Category: Sermon Illustrations

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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

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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

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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

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

Posted on

Wreck-it Ralph Christian Movie Review – Purpose

Sharing God’s Story with Wreck-it Ralph

This Reel Parable has major spoilers, and I mean major. Major like “did you know that Superman now has a kid?” 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 4 of a 6 part Christian movie review of Wreck-it Ralph. You can find all of our Wreck-it Ralph content here.

Problems

If King Candy is the villain of Sugar Rush (and he is!) then Vanellope is most certainly the heart and soul.

In a world that appears so perfect, she is the only one who knows that her life is anything but.

Like Ralph, she lives alone on the outskirts of town.

Like Ralph, she longs for community and to be a part of the group.

She is the adorable little loner and ambitious outsider longing to be a part of the game.

And while the whole world of Sugar Rush is broken she just might be the most broken.

While everyone has lost their memory because of King Candy’s hacking, she is the only one who has lost community and has lost fellowship. King Candy actually removed her from the community.

Oh, and to top it off she is the only one with a glitch!

Purpose

But Vanellope knows deep down inside that she was made for more.

She knows that she has a purpose.

She knows that she is special.

Having no memory of driving a car, much less racing a car, she knows that she was designed – programmed – to race!

She feels it in her bones and in her soul. She just knows it.

The world of Sugar Rush tells her she is worthless, purposeless, and an accident (a glitch!).

But she knows better. She knows that she has a purpose and that someone, somewhere, has a plan.

Do you ever feel the same way?

I know I do. My whole life I have heard this verse:

’For I know what I have planned for you,’ says the Lord. ‘I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope.’ Jeremiah 29:11 NET

I am glad God knows the plans He has for me. I wish He would tell me what those plans are.

Like Vanellope I sometimes feel trapped in a world in which I don’t belong. I often feel like I am meant for more than this.

Remember what C.S. Lewis said.

“If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”

Notice this; Vanellope was unable to fulfill her purpose alone. It was in a community that she found the hope and encouragement she needed to fulfill her purpose!

In Ralph – in a relationship – she found the encouragement and help that she needed.

With Ralph’s help, she gets a car.

With Ralph’s help, she finally gets to drive.

With Ralph’s help – with Ralph’s friendship – she gains confidence!

Most of us will not have our “burning bush” encounter.

Instead of a burning bush, God gave us a community; our family (maybe) and our Church.

Our family is the first place where most of us learn about God.

If it’s not our family then it was probably through a friend or through a Church.

This community introduces us to God and then helps us know His story better.

It is in this community of faith that we have the opportunity to learn, serve, discover our strengths and gifts and passion.

It is in this community that we, like Vanellope, fulfill our purpose.

But like Vanellope we need help!

[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

Posted on

Wreck-it Ralph Christian Movie Review – Cheater

Sharing God’s Story with Wreck-it Ralph

This Reel Parable has major spoilers, and I mean major. Major like “Did you know Rose Bud was just his childhood sled?” 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 3 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

Ralph’s quest for community lands him in Sugar Rush, a sweet-candied-confectioners wonderland that is not as sweet as it seems.

Sugar Rush is a fallen world.

The game was hacked and reprogrammed. It is now a poor counterfeit of the world that it was programmed (created) to be.

This fallen world is also under the control of a fallen character. Sugar Rush is under the control of King Candy.

Ah, King Candy.

He’s cute.

He’s funny.

He looks as sweet and innocent as the world he lives in.

But just like Sugar Rush, King Candy is also not what he seems.

He is also a faker!

King Candy looks sweet. But he is not.

King Candy sound nice. But he is not.

King Candy acts like he wants to help and do good, but he only wants to hurt and do harm.

He is a liar and he is a cheat.

Ask your kids – or yourself – these questions. For such a fun movie King Candy is a pretty complex character!

  • Does King Candy belong in Sugar Rush?
  • Where does King Candy actually belong?
  • What did King Candy do to Sugar Rush?
  • What does King Candy want?
  • What lies does King Candy tell?
  • Why is King Candy so mean to Vanellope?
  • What is King Candy trying to protect?
  • What is King Candy afraid of?

Just as Ralph does to belong in Sugar Rush, neither does King Candy!

Candy Coated Devil

After all the lies are found out Ralph learns that King Candy is actually Turbo, a disgraced character from Turbo Time, an old “classic” game overshadowed by the newer and flashier games.

Turbo wants the glory that is not his. He misses the spotlight and longs for attention. He is jealous of the attention other characters are getting in other games.

Due to his pride and jealousy, Turbo falls from grace. Turbo jumps games to be something he is not, a king.

King Candy is more than the main antagonist in Wreck-it Ralph. King Candy is also an amazing or movie metaphor for our adversary, the Devil.

Look how you have fallen from the sky, O shining one, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the ground, O conqueror of the nations!You said to yourself, “I will climb up to the sky.Above the stars of El 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!”Isaiah 14:12-14

Just like Satan fell from grace, so did King Candy. King Candy fell from grace when he jumped games and hacked Sugar Rush!

