This is a companion study guide for the Phinea & Ferb chapter from Faith & Fandom book 7.
Phineas and Ferb: Whatcha Dooooing?
Phineas and Ferb is great fun to watch, but of course there are things we can learn from them. If you have never seen Phineas and Ferb before, start with “Rollercoaster” (season 1, episode 1)> It provides the basic formula for Phineas and Ferb and introduces all the characters. There are a lot of lists online for the top 10 episodes if you would like to watch more.
The author (Hector Miray) points out several spiritual truths we can see from Phineas and Ferb.
1. Phineas and Ferb Operated Intentionally with Purpose
Psalm 90:12 “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom”
When we look ahead at how much is left in our life, or in this season of our life, we become focused.
Are you living intentionally? Are you using your time productively?
Read Ephesians 4:21-32. This passage describes what it looks like to live intentionally.
List the things the passage specifies you need to do to live intentionally.
Why does the passage say you should live this way?
What do you think it means to bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit?
Which do you personally find the most difficult to do?
Think about the challenge to only say what is “helpful in building others up according to their needs”. Challenge yourself as you speak this week, to your spouse, children, coworkers and see if what you are saying is “building others up, according to their needs”.
Dig Deeper: Read Ephesians 2:10
You were created by God. You were created to do good works. These good works are for you, and God has prepared them in advance for you to do.
Ask God what are the good works he has prepared especially for you to do? What are your talents, your passions, the spiritual gifts that God has given you to equip you to do these works? Look for these places to do good works. Be intentional.
Review the book of Jeremiah
What is Jeremiah advising? How do the people of Israel respond? What actions lead Jeremiah to lament, “The harvest is past, the summer has ended and we are not saved.” Jeremiah 8:20
2. Phineas and Ferb did not allow their age to disqualify them from what they wanted to do.
“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity”. 1 Timothy 4:12
Think of your favorite people in the Bible. What was their age, compared to the “typical leadership” age of their time? How did their contemporaries view their age? (Examples to think about include Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, Samuel, David and Goliath, Mary the mother of Jesus, the disciples, Timothy)
We don’t want our age to be a hinderance to what God has called us to do. With Phineas and Ferb we focus on their youth. It is important to also not allow old age to be an excuse. God has created us to do good works, not only for a few years, but for all of our entire life. Young or old. Can you think of some examples of people in the Bible who were living for Jesus and were much older than the “typical leadership” age? (Noah, Abraham and Sarah, Hannah, also Samuel)
Challenge yourself about how you view people at your church or school - kids or parents? How do you view their ideas of things they believe God has called them to do? Do you look down on them because of their age?
3. Phineas and Ferb lived with integrity.
“The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.” Proverbs 11:3
“Keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” 1 Peter 3:16
Are we living with a level of integrity that if people try to speak ill of us, they end up looking silly?
Dig Deeper: Read 1 Samuel 12:1-4. Reflect on Samuel’s speech at the end of his life and the people’s response. What does this tell you about Samuel? What does it tell you about integrity?
(for more discussions on integrity go back to Chapter 1-Kuiil He Has Spoken)
4. Perry and Doofenshmirtz were Frenemies - a good example of what God requires of how we treat our “enemies”.
Read Luke 6:27-31.
Who is Christ speaking to in this passage? How does Christ ask you to treat your enemies? What are some everyday examples of giving your enemy your shirt and coat? How are the words of Christ different from our natural response, or conventional wisdom?
Read James 5:19-20. Then read the verses before (suggestion - start at verse 13). James is talking about prayer and the power of prayer. In Verse 16 he admonishes us to “confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so you may be healed”. Verse 16B, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective”.
We need to be listening to God, and showing love to our friends, and our enemies.
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