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How to Share Your Faith Using The Bourne Ultimatum

Once again Jason Bourne's amnesia-induced identity crisis is on display for all the world to see. And with each effort to discover more about who he really is and what he's done, he finds himself assaulted on all sides by the bad guys who are on a search and destroy mission, with orders to eliminate the target.

Not knowing who you are or where you've come from would be pretty unsettling. No history, no common memories with family and friends, no sense of self based on past experiences, interests and accomplishments. But Bourne's scenario is additionally complicated by the reality that he is being treated like a defective weapon of mass destruction. That would certainly mess even further with your self-image!

As Bourne gradually remembers more and more from his past, he is haunted by his crimes. He is in the unfortunate position of feeling driven to uncover who is and what he did, while feeling increasing anguish and guilt as a result of what he's uncovering. The Bourne Ultimatum is ultimately about how Jason Bourne can escape from what he's done and what he's become.

Wrestling with guilt and regret is something we've all experienced at some point. As Christians it is something we confronted head on when we became believers. When we trusted Christ for our salvation, we acknowledged that we've missed the mark (sinned) and are in need of Jesus' free gift of forgiveness for our sins.

The Bible tells us over and over the incredible Good News that through our trust in Jesus gift of grace we are forgiven by God. Check out some of these verses:

With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ's being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death (Romans 8:1-2, The Message).

He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross (Colossians 2:14, NLT).

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed (John 8:36, NIV).

I've wiped the slate of all your wrongdoings. There's nothing left of your sins. Come back to me, come back. I've redeemed you (Isaiah 44:22, The Message).

When you find yourself in conversations about The Bourne Ultimatum, look for ways to use Jason Bourne's haunting guilt over what he's done and who he's become to talk to your friends about God's offer to wipe away all our guilt. Here are some ideas to get you started.

  • Ask your friends what they do when they feel guilty about something. Share from your experience the forgiveness you've received through your relationship with Jesus.
  • While may not have done the kinds of extreme crimes Jason Bourne is haunted by, have you ever felt bad about yourself because of something bad that you did?
  • Do you think you're 'good enough' to get into heaven when you die? Share how God's standard for heaven is PERFECTION and we can never be good enough to earn our way to heaven.
  • Even those people who view themselves as 'basically good people' have broken one of the Ten Commandments. Have you ever put somebody else before God? Have you ever lied? Even a 'little white lie'. Have you ever used the name of God in anger? For help explaining that we all fall short of God's perfection, check out the 'Our sins separate us from God' part of the GOSPEL Journey.

The pace of this movie makes it evident that Jason Bourne is all about action! Make sure you're about action to - stepping up and taking action to introduce your friends to your Best Friend, Jesus.