Turbo, as King Candy, set himself up as the King of Sugar Rush!

He actually set up his throne and called himself King, the “most high” character in Sugar Rush!

What did King Candy do with this power?

Did he help Vanellope?

Did he help anyone else?

Did he help Sugar Rush?

No…

All he did was help himself. He even hurt others to do so. We will talk more about that when we get to Vanellope.

But how did he do this?

Remember, King Candy is not as sweet as he seems.

He looks sweet, but he is really sour!

He looks good, but he is evil.

He looks sweet, but he is sour.

He looks bright and shiny but is dark and evil.

Why does he do this? Because most of us are afraid of scary things.  The Devil does not want to scare us. Instead, he wants to trick us.

Most of us will run from something scary. That is why King Candy disguised himself as something thing sweet!

He didn’t want to scare the girls in Sugar Rush, he wanted to trick them!

Our Adversary, the Devil, does the same thing.

And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 2 Corinthians 11:27

Pretending to be good, he lied to everyone to protect his counterfeit kingdom.

He is a liar.

In the game of Sugar Rush King Candy is the father of lies.

Just like the Devil. The Devil is a liar.

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. John 8:4

Just like King Candy, the Devil does not want you to know the truth. God loves you.

I am sure there is a lot of other stuff we can say about the Devil and his lies. But to not cause division or controversy I will leave it at this:

The Devil does not want you to know that God loves you more than anyone in the whole entire world! He created you to be in a relationship with Him but the Devil messed that up. And he’s been lying forever so that you won’t find out.

And, like King Candy, he has some control over this world right now.

The bible says:

Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion,is on the prowl looking for someone to devour.1 Peter 5:8

King Candy did the same! Remember when he found Ralph when he and Vanellope were about to leave for the race?

He was roaming around looking for them.

And what did he do when he found them?

Did he tell them the truth?

NO!

Did he help them?

NO!

What did he do when he found Ralph?

He LIED to him and tricked him!

He blinded Ralph to the truth by telling him a bunch of lies. He sounded like he wanted to help Vanellope but really wanted to hurt her.

Just like the Devil.

Among whom the god of this age (the Devil) 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. 2 Corinthians 4:4

King Candy did not want Vanellope to find out that she was a Princess!

In the same way, the Devil does not want you to find out that you are – or can be – a Prince or Princess! (More on that shortly.)

Ralph longs for a community so goes on a hero’s journey.

Along the way he finds a fallen world, Sugar Rush, controlled by a fallen character, King Candy.

In this fallen world he meets Vanellope and discovers his purpose. He even finds the community he longed for.

We will look at that next time.

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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.”

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Until next time, God bless.

Simon L Smith

Sharing God’s Story with Wreck-it Ralph

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Wreck-it Ralph Christian Movie Review – Counterfeits

Sharing God’s Story with Wreck-it Ralph

This Reel Parable has major spoilers, and I mean major. Major like “did you know that Darth Vader was Luke’s dad?” 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 2 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

Sugar Rush is a child’s dream! And why wouldn’t it be? After all it is a land made up of sugar and candy and sweets and treats and all kinds of yummy goodness.

When my 10-year-old daughter saw it for the first time she actually told me she wanted to live there! My 12-year-old son agreed and added so he could eat everything!

Sugar Rush looks amazing. But, as we soon find out, Sugar Rush is not what it seems.

It may look good on the outside, but inside is it all messed up. It may look like a confectioners dream, but it is really a counterfeit.

Counterfeit

Sugar Rush is a pink candied paradise. But it also a bad copy of what it once was.

We will talk about King Candy later, but as Ralph finds out he has done something terrible to Sugar Rush. In his desire to be King (Isaiah 14:14 anyone?) he has hacked the world of Sugar Rush so that no one remembers how great it once was or how bad it is now. King Candy is a liar and a deceiver, but more on him later.

In his desire to be King he corrupted Sugar Rush. It is now a fallen world.

It looks good. But it is not good. Ask yourself or your kids these questions:

  • What did King Candy do to be King?
  • What was his sin?
  • Why is this bad?
  • What did it do to Sugar Rush?
  • What did it do to the characters in Sugar Rush?
  • How did the girls treat each other?
  • How did the girls treat Vanellope Von Schweetz?

Because of King Candy’s sin (hacking the game to be King) the entire “world” of Sugar Rush became a cheap counterfeit. Sugar Rush became “fallen.”

It looked good. But it was not great.

It looked good. But it was far from perfect.

This story is not new. In Genesis 3 we see the fall of man. And this fall didn’t just affect man, but it also affected the world.

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. Genesis 3:17b–19

Sugar Rush is fallen. It was once a child’s sweet-toothed paradise. Now it is a bad knockoff, a bad counterfeit.

The same is true for our world. It was once a paradise where God and man had perfect fellowship and lived in a perfect community. Now it is a world full of ugly. I don’t know how old your kids are and I don’t know how much of our world they understand. My older kids (21 and 18) are starting to see just how ugly the world can be. And so are my little kids. Even as we try to protect their childhood and innocence they still hear about so much hate, violence, and junk.

