04/08/2018
How are you living your life when it comes to those commonly sinful things of man? Have you put them behind you and become a changed person by your faith in Jesus Christ, or do you profess your past to be something that you just can’t overcome? Well I am here to tell you that you can defeat the old man you were, and that God not only desires this but has provided you help in doing so. That is why He gave us baseball!
“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
Ephesians 5:1-2 ESV
Ephesians 5 talks about some of the ways that God desires us to lead our lives. It talks about sins of the flesh, how to speak, how to use clean language, how to not covet, how to worship, how to treat each other in marriage, and how to behave towards one another as Christians.
“And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,”
Ephesians 5:18 ESV
These are easily written and said, but impossible for man to accomplish on his own... so God sent help; He sent His Son Jesus and through Him provided us with the Holy Spirit.
During my Wednesday night Bible Study I spoke to my small group about using baseball as a metaphor regarding sin and faith. You see, it is easy to fail a few times and then give up, going back to who we once were, but that isn’t how God desires us to live. He wants us to play baseball...
Before we can consider ourselves as baseball players we must learn the rules of the game. Then, when we have a good idea regarding how it is played, and that it appears to be something we desire to do, we will sign up for the team. Our faith is like that; we hear about Jesus, learn about what He and God ask of us, then finally decide we want to play... we want to join their team.
So here we are with a little desire to play but none of the trappings of a ball player. The next thing is to buy ourselves a bat, ball, and glove; we are equipping ourselves to play the game. As new Christians we buy a Bible, maybe some new clothes, and we find a new set of friends, who also like baseball, to hang out with.
Then we practice to gain the skills necessary to actually play the game. We don’t do this by immediately playing real games, but by practicing what we have been taught by our coach, and by watching someone we wish to imitate as they play the game. As believers we go to church and practice what it means to imitate Jesus, and listen as more experienced Christians teach us about the intricacies of faith. We hear about wonderful successes and disappointing failures, and grow in our own ability to serve God.
Finally game day comes, and we are standing in the batter’s box for the first time. The pitcher winds up and throws us a fast ball... we swing and miss... “Strike One!” We step back and wonder if it is even possible to hit something traveling that fast. Are we able to do this? We step back to the plate and swing three more times... “Strike Two”... “Foul Ball ”... and “YOU..rrrr OUT!” This is like life, and faith; we swing and miss many times, but the coach always slaps us on the back and says “You'll do better next time!” and we go sit on the bench until it is time to take the field, and think about getting to bat again, and that one foul ball that gives us hope of succeeding.
Sin is like swinging at the ball and missing, we aren’t called out by missing once, or twice, and even though we are called out after our third miss, God doesn’t give up on us... and send us away. He accepts us as we come back to Him, pats us on the back and says “You’ll do better next time!” You see, during the game of baseball you come up to bat several times, but you also play the field... this is where you work as you wait your turn to bat again. You catch, throw, and pitch. It is a way in which you can contribute without ever hitting a ball or scoring a run.
There are great hitters in the game of baseball, but there are also great fielders... those who play good defense. Although a lot of emphasis is placed on batting, and scoring, it is also important for the team to have players who can give them an opportunity to get back up to bat, and holding the opposition to very few runs.
At the end of the day we may have struck out every time we came to the plate, and yet still played a good game. The coach sees we are disappointed and pulls us aside to tell us how great we played, and that although we didn’t bat so well, He can work on that with us, but that we contributed so much in other ways. Jesus wants us to be successful at bat against sin, but He also knows we will miss the ball many times... that is what forgiveness is all about. It begins with our desire to be successful every time we face the pitcher, but it also includes our remorse, contrition and desire for forgiveness when we strike out. Teams in the major leagues are full of players who are not great hitters. They strike out time and time again, but the Coach needs them because of the other ways they help the team.
This is our faith... we may go a lifetime with a very poor batting average, and yet help the team in so many other ways.... look at David. He faced Goliath, and was a man after God’s own heart, yet struck out terribly when he faced Bathsheba, and failed in so many other ways. Look at Samson who defeated many men in the name of God but struck out when he faced Delilah. Not everyone is an Elijah, or an Abraham, or even a Babe Ruth, or Joe Dimaggio.
God sent us Jesus to teach us purity and perfection by a His example, and to make the forgiveness of our sins real. Then, Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit onto us to give us understanding, comfort, and to provide us with the gifts we need as we perform the will of God. So do not lose heart, spring practice is in full swing, and the coach has great expectations of you.... Let’s “PLAY BALL!” and never lose faith in God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
Prayer:
Father, I thank you for your forgiveness through the blood of your Son Jesus Christ, and for the understanding, gifts, and encouragement of your Holy Spirit. I thank you Lord for drawing me to you, and for making a place for me at your table. Father, I seek to make your ways easier for me to understand by using imperfect metaphors, such as baseball, but I pray that one day all things will be made known to me. I pray that metaphors will no longer be necessary and that even though I see now through a glass darkly, that then I will see in fullness, and clarity. Father, my intention is to lead a perfect life, but when I fail, and come to you for forgiveness, please forgive me, and heal my discouragement as you prepare me to reenter my life of faith with full confidence. Your grace Merciful Father, baffles me. I am so undeserving and yet you love me, forgive me, have mercy upon me, and pour your grace over me like a salve. The gift of your Son Jesus, and the suffering, and death He endured for me brings tears of thankfulness to my eyes. You are my God, my Defender, my Strong Tower, my Father, and in these and every role you fill in my life I thank you. Great art thou and greatly to be praised, for you are Holy, Holy, Holy, my God Almighty! Keep me in your bosom always, even as I struggle at the plate against sin.
Rich Forbes