Lessons from the World Series

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” (John 3:1-2 ESV). It won’t be long until we see the World Series. There are so many stories that surround this championship. There are shelves full of books and movies that detail the years past and the “boys of fall.” Perhaps the greatest year in baseball history was 1924. The World Series that year between the old Washington Senators and the New York Yankees was a classic. The series was tied at three games apiece, with the final; seventh game played in Washington. In the ninth inning of the seventh game, the score was tied, two to two. New York came to bat. Three batters up and three batters down. The Washington fans started screaming. Washington could win the game with a run in the bottom of the ninth. The first two Washington batters were unable to reach base. With two outs, up to the plate stepped a batter by the name of Gauseland. The fans felt their hopes die because Gauseland was not that good a hitter. The pitcher threw two strikes. Then two balls. When the pitcher threw his fifth pitch, Gauseland stepped into the pitch, and by the crack of the bat you knew the ball was going somewhere way out in left center field. The center fielder went back. The other fielders also ran toward the fence, hoping the ball would not go over the fence for a home run. The ball hit the top of the fence six inches from the top. It caromed off the fence, and one of the fielders chased it down. Gauseland, meanwhile, was between second and third bases. The third base coach thought this might be the only chance to win, so he waved Gauseland home. The throw from the outfield was taken first by the shortstop, and then relayed to home plate. Gauseland slid into home just as the catcher pegged him with a perfect throw from the shortstop. Everyone could see that Gauseland had beaten the throw. Still, the umpire yelled, “You’re OUT!” The fans went crazy. They threw bottles and yelled obscenities when the umpire conferred with the other men in black. Then the men on the field signaled for silence. Everybody got quiet. The fans thought they would reverse the call, but the umpire shouted, “The runner is not out because he didn’t beat the ball to the plate. He is out because he didn’t touch first base!” It was true. Gauseland was running so hard that he simply failed to touch first. He was out. You can do a lot of good and noble things in your life, but unless you touch first base, it won’t matter too much. Our reading this morning emphasizes that truth. Nicodemus was a good man, but he hadn’t touched first base. He thought he could achieve Heaven just by keeping the Law. To Nicodemus Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again.” Jesus doesn’t want perfect people. He wants people who have come to Him in faith. That’s how you may be born again! Have you touched first base? If not, the others won’t count!