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
Thursday Nov 14, 2019
Thursday Nov 14, 2019
"It was no ordinary Christmas day in the cold damp foxhole on the American German battlefield of world war one. You know the details of this story that I read a long time ago are a little foggy, but it seems like on this unusual Christmas day in the honor of the Christ child's birth, both sides of the bloody skirmish acknowledge our ultimate savior for a few historical moments and the cannon fire and mortar fire in the rival fire ceased."
Family Discussions:
- How does this story remind you of Jesus and his historic death on the cross?
- Why were we his enemy before we surrendered our entire life to his leadership?
- If he would die for us as his enemy, how much more will love us as his friends?
Transcription:
00:14 Hey, today I've got an awesome story to tell you. But I want to read the scripture first and it's in Romans chapter five verses six through 10. And it says this, "For while we were still helpless at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly." Isn't that great? "For one will hardly die for a righteous man. Though perhaps for the good man, someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates his own love toward us. And that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more than this is awesome. "Having now been justified by his blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through him. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his son much more having been reconciled, we shall be saved by his life."
01:05 It was no ordinary Christmas day in the cold damp foxhole on the American German battlefield of world war one. You know the details of this story that I read a long time ago are a little foggy, but it seems like on this unusual Christmas day in the honor of the Christ child's birth, both sides of the bloody skirmish acknowledge our ultimate savior for a few historical moments and the cannon fire and mortar fire in the rival fire ceased. The battlefield was quiet. The killing ground turned into a sanctuary of brief worship. Then as if Christmas never happened, the deadly rain of bullets and cannon fire resumed without concern for life or limb. A platoon of Germans feudally made a run across the tangled barbwire barrier to ambush the American enemy. But their raid was foiled when heavy gun fire stopped and it stopped them in their tracks. You see, several Germans died immediately, but one soldier took a hit in the shoulder and he lay screaming, tangled unmercifully in the barbwire jungle.
02:16 The screaming persisted until one young brave American soldier actually risked his life and ran to the Germans rescue as they removed him from the entanglement, again the gunfire ceased. The comrades held their fire in grateful astonishment. The heroic American freed the wounded Nazi and carried him to his friends without fear. He walked gallantly back to his foxhole. Man, although the details of this historic account are a little unclear, the certain truth remains. Only a true to the core, absolute hero would give his life for one who is innovate. The questions for today is this. Isn't this awesome, you guys? How does this story remind you of Jesus and his historic death on the cross? And then this one. Why were we his enemy before we surrendered our entire life to his leadership? And then this one wraps it up. If he would die for us as his enemy, how much more will love us as his friends? And the lifeline for today is this and it's a quote from Jesus. No greater love is this. That a man would lay down his life for his friends.