Bottom of the Ninth, Who Gets the Nod?

If you have been involved in baseball for an extended period, you have seen a variation of this scene play out at some point. Last game of the season, championship game, bottom of the ninth, 2 outs, tying run on third, winning run at the plate, your starting pitcher has pitched an amazing game, but he’s at 125 pitches and his arm is clearly worn out.

The coach has already sent to guys to the bullpen to get warmed up, now he’s headed for the mound to let his starter know he’s done an amazing job, but he’s done. Because he’s a gamer he wants to keep going, but everyone on the bench and in the stands knows he is no longer the best option. He was the best option for eight and two thirds’ innings, but not anymore.

Although there’s two guys warming up in the bullpen; the players, the coaches, the fans, and even the opposing team knows who is getting the nod. Afterall, the team has played over 50 games this season and a track record of success has been well established. There is one guy out there who gives them the best chance of winning. Maybe they both can get the job done, but there is one that gives the best chance. Choosing the other guy would trigger immediate rumblings among the fans.

The coach signals down to the bullpen and the one everyone expected starts his walk to the mound to save the game. The coach signals him because he has faith in him, he trusts him to get the job done, he believes he will do as he has done many times before.

But the reality is, it is not complete faith, it is not 100% trust. Yes, he is the team’s best option at that moment, but he is not perfect. He’ll do his best, but his success is not guaranteed.

They would not be able to correctly say, “I trust him 100%!”

We like to throw around extreme statements like this, but if our life depended on it, we would not be quite so confident.

The reality is, most put more thought into who they think should come in and save a game than who or what they are trusting in to save their soul.

Here’s some examples of what some are trusting in:

Human Logic or Intellect
“I don’t believe in God, or eternity. We live, we die, we turn to dirt, that’s it.”

Philosophy
“I don’t believe hell exists, we don’t really die, we come back as something or someone else.”

Religion
“I am a good person, I do ‘this’, I do ‘that’, therefore, I am going to Heaven when I die.”

These 3 “categories” are a very simplified summary, but no matter how complex it gets, most people trust in a variation of one of these 3 things.

Have you ever wondered why Jesus did all those miracles?

Why did he heal all types of afflictions, raise the dead, feed thousands with a few fish, and walk on water? He did this to establish a “track record”. He did it to get the people’s attention so they knew they could trust Him. He did it to show His power and ability to do what He said He’d do.

With this established track record, He told them how the coming events of His betrayal, death, and Resurrection would unfold so when it happened, they could say, “this is exactly what He said would happen!”

In addition, God gave His Word that recorded the events of Jesus hundreds of years before Jesus was born.

Unlike the closing pitcher who does his best, but is not perfect, God has done what He said He’d do 100% of the time. God says what He does and does what He says.

You may think by your intellect that an eternal Creator isn’t logical, but that doesn’t make Him any less true.

You may like the sound of various philosophical views like Buddha, Confucius, or other mystics, but that doesn’t mean they are based in reality.

You may be trusting in your own “goodness” or religion to bring you through the gates of Heaven, but God warns not to.

To expand on our baseball game analogy….

You are that starting pitcher, but you are all alone, nobody is coming out to save you. You are on a “mound of rebellion” against God. There are SO MANY things you have done that are worthy of eternal hell, but it is enough that God said, “all liars will have their part in the eternal lake of fire” – because you have lied.

Human logic, philosophy, and religion are ALL deceiving – none of them will save you from the Wrath to come.

Does this terrify you? Does the thought of an eternal hell (where there are NO comforts of any kind) terrify you?

GOOD! It should. Fear is a good thing. In fact, God’s Word says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.”

The most important question you’ll ever answer is…

Will you trust in Jesus to save you?

Not in part, but trust Him 100%?

A parroted prayer doesn’t do this. A religious ritual doesn’t stamp your hand for Heaven.

Your trust in Jesus alone to save you is illustrated and confirmed by a life spent surrendered to His will and turning away from sin – not perfectly, but directionally. Not as an effort to be saved, but evidence that you are trusting in the only One that can save.