TThhee LLiioonn KKiinngg:: HHaakkuunnaa MMaattaattaa
Reminders: If you are going to use a movie clip, ALWAYS PREVIEW IT! No exceptions! You are responsible for what you show your group! Our writers will always try to provide “clean clips” and warn you of nearby questionable words or content, but all art forms are subjective. Only you can determine what to show your group. Number one rule: watch it first. Please read the Terms of Use at the end of this lesson for important licensing and copyright information. Goal:
Permission to photocopy for local church use granted by Barefoot Ministries ®. To compare the concept of “Hakuna Matata” with one of Jesus’ important teachings from the Sermon on the Mount, and then find both truth and mistakes in the “no worries” philosophy.
Setting the Stage: As the basis for this lesson is a fun and upbeat song, this opening activity will help set the stage for the lesson to follow. Timon and Pumbaa are full of catchy phrases and one- liners (“Home is where your rump rests!”). Write the following idioms on a chalkboard or a large piece of paper and see if your group can collectively figure out what each one means (for answers, Google these to find their actual meaning):
Don’t let the cat out of the bag // The pot calling the kettle black // Take it with a grain of salt // Cat got your tongue? // Take the bull by its horns // She’s all thumbs // We’re not out of the woods yet // The early bird catches the worm // Break a leg // Roll with the punches
The Lion King Overview: This classic Disney film tells the story of a young lion prince, Simba, whose birth demotes his jealous uncle, Scar, to second in line for the throne. Scar plots to kill Simba’s father, King Mufasa, as well as Simba in order to make himself King. Mufasa is killed and Simba is tricked by Scar into believing it was his fault. Simba flees the kingdom in shame. After years of exile, he is persuaded to return home to overthrow Scar and rightfully reclaim the kingdom as his own.
Permission to photocopy for local church use granted by Barefoot Ministries ®. IMPORTANT NOTE : The Lion King is rated “G” and should be appropriate for any youth group setting. Leaders should preview clips prior to showing them to the group.
Also, it would be helpful if the leader has seen the entire movie.
Scripture: Matthew 6: 25–34; 1 Peter 5:7
At first glance at the passage in Matthew, Jesus seems to have graduated from Hakuna
Matata University (“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear…”). But a deeper reading of Jesus’ teaching on worry reveals that Jesus isn’t suggesting we lounge around all day. The
Contemporary English Version puts it this way: “But more than anything else, put God's work first and do what [He] wants. Then the other things will be yours as well.”
Additionally, the world Jesus lived in was very different from 21 st century America: your
next meal was never guaranteed; most people only owned one or two pieces of clothing;
death by disease, bloodshed, or famine was commonplace; and a person was considered
old at age 35! A well-known Christian author once wrote that a homeless person in
America today has a higher standard of living than many kings in the Old Testament did.
Jesus’ audience needed to be comforted and assured that their heavenly Father (who
made the birds and the fields) loved them and could provide for them. Our modern world
has solved many of the social and health problems of Jesus’ day, but we’re just as
stressed and worried as ever. Why not try taking Jesus up on His promise? Maybe it
would be helpful to come up with a new slogan! “Hakuna Matata” seems nice, but we’ll
find out later that it lacks the ability to “solve all your problems.” Scripture is full of
Permission to photocopy for local church use granted by Barefoot Ministries ®. hope, encouragement, and the promise that we can find help when we need it! Help doesn’t come in the form of a saying, an idea, or a philosophy. It comes from a person :
God himself! The promise in 1 Peter 5:7 is a much-improved philosophy in dealing with
life’s unpleasant twists and turns.
Why not encourage your group to start a brand-new saying? Check out the Greek phrase
below:
Theos (pronounced theh'-os ) = God estin (pronounced es-tin ) = is ischuroteron (pronounced is-khoo-roter-on ) = stronger than
Translated, it means “God is stronger than….” We need to fill in our own blank. God is stronger than my schoolwork! God is stronger than my anger problem! God is stronger than my addictions! Anything! Practice saying this with your students and get them to memorize it, and then share it with others! (By the way, “Hakuna Matata” itself is another language, too. It’s a Swahili word that means “no problem” or “no worries.”)
Movie Clip: “Hakuna Matata”
DVD times (Special Edition):
Start the first clip about two-thirds of the way through chapter 12 (time: 43:34) as
Timon says, “Gee, he looks blue.” End this clip at the end of chapter 13 (time:
48:48) as Simba, Timon, and Pumbaa walk away together at the end of the song.
Permission to photocopy for local church use granted by Barefoot Ministries ®. A second and final clip will be shown during the “What Does It All Mean?”
section.
Introduction to Clip
Simba has just run away from home and is about to encounter two crazy critters, Timon and Pumbaa. As Simba is burdened by the weight of his past, they attempt to cheer Simba up by sharing a couple of their philosophies to help cope with life. Are Timon and
Pumbaa spreaders of solid advice or unhelpful clichés? Watch the clip and you be the judge!
