LEGO Movie Bible Study

LEGO Movie Bible Study

00:00:01- 00:17:47

Genesis 1:31

 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.

Genesis 2:18

The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

Isaiah 9:1-7

Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—

² The people walking in darkness
    have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
    a light has dawned.
³ You have enlarged the nation
    and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
    as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
    when dividing the plunder.
⁴ For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,
    you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them,
    the bar across their shoulders,
    the rod of their oppressor.
⁵ Every warrior’s boot used in battle
    and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
    will be fuel for the fire.
⁶ For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷ Of the greatness of his government and peace
    there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness
    from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.

Reflect on the Bible passages in light of the film.

What do you think of the villain in the film being called ‘Lord Business’?

Reflect on the prophecy as it is told by Vitruvius?

Compare and contrast that prophecy with Isaiah’s.

What do you think of the instructions our main character follows, and the goals that are set for him (be happy, fit in, and make people like you)?

What kind of world has Lord/President Business created here? What defines this society?

What have we learned about Emmett so far?

What do we learn about life, about God and about ourselves from God’s pronouncement that ‘it is not good for man to be alone?’

Reflect on the song “everything is awesome.”

What do we learn about life, about God and about the world form God’s pronouncement of all He has made being ‘very good’?

1 John 3:4-6

Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. ⁵ But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. ⁶ No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.

Judges 6:11-16

The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. ¹² When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”

¹³ “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.”

¹⁴ The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”

¹⁵ “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”

¹⁶ The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.”

Reflect on the Bible passages in light of the film.

What do you think of Business’ command to ‘follow the instructions’ and his threat that follows?

How does Lord Business keep people under control?

What does Gideon say is the reason why the Midianites now control part of Israel?

What role do the instructions and rule play in this LEGO world? What about in our own?

What does it say that 1 John equates sin with ‘lawlessness’? What is ‘lawlessness’?

What should the ultimate purpose of rules and laws, be, do you think? Explain your answer.

What is it like when Emmett first sees Wyldstyle?

How does this encounter change his life?

What is Gideon’s reaction to the Angel like?

Reflect on this quote: “what do I do? I don’t have my instructions.”

What is it like when Emmett touches the Piece of Resistance?

What do Emmett’s friends say about him?

How does this affect Emmett?

What does Gideon say about himself and his family?

Reflect on this quote: “Emmett is…nothing.”

Why is it so important to us to be ‘special’?

What is the danger in this longing?

What is reality like for a Master Builder?

What is the irony in the angel calling Gideon a ‘mighty warrior’?

What has Emmett learned about being ‘special’?

Compare Gideon’s encounter with the angel, his words and actions, with those of Emmett as he encounters the police officer, Wyldstyle, and his new life as ‘the special’.

00:17:48-00:37:27

Ephesians 2:11-18

Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— ¹² remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

¹⁴ For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, ¹⁵ by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶ and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. ¹⁷ He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. ¹⁸ For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.



Matthew 21:23-27

Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?”

²⁴ Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. ²⁵ John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?”

They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ ²⁶ But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”

²⁷ So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”

Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

Reflect on the Bible passages in light of the film.

What do you think of the idea of there being various ‘universes’?

How does Wyldstyle describe life before Business took over?

What about creativity bothers Lord Business?

Why did the leaders of Jerusalem insist that Jesus needed the proper ‘authority’ in order to operate as a minister to others?

What about Jesus’ activities bothered them?

What is the danger in all creative power being in one hand?

Does God retain all creative power? Why or why not?

How did Business respond to this ‘chaos’?

What does Business do in response to this ‘chaos’?

How did sin create ‘walls’?

How are these walls broken down?

Jeremiah 5:30-31

A horrible and shocking thing
    has happened in the land:
³¹ The prophets prophesy lies,
    the priests rule by their own authority,
and my people love it this way.
    But what will you do in the end?

Revelation 1:4b-6

Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, ⁵ and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, ⁶ and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

Revelation 9:1-3

The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. ² When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss. ³ And out of the smoke locusts came down on the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth.

Reflect on the Bible passages in light of the film.

What is Lord Business’ office like?

Reflect on this quote: “I love everyone in this room.”

Do you think Lord Business really loves his followers? Why or why not?

Why do you think people love Lord Business and his way of doing things?

Why do you think people loved the lying prophets and oppressive priest-rulers Jeremiah complained about?

Where do we see this kind of love for oppressors today?

How does Revelation say we know that Jesus loves us?

What is Lord Business’ relationship with Good/Bad Cop like?

Reflect on “the infinite Abyss of nothingness.”

What is an ‘abyss’?

