Initiate meaningful conversation with your family no matter how long the commute with Joe White's age appropriate short talks on scripture, parenting, culture, and community.
Episodes
Monday Nov 18, 2019
Monday Nov 18, 2019
"Can you imagine living in a place where the heroes are a famous comedian from Russia, a famous fiddle player from Japan, a famous group of acrobats from China, and a great famous group of singers from Ireland or on billboards all over town? This is Branson, Missouri. This is where I live. And man, we got more billboards and brochures and pamphlets than any place in the world."
Family Discussions:
- What kind of love will attract your friends to Jesus?
- What kind of motivation does the reality of this devotional today give to you?
- Describe someone you know who displays a 'Jesus lives here' billboard that you will be attracted to.
Transcription:
00:13 Can you imagine living in a place where the heroes are a famous comedian from Russia, a famous fiddle player from Japan, a famous group of acrobats from China, and a great famous group of singers from Ireland or on billboards all over town? This is Branson, Missouri. This is where I live. And man, we got more billboards and brochures and pamphlets than any place in the world. Well, guess what? You're a brochure too. In fact, you're a billboard. Listen to this. 2 Corinthians chapter three verses two through four. As people watch you as they drive by down the highway of life, it says this, "You yourselves are our letter written on our hearts known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ. The result of our ministry written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God. Not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts. Such confidence is this is ours through Christ before God."
01:18 Isn't that great? You're a letter of Christ. You know, these huge lighted billboards that line both sides of the highways that lead into our highly traveled tourist town here in Branson, Missouri, number in the thousands. The billboards, literally thousands, the country music stars and they're elegant two to 4,000 seat theaters. Woo country music fans who travel here by the millions into their theaters with billboards, large enough to see from the moon. You know, marketing experts call it intercept marketing. As you drive down the road to try to make a last minute change in some travelers' schedule. They don't know which theater they're going to, but the billboards are going to get them to go to their theater on their country music, Branson vacation.
02:02 You know, the billboards are flashy. The billboards are glitzy. The billboards are attractive. The billboards are gaudy. They're catchy. They're nauseas. Believe it or not, you and I wear huge neon billboards around our necks on the front of our cars, on the backs of our cars, on the front doors of our houses and on the doorway to our own rooms in our house. Because as true believers, our billboards all displayed the same very simple but profound. Three word statement. Jesus lives here. Jesus lives here. Jesus lives here. You surprised? You know what? It's true. In the high school that you go to, in the university campus that your on, in the associates, in your place of business or ministry, in your family that surround you. Each and every day. Man, the way you walk, the way you talk, the way you act, and the way you treat other people makes you a billboard. Either a repulsive sign that will cause your associates to reject the message with disgust, or you'll be the most attractive piece of artwork your friends will ever see. So you're a billboard of Christ.
03:17 And let me ask you these questions. You know what? The song says "They'll know we're Christians by our love." What kind of love will attract your friends to Jesus? And second, what kind of motivation does the reality of this devotional today give to you? And then the last question is, describe someone you know who displays a 'Jesus lives here' billboard that you will be attracted to. Be sure and hug somebody today.