In this movie, a man named Edmond Dantes has being wronged by someone he thought was his best friend. He is now serving many years in prison for something he did not do. He sits in his cell for years with no hope. The only thoughts he has are of escape and revenge. One day another prisoner – the priest - popped into Edmond’s cell and told him that he has been a prisoner for 11 years, 5 of which he spent digging the tunnel which led him to Edmond’s cell.
- Have you ever felt abandoned by God? When and how did you handle it?
- Does God ever abandon us?
- Do we ever abandon God?
Here’s part of a story in the bible about a time that Peter abandoned Jesus:
Luke 22:54-62 - Peter’s Denial (NLT)
So they arrested him and led him to the high priest’s residence, and Peter was following far behind. The guards lit a fire in the courtyard and sat around it, and Peter joined them there. A servant girl noticed him in the firelight and began staring at him. Finally she said, "This man was one of Jesus’ followers!" Peter denied it. "Woman," he said, "I don’t even know the man!" After a while someone else looked at him and said, "You must be one of them!" "No, man, I’m not!" Peter replied. About an hour later someone else insisted, "This must be one of Jesus’ disciples because he is a Galilean, too." But Peter said, "Man, I don’t know what you are talking about." And as soon as he said these words, the rooster crowed. At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered that the Lord had said, "Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny me three times." And Peter left the courtyard, crying bitterly.
- When you look back on times you may have been embarrassed by or flat out denied Jesus, are you better or worse than Peter? Then, how do you think Jesus responds to you?
- So, even in times of despair, worry and tragedy, we should still hope in God?
- Why?
In Signs, they thought the world was ending. In The Count of Monte Cristo, Edmond Dantes had been betrayed by friends and was stuck in prison.
Read on to see another example of how people react in other desperate situations.
(Thanks to "The Source for Youth Ministry" for this topic!)
