“Every man dies, not every man really lives.” –William Wallace in Braveheart
(Before you engage in this experience it is important that you understand an assumption I am making. I believe that God has called each of us to a specific life. We have all been called, given access to, the Abundant Life (John 10:10), a life full of love, joy, peace, freedom, and meaning. The assumption I am making is that you agree with this simple theological truth.)
-Watch Braveheart. Pay close attention to your reaction to the characters and story. Listen and watch for where your heart is stirred.
1. What struck you about Braveheart? What scene was your favorite or had the biggest emotional response in you? Why do you think that is? What happened in the scene? Is there someone/something you relate to?
-I have a theory about Braveheart. I don’t think we are meant to identify with William Wallace. I think we are meant to be inspired by him, even desire to be like him, but I don’t think we are supposed to identify with him. I think the character of William Wallace is a Christ-figure in Braveheart.
2. What do you see in the character of William Wallace that makes him like Jesus?
-I don’t think we are meant to identify with William Wallace, but there is a character that I think we are meant to identify with another character. I believe we are meant to identify with Robert the Bruce.
3. Think about the character arc of Robert the Bruce. Describe him at the beginning of the film. What happens to him during the film? Who is influencing him? What does he do? How does he change?
4. Watch the scene between Robert and his father that starts 2 hours and 12 minutes into the film.
-What are the competing messages in Robert the Bruce’s life? Who do these messages come from? What do you think he means when he says that he will never be on the wrong side again?
5. In what ways have you been influenced away from the calling God placed on your life? What lies have you agreed with that keep you from living the life God has given you? In what ways have you lost heart?
6. Identify the influencer or lie and give it a face or an image. Stand up and imagine the face or image is right in front of you. Tell the influencer that you will not lose heart; tell the influencer as Robert the Bruce does that you will never be on the wrong side again.
-Watch the final scene (“Bleed with Me” on the scene selection menu)
7. Imagine yourself on a hill like Robert the Bruce at the end of the film, but instead of your enemy in front of you, the enemy lies defeated behind you. In front of you is the life God has given you. Thank Jesus for the work he has done to make that life possible by defeating the enemy that lies defeated behind you. Invite Jesus into the journey. Ask him to lead the way for you as Wallace did for Robert the Bruce, and charge forward to claim that life as the patriots of Scotland do in this final scene.
Hey Dude! This is some seriously great stuff! I love braveheart and I enjoyed thinking through the questions. Again, well done. Loves from the California Mountains! Faith.
ReplyDelete1. What struck you about Braveheart? What scene was your favorite or had the biggest emotional response in you? Why do you think that is? What happened in the scene? Is there someone/something you relate to?
ReplyDeleteThat if you don't fight for the one thing that really touches your heart, you never will. To me, the scene that rings a bell in me is the scene where is is telling the masses to you can fight for your freedom or you can be weak and stay with the status quo of just getting by, kissing English arses! The charge that scene rings true as a leader I must be in my life, professionally and personally. Wm Wallace wins over the hearts of his countrymen in that scene as he takes his people on towards victory! This also points out to me that I need to relate to this in my own heart as no one has done the leading me to fight in our earthly terms.
2. What do you see in the character of William Wallace that makes him like Jesus?
That the man was willing to continue to fight for something he fully believed in all the way through to his death in the knowledge his countrymen would carry on to victory, which they did. As Jesus did, he continued to fight for his countrymen even has he continued to lose people to the evils of opposition. Case in point, when he lost is secretly wed wife.
3. Think about the character arc of Robert the Bruce. Describe him at the beginning of the film. What happens to him during the film? Who is influencing him? What does he do? How does he change?
During the film, he realizes that he'll be truly never happy as long as the status quo his father has sold him on continues. The influence of this sick man does nothing positive for Robert during the times Wm Wallace is trying to win the freedom of his country. When he finally catches Wm Wallace as he is chasing the king's field commander, he lets him go back to his countrymen instead of fighting him to the death as the king would have wanted. At that point, he realizes that the fight must go on for and with his countrymen for their freedom. The final straw that broke his (Robert the Bruce) back was when Wm Wallace was tricked into the castle, much as Judas sold out Jesus for his cruxifiction, for him to either sell out or die for what he believed in.
4. Watch the scene between Robert and his father that starts 2 hours and 12 minutes into the film.
5. In what ways have you been influenced away from the calling God placed on your life? What lies have you agreed with that keep you from living the life God has given you? In what ways have you lost heart?
By the earthly temptations place around us on a daily basis in forms of people behaving in less than godly ways. By allowing myself to become trapped or one with them, I have found my life becoming miserable and losing heart and touch with reality. IT has cost me dearly at times. I realized it, but never could seem to get away from it until it was too late and the damage was done.
Great work Jason...just great. I think God loves movies as well :)
ReplyDelete