Bible Study Series

Study 2: I Dreamed a Dream I Dreamed a Dream Fantine’s iconic “I dreamed a dream” song comes directly after she first enters into prostitution. It tells the story of a girl who had never wanted or intended to “There was a time when men were kind, end up where she is in life. She remembers a time when life was full of hope and When their voices were soft beauty. She talks of the process that took away her dreams as “tigers that come And their words inviting. at night”, with voices “soft as thunder”. She made choices at that time that she There was a time when love was blind hoped God would forgive. But the consequences of letting a man into her bed, And the world was a song and him later leaving her with a child caught up with her such that life became a And the song was exciting. living hell. There was a time... Read Fantine’s “I Dreamed a Dream” song Then it all went wrong. I dreamed a dream in time gone by, Read John 4:1-26 When hope was high Jesus encountered many women with similar stories in the gospels. One example And life worth living. is the Samaritan woman who had five husbands, and then was living with a man I dreamed that love would never die. she was not married to. While our society’s values have changed dramatically, I dreamed that God would be forgiving. there would still not be many women today who would say that a string of broken Then I was young and unafraid marriages, and then the non-commitment of a defacto relationship was what they And dreams were made and used and wasted. dreamed of when they were little girls. There was no ransom to be paid, Discussion Questions No song unsung, no wine untasted. But the tigers come at night 1. What are some dreams you dreamed that the realities of life have killed? With their voices soft as thunder 2. Thinking back on some of the things that you may have heard growing up, can As they tear your hope apart you identify dreams you dreamed that may not have had a firm basis in truth? As they turn your dream to shame. Were there lies you believed that set you up for difficulties? He slept a summer by my side, He filled my days with endless wonder. 3. Are there choices you have made that have had consequences you didn’t He took my childhood in his stride expect? But he was gone when autumn came. 4. If Jesus were sitting with you now offering you the “living water that gushes up And still I dream he’ll come to me! to eternal life” what difference would that make in your life? Are there some That we will live the years together... dreams that could be resurrected? Are there new dreams that you never even But there are dreams that cannot be dreamed before? And there are storms we cannot weather... 5. In what ways can we offer hope to others who are in pain or difficulty? Is there I had a dream my life would be someone you know who needs to know about Jesus’ offer of “living water that So different from this hell I’m living - gushes up to eternal life”? So different now from what it seemed! Now life has killed the dream I dreamed.”

Les Misérables (Universal Pictures, 2012).

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