Purpose: To look at the subject of fear in a different light.
Activity: Based on Arthurian legend, the movie First Knight chronicles the rise of Lancelot (Richard Gere) to the round table of King Arthur (Sean Connery) and their fight against the renegade knight Malagant.
In the scene we will watch, Lancelot tells the king how he successfully navigated the Gauntlet: "It's not hard to know where the danger is if you watch it coming. Perhaps fear made them [the others who failed] go back when they should have gone forward." Show the film clip (elapsed time 00:32:14 to 00:33:21—DVD Chapter 3).
Read Proverbs 14:26-27 and 22:4.
[Q] Does fear of God tend to move you forward or backward?
[Q] According to the verses in Proverbs 14, what are the advantages to fearing the Lord? How is the fear of the Lord a fortress and refuge? How is it a fountain of life? Give examples.
[Q] How does the fear of the Lord bring wealth, honor, and life? Are we promised these things as Christians?
Leader's Note: The Quest Study Bible says, "Like other proverbs, this one makes a general observation about life that is usually true. Occasionally, though, God allows God-fearing people to suffer so that he might display his mighty works through them (John 9:1-3). God may also use poverty or poor health to test our loyalties (Deut.8:2), to keep us dependent upon his grace (2 Cor. 12:7-10) or to develop character in us (James 1:2-4).Â