Key Comments and Principles from Clip
“Hakuna Matata––it means no worries for the rest of your days.”
“These two words will solve all your problems!”
“When the world turns its back on you, you turn your back on the world.”
“I’m telling ya, kid. This is the great life. No rules, no responsibilities…and, best
of all, no worries!”
What Did You See? After viewing the clip, ask the group these questions:
How many of you have this song memorized? Who thinks they can sing the whole
thing or at least some of it? (This is intended to be a light, icebreaker question.
Have a prize on hand for the student who can give the most energetic
performance.)
What spiritual elements did you see?
Which words, phrases, or images were the most powerful to you? Why?
Permission to photocopy for local church use granted by Barefoot Ministries ®. Do Timon and Pumbaa seem happy? Why or why not? What do you think of the
message of their song, “Hakuna Matata”?
How do Timon and Pumbaa deal with problems? Would you say their method is a
healthy one? Why or why not?
At first, Simba seems confused by Timon and Pumbaa’s philosophy. Considering
what you might know about Simba’s life and his dad, King Mufasa, what do you
think Simba was taught about how to handle problems?
Pumbaa says, “These two words will solve all your problems.” Do you agree? Did
they solve all of Simba’s problems? Did they solve any of Simba’s problems?
Explain.
What Did You Read? After reading the scriptures for today, ask the following questions:
What are the key elements in these scriptures?
Jesus doesn’t mince his words in Matthew 6. Do you worry about day-to-day
things like food, clothes, safety, and health? Why or why not? Jesus seems to be
clearly saying that we shouldn’t be focusing our energy on these things, but on
something else. What does He want us to focus on?
What do you think Jesus means in verse 34 when He says, “Therefore do not
worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has
enough trouble of its own.” What is the “trouble” Jesus is referring to?
In verse 33, what does it mean to “seek first [His] kingdom and [His]
righteousness?” Whose kingdom and righteousness should we be seeking? How
Permission to photocopy for local church use granted by Barefoot Ministries ®. do we seek it, anyway? And finally, just what are “all these things” that will be
given to us if we do?
Compare the advice of 1 Peter 5:7 with the “Hakuna Matata” philosophy. How
are they similar? How are they different? Which one would you recommend to a
friend? Which one would help you the most?
What Does It All Mean? Tie the movie clip and scriptures together by asking the following questions:
What do the students in your school worry about? What do the students in our
church worry about? Is there anybody that would be comfortable sharing what
they personally worry about?
When something’s bothering us, what can we do instead of worry? (Prayer is the
ultimate answer to life’s problem of worry. Often, prayer moves us out of the way
and gives God room to work. See 1 John 5:14–15.)
We’ve seen in the lesson and in the movie clip that a healthy life requires balance.
We all know people like Timon and Pumbaa who have erred on the side of
laziness and don’t confront their problems. Conversely, we probably know people
who worry too much and live in a stressed-out state of near paranoia (especially
around finals week!). How might a relationship with our heavenly Father help us
achieve this important balance?
To be fair, “Hakuna Matata” does sound like an attractive philosophy. And at
times when we’re stressed out, we need to remember Jesus’ teaching in Matthew
6 to help us put our problems in perspective. But does this philosophy “solve all
Permission to photocopy for local church use granted by Barefoot Ministries ®. your problems” like Pumbaa promised? Watch the following clip and see if
Simba, after years of “Hakuna Matata,” seems problem-free:
Start the second and final clip at the beginning of chapter 15 (time: 50:36) as
Simba belches. End the clip about two-thirds of the way through chapter 15 (time:
52:33) after Simba flops down on the ledge.
Did ignoring his problems for many years help Simba’s problems go away? Why
or why not? Remind each other of what we are supposed to do with our worries
and concerns.
Creative Activity: This lesson would be incomplete without an opportunity for your students to practice what they’ve heard preached: trusting God and giving your worries and concerns to Him is a healthy way to deal with life’s problems. Pass out slips of paper with 1 Peter 5:7 printed on them, along with a pen or pencil. Allow a few moments for your students to thoughtfully write down some of their worries and problems that have been bothering them. You might want to play a song in the background to help create a reflective mood.
Afterward, take your students outside to a small fire pit that you have prepared in advance. Tell students to carefully fold up their papers and place them in the burning area. Say a prayer before you light them on fire, thanking God for His love, forgiveness, and help with all of life’s worries. Thank Him for the promise that we don’t have to worry about the future, as long as we’re seeking Him and His kingdom. As you light the papers on fire, instruct your students to watch the smoke ascend into the heavens. Paint a
Permission to photocopy for local church use granted by Barefoot Ministries ®. word picture of our concerns and worries heading directly into God’s throne room for
Him to deal with directly.
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Permission to photocopy for local church use granted by Barefoot Ministries ®.