The Lion King

• Being Christ-Like - The Lion King
  
  I don’t know about you but when a new film comes out for children my first thoughts as I am watching it, apart from is the a classic film or a fly by night, are I could use that clip to teach the children this spiritual point or that spiritual point. But then again, I am a little weird, but with the Lion King the crossover to spiritual content not only jumped out at me but smacked me around the face, kicked me from behind and trod on my toes a few times. I have yet to see another film which can be so well adapted to the Christian philosophy as well as the Lion King. I am very sure it was not intended to be, correct me if you know different but it carries across the Christian message of hope, sacrifice and fulfilling your God given destiny as if it were written that way. When teaching this material give it respect, carry a feeling of ‘this will change your life forever’ get across to the children the aspect of how life changing they could be in others life’s as well as creating a desire to be more than what they presently are or even dreamt of becoming.
  
  Memory Verse, Matthew 16:16
  “Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
  
  
  Lesson 1: Christ As Messiah - Circle of Life – Matthew 16:13-20
  
  Objectives:
• Some people are too blind spiritually to Recognize who Jesus really is.
• Even we cannot fully understand it though we must begin to try in order gain all He has for us.
• Once we do then Jesus will reveal his glory more dramatically
• Once we do then Jesus will reveal his glory more dramatically helping us to gain insight into our own potential.
  
  Fantastic opening to any movie when Simba is revealed to all and all bow down to him. Show this clip all the way through to show the ceremony, the respect and reverence given to Simba. Talk about how he may have been confused about all this, how he might not have fully understood the importance of this event in his life. Remind the children that this was not how Jesus was welcomed into the world, he was born in a barn, lived his life in obscurity and went about his mission not fully revealing His identity to any except a few, why? Surely if he had called down 10,000 angels who lifted Him up to His golden throne then everyone would have known. Well, God does things differently, and although there will be a time when all men and women will bow down to Him, He has a different plan. He wants you to know Him, yes as the King of kings and the Lord of lords but more importantly as a friend, He wants you to spend time finding out for yourself who He is, so when you do bow down it’s out of love, respect and honour, not out of fear.
  
  Object Lesson—Circle of Life—Get a large newspaper, Times, or a Sunday one, talk about how newspapers are full of bad news, people getting hurt, disasters etc. How are we going to stop this. Take a sheet from the paper and ask if they think you can cut a hole in this paper which will be big enough to fit everyone inside, they will mostly say no. If it is a large group you may already have chosen around 10 children to come up front, fold in half and cut the paper as picture above. This will make it huge, you can talk about how we need to include everyone, love people, help people, talk with, play with people as you are cutting, explain as we do this then we reveal Jesus to others, they can see Christ in us. Once the paper is cut show how large the hole is, get the kids to climb in if it is big enough get others to join you. NB you may wish to practise this before you do it because if it goes wrong then it goes horribly wrong (voice of experience). Explain we must include everyone in our lives that’s how the circle works and as we live for Jesus the effect we leave on people’s lives lasts on even after we are no longer here.
  
  Lesson 2: Sacrifice - Muphasa’s Death – Matthew 27:11-56
  
  Objectives
• Jesus death fulfilled prophesies
• Don’t let others make you feel unworthy
• Jesus paid the full price of our sins
• His sacrifice means we can fulfil our destiny
  
  Things don’t always work out like we expect, people don’t always live up to our expectations, they let us down. Sometimes it’s on purpose, sometimes, like Scar, it’s because they are trying to make you do the wrong thing. Sometimes bad things happen, sometimes they’re supposes too. Muphasa dying, in the long road, helped Simba become who he really is, at first he believed the lies Scar told him but later we see a different scar. Jesus was not surprised by any of the things that happened to Him, He knew He would be beaten and whipped and tormented and rejected. He knew He would die a horrible death and that even His Father would turn His face from Him. But it was worth it all because He also knew His Father would raise Him from the dead and that by paying this huge price for our sins He would fulfil God’s master plan. He bought back your destiny, sin takes it away. In sin you cannot be God’s friend, you cannot live in the way He intended and you cannot live eternally with God. Through His sacrifice the price is paid and your destiny fulfilled but only if you choose it. You must Accept you have sinned (done bad things), Believe that Jesus is God and died for you and Confess, ask Him to forgive you (say sorry and really mean it living you life to please Him for the rest of your life). Do this and He will help you fulfil your Destiny, believe in Him but equally important believe in yourself.
  
  Object Lesson– Crosses
  Explain all the different crosses
  1. Explain that you used to get crosses all the time like this in your jotter at school and it made you very happy because it showed how much the teacher loved you, the children will tell you no it means you were wrong. Act disappointed as if your illusion has been shattered.
  2. Explain about the treasure map and how it leads you to hidden treasure, the cross marks the spot.
  3. Explain how ballot papers work and how the cross marks your decision.
  4. Talk about kisses act confused because the children told you that this cross meant you were wrong, they should tell you that this time it means love. So, crosses can mean different things at different times.
  5. Explain the cross of Jesus means all the above, it shows we have done wrong but we are God’s treasure which found when He died and if we decide to follow Him He will show His love to us and we will learn to love Him.
  
