Movie 3 – Spider-Man
Leader Guide
Peter Parker’s true identity as Spider Man is revealed and he instantly becomes a polarizing figure. Some people love him and look up to him. Others view him as a vigilante who does more harm than good. But everyone judges him and everyone has an opinion of him. Peter quickly finds himself being constantly criticized, constantly analyzed, and unfairly treated by the world he has tried to protect.
What you will need: A Bible or your Bible app, a notebook, pen, and highlighter. The verses highlighted below are linked so that you can easily access them during your study time.
Jump Start
1. If you could have a super power, what would it be?
2. Read John 16:33 (ESV) Jesus doesn’t promise that there will be no external trouble from the world in which we live, in fact he tells us that we will experience tribulation, but that there will always be a way out. Think of a situation in which you experienced a tribulation, but were able to walk through it with purpose and unexplainable peace. Discuss John 16:33 with one another, and a time that you faced tribulation.
3. Read Proverbs 10:25 TPT Jesus wants you and I to know that our world doesn’t have to get turned upside down every time we face difficulty and disappointment but we can find security and peace in Christ during the hard moments.
Leader Note: Discuss with your group not only about a time that you faced a trial, but how you walked through it.
4. Read Luke 12:48b TLB: Stewardship is the act of making wise use of the things God has placed on our lives. For example, our time, our gifts, our finances, or even our ability to do certain things are all given to us by God. How are you managing those things? What are some things in your life that you know you could steward better? What commonalities does Luke 12:48 have in common with the well-known quote in the Spider-Man series, WITH GREAT POWER COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY.
When Jesus came to earth...he didn’t use his gift and abilities to make his life better. He was poor...homeless...he was not respected. But he used his gifts and his ability to perform miracles to teach, to help those around him. He viewed everything God gave him as a responsibility to do something with it. What is one gift that God has given you to use for his glory this week? What is a gift that you see in someone else, and how could you encourage them this week?
5. Read Ephesians 4:31: Paul challenges us to push back against all types of hateful behavior and anger because it only hurts us. Look at that verse again. All bitterness, rage, anger, slander...get rid of it. We think of some anger as righteous or healthy. That there are some things it’s good to be angry about, but what we see in scripture and in life...when anger, hate and malice fuels us...it does not lead to life. It’s not who Jesus was. Are there some areas in your life that you have anger? What steps can you take this week to let it go?
6. Read John 13:34: Love each other. Verse 35 goes further to say, your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples. How we love matters. How we handle bitterness, rage, anger, and slander all matters. What is one step you can take this week, alone or with your group to love those you come in contact with, better?
7. Read Matthew 5:14a, 16b: You are the light of the world. As we watched in the movie, Mae loved everyone, even the unlovable. We quickly saw in the movie that hate and anger are tools to destroy. True unconditional love builds and repairs and restores. How are you letting your light shine to the world?
Deeper
8. Read Acts 9:1-20
Paul was a man of strong will and determination. One gets the impression he put his entire life on hold to fight against “The Way”. He was full of anger and rage. In spite of his immense intellect, he was committed to the dirty work of dragging Christians out from their homes and places of worship in an effort to stop the news about this Jesus Christ. But while Saul was tracking down His followers, the Lord was tracking Paul, waiting for the right moment to change Paul and change the world. The very one whose persecution caused Christians to flee to Damascus and start new churches was about to become the Lord’s great missionary.
- What question did Saul ask in response to Jesus (Acts 22:10)? At that moment, Saul understood the authority of the one to whom he was speaking. At that moment he knew this Jesus was definitely alive and had full authority over everything. That question “What should I do Lord?” would be the question that Paul would live by for the rest of his life.
- Why do you think Paul was blinded and forced to go to Damascus in that condition? Do you think that he realized he could not make the walk, if he wasn’t completely obedient and dependent on God?
- What are some things that Saul might have thought about during the remainder of his trip? Perhaps he remembered Stephen’s face as he was being stoned. Do you think he remembered Stephen’s prayer to not hold them accountable for what they were doing to him? He probably rehashed in his mind the scriptures and prophesies about the Messiah.
- What do you think was going through Ananias’ mind? How often does God lead us to do things that cause us to be totally dependent upon Him? Where our abilities end, God has opportunity to begin!
- How did God show grace and kindness to Ananias? When Ananias questions the logic of going to Saul, God was gracious enough to give Ananias an explanation of His purpose behind what was to take place. God was careful to ease the fears of Ananias and give him the assurance that this was His will. God didn’t tell Ananias that we’ll work it out as we go. God tells Ananias to “Go!” Consider what Ananias found when he obeyed God.
- What are some lessons we can learn from the action of Barnabas? Christ influenced Barnabas and showed him Paul had truly been converted.