Batman & Bonus Fries

TO START

This week, we took a break from our Alignment series and our Student Minister, Michael Waldrop led us in a reflection on acknowledging the reality of death and how that might actually lead us to a posture of gratitude. To begin the lesson, Michael pointed us a to scene from Batman about fear. Ask these questions to start;

  • Who is your favorite actor to play Batman: Adam West, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Christian Bale or Ben Affleck?

  • Second, what is your biggest fear or phobia??

TO DISCUSS & READ

There is no video for this week but I want to encourage y’all to spend time in Scripture together this week. Michael invited us to consider the reality of death in the book of James and to consider how that might change our posture as Christians.. Read James 4:13-15 together.

  • What stands out to you in this passage?

  • How often like Michael said, do you say or wonder “when this happens, I will finally be happy”? Is that often your posture towards life? Do you believe that’s helpful or harmful?

  • Michael mentioned that our desire for more and getting to specific point or time before feeling satisfied can lead us to entitlement. Do you believe you struggle with entitlement? How so?

In the second half of the sermon, Michael argued that like a bonus fry at the bottom of a McDonald’s sack, we should envision each day and each opportunity as a gift and a surprise and then that might just lead us to seek out gratitude and joy in a different way. Read 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

  • Is it hard for you to view each day as a bonus fry? Is it hard for you to be present in the moment? To not be anxious? Why or why not?

  • How might you seek to live in a way that takes each day as a gift and surprise?

Lastly, Michael argued that if we want to be joyful, we must practice gratitude! We must build that habit.

  • Invite everyone in the group to share any practices of gratitude that they have with the group. And how they’ve been shaped by these practices.

TO PRAY

To close, as a popcorn prayer, invite your group to share at least one thing they are grateful for this week whether it’s a person or a thing or an event, etc. Invite your group members to say, “Thank You, God, for ________” when offering thanks to God! Start the prayer as the leader and leave it open until it makes sense to close.

Matt DeLano