Download The Legend of Bagger Vance

The Legend of Bagger Vance
Religion 35 Viewing Activity
As a young man, Rannulph Junuh was a great golfer, a legend in his town. He was in the “Eden”
of his life. Junuh returns from the war broken and alienated. After the battle, Junah was
―”confused, broken, unable to face a return to a hero’s welcome”. The message of 1
Corinthians: 10 warms us not to be too self confident and naïve. Nobody is exempt; we can all
fall flat on our face as easy as anyone else. Cheerful, I know.
1
For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and
that they all passed through the sea. 2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate
the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied
them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered
in the wilderness.
6
Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 7 Do not be
idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in
revelry.”[a] 8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand
of them died. 9 We should not test Christ,[b] as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. 10 And do not grumble,
as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.
11
These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination
of the ages has come. 12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 13 No temptation[c] has
overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted [d] beyond
what you can bear. But when you are tempted,[e] he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 
Point of Reference/ Points to Ponder
1. A golf tournament is organized by
Junuh’s one time sweet heart, giving
Junuh an opportunity to re-enter the
game (life). Junuh is asked to play in
the golf exhibition but he turns the
invitation down.
2. The meeting with Adele, where she
tries to seduce him, is what changes his
mind, and right before she comes in, a
wind blows, you see the curtains move.
Question
What reason does he give why he can’t
participate in the match?
Then the LORD God formed a man from the
dust of the ground and breathed into his
nostrils the breath of life, and the man became
a living being.” Genesis 2:7
What could this wind possibly represent?
3. “I commune with my heart in the night; Junuh goes off in the middle of the night.
I mediate and search my spirit” Psalms What is he looking for?
77: 6
For we are His workmanship. Created in Christ Jesus for good work, which God prepared
beforehand so that we could walk in them. Ephesians 2:10
4. “emptied himself, taking the form of a Who appears to Junuh in the middle of the
slave, being born in human likeness” night?
Philippians 2: 7
What does this new character say that
resonates with Junah?
5. Junah decides to quit because he saw What does the fact that Junah returns to the
enormous risk…until he runs into tournament after bombarded by the citizens tell
several Savannah citizens who are there us about God’s calling for us?
to encourage him.
6. “However, He has given each one of Bagger Vance says that “Inside each and every
us a special gift according the one of us is our one true, authentic swing.
generosity of Christ.” Ephesians 4: 7
Something we was born with. Something that
is ours and ours alone. Over time, the world
can rob us of that swing. It gets buried inside
us under all our wouldas and couldas and
shouldas.” What happens when we find our
“true authentic swing” and become bound to
it?
7. The little boy who grows up to be an Why does Hardy, the little boy, think golf is
old man is really cute.
the greatest game ever? How does this relate
to our life’s journey?
8. Bagger tells Junuh to see the field. He What does this mean?
says: “You need to see the field because
if you have seen the field, you wouldn’t
be…”
9. In this movie, Bobby Jones tells Junah
he saw him play that time in 1916. He
says that he “never saw a swing so
sweet, or a man get so much pleasure
Notice that Junah starts smiling when he starts
getting it right in the second round. We find
joy when we walk in what we were made for.
What does that mean for you?
For we are His workmanship. Created in Christ Jesus for good work, which God prepared
beforehand so that we could walk in them. Ephesians 2:10
from it.”
10. Junuh hits his shot into the woods and
he says that he can’t do this. There,
Bagger tells Junuh that a “man’s grip
on his club is like his grip on the
world….that it is a game that can’t be
won, only played”.
11. “I’m right here with you. I’ve been
here all along.”
What does Bagger say Junah must do in order
to go on?
Who is the main character in this movie and
how is that significant?
Play the game you were meant to play…
12. When Junah moves a twig, the ball What does how he handles this tell you about
moves.
his character?
13.
When Bagger leaves, what does he want Hardy
to do?
14. “Behold, I make all things new again.”
Revelation 21. Faithfulness in our
journey brings great reward. Rewards
in life are good, but there is a greater
reward.
15. What does Bagger Vance represent and
dance?)
What is the “great reward that awaits us at the
end of our faithful journey? (What awaited old
man Hardy)
why? When is he happiest (i.e. when does he
ACTIVITY:
At the end, the narrator quotes Bagger Vance: “Golf ―is not a game to be won, but only played.
So I play on. I play for the moments yet to come, looking for my place in the field.” One could
substitute the word ―Life for Golf and the sentence is even more true.  If golf is a metaphor
for life, I would like you to work in groups to give as many comparisons between LIFE and
GOLF that you possibly can.
REFLECTION:
What do you think is the most common burden in today’s teenage society? You need to give me
an example (it can be personal but does not need to be). What can we take from the film Bagger
Vance that would help us/society with our burdens?
For we are His workmanship. Created in Christ Jesus for good work, which God prepared
beforehand so that we could walk in them. Ephesians 2:10
The Legend of Bagger Vance
Themes:
1. Find (or be reminded of) that which we were made for
From the film: The phrase ―find his swing‖ is about finding that which you are good at, and which God
has made you to do. The spiritual equivalent is finding your place in God’s kingdom.