The BIG questions are still the BIG questions. Why so much fear? Why so much anger? Why so much hate?

Just like in Wreck-it Ralph the answer is sin. Because King Candy sinned the whole world of Sugar Rush is now full of sin. I know it sounds silly, but how else would you explain King Candy and the way the other girls treat Vanellope?

Again, this story is not new.

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

Contradictions

Like the world of Sugar Rush, our world is swirling with contradictions.

Parts of our world are beautiful. The birth of a child. The fresh blossoms of Spring. A first kiss. A first love.

But parts of our world are also ugly. The child that dies. The gray death of Winter. A broken heart.

At times our world is amazingly beautiful. It is, after all, God’s creation.

But at times it is also very ugly. It is, after all, tainted by sin.

Like the world of Sugar Rush, our world looks good and is tempting, like an all you can eat candy buffet.

But like the world of Sugar Rush, our world is also under the control/influence of a Deceiver.

Vanellope knew she was made for “something better.”

We know we were made for “something better.”

My guess is our kids know they were made for “something better.”

Sugar Rush was not without hope and neither is our world!

Remember what C.S. Lewis said.

If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.

Before we look at what Wreck-it Ralph can teach us about “another world,” next time we will look at what King Candy can teach us about our adversary, the “devil.”

Tell your kids that someday, when God’s story unfolds, our fear will turn into joy, our anger will turn into happiness and our hate will turn into joy!

What can do this week to encourage your kids that someday our fear will turn into joy, our anger will turn into happiness and our hate will turn into joy?

[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

Posted on

Wreck-it Ralph Christian Movie Review – Community

Sharing God’s Story with Wreck-it Ralph

This Reel Parable has major spoilers, and I mean major. Major like “did you know that Bruce Willis was dead in the Sixth Sense?” 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 1 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

Wreck-it Ralph is a super fun movie. It’s the kind of movie that strikes a delicate balance between nerdy and cool but also sits squarely between kid friendly and adult friendly.

I loved it and my kids loved it! It’s that good.

But it’s also more than just that. Wreck-it Ralph is a fantastic Reel Parable.

I want to share with you the “movie bible study” that I shared with my kids after seeing Wreck-it Ralph.

We talked about two distinct topics:

  • Community
  • The world (fall, salvation, and redemption)

Today, let’s talk about community. We will start “the World” next time and spend a few weeks on it. Yes, it’s that good and detailed!

Admittedly, a community is a common idea that can hard to describe. For now, we are going to describe a  community as a place where we belong and are a part of.

For most of us, the first community we experience is our family. Then comes work, school, sports, etc.

I find it interesting how two people who have never met are part of a community just because of something they have in common – think sports fans or music fans! We can go to a game or to a concert and “fit in” and “belong” to a group of people we don’t know, just because of a shared passion.

The same can be said (hopefully!) about the Church. We can show up to a Church where we don’t know anyone, but because of our shared passion we “fit in” and “belong.”

When talking about a community with your kids, frame it as the place where we belong.

Community

Wreck-it Ralph starts with Ralph looking for – and longing for – community.

Sure, he doesn’t want to be the “bad guy.” And he wants to be seen as a good guy. After all, without Ralph, there is no game! And it’s his name on the game – not Fix-it Felix – so he is just doing his job, right?

The reason he doesn’t want to be the bad guy is that he wants to be part of his game’s community. The other characters in the game seem to hate him and all he is doing is just doing his job.

Ralph wants to be loved, to be accepted, and to be a part of his community.

His quest for a medal – to be the winner or to be the hero – is so that he can be part of his game’s community.

It is this desire for community that starts our hero on his “hero’s journey.”

His journey actually starts out journey as we explore his – and our – world.

What About Us?

Until then think about the questions. As you watch or talk about Wreck-it Ralph look for the answers to these questions. Better yet, ask them to your kids!

Let your kids start learning what real community looks like by helping them explore Wreck-it Ralph.

 

  • Where does Ralph live? Why does he live there (in the junkyard)?
  • Where does Ralph want to live?
  • Why does Ralph want to live there (in the apartment complex)?
  • Why does the community in the game reject Ralph?
  • How does this make Ralph feel?
  • Why didn’t Ralph fit in?
  • Whose fault was it? Ralph’s or the other characters’?

Like Ralph, we are designed (programmed?) to live in a community.

Why, because even God lives in a community!

Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, after our likeness, so they may rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move on the earth. Genesis 1:26

Notice the words that God uses; Us and Our.

God, as we understand the Trinity, lives in a community!

I may not know how God created man, but I do know that He made us in His image. If God lives in a community and created us in His image, then we must also need community.

If it is good enough for Him, then I guess it should be good enough for us.

Ralph needed community and we need community.

We will come back to the community at the end of this movie bible study. As with any good story, there is conflict. As we will see at the end, Ralph needed a community to overcome that conflict!

What can you and your family do THIS WEEK to help foster yoru community?

[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