It occurs to me that a billboard is a sign: it points us towards something or someone. A billboard can be for good or ill: see Church billboard-wrong message?

I gained some further food for thinking about billboards from our Diocese’s website resources Lectionary-based study outlines, Growing Disciples of Jesus, the reading for 17 January 2010, John 2:1-11,

 “Traditionally, John’s Gospel has been seen to be structured around two ‘books’: The book of signs (chapters 1:19-12:50) and the book of glory (chs 13-20). Contextually and conceptually, our passage (John 2:1-11) is located within the ‘book of signs’. The ‘sign’ recorded in our passage (turning water into wine) is the first, and it functions as a signpost to Jesus’ true identity and mission. While a sign is important, its true importance lies in the destination, the person, to whom it points. Each sign indicates a truth about Jesus and together these truths tell of his divine nature: ‘And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.’ (1:14)

“At the end of the telling of each incident there is a commentary on the miracle, indicating what it signifies and so drawing out the deep meaning of Jesus’ coming among us. In structuring his account of the Gospel to draw out the inner spiritual truths of Jesus, the author is showing how the disciples of Christ both then and now are given assurance that they are following the signs, that they are going the right way, that we are rightly understanding the life and purposes of this man, Jesus Christ. The conclusion for those who see and follow the signs: ‘and his disciples believed in him’ (2:11).

“John tells us why he selected and recorded these specific signs that Jesus did: ‘that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name’ (20:30-31).”

 Now that is what billboards should be on about: they should be signs pointing the way for us to rightly understand the life and purposes of this man, Jesus Christ. Bring on these signs, these billboards!