Quote from the film: ―Inside each and every one of us is one true and authentic swing. Something we
were born with, something that’s ours and ours alone…Over time, the world can rob us of that swing. It
gets buried inside us under all our wouldas and couldas and shouldas.‖
At the end, the narrator quotes Bagger Vance: Golf ―is not a game to be won, but only played. So I play
on. I play for the moments yet to come, looking for my place in the field.‖ One could substitute the word
―Life‖ for Golf and the sentence is even more true.
Verse: Ephesians 2:10 ―For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God
prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.‖
2. Confront our wounds
From the film: He’s battle-worn. He’s fallen into drunkenness. He has a calling on his life to be a great
golfer, but he suppresses it; he tries to drown it. But you can’t make it go away. He isn’t a whole man.
Quote from the film: After the battle, he was ―confused, broken, unable to face a return to a hero’s
welcome‖
In the scene in the woods, he confronted the wound; which means exposing it, inviting Jesus into it.
Bagger Vance says ―You’ve been carrying this [burden] long enough; time to go on, lay it down.‖
Verse: Matthew 11:30 "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
For we are His workmanship. Created in Christ Jesus for good work, which God prepared
beforehand so that we could walk in them. Ephesians 2:10
Often, the wound is based on a lie that we were told:
3. Restoration requires that we accept the healing that God offers through Jesus,
and it requires that we allow Him to breathe life back into us;
From the film: Notice the contrast between the Junah that you see in the poker game, all strung out and
defeated, and the one who is trying to win the tournament. Notice the change (i.e. the healing) didn’t
come after he experienced success at the end; just the fact that he now had purpose again put life back
into him.
The meeting with Adele, where she tries to seduce him, is what changes his mind, and right before she
comes in, a wind blows; you see the curtains. (we’ll get into this when we quote Genesis 2:7)
Junah decides to quit until he runs into several Savannah citizens who are there to encourage him. He
had decided to quit because he saw enormous risk (when he packed in the hotel and drove away). When
we step into the calling that God has for us, there is risk. But the encouragement of the people set him
right again, because he was reminded that he had purpose. Typically, God’s purposes for us will require
us to serve others, and consider their needs and wants before our own.
For we are His workmanship. Created in Christ Jesus for good work, which God prepared
beforehand so that we could walk in them. Ephesians 2:10
Quote from the film:
Bagger Vance: See, the trick is... to find your swing...
Junuh: What'd you say?...
Bagger Vance: Well you lost your swing... We got to go find it
This is a picture of restoration that God offers us. In fact, it’s one of the main purposes Jesus announced
about Himself when He announced the beginning of His ministry:
Verses: Luke 4:18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to
the poor; HE has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set
free those who are oppressed.
Genesis 2:7 ―And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils
the breath of life; and man became a living soul.‖
4. Allow Holy Spirit to guide us, then we will find joy when we walk in our purpose
and gifts
From the film: Bagger Vance is a picture of the Holy Spirit. He comes in talking about ―taking in God’s
glories‖ in his first line of the film. He isn’t talking so much about stars on a clear night as he is about
how God will be glorified when Junuh engages, embraces, and walks in that which he was made for.
Later, when Bagger tells Junuh that they have to find his swing, he says ―...it's somewhere... in the
harmony... of all that is... All that was... All that will be..‖ This is a reference to Scripture’s description of
God in Revelation (―He who was, and is, and is to come‖). When the Holy Spirit guides us, He always
points us to God.
(―I’m right here with you. I’ve been here all along.‖) Notice he doesn’t make himself the centerpiece of
each scene, as Will Smith normally does. He stays in the background, saying what He needs to say in
order to be the Helper. He’s so subtle that you don’t realize the impact he is having, but his impact is
huge. He moves Junuh gently.
Joy: Notice that Junuh starts smiling when he starts getting it right in 2nd round. We find joy when we
walk in what we were made for. In ―Chariots of Fire,‖ the runner says ―when I run, I feel God’s
pleasure.‖ In this movie, Bobby Jones tells Junuh he saw him play that time in 1916. He says he ―never
saw a swing so sweet, or a man get so much pleasure from it.‖
Quote from the film: Bagger Vance: ―Yeah, I always felt a man's grip on his club just like a man's grip
on his world...‖
Bagger Vance: ―Yeah the rhythm of the game's just like the rhythm of life...‖
The above quotes are just two reminders that when he talks of golf, he’s really speaking of life.
Verses: John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach
you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
For we are His workmanship. Created in Christ Jesus for good work, which God prepared
beforehand so that we could walk in them. Ephesians 2:10
Call to action
One way to get started in finding your calling is to find your Spiritual Gifts (Tim Wright can help
you with this), then go to http://shape.gracearlington.com and answer the questions about your gifts,
natural talents, passions, and experiences, all of which can help point you to your role in this
church’s ministry.
Additional resources to help you find and understand your
calling:
This Was Your Life by Rick Howard and Jamie Lash -- Provides an understanding of the eternal
importance of how we choose to use our gifts and talents.
The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren Waking the Dead by John Eldredge – ―The Glory of God is a
man fully alive‖
Simon Birch – Even our weaknesses can be used by God — ―Destiny has big plans for little Simon Birch‖
The Kid – Discovering how our past experiences—even painful ones—are an integral part of our calling;
also deals with the importance of recognizing and rebuking the lies told to us by the enemy
For we are His workmanship. Created in Christ Jesus for good work, which God prepared
beforehand so that we could walk in them. Ephesians 2:10