🏆 GAME SHOW INTRO

John:
“Welcome to Day 5 on GRACE 2U: Grace vs. Gravity! Today, we face the invisible force that tries to pull us down… shame, guilt, judgment… and a little thing called real life.”

Marti:
“Today’s Scripture Spark is a reminder that when life pulls you down, grace can lift you higher.”

📖 Romans 8:1
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

John:
“Gravity says: ‘You fell. Stay down.’
Grace says: ‘I see you on the floor. Let’s get up and try again… together.’”

🎮 Quickfire Mini-Game: “Lift or Drop?”
(Players decide whether an action “Lifts” with Grace or “Drops” with Judgment.)

🕹️ How it Works:

Announcer: “For this game, John is sitting on a trapeze suspended over a large tub of water. You’ll notice that Marti has access to two ropes: one says ‘Lift’ the other says Drop. I will read a typical scene that could happen anywhere and for each scene I will read two actions that correspond to that event. If the audience thinks that is an action of grace that would lift someone up, they will shout ‘Lift!’ If it’s not, they shout ‘Drop!’ Marti meanwhile is holding onto these two ropes. If she pulls this rope, John goes up — try it, Marti” — and she does and John shoots up about three feet. “Good. If she pulls the other one, John goes down — that’s right.” John meanwhile is struggling to stay seated on the trapeze with Marti jerking him up and down. A couple times she sends him down close to the water.

John: “Hey! Wait a minute!”

Marti: “Oh I’m gonna love this! I want one of these at home!”

Announcer: “Of course the object of the game is to keep John dry through acts of grace. But Marti, you have to follow the audience. The louder they yell, the harder you pull.”

The audience is loving this. A few people are already yelling Drop! and Lift! And Marti is having a ball jerking John up and down.

John: “Hey wait a minute; I don’t think I like this game,” as he tries to keep his feet from going in the water.

Announcer: “All right. Studio audience, are you ready?”

Audience: “Yes!” They all shout.

Announcer: “Marti, are you ready?”

Marti: “Yes!” Yanking John up and down.

Announcer: “John, are you ready?”

John: “No!”

Announcer: “Too bad. You’re never going to be ready for this. Okay, here we go … In the first scenario, your neighbor’s dog leaves a ‘gift’ on your lawn… again. What do you do?

A. Bake them cookies and kindly ask if they need dogie poop bags?”

Audience: “Lift!” And up goes John.

Announcer: “Or,

B. leave the ‘gift’ on their porch in a paper bag… flaming.”

The audience responds with a very loud “Drop!” Marti yanks the “Drop” rope and John goes down inches from the water amidst a lot of whooping and hollering.

Announcer: “Second scenario: Your coworker steals your lunch from the fridge. What do you do?

A. Leave a note that says, ‘Hope you enjoyed it! Tomorrow, let’s share.’”

There’s a mild audience response and Marti lifts John up a few feet.

Announcer: “Or,

B. replace tomorrow’s lunch with a raw onion and wasabi sandwich.”

There is a loud ”Drop!” From the audience and John goes down until he’s up to his waist in water. The audience is going nuts.

Announcer: “Can you swim?”

John: “I think we’re gonna find out soon.”

Announcer: “Okay, third case scenario: Your teenager rolls their eyes and says, ‘Whatever.’ What do you do?

A. Take a deep breath, pray silently, and respond with patience.”

The audience cries “Lift” and Marti pulls John up out of the water, dripping wet.

Announcer: “Or

B. Immediately google ‘military boarding schools near me.’”

The audience yells, “Drop!” And down goes John

The announcer announces the fourth scenario: “Someone cuts in front of you at Starbucks. So you

A. Buy their coffee and say, ‘Looks like you needed it more.’”

Audience: “Lift!”

Announcer: “Or

B. loudly yell, ‘May the Lord smite the latte thief!’

Audience (loudly): “Drop!” And Marti yanks the Drop rope so hard that John does a free fall and plunges into the tank and there is a moment of shock as no one can see him for what seems like a long time but is really only a few seconds, so that when his head finally pops up out of the water there is relieved thunderous cheering and Marti beckons to him calling out, “The great Shamu ladies and gentlemen!”

Announcer: Hopefully we will remember these scenes and do the acts of grace that lift people up instead of bringing them down. Meanwhile while John dries off, we will hear a word from our sponsor.

🎬 Grace Network Commercial – Day 5
(Upbeat jingle plays, think retro infomercial vibes)

🎙️ Announcer (overly cheerful):
“Is the weight of life pulling you down? Struggling to stay positive when people cut you off in traffic?”

(Cut to John in a space helmet, floating in slow motion on a trampoline while Marti sips coffee, unimpressed.)

🎙️ Announcer:
“Introducing the Grace Helmet™—the world’s first anti‑gravity headgear powered by pure, unfiltered MERCY!”

👩 Marti, amazed:
“Look an him! He’s light as a feather.”

🎙️ Announcer:
“Wait, there’s more! Order in the next 10 minutes and we’ll include the Mercy Shield™, perfect for blocking flying criticisms—like your Aunt Edna’s Facebook posts.”

(John spins in slow motion holding the shield. Text flashes: “Grace. It’s Lifting!”)

🎙️ Announcer (dramatic echo):
“Grace vs. Gravity… where mercy always takes you higher!” Now back to our show.

🎧 REFLECTION MOMENT

John:
“Here’s the truth: Gravity pulls us down, just like sin and shame. But grace lifts. Every time we let go of judgment—of others or ourselves—we float higher in His mercy.”

💬 Reflection Prompt:
“When was a time grace lifted you when life tried to pull you down?”

🕹️ QUICKFIRE TRIVIA: Fall or Float?

1. Complete the Verse:
   “The righteous fall seven times, but they ______ again.” (Is this even a verse?)
2. True or False:
   “Jesus only helps those who help themselves.”
3. Gravity Check:
   What’s heavier—your sin, your shame, or your pride?

🕊️ DAILY ACT OF GRACE

Challenge:
Find someone weighed down by failure today. Lift them up—encourage them, pray for them, or help them see hope they’ve forgotten.
🏅 Points: 30

📊 LEADERBOARD SNAPSHOT

Don’t forget to send you answers to [email protected]. We’re getting some wonderful stories. Add to our growing collection.

🥇 Grace Unleashed – 189 pts
🥈 Jamie G. – 175 pts
🥉 The Waymakers – 166 pts

🎬 TOMORROW’S TEASER

📺 Announcer (dramatic):
“Betrayal. Forgiveness. And the shocking finale of The Grace Games… Don’t miss Day 6: Grace Gets the Last Word!”