  Lesson 3: Resurrection - Simba Battles Scar – Matthew 27:57 – 28:20
  
  Objectives
• We no longer need to fear death
• Jesus actually died but now He is alive
• The children need to see this for themselves
• Go and tell everyone the good news
  
  Scar had betrayed Muphasa, Simba and all of the animals. He had handed over the pride land to the hyenas who just ravaged and used the land of plenty for there own use and left it barren and like a desert. He thought he had got rid of his competition, Simba, but Simba had realised he had been mislead and had come back to reclaim what was really his what had been stolen by lies and sin. As for Scar, his fate was sealed, Simba would over power him and throw him into the pit where he would get his reward. We are God’s prize the devil would like us to believe we are not, he would like us to be barren and like a desert in our hearts. He will tell you lies about yourself, about what you can do about how God feels about you but Jesus, when He died was just like Simba, He confronted the devil calling him a liar, the father of lies. He fought for you in the grave and won your right to eternal life, He threw the devil into the pit and he will get his just reward. But you can be sure that if you trust in Jesus, then you will have a place in Heaven, He has won it for you and He will turn your life from one hopelessness to one of hope, through Him you will find and fulfil your destiny.
  
  Object Lesson—Bag of Seeds
  Open up a bag of seeds nice big ones are good, sunflower seeds if you like explain that these are especially designed to do a job but before they can do this job they need to be planted. Keep it in the bag and it won’t do anything it will be dead, but plant it in the ground and suddenly it comes to life, it sprouts and grows a flower. It’s the same with you, if you want to fulfil your destiny you must plant yourself in the grounding of Jesus, grow in the knowledge of God, flourish in His love and grace and mercy. Grow into the person God want you to be.
  
  Lesson 4: – Holy Spirit In Us - Simba’s Reflection – Acts 2
  
  Objectives
• The Holy Spirit brings power, fire and wind
• He transforms those who trust him into bold and dynamic people of God
  
  Simba doubts himself, he has let everyone down but he hears the news his father is not dead? He follows the crazy monkey fighting through the undergrowth and find only a reflection of himself, but is it? No says the monkey, your father is alive in you, Muphasa tells his son he is more than he has become, it’s time to become who you are meant to be. He reels from the stick being hit on his head, it does not matter says the monkey it’s in the past, yes but it still hurts says Simba, so says the monkey you can run away or learn from it. What are you going to do
  Peter and the disciples had all made mistakes they had denied Jesus, had hidden in fear and were still doing so even though they had saw Him alive and risen. Then something amazing happens, wind and fire fall upon them, they realize truly for the first time, Jesus is not dead. He is alive in them, they are filled with the Holy Spirit, they learn from their mistakes and go out transformed telling everyone the good news and a miracle everyone understands, even those from far away places. Whatever mistakes you have made or will make don’t let them stop you, don’t run away but learn from them. Step out in faith for God, let people see who you are you are His child. God’s own with value and worth and a destiny to live.
  
  Object Lesson—Eruption
  Place 4 teaspoons of baking powder in a small glass. Mix vinegar with red food colouring. Explain the glass represents them, the baking powder represents the Holy Spirit and the vinegar represents the blood Christ shed for us. Pour the vinegar mixture onto the baking powder, and stand back! Watch as the lava spills out of the glass. Make sure you conduct this over a basin. For extra effect try adding a few drops of washing up liquid to the vinegar. Explain that unless we ask for God’s forgiveness and allow Jesus to be our friend we cannot live as God has planned for us but because Jesus shed His blood and sent the Holy Spirit then we can be filled with power, power to do what He asks, power to be the person He meant us to be. Someone who will change the world around us.
  
  Lesson 5: Certain Hope - No Worries – Acts 3:1-11
  
  Objectives
• We often ask God to solve small problems but He wants to give us so much more.
• You may ask God for what you want but He may give you what you need instead.
• The Apostles did this through the power of the Holy Spirit not their own power.
  
  Hakuna Mutata it means no worries, God doesn’t want us to worry, He wants us to have a full and productive life, He also wants you to have fun but where Timon and Pumba get it wrong is that fun without responsibility is meaningless, it means no worries but not no cares. God so much cares for us and wants us to care for others just the same, yes, lets have a fun life, He gives us joy but we must do it with care. We have the power of the Holy Spirit to do the wonders of God but not to be wasted or used for our own selfish reasons but to do God’s free will.
  The lame man was positioned right at the door of the temple where everyone would see him when going to prayer and was probably there every day, he might even have been there when Jesus passed through the same gate. Why did he not get healed then because things happen in God’s good time. He only saw his small need, money to buy food, but that day God had so much more to give him. He went on to praise God and everyone who knew him where in awe of God’s power. We must always thank people who help us but always thank God for what He has done.
  
  Object Lesson—Who Cares?
  Have a whiteboard or flipchart and lead a discussion with the children about who cares.
  Talk about who needs care, children, poor, sick etc writing their answers on the board.
  Talk about who cares for these people, doctors, police etc again writing it on the board.
  Talk about the bigger problems in the world and who cares about these things who helps to solve these problems.
  Talk about what the children care about get them to give actual every day examples of things they do to show how they care.
  
  Jesus will be mentioned quite often as someone who cares try to get across early that is taken as read, you want ordinary everyday examples. Get the kids to see they are already making a difference in their world but encourage them that they can do so much more with the power of God.