she afraid of?
  • What does Anna long for and want more than anything else?
  • What about Kristoff and Hans? What do they each desire? And what are they willing to do to get it?
  • And don’t forget Olaf! What does he want and what could getting it mean for him?

And what about you?

  • What does your heart reveal about you?
  • What do you desire? What do you want? What do you long for? What do you lust after?
  • What sins, worries, regrets hide deep inside your heart?
  • What hides in your heart that only you and God can see?
  • Or put this way, how is your image and integrity at odds?

For now, just confess (agree with God about our sin) what you find in your heart. Don’t be shy. God already knows what you hide in there, so be honest. Be honest with yourself and with God and remember I John 1:8-9

If we say we do not bear the guilt of sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.

We will see how this is possible shortly. Until then remember what is said when Anna is first injured, ”Only an act of true love can thaw a frozen heart.”

Like this? Be sure to head on over to Amazon and check out Sharing God’s Story with Disney’s Frozen!

Sharing is caring! Would you please share this post? I truly appreciate it.

Also, here are some free downloads to help you share God’s story with Disney’s Frozen!

SharingGodsStorywithFrozen (Frozen and the “Romans Road”)

SharingGodsStorywithDisneysFrozenandtheWordlessBook (Frozen and the Wordless Book)

Get my free e-book, How to See God’s Story in Movies. This free download will help you share God’s story with your kids and students by showing you how to see God’s story in movies.

Not only will this guarantee that you get the latest Reel Parables posts, but you will also get my most popular downloads, including “How to Time Travel.”

And be sure to check out my About page for more info on what I do around here at Reel Parables.

Until next time, God bless.

Simon L Smith

Posted on

Wreck-it Ralph Christian Movie Review – Savior

Sharing God’s Story with Wreck-it Ralph

This Reel Parable has major spoilers, and I mean major. Major like “did you know that Qui-Gon Jinn dies at the end of Star Wars Episode I?” major. This movie bible study assumes that you have seen Wreck-it Ralph or don’t care if we spoil it for you. We warned you…

This is part 5 of a 6 part Christian movie review of Wreck-it Ralph. You can find all of our Wreck-it Ralph content here.

Sharing God’s Story with Wreck-it Ralph

How do you know that Ralph truly loved Vanellope? They fought. They argued. They hurt each other’s feelings.

So how do we know he really loved her?

Because he was willing to die for her.

My commandment is this – to love one another just as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this—that one lays down his life for his friends. John 15:12-13

No greater love than this that a man (Ralph) would give his life for a friend (Vanellope).

While almost everything King Candy said was a lie (that deceiver!) what he said about Vanellope leaving the game was true. Because of her glitch, she could not leave the game. Anyone else could simply leave the game.

She could not.

We see that this is true when Sugar Rush is about to be destroyed.

The aliens from Hero’s Duty have taken over. They are destroying everything and trying to devour everyone.

King Candy – Turbo – is unmasked and his true nature revealed.

He is out to destroy Sugar Rush.

As everyone escapes the game we see that Vanellope truly cannot leave and is about to be destroyed.

If she dies in the game then she dies for real.

Game over.

Forever.

Ralph figures out that the Mentos over Diet Coke Mountain will create a flame/light to draw the bug’s attention.

Bug Turbo and Ralph duke it out in an epic final battle to the top of Diet Coke Mountain. It is during this epic battle that Ralph realizes that the only way to save Vanellope is to sacrifice himself.

He can save her. But he will die if he does.

Because he really does love her, Ralph decides to save her, at all costs.

If he can just fall into Diet Coke Mountain he can knock the Mentos into the Diet Coke causing a volcanic eruption, create a homing beacon, and draw the bugs to their destruction!

This will save Vanellope and all of Sugar Rush!

In that moment Ralph decides to offer himself as her sacrifice.

He would give up his life to save her life.

Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself.

Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well.

You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had, who though he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature.

He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross!

As a result God exalted him…Philippians 2:3-9a

This sounds like Ralph, right?

Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself.

Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well.

When Ralph saw that Vanellope truly needed help he cared about her life more than his own. He humbled himself so that he could save her.

He knew she was important.

He put her needs above his own.

You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had, who though he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature.

Ralph did this too.

Ralph really, really, really wanted to win a medal. He could have simply left Sugar Rush, returned home, and showed off his medal.

Instead, he chose to help Vanellope.

He chose to empty himself of his own ambition – the desire to win a medal and to be a part of his community – and instead chose to stay and help Vanellope.

He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross!

I know Ralph did not die. I get that.

But he was willing to die to save Vanellope.

He thought he was going to die.

He did humble himself to the point of death. At least to the point of being willing to die!

As a result God exalted him…

I know this may be a stretch, but I love that Ralph does get exalted back in his game.

After he does his bad guy job the whole community literally holds him up – exalts him! – and it is then that he can see Vanellope!

So why would Ralph do that for Vanellope?

Why would he save her?

Why would he sacrifice himself for her?

Because Vanellope could not save herself. As simple as it sounds, she needed a savior.

And Ralph understood her pain.

Ralph knew her suffering.

For we do not have a high priest incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin.

Therefore let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace whenever we need help.Hebrews 4:15-16

Ralph knew her suffering.

Why?

Because he had suffered the same way that she had suffered.

He had been hurt in the same way that she had been hurt.

Like Vanellope, Ralph lived alone on the outskirts of town.

Like Vanellope, Ralph longed for community and to be a part of the group.

Ralph understood Vanellope because he was treated like she was treated.

He may have been an outsider – a savior from another world/game – but he understood her pain and her suffering.

But remember, he didn’t just save her; he also set her apart and helped her fulfill her purpose!

It was only after Ralph literally saved her that she was able to finish the race and cross the finish line, fulfilling her purpose!

[Tweet “Check out this better kind of Christian movie review of Wreck-it Ralph!”]

Get my free e-book, How to See God’s Story in Movies. This free download will help you share God’s story with your kids and students by showing you how to see God’s story in movies.

 

Not only will this guarantee that you get the latest Reel Parables posts, but you will also get my most popular downloads, including “How to Time Travel.”

And be sure to check out my About page for more info on what I do around here at Reel Parables.

Until next time, God bless.

Simon L Smith

Sharing God’s Story with Wreck-it Ralph