Showtime!

Hook

Who here likes movies? Show of hands.

What is a movie you recently watched?

QP2

What about TV Shows? Show of hands, whats a show you watch?

I’ve started watching some shows from my childhood again.

Looney Tunes

Courage

Dexter’s Lab

I used to watch The Office a lot.

In 2020 in 2020, The Office was streamed for 57 billion minutes on Netflix.

That is the equivalent to 108.5 years.

Who here plays video games?

Minecraft?

Fortnite?

Halo?

CoD?

STATISTIC: How much time do people spend watching/playing entertainment?

NY Post says the average person will spend 78,705 hours in front of a screen

That’s 3,279 days (Additive)

Almost 9 years (Additive)

Average adult will spend 2,943 hours deciding what to watch

That’s over 122 days spent just deciding what to watch

So tonight’s question is this: How do I know what to watch?

Turn with me to Colossians 3.

There’s going to be four takeaways today. If you have a handout, you can take notes.

Book

Colossians 3:1–4 CSB

1 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Look

First takeaway is this: What we watch matters!

You should have a verse on your handout. Does someone want to read it for me?

1 Corinthians 10:31 CSB

31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.

Everyone stand up really quick and stretch your arms up. ***Put hands in pockets, then fold arms***

Psychology tells us that through Movies and Shows and any other media, whoever controls them can change attitudes towards certain groups of people and cause newly formed opinions on various issues.

We mirror things. Did you know that?

You mirror things. You will reflect what you see.

So because you mirror things, our second point is Be aware of the rating of what you’re watching.

So there’s this thing called the Entertainment Software Rating Board, or the ESRB. They rate your video games.

Early Childhood, Everyone, Everyone 10+, Teen, Mature, Adult.

There’s also people who rate your movies.

General Audiences (G), Parental Guidance Suggested (PG), Parents Strongly Cautioned (PG-13), Restricted (R, must have a parent for anyone under 18), No children under 18 permitted (NC-17).

Psalm 101:3 CSB

3 I will not let anything worthless guide me. I hate the practice of transgression; it will not cling to me.

Like the passage in Colossians says, set our minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Can I say something bold without getting political?

1. If there’s a stance that is popular to the world but Christians are against it, there’s usually a reason why.

2. If someone thinks Christianity is supposed to progress, their idea of God is that He changes His moral standard to please people.

3. If you think Christianity has ever been on the wrong side of history, it’s because either someone is teaching you wrong, or the historical sect of Christians were hijacking God to fulfill their purpose (which is horrible).

How do I know these things?

Colossians 3:1–4 CSB

1 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Third point: Know that what you watch is shaping you.

What was the phrase we learned last week? GIGO. What does it mean?

Garbage in, Garbage out.

Proverbs 4:23 CSB

23 Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.

Everything you watch is shaping you.

Think about that when you go to watch something.

What is this saying?

Am I letting this teach me something?

Last point: Don’t be afraid to WALK OUT or TURN IT OFF or UNSUBSCRIBE.

If you feel convicted by something, there is absolutely no reason you have to sit there and endure it.

Matthew 5:30 CSB

30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

There is no point in sitting through something and feeling the conviction of the Holy Spirit within you the entire time. Nothing is holding you back from cutting something off.

One last thought: Don’t let your screens DEFINE YOUR CHARACTER. Let your character and love for Jesus shape your choices.

We do not make our choices to please others. Rather, like we’ll be talking about for the Midsummer Lock-In, we evaluate our choices and ask WWJD.