Coldplay’s “Paradise” re:tuned

Editor’s note: The re:tuned section in every Music Resource Book features  discussion points for some of today’s most popular mainstream songs. These brief studies are designed to give you a starting point for a “What do you think this song is about?” discussion about a song you hear hanging out with students at Starbucks. Or you might try dissecting the week’s featured “Glee” song in a small group setting. Many youth leaders tell us that the re:tuned section is one of the hidden gems of their YLO membership.

Artist: Coldplay
Song: Paradise
Album: Mylo Xyloto
re:tuned by: Aaron Tucker

Teaching Point: Things are bad here, but one day Christians will experience the joy of paradise in heaven.

Opening Questions: Coldplay describes the pain a girl feels and how she dreams of paradise. Describe for the group how we need escape from pain and troubles. Have them close their eyes and picture a paradise that would bring them  happiness when they need it most.

Discussion: Ask the group to name things that bring people happiness when they need to escape. Have them describe in detail a place they could dream about that would be a paradise. Ask them to describe what they think God’s Word says about a paradise.

Was Eden a paradise? What was it like?

Was there another paradise in Scripture? What does heaven look like?

Have the group read Genesis 2:7-9. Ask them to think about what the Garden of Eden would have looked like. Have them try to describe what it might have been like. Emphasize for them that it was a paradise.

Have the group read Revelation 21:1-4. Ask them to think about what heaven will look like, and describe what these verses say it will be like.

Have them read Revelation 21:9-22:5. Ask them to describe further what heaven will look like. Now that the group is picturing this place in their imagination,  have them reread Revelation 21:4. Teach them that the Christian pictures paradise not based on a lack of stress but on the presence of our favorite person: Jesus, the Christ! We can have peace picturing paradise like the girl in this Coldplay song because Jesus will take all our pain away. Emphasize that the most exciting part of this promise from God is that is certain to happen. Nothing can stop this from happening!

Have them read Revelation 22:7, “And look, I am coming soon.” Point out that Jesus promises that our pain will not last forever.

Conclusion: End with a prayer that thanks God for the hope He gives. Thank Him for the beautiful promise of no more pain and the beauty of the paradise of heaven. Have the students write out their own personal prayers, writing to God very specifically for each thing they just studied about that they want to thank Him for. Let them keep their prayers for future reference.