Another baseball season is well underway. I hope to go to watch the Texas Rangers at least once this season. Cheryl and I enjoy to  whole experience of going to the Ball Park.

Several years ago I came across an article entitled “GOD’S FAVORITE PLAY” by Phil Tuttle. His thirteen-year-old son’s baseball team traveled to a tournament and asked him to give “a biblical-but-not-too-churchy message” to the team on Sunday morning before their afternoon game.

When Sunday morning came, every ballplayer, parent, and sibling who made the trip was there. The boys were all in uniform, seated in the front, thinking of the clutch hits, well-timed stolen bases, and incredible catches they would soon make. They had big, heroic dreams. Mr. Tuttle knew they were all thinking about baseball, so he asked them: “What is God’s favorite play?”

The response was silence. No one had an answer, so he suggested: “I think God’s favorite play would have to be the bunt.”

“Cause it’s not being selfish,” one of the boys suggested.

“True, but I think there’s more to it than that. What do we call it when someone bunts?”

“A sacrifice.”

“Right, a sacrifice. And look at the language we use for it. You can ‘lay down’ a bunt, and you can ‘give yourself up’ for the team. The reason the bunt is probably God’s favorite play is because that’s exactly what Jesus did for us. He laid Himself down and He gave Himself up. John 15:13 tell us, ‘Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.’ Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice.”

He looked at one of the boys whose reputation for avoiding bunts had become a humorous part of team lore. “Why do you hate them so much?”

“It’s a wimpy thing to do,” he said.

“That’s what most people think. It makes us look weak. It goes against our nature. It is not easy to sacrifice yourself. Even Jesus tried to shake off the bunt sign the night before He was crucified: “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me” (Matthew 26:39). But what did He do in the end? He did what was best for the team.”

Then Mr. Tuttle tried to bring the point home – literally. “What is the ultimate goal of a bunt?”

“To move the runner,” several said in unison.

“Really? What good does it do to just move a runner? What’s the real goal?”

“To get him home.”

“That’s right. And to get him home how?”

“Safely,” they answered. It was starting to sink in. “One last question. What’s the worst thing that can happen if you’re the one who makes the sacrifice?”

“That the idiot on third base doesn’t move,” said one.

And that was the lesson he wanted to share. The sacrifice of Jesus has already been made. That opens the door for everyone to make it home safely. But too many don’t. Some stay on third base because they do not know about the sacrifice. Others don’t move because they don’t believe it is true. Only the ones who believe the sacrifice was for them make it home safely.

If you put your faith in Jesus, you will be one of them.