One Tree Hill

Back in 2003, my wife started watching a show called One Tree Hill. It was about some high school kids, their families, their relationships, and the ensuing drama.

A few weeks ago I wrote a story about one of its actors - Bethany Joy Lenz. You can read it here.

Anyway, this week I had another "encounter" with One Tree Hill. A friend of mine was telling me about her current favorite song - Send Us Out by Sixteen Cities (link below).

So, I listened to the song. It's a worship song. (It made me happy, knowing my friend's favorite song was a worship song).

I then did some research on the band. They're on Wikipedia. Here's an excerpt from their bio.

The 2nd single from Sixteen Cities' debut album, "Pray You Through", was featured on a Season 8 episode of One Tree Hill.

Okay, what's going on here . . .

When things like this happen, I usually stop. Is God trying to tell me something? Why One Tree Hill? Why is that popping up all of a sudden?

One . . .

"For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." - 1 Timothy 2:5

Tree . . .

"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us - for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree." - Galatians 3:13

Hill . . .

"So they took Jesus, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified Him." - John 19:16-18

[Golgotha is the Aramaic name and Calvary is the Latin name of the hill outside Jerusalem where Jesus was executed.]

One Tree Hill = Jesus, The Cross, and Jerusalem.

Interesting. So, what do I take away from this mess?

My friend's "favorite song" is an encouragement for all of us to share the Gospel - the "Good News" of Jesus, The Messiah.

How do we do that?

"Hey, do you remember that show called One Tree Hill? Let me tell you a story . . ."

He is coming soon! What's YOUR story?

Send Us Out - Sixteen Cities

Bonus story!!

Where did the band Sixteen Cities get their name? The band used to be called Issachar. Does that sound familiar? Issachar was one of Israel's 12 sons. When the Israelites arrived in the Promised Land, Joshua divided up the land by lot . . .

"The fourth lot came out for Issachar, for the people of Issachar, according to their clans. Their territory included Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem, Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez, Remeth, En-gannim, En-haddah, Beth-pazzez. The boundary also touches Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth-shemesh, and its boundary ends at the Jordan - sixteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Issachar, according to their clans - the cities with their villages." - Joshua 19:17-23