Talk (The Trueman Show - Is big brother watching?)
Talk Introduction
Tonight we are asking the question: Is big brother watching? Who's in control?
Of the world
Of our lives
This gives us a brilliant excuse to watch a clip from The Trueman Show
If you have not seen The Trueman Show before...(explain the plot)
Play the clip 31 - 38 mins from the start of the tape
31 - Trueman is driving to work, radio says, "It's another beautiful
day "
38 - after the scene on the beach
In the clip we are going to see, Trueman starts to suspect that there is something
strange happening like somebody is watching
The middle bit
In that clip is was quite obvious that Trueman was freaked by the idea that somebody
knew his every move
How do you think you would react if you were in his position?
Have you ever felt spied on?
Do you think personal privacy is important?
Many people in the Bible, including Jesus, spent long periods of time by
themselves i.e., in the desert (Matthew 4:1-12)
Are you able to have any privacy at home or are your parents / brothers / sisters always
interfering?
The Bible tells us that God knows everything he can see what we are doing and knows
our thought, our desires, our dreams, our fears
1 Sam 16:7 P258 " people look at the outside of a person, but the Lord looks
at the heart"
How does that make you feel?
What do you think the world would be like if everybody knew each others thoughts?
When we use the word "big brother", we often think it is just about spying on
people, but if you look up the word you will find it is also about controlling people. In
the film, the director was controlling Trueman's world
Do you believe that somebody is controlling our world or do you believe
"stuff" just happens?
Do you think God or somebody is in control?
The Bible tells us that that there is both Good and evil in the world and sometimes God
is in control and sometimes evil is in control (Job 1:6 12 P451)
Conclusion
So is God in control? Is God like big brother?
If by that you mean: does God know everything? then the answer is yes (1 Sam 16:7)
But if by that you mean: is God a control freak? then the answer is no
We are told in the New Testament that God does not force us to do anything - we have a
choice (Matthew 10:38-40 P926)
We can do what ever we want, or we can choose to follow God's plan for our lives:
Psalm 139:13-16 P560 "You made my whole being; you formed me in my mothers body. I
praise you because you made me in an amazing and wonderful way. What you have done is
wonderful. I know this very well. You saw my bones being formed in my mothers body.
When I was put together there, you saw my body as it was formed. All the days planned
for me were written in you book before I was one day old"
So God is in control? To answer that we need ask ourselves:
Now I'd like you to spend a moment, thinking about Who's in control of your life - this
is just for you, nobody is going to look at it...
[Pray]
Other Bible references
Psalm 121 P554 - " The Lord will guard you as you come and go, both now and
forever"
Psalm 91 P535 "The Lord is your protection Nothing bad will happen to you; no
disaster will come to your home. He has put his angels in charge of you to watch over you
wherever you go."
Romans 8:35-39 P1152 " nothing above us, nothing bellow us, nor anything else
in the whole world will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ
Jesus our Lord"
Psalm 26 P494 " Even if I walk through a very dark valley, I will not be
afraid "
Psalm 91 P535 "Nothing bad will happen to you; no disaster will come to your home.
He has put his angels in charge of you to watch over you wherever you go. They will catch
you in their hands so that you will not hit your foot on a rock ."
Dictionary definitions
Big brother
An older brother.
A man who assumes the role of an older brother, as by providing guidance or protection.
(a) also Big Brother An omnipresent, seemingly benevolent figure representing the
oppressive control over individual lives exerted by an authoritarian government. (b) a
state, organization, or leader regarded in this manner.