By Benjamin Kendrick

This season iLeadYouth.com will provide a free Bible study for each episode of the popular TV drama Lost. This week we look at the episode "Eggtown," which aired on February 21.

Episode Information
Kate's need to get information out of the hostage may jeopardize her standing with Locke as well as with Sawyer.

Overall Episode Discussion Theme
“Eggtown” follows Kate’s after-island legal battle. This particular lesson will focus on her and the subject of evaluating character.

New Characters

• Duncan Forrester: attorney, off-island flash-forward


• Arthur Galzethron: judge, off-island flash-forward


• Melissa Dunbrook: district attorney, off-island flash-forward

Key Show Facts

• Jack introduces Daniel and Charlotte to the rest of the survivors waiting on the beach.


• Kate meets with Miles in an effort to uncover whether or not people off the island are still looking for her. Miles agrees to talk with her if she can arrange an opportunity for him to meet with Ben.


• Kate enlists Sawyer to assist in her plan to grant Miles’ request. When Sawyer leads Locke outside, Kate brings Miles to Ben.


• In exchange for 3.2 million dollars, Miles offers to throw his employer off Ben’s location. He gives Ben seven days to come up with the money.


• Miles reveals that Kate is still wanted by federal agents, claiming she’s better off staying on the island.


• After discussing the conversation between Ben and Miles, Locke evicts Kate from the barracks.


• After struggling to reach the freighter by satellite phone, Jack encourages Charlotte to call. Charlotte is able to reach the freighter using an emergency number.


• Flash-forwards provide insight into Kate’s life after the island, specifically regarding her criminal trial.

The Lesson

Opening Debrief
To begin, use the bullet points above to give an overview of the episode. Ask youth who saw the episode to fill in the gaps for youth who may have missed all or part of last week’s show. Invite the youth to discuss their favorite moments and anything that let them down. Then use these questions to prompt discussion:

• Why has the helicopter, gone for an entire day, not arrived at the freighter?


• In the flash-forward, what happened to Claire? Why is Aaron with Kate?


• What do we know about Kate from past episodes?


• If you were to plan a lesson based on last week’s show, what would you focus on?

Read Philippians 3:8-14
More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.

Ask:

• What does this Scripture say to you? What is the main theme or point of this passage?


• How does this Scripture relate to what happened in this week’s episode of Lost?

Clip 1: “We make it about character. Not about what you did or didn’t.”
10:38–12:00 (See note.)

Section Topic: defining character and exploring the importance of character to a person's identity

Ask:

• What words come to mind when you hear the word character?

From The American Heritage Dictionary via Dictionary.com:
char·ac·ter—noun
1. The combination of qualities or features that distinguishes one person, group, or thing from another.
2. A distinguishing feature or attribute, as of an individual, group, or category.
4. Moral or ethical strength.
5. A description of a person's attributes, traits, or abilities.

From Urban Dictionary:

1. The true you when no one is around.

Ask:

• When or how do we talk about character in our culture?


• Who in our culture is known for having "character"? Whose character is often called into question?

Say: "In this clip Kate’s lawyer refers to her character." Ask:

• What are some of Kate's character traits?


• Which are redeeming?


• Which are destructive?

Clip 2: “The defense calls Dr. Jack Shepherd to the witness stand.”
13:49–17:23

Section Topic: the relationship between our character and past mistakes or indiscretions

Have everyone select a character from Lost who has shown a progression in character (suggestions for those unfamiliar with the show: Juliet, Sawyer, Charlie, Sayid, Locke, Sun, Jin). For each character, ask:

• What past offenses is this person responsible for?


• What has this person done to redeem himself or herself?

Then ask:

• If someone becomes a respectable person, will others forgive his or her past mistakes? Why might some people be eager to forgive this person? Why might other people not be willing to forgive?


• Does having character, in and of itself, make up for past wrongs? What is the role of God's grace? (God's grace through Jesus Christ erases our sin and enables us to grow in character.)


• What is the difference between forgiving oneself, being forgiven by God, and being forgiven by those whom one has offended? Why is each type of forgiveness important?

Clip 3: “I came here to tell you that I don’t want to testify against you.”
26:00–28:34

Section Topic: God offers us forgiveness and instructs us to forgive others.

Read Matthew 18:21-35 (The Message). (Click on the link.)

Ask:

• How does this parable add to our discussion?


• What does this parable say about character?


• Can we be people of grace and character if we are unable to forgive others?

In the clip we just saw, Kate’s mother offers to forgive her but Kate is unwilling to reciprocate. Ask:

• What does Matthew 18:21-35 teach us about Kate and her mother's actions in this clip?


• Why is Kate unwilling to forgive her mother?


• What does this scene tell us about Kate's character?


• Do you think that Kate deserves the grace her mother is giving? Do you think that Kate deserves to be let off the hook for killing her father?


• Is Kate truly a person of admirable character as Jack claims?

Say: "As Jesus teaches, it is unfair for us to rely on the grace and forgiveness of God and others if we are unwilling to offer this same grace and forgiveness to people who wrong us. Part of being a person of character is possessing a gracious and forgiving spirit."

Devotional Activity
Materials needed: paper and pens or pencils

Say: "In this episode we watched Kate, after returning from the island, engaged in a legal battle. Arguing a case that is nearly impossible to win, Kate’s attorney brings her client’s 'character' to the forefront of the trial, noting that numerous people on the island owe their lives to Kate and that this evolution in her character should be cause to acquit her past crimes. In this activity we will be exploring our own character."

Have everyone gather in a circle. Give each person a pen and sheet of paper. When everyone is settled and ready, ask each youth to write his or her name at the top of his or her sheet of paper. Tell the youth that they will be passing their papers around the circle. When they receive a paper, they should look at the name at the top then write on the sheet one positive trait that person possesses. Tell the youth to pass their papers to the left and to write a trait on the paper they receive. Have them continue passing and writing until everyone again has his or her sheet. Be sure to pass a paper of your own.

Have everyone to add one trait they admire about themselves to the list their peers provided. Then ask the group to silently consider the following question: “Think of one trait that someone else possesses and that you benefit from that you do not make an effort to reciprocate.” (For example, one may benefit from another person’s generosity but struggle to be generous.) Allow a few moments for reflection, then have the youth write this trait on the back of their sheet of paper. Encourage them to pray this week about reciprocating this character trait.

Ask for a volunteer to close in prayer.

Further Speculation:

• Why is Daniel Faraday having a difficult time remembering the cards?


• In the flash-forward, why doesn’t Jack want to see Aaron (who is actually Jack’s nephew)?

Lost Season Four Bible Studies: Introduction
Lost Season 4 Study: Episode 1, "The Beginning of the End"
Lost Season 4 Study: Episode 2, "Confirmed Dead"
Lost Season 4 Study: Episode 3, "The Economist"

Curriculum written and prepared by Benjamin Kendrick and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.

Note: Clip times refer to episodes presented without commercials, such as those purchase on iTunes or on DVD.