Iron Man (week #3)

Iron Man Week #3

Ephesians 4:22-32 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. 25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 "In your anger do not sin" [a]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 Those who have been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. 29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Mixer 1.) What is your name and what was your favorite part of the movie this week (or what things stuck out to you this week)? Anything you didn’t like? 2.) If you had an Iron Man suit, where would you go and what would you do there? Going Deeper 1.) Reread Paul’s admonition to the church in Ephesus. Now look specifically at the council he gives in verse 28. Where do you see connection between this teaching and what Tony Stark is up to with Iron Man? (Comment) This whole thing in Ephesians is something I call redemptive repurposing. It’s the kingdom of God value of making beauty out of ugliness or order out of messiness. Here Paul tells those that are stealing to do more than just stop. Abstinence isn’t good enough. Paul goes further to say that they must “repurpose” the use of their hands such that they now make (instead of take) and give away (instead of steal). It’s a beautiful movement.

This is kind of what Tony is doing (I say kind of because he © Dixon Kinser 2009

doesn’t quite get there – see question 3). He is using the skills he honed in the manufacturing of weapons and the generation of profit for himself and repurposing them. He has now created a technology that he is using to destroy those weapons and protect people. He realizes that what protects people is not the presence of his weapons, but their destruction because the warlords in the film are all vying for Stark Enterprise weapons.

2.) Consider this description of God’s dreams come true for the world in Isaiah 2:4: He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.

Reflect as a group on this scripture. Where do you see redemptive repurposing happening here? (Weapons are repurposed into farming implements – technology that brings death is now technology that cultivates life).

3.) Now compare this with the sequence when Iron Man flies into Gulmera, stops the terrorists, saves the innocent and blows up the Jericho missiles. Why does Dixon contend (which he does) that this an un-satisfying sequence? Was justice served? Why do we see a vision here of Tony Stark almost getting it right? My take here is that while Tony’s motives are noble and his goal’s good (to promote peace by destroying weapons) but he does so by making a weapon of his own and matching might for might. In so doing he misses the mark by kingdom of God standards because he is still using weapons against weapons. He is remaking evil but being made in its image still. As a Christian I can’t be satisfied with this because it’s not good enough. It’s justice of some kind, but not good enough justice. God’s justice is better. (Which is God’s total setting things to rights we see a glimpse of in Isaiah 2). 4.) Do the film makers lead us to feel good, bad or indifferent about the terrorists getting killed by Iron Man? (I think they want © Dixon Kinser 2009

us to feel good about it. As if justice WAS served.) For Tony Stark to be made a killer in this sequence is not heroic, it’s tragic. The dream of God is better than this. 5.) Have everyone in the group reflect on what God has said to them from the conversation today. Go around the circle and have everyone offer a one word prayer in response to today’s conversation. Close out by praying for God’s dream to come true in those places. Extra: 1.) Iron Man is a COMMERCIAL movie. Meaning it’s out to make money, but it’s also a commercial in and of itself. Where have you noticed product placement in the film? How do you like be advertized to?

© Dixon Kinser 2009