Dark Knight, The

Batman Has No Limits
(Warner Brothers, 2008)
Main Point of Discussion: We may be successful, popular, or the best at everything we do. But we have to make sure we don’t become prideful, because there are some things that only God can do.

The Movie Clip: Batman Has No Limits
The Dark Knight is another film in the series of Batman movies. The movie centers on the struggle Bruce Wayne has in coming to grips with his responsibilities as Batman. Several do-gooders have begun to imitate Batman, and as a result, the citizens of Gotham City face the wrath of the criminal underworld who’s trying to find a way to kill the real Batman.

Introducing the Clip:
Let’s watch a clip from one of the biggest movies of 2008, The Dark Knight. The Dark Knight is about Batman and his struggle to deal with all the responsibilities and emotions that his hero status brings him. In this scene Bruce Wayne and his butler Alfred are going over what happened the night before while Bruce was protecting Gotham City as Batman.

Scene Script:

BEGIN CLIP AT 11 minutes and 43 seconds (in Chapter 3)

(Alfred is trying to find Bruce and finally does in the underground bunker.)

Alfred: Be nice when Wayne Manor's rebuilt. You can swap NOT sleeping in a penthouse for NOT sleeping in a mansion. Whenever you stich yourself up, you do make a bloody mess.

Bruce: Yeah. It makes me learn from my mistakes.

Alfred: You ought to be pretty knowledgeable by now, then.

Bruce: My armor. I'm carrying too much weight. I need – I need to be faster.

Alfred: I'm sure Mr. Fox can oblige. Did you get mauled by a tiger?

Bruce: It was a dog.

Alfred: Huh?

Bruce: It was a BIG dog. There were more copycats last night Alfred, with guns.

Alfred: Why don’t you hire them and take the weekend off?

Bruce: That’s wasn’t exactly what I had in mind when I said I wanted to inspire people.

Alfred: I know. But things have improved. Look at the new District Attorney.

Bruce: I am. Closely. I need to know if he can be trusted.

Alfred: Are you interested in his character or his social circle?

Bruce: Who Rachel spends her time with is her business.

Alfred: I trust you don’t have me followed on my day off.

Bruce: If you ever took one I might.

Alfred: Know your limits Master Wayne.

Bruce: Batman has no limits.

Alfred: Well, YOU do sir.

Bruce: Well, I can’t afford to know ‘em.

Alfred: What’s going to happen on the day that you find out?

Bruce: We all know how much you like to say I told you so.

Alfred: On that day Master Wayne, even I won’t want to. Probably.

END CLIP AT 13 minutes and 57 seconds.

Transition Statement:
Bruce Wayne thinks Batman has no limits. Like him, we may know how to fix problems, solve equations, lead our team to victory, or “own” our friends in the latest game. However, there will always be something in life that we just can’t seem to handle, and if we’re not careful in those situations, our pride will get us into serious trouble. Let’s try to learn a lesson from Batman’s troubles so we don’t let our pride ruin us.

DIVIDE INTO SMALL GROUPS:
Let’s go ahead and split up into our discussion groups, and then afterward we’ll come back together for a final word.

CLICK HERE for a quick training article on how to maximize your small groups using our small group format—a great resource to equip your small group leaders.

Discussion Questions:

1. AROUND THE CIRCLE: Everyone remembers “Show and Tell” from school, right? Let’s go around the circle and do a little “Show and Tell.” Tell the group your name and something you are really talented at doing or something you’ve received an award or trophy for.
2. ASK A FEW: In this clip, Bruce Wayne says “Batman has no limits.” Do you think that’s true?
3. ASK A FEW: Do you think Bruce Wayne/Batman is struggling with pride at all? Why or why not?
4. ASK A FEW: Is having pride a good thing or bad thing? Why?
5. ASK A FEW: Have you ever played on a team with a person who thinks it’s all up to them to win the game, or know someone who feels like they have to do it all? Describe what that’s like.

Read the following passage:


1 Corinthians 3:1-9 (NIV)
1Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. 2I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? 4For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere men?
5What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. 9For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.


6. ASK A FEW: Based on what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, do you think the people of Corinth had an issue with pride? Why or why not?
7. ASK A FEW: What is Paul’s opinion of himself – and Apollos?
(Verse 5)
8. ASK A FEW: Re-read verses 6 and 7. What do you think Paul means when he tells the Corinthians that the person who plants the seed and the person who waters the seed are not “anything” because only God makes things grow?”
9. ASK SOMEONE: Why do you think Paul wants the people to understand that only God can “make things grow?” What point is he trying to get across?
10. AROUND THE CIRCLE: Often times we need someone to check our pride like Paul is doing for the Corinthians and Alfred the butler is doing for Bruce Wayne. Do you have friends that help you check yourself and keep you grounded in reality? Who are they and how do they help you steer clear of pride?

Read the following passage:


Isaiah 26:8 (NLT)
“LORD, we love to obey your laws; our heart's desire is to glorify your name.”


11. ASK A FEW: Do you think we can glorify God’s name and our name at the same time? Why or why not?
12. ASK A FEW: If your heart’s desire is to truly glorify God’s name, what must we do with our pride?
13. ASK A FEW: Name something that only God can do in your life. Is that a good reason to glorify His name?
14. ASK A FEW: Specifically, what do we need to change about our lives to make sure we are glorifying God’s name instead of glorifying our names (pride)?

Wrap Up:
Tonight we heard what Bruce Wayne thinks of Batman. We heard him say, “Batman has no limits.” But, the truth is, Batman has lots of limits, just like us.

Pride can be a very good thing, but it can also be a very bad thing. If we become prideful in ourselves, we may get into a situation that is over our heads, and like Batman, we may get hurt.

However, if we live a life that honors God and not us, then we not only know our limits, but we learn to glorify God’s name for the things that only He can do.

Super heroes are great for movies, but God is the only One who truly has no limits!

Close in Prayer

Written by Jamie Locklin