What is the abyss like in the film? In the Bible passages?

How can existing things come out of an ‘abyss’?

What does Lord Business think of the world?

What does Lord Business say he wants?

What does he think ‘perfection’ is?

What do you think of what he does to the cop?

1 Samuel 3

What is Vetruvius like?

What is Eli like in the Samuel passage?

What does Vetruvius say to Wyldstyle about Emmett becoming a master builder?

Who does Vetruvius say chose Emmett to be the ‘special’?

What does Vetruvius say a ‘vision’ is?

Why wasn’t Samuel able to tell that he’d had a vision in the passage?

What process does Vetruvius say it takes to have a vision?

Why do you think there are periods where visions of God become ‘rare’?

How was Emmett able to have his vision?

Why was it strange that Samuel was chosen to hear God’s voice?

What does Vetruvius say Emmett needs to become a master builder?

Reflect on this quote: “step one: trust your instincts.”

Reflect on the fact that Wyldstyle’s boyfriend is Batman.

00:37:28- 00:59:39

Deuteronomy 29:18-20

 Make sure there is no man or woman, clan or tribe among you today whose heart turns away from the Lord our God to go and worship the gods of those nations; make sure there is no root among you that produces such bitter poison.

¹⁹ When such a person hears the words of this oath and they invoke a blessing on themselves, thinking, “I will be safe, even though I persist in going my own way,” they will bring disaster on the watered land as well as the dry. ²⁰ The Lord will never be willing to forgive them; his wrath and zeal will burn against them. All the curses written in this book will fall on them, and the Lord will blot out their names from under heaven.

Reflect on the Bible passage in light of the film.

What do we learn about Batman in this section?

What is Cloud Cuckooland like?

Reflect on this quote: “any idea is a good idea.”

What does God say about this attitude, in the Deuteronomy passage?

What do you think of the ideology of Cuckooland? How do the characters in the film experience this?

What is the danger in refusing to ever face or deal with negativity, evil and suffering?

Exodus 4:1-11

 Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?”

² Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?”

“A staff,” he replied.

³ The Lord said, “Throw it on the ground.”

Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. ⁴ Then the Lord said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. ⁵ “This,” said the Lord, “is so that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you.”

⁶ Then the Lord said, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” So Moses put his hand into his cloak, and when he took it out, the skin was leprous^[a]—it had become as white as snow.

⁷ “Now put it back into your cloak,” he said. So Moses put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored, like the rest of his flesh.

⁸ Then the Lord said, “If they do not believe you or pay attention to the first sign, they may believe the second. ⁹ But if they do not believe these two signs or listen to you, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the river will become blood on the ground.”

¹⁰ Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”

¹¹ The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord?

Mark 3:22-26

And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”

²³ So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? ²⁴ If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. ²⁵ If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. ²⁶ And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come.

Reflect on the Bible passage in light of the film.

What is the point of the exchange between Vetruvius, Dumbledore, and Gandalf? Why are these figures so pronounced in the history of literature and art?

Where do we see figures like this in the Bible?

What is everyone expecting from Emmett?

What does he deliver instead?

Why does Moses think he is not the right man for the job of leading the Israelites?

How does God respond to these complaints?

What problems does Emmett face as he tries to get the Master Builders to follow him?

What does he say of himself? Compare this to Moses.

What problems does Moses face trying to get the Israelites to follow him?

What was the point of Lincoln’s use of the Bible passage?

What is the original point of the saying?

1 Corinthians 10:23-33

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. ²⁴ No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.

²⁵ Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, ²⁶ for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.

²⁷ If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. ²⁸ But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience. ²⁹ I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom being judged by another’s conscience? ³⁰ If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?

³¹ So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. ³² Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— ³³ even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.

John 14:16-18

 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be^[a] in you. ¹⁸ I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

Reflect on the Bible passage in light of the film.

What happens as the builders try to build their submarine?

What ends up happening to the submarine because of this?

What does this tell us about a world with no rules?

What ‘gift’ does Paul say we receive from salvation? What do we as Christians ‘have’ according to 1 Corinthians 10?

What is the danger in this ‘gift’?

How does Paul say we should use our freedom?

What is the second rule of being a master builder, according to Vetruvius?

Why is this a problem for Emmett?

How does Emmett save the day?

What ends up making Emmett the leader of the group?

What does Emmett say about following the instructions?

What do you think of this?

What powerful truth has Emmett stumbled upon?

Why does his exposition of this truth give him the power to inspired, which he lacked before? What is the power of truth?

What is the power of truth?

What ‘truth’ are Christians able to recognize, and so be empowered by, according to the John passage?

00:59:40-01:18:39

Luke 15:22-32

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³ Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. ²⁴ For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

²⁵ “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ²⁷ ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

²⁸ “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. ²⁹ But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

³¹ “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. ³² But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

Reflect on the Bible passage in light of the film.

What does Emmett say to Wyldstyle about who she is?

What does Wyldstyle confess about herself?

Why does Emmett’s being chosen bother Wyldstyle?

Does Wyldstyle have a right to be upset? Why or why not?

Why does the Older Brother in the parable get angry at his father?

Why was the younger brother chosen for this honor?

Does the older brother have a right to be upset? Why or why not?

What does Emmett say about himself?

What might this tell us about why the father reacted to his son’s return the way he did?

Who do you think the father represents?

What does this tell us about our relationship with God?

John 12:12-13

The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. ¹³ They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,

“Hosanna!”

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Blessed is the king of Israel!”

Matthew 26:47-56

 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. ⁴⁸ Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” ⁴⁹ Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.

⁵⁰ Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.”

Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. ⁵¹ With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.

⁵² “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. ⁵³ Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? ⁵⁴ But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?”

⁵⁵ In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. ⁵⁶ But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.

Apostle’s Creed

I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:

2. And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord:

3. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary:

4. Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: He descended into Hell:

Reflect on the Bible passage in light of the film.

Reflect upon what happens to Vetruvius.

What does Vetruvius say about the prophecy?

What does Lord Business say about himself?

Reflect on this quote: “it must be weird, one moment you are the most special person in the universe. The next, you’re nobody.”

What happened to Jesus when He first entered Jerusalem?

What happened to him just a few days later?

Reflect on Business’ triumph and what happens to Emmett to the scenes in the Bible passages.

What does Vetruvius say about belief?

Can you ‘decide’ to believe something?

What does Vetriuvius say about deciding to believe something?

How does Emmett prove that he is indeed ‘special’? What makes him ultimately ‘special’?

Reflect on this in light of the Apostle’s Creed.

Reflect on this quote: “if only there were more people in the world like [Emmett]?”

What can this teach us about why Jesus chose to come as an ‘ordinary’ guy?

Why did Wyldstyle look down on people before? How did Emmett change this?

What is Wyldstyle’s response to Emmett’s death?

What does Wyldstyle discover to his shock and surprise?

What would this world be like to him?

What is Emmett’s reaction to “The Man Upstairs”?

01:18:4-END

Colossians 3:18-25

Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

¹⁹ Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

²⁰ Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.

²¹ Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.

²² Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. ²³ Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, ²⁴ since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. ²⁵ Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism.

Revelation 5:1-10

Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. ² And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” ³ But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. ⁴ I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. ⁵ Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

⁶ Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. ⁷ He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. ⁸ And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. ⁹ And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll
    and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
    and with your blood you purchased for God
    persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
¹⁰ You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
    and they will reign on the earth.”

Reflect on the Bible passage in light of the film.

Reflect on this quote: “this is a disaster.”

What is the dad’s attitude about the Lego room? What does he say about it?

Do you think LEGO’s are a toy or a model building system? What is the difference?

Reflect on this quote: “you can’t expect me to resist playing with all of this.”

What do we learn about the relationship between the father and the son from their conversation?

What should their relationship be like, according to Colossians?

How can we shape our parental relationships along these lines?

Contrast this with the relationship between God the Father and God the Son.

Contrast this entire experience with John’s experience in heaven with the Father and Son.

Reflect on the Bible passage in light of the film.

Job 1:1-8

In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. ² He had seven sons and three daughters, ³ and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.

⁴ His sons used to hold feasts in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. ⁵ When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.

⁶ One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan^[b] also came with them. ⁷ The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”

Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”

⁸ Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”

1 John 2:1-2

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. ² He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

Reflect on the Bible passage in light of the film.

Reflect on this quote: ‘so I can make things the way they are supposed to be. Permanently.”

What is the result of the Father exerting his own control over the situation?

How does this enlighten the argument between polytheism and monotheism?

What is the substance of the argument over Emmett between the boy and his father?

What does it say that Emmett is able to think and move and undertake plans in this form?

How do his actions inspire the son and ultimately the father?

How did Job inspire God?

How do Emmett and the boy work together to solve LEGO world’s problems?

What does it mean to have an ‘advocate’?

How does Jesus being our advocate give us a chance to work with Him?

How has the visit to our world changed Emmett?

Why do you think it had this effect?

What is the substance of Emmett’s conversation with Lord Business?

What does the father realize by his son’s actions? How does his son inspire him and what does he inspire him to realize?

How does the inclusion of the little sister present a new problem for LEGO world?

Reflect on the Bible passage in light of the film.