Donovan Shines in Football Opener

Donovan Ferguson was instrumental in leading his 3rd Grade Flag Football team, the Steel Boys, to a 26-14 victory in their season opener on Tuesday, August 25, 2009.

Their opponents opened the game, driving the ball at will against the Steel Boys defense for 2 first downs on the first 3 plays from scrimmage. Donovan Ferguson thought enough is enough, and he burst through the line to get into the face of quarterback Brock Smith. Donovan got his right hand in the air, deflecting the attempted pass into the hands of Donovan's teammate, Cooper Simmonds, who ran it back for a touchdown. The extra point attempt was good as Simmonds took it in to give the Steel Boys an 8-0 lead.

The lead did not last for long, however, as Brock Smith broke through on a quarterback keeper for a 40 yard scamper into the end zone on their next possession as Donovan sat along the sidelines, helpless to stop the score. The 2 point attempt was good, and the score was knotted at 8 points apiece.

On the Steel Boys' next possession, Donovan threw a block that took out 2 defenders, opening up a hole big enough to drive a Mac truck through, and Derek Owens took the ball in for a 23 yard TD run. The extra point was foiled, and the Steel Boys led 14-8 as the first half came to a close.

As well as Donovan played in the first half, he did even better in the second half. The Steel Boys opening drive of the half brought them another touchdown set up by Donovan Ferguson. Donvan took the handoff from QB Simmonds and picked up 6 hard fought yards for a first down, his only run attempt of the game. Using the same formation on the ensuing down, the Steel Boys ran a fake handoff to Donovan to perfection, who sold the fake so well that the entire defense went for him, only to find too late that Donovan did not have the ball, and they watched dejectedly as Derek Owens ran in untouched for 6 points, making the score 20-6 in favor of the Steel Boys.

The Steel Boys defense held solid and their opponents were forced to punt. Once again, a great block by Donovan freed up Cooper Simmonds, who used the opportunity to make a 26 yard touchdown run, employing a few nifty moves of his own with some quick and fancy footwork to avoid the defenders down the right sideline. Time was running out as the score stood at 26-14.

Donovan Ferguson made his best defensive tackle of the game as he ran from the far side of the field to take down Brock Smith, keeping Smith from scoring a touchdown. But with 12 seconds remaining in the contest, Smith did punch it in from 4 yards out to complete the scoring.

Spirit and Truth

In His encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4, Jesus made the following statement in verses 23 and 24 [RSV]:

23. "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship Him. 24. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

It is easy to look at this passage and conclude that the meaning of spirit and truth means one should have the proper attitude (spirit) and worship God as He would have us worship Him (truth). I agree this is correct, but I also believe this interpretation falls far short of the deeper significance of Jesus' words. If this is all that Jesus meant, then what was revealed to this woman? Absolutely nothing. In fact, if this is all Jesus had meant, then His statement would be erroneous, for God has always demanded that those who seek to worship Him do so with the right heart attitude (spirit) and in the way He prescribes (truth). But Jesus said "the hour is coming, and now is," which means that something was changing, and that something is more than simply the place of worship no longer holding the significance it did under the Law of Moses. I believe the correct understanding of Jesus' words can best be explained by capitalizing the words Spirit and Truth. Jesus was telling this Samaritan woman, and this really seems to come out when you see how He told her earlier that He is the source of the living water (verse 10) and that He is the Messiah (verse 26), that those who are only in Him and have His Spirit can worship the Father.

Many times in Scripture we are told that Jesus is truth (John 14:6), and that when we know the truth the truth will set us free (John 8:32). When we worship God, we come to Him, and Jesus said that we can only come to the Father by Him (John 14:6). Peter said on the Day of Pentecost that when we are baptized we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38), and the Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 8:11 [RSV], "If the Spirit of Him Who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He Who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through His Spirit which dwells in you." Paul had said earlier in verse 9 [RSV], "Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him." Therefore, if you do not have the Spirit of Christ, which you receive at baptism (Acts 2:38), and if you are not in Christ, in which one becomes clothed at baptism (Galatians 3:27), then you are not of Christ. You do not belong to Him. Therefore, only those who have come to the Lord in obedient, saving faith can worship in Spirit and Truth, for we alone have received His Spirit and we alone are in Jesus Christ, Who is Truth. And this, I believe, is the deeper significance of the words "Spirit and Truth" of John 4:24.

May the Lord bless you!

More Baseball News

Daniel won his first game pitching as a Middle Schooler last night, pitching 2 shutout innings. He gave up 1 hit and 1 walk while striking out 2 batters. He batted once and walked with the bases loaded, but he failed to get an RBI because 2 runs scored on wild pitches while he was at bat.

Younger brother, Donovan, tried out for a traveling baseball team this past Sunday afternoon, and I was called last night and informed that he had been selected for the 12 man roster. He was very happy and excited about this. His cousin and best friend, Isaac, also tried out and, as far as I am concerned, I thought he also did very well in his tryout. Donovan is really hoping Isaac will make the team, but so far we have not heard. Regardless of what happens, I was very proud of Isaac's effort, especially since he has not been able to play for a long time since he broke his wrist this summer.

Donovan also has his first flag football game this evening.

Baseball Continues in 2009

Daniel recently tried out and made the Mattoon Middle School baseball team. This is quite an honor and accompishment for him as this is a team comprised of both 7th and 8th graders. Of the 18 members of the team, 7 of them are 7th graders.

They had their first games this past Saturday, August 15, 2009, in a tournament held in Morton, IL. The boys won their first game before dropping their final two.

Daniel was the designated hitter in the second game, going 0 for 2. His first bat he grounded out on a hard hit ball to the third baseman. Daniel almost was able to beat it out, which was really surprising, because he did hit the ball very hard and the third baseman fielded the ball cleanly before firing it to first. In Daniel's second at bat he ended up striking out with runners at first and third and 2 outs. This was unfortunate because both the first and third strikes were called strikes, and they appeared to be inside. Not only that, Daniel hit a very long foul ball for strike 2 in this at bat that would have been over the fence and fair for a 3 run home run at the Cal Ripken Baseball Field in Mattoon he played at this summer. But this game was being played on a much larger Pony League field. The Cal Ripken field has a left field foul pole sitting at 210 feet, whereas the dimensions down left field on this Pony League field were 300 feet.

Daniel started in right field in the third and final game (he did not bat in this game), and he made what turned out to be the best defensive gem of the day. With the game still on the line and runners at second and third with 2 outs, the batter hit a sinking line drive into right center field. Daniel came running int to make a spectacular sliding catch of the ball to end the inning, and keep his team in the ball game. What made it even better was the fact that he was looking directly into the sun while he tracked the ball down. What made it even better than that was that his older brother, Doug, had just arrived at the game in time to see Daniel make that catch! You should have seen the grin on Daniel's face when he learned that Doug got to see the catch of the day!

Damien tried out for next year's traveling Hit Men 11 and under baseball team yesterday afternoon. Damien will turn 11 in October, so he is getting to the age now where he realizes that money really does not grow on trees or magically appear in one's bank account. There is a cost to being on these traveling teams, so Damien offered not to try out for the team to save us some money. I asked him if he wanted to play or not, and he said he did, so I told him don't worry about it, go on and and try out, if that is what you want to do. So he and 24 other boys tried out for the 12 slots available for the team's roster for next season. Younger brother Donovan's tryout session for the 9 and under team is this coming Sunday, August 23.

Jesus Breaks Down Barriers

Boundaries and barriers are something we all understand very well. (That does not mean we necessarily always obey them, but we do understand them, nonetheless.) We are taught that we may go this far but no further. No Trespassing or No Hunting signs we see posted on people’s property limit our access to land that is owned by someone else. Speed limit signs stationed alongside the roads and highways tell us how fast we may drive legally if we do not want to get a speeding ticket. The established laws of society, laws that are good and help to keep and maintain order and civility in our world, govern so many areas of our lives as human beings. To cross these laws can cause us pain, conflict or ridicule.

There are, however, barriers and boundaries that we ourselves put up in our lives. Some of these are barriers and boundaries we put up before God, barriers and boundaries that say, “You, Lord, may come this far but no further.” We put up barriers sectioning off emotionally painful areas of our lives into which we do not want other people intruding. Sometimes we fence off areas of our lives we have classified as long dead by us, long beyond the hope of a resurrection and any kind of new life. These may be areas of our lives of which we are ashamed and would rather forget. Blessed is the man who has been able to live his life without regrets!

Many people believe that a person must know virtually everything about Jesus in order to come to Him and relate to Him. They feel that Jesus will only have something to do with those who already have a close, personal relationship with Him, who already devoutly believe in Him, those people who already have a good understanding of key doctrines in the Bible. Such people are setting limits on the kind of people Jesus will welcome and the kind of people to whom He will respond. But the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is this: 28. “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30 [RSV]) Jesus does not limit His calling. He said He wants all of us to come to Him! This should not surprise us, for Jesus came to break down barriers between people, barriers between nations, and most importantly, barriers between God and man due to our sin. Jesus said in John 4:34 [RSV], “My food is to do the will of Him Who sent Me, and to accomplish His work.” Jesus was sent by the Father (John 3:16), and as the Apostle Peter tells us in 2 Peter 3:9 [RSV], it is the Father’s will to save us: “The Lord is not slow about His promise as some count slowness, but is forbearing toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” The whole ministry of Jesus Christ in breaking down barriers is summed up in the words of Jesus in Luke 19:10 [RSV]) whereby He says, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” And since “ . . . all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), then that means everyone, regardless of what your background is, are welcome to come to the Lord!

May the Lord bless you!

An Eye for an Eye

It is amazing what a simple reading of God’s word can reveal. I have read the Bible several times through during the course of my life, and yet with each subsequent reading I still uncover truths that have eluded my eyes previously. Such was the case this past week when I was studying the aspect of Jesus being our High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, and how His priesthood is far superior to that of the Aaronic priesthood He supplanted. In looking at the history of the Aaronic priesthood, I ran across a verse that I have read many times, and yet I did not catch the significance of it. “The priest who is chief among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil is poured, and who has been consecrated to wear the garments, shall not let the hair of his head hang loose, nor rend his clothes;” (Leviticus 21:10 [RSV]). So what is the significance of this verse? I believe it is very significant in that Caiaphas was the High Priest who officiated over the mock trial of Jesus the night He was betrayed. Listen to the account Matthew provides in Matthew 26:63-66 [RSV]: 63. But Jesus was silent. And the high priest said to Him, "I adjure You by the living God, tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God." 64. Jesus said to him, "You have said so. But I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of Heaven." 65. Then the high priest tore his robes, and said, "He has uttered blasphemy. Why do we still need witnesses? You have now heard his blasphemy. 66. What is your judgment?" They answered, "He deserves death." By this act of tearing his robes, Caiaphas had automatically forfeited his job as high priest.

Not only had Caiaphas forfeited his job, but by his engaging in subterfuge and conspiracy (Matthew 26:4) in knowingly declaring guilty an innocent Man, Jesus Christ, and demanding He be killed, under the Law of Moses Caiaphas was subject to the death penalty himself. “If a malicious witness rises against any man to accuse him of wrongdoing . . