Elf--What's does it have to do with Christians?

We did our last Bible Study on the first part of the movie elf.  The topic dealt most with identity (since Buddy realized he really didn't know who he was) and spiritual gifts and talents. This is a quick summary if you are interested.

 

  We discussed Leon's statement to Buddy: "This might be a golden opportunity to find out who you really are." in terms of our own golden opportunities to discover who we are in Christ and how to use our identity to help the least of these in our community.

 

The elves had a code.

The Code of Elves is:

1) Treat every day like Christmas

2)There's room for everyone on the nice list

3)The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.

 

We asked does this code have anything to do with 'Christians'? How or why not?

 

Then I had the group come up with their own Code of Christians.  I'd already written one and we compared.

 

Their code:

1) Love God (Mark 12:30)

2) Love People (Mark 12: 31)

3) Be agreeable (1 Peter 3:8)

4) Be Fishers of Men (Matthew 4:18)

 

My Code of Christians:

1) Love God with everythink you have (Mark 12:30)

2) Love others like you love yourself and treat the the way you want to be treated. (Mark 12:31)

3) Shine (Matthew 5:14-16)

 

We read Galatians 2:20 asking How does this help our understanding of our identiy in Christ and what does it have to do with our Code of Christians?

 

Buddy felt he didn't have any talents.  We read scripture and discussed talents and spiritual gifts (not the same ) and Father God's expectation of us for using our gifts, talents, skills and passions---how we could use those to advance the Kingdom and help our community,.

 

Lastly, we discussed two important scenes the first being where Papa said Buddy could expect a few difficulties being a human in a elf's world.  If we find our identity in Christ and use our spiritual gifts, talents, etc to advance The Kingdom, then we can expect a few difficulties ourselves as Light in a dark world.  How we deal with those difficulties (esp in light of our code) is of the utmost importance.

 

The second was when Buddy found out his dad was on the naughty list.  He was devasted.  Can you imagine how Father God feels when we are 'on the naughty list'?  When we don't express our faith in love (Galatians 5:6)? When it is not evident that our identity is found in Christ?

 

We ended with a challenge to remember who we are, to use our spiritual gifts, talents, skills, and passions to advance The Kingdom and help the least of these and to live up to our code.

 

Next Thursday, we'll skip ahead some in the movie and continue our study.