Pirates of the Caribbean-Curse of the Black Pearl

Main Point: We’re all under the curse of sin, and the only sacrifice that will lift it is the blood of Jesus Christ.

The Movie Clip:
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl set in motion one of the biggest movie franchises in the history of Hollywood. In the swashbuckling tale, Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom lead a cast of buccaneers, soldiers, and civilians on a quest against a dreaded curse.

The ship of Captain Jack Sparrow (played by Johnny Depp), The Black Pearl, was seized by his mutinous crew under the leadership of his first mate, Hector Barbossa. The crew of misfits then stole cursed gold and consequently were cursed, themselves. The key to lifting the curse lies with the son of one of the former mutineers, William Turner (played by Orlando Bloom). The Victorian era action sucks in everybody from friends to the entire English Navy.

On the whole, the film was a fantastic and family-friendly tale, but was rated PG-13 for scenes of action, adventure, and violence.

Introducing the Clip:
We’ve all probably seen the original Pirates of the Caribbean movie with Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom, but let me take you back to one of the most important scenes in the movie. Captain Barbossa has just kidnapped Elizabeth Swan and has taken her to the pirates’ secret island where they intend to extract a blood sacrifice from her to lift a curse they are under. There’s only one problem: Elizabeth Swan’s blood isn’t the blood they need. Take a look at what happens when they discover that truth.

NOTE: This film has been available for rent or purchase for a long time now. You’ll need to either buy it or rent a copy and cue it up to the scene below in order to show it to your group.

BEGIN CLIP AT 1 HOUR 8 MINUTES AND 1 SECOND

(This is a long scene, so a synopsis will be given instead of verbatim dialogue.)

The clip opens with the pirates taking Elizabeth to their secret island in order to extract her blood to lift the curse they’re under. They don’t know that Jack and Will have followed them into their lair.

Once inside, we’re told about the curse that the pirates are under. They’ve suffered a long time for stealing the cursed gold, but now they think the curse will be lifted by forcing Elizabeth to make a sacrifice of her blood. Unfortunately for the pirates, Elizabeth isn’t who they think she is, and so the curse isn’t lifted.

In the midst of a disagreement amongst the pirates, Will helps Elizabeth escape with the gold medallion. The pirates begin to chase as the clip closes.

Transitional Statement:
So, the pirates were under a curse they couldn’t lift. They thought they could unshackle themselves from the curse by sacrificing some of Elizabeth’s blood, but what they discovered was that Elizabeth had the “wrong blood.” She wasn’t the sacrifice the pirates needed. As a consequence, the pirates remained under their curse. Here’s where this impacts us: you and I are also under a curse, the curse of sin and death. Unfortunately for you and me, it’s a curse that we cannot lift through a sacrifice of our own. Someone else has to lift it for us. That Someone is Jesus Christ. He is the only One who has the “right blood” to lift the curse of sin and death from us. Let’s spend a few minutes talking about this important truth in our small groups.

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 CIRLCE: As we get started, let’s all take a second to share our names and our favorite movie from this set of films.


2. ASK A FEW: Does anyone remember how the pirates came under the curse in the first place? (Leaders – Cap. Barbossa says they were under a curse because they stole Aztec gold that was cursed.)


3. ASK A FEW: How eager were the pirates to have their curse lifted? How do you know?


4. ASK A FEW: What was required to lift the curse the pirates were under? (Leaders – Anyone who had been a part of stealing the gold had to make a blood sacrifice to have the curse lifted. All the other pirates had already given their blood sacrifice except one, Bootstraps Bill. Since he was dead, the pirates had to get his child, which they THOUGHT was Elizabeth, but it was really Will Turner that they needed.)


5. ASK A FEW: Why didn’t the pirates’ plan work? What was wrong with their sacrifice of Elizabeth’s blood? (Leaders – She wasn’t the child of Bootstraps Bill. In other words, she had the “wrong blood.”)


6. ASK A FEW: How did the pirates react to the realization that they were still under a curse?


7. ASK A FEW: Enough of make-believe pirate stories for a moment. We’re all under a very real curse in this life. Do you know what it is and the punishment it carries with it? (Leaders – The curse is sin and the punishment is death. This is revealed throughout the Bible, but especially Genesis 3 and Romans 3.)


8. ASK A FEW: How did we become cursed?


9. ASK A FEW: Do you think the curse can be lifted? Why or why not?

Read the following passage:
Galatians 3:1-13 (NIV)

You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? 4 Have you suffered so much for nothing– if it really was for nothing? 5 Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard? 6 Consider Abraham: “He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 7 Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. 8 The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” 9 So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. 10 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” 11 Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.” 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”



10. ASK A FEW: Why does Paul call the Galatian church people “fools”?


11. ASK A FEW: According to verses 10, why are we under a curse?


12. ASK A FEW: In the movie, the pirates went about lifting the curse in the wrong way and failed. How does Paul say that you and I try to lift the curse in the wrong way and fail? (Leaders – If they need a hint, tell them to look at verse 11.)


13. ASK A FEW: Who set us free from the curse, and how did He do it? (Leaders – Again, the answer is in verse 13 if the students need a little help.)


14. ASK A FEW: Why is it that Jesus is the only One who can lift the curse of sin and death from us?


15. AROUND THE CIRCLE: Do you know if you’ve been set free of the curse of sin and death? Why or why not?

Do you know how I know this? Take a listen to what the same Paul wrote over in Romans 3:20-27.

No one will be declared righteous in his [God’s] sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. 21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished– 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. 27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith.

Before you leave tonight, take a look at your life and your heart. If you have any doubts that you remain under the curse of sin and death, hang around for a moment after we pray and speak with one of our adult leaders. It will be the most important conversation of your life.

Close in Prayer

Written by David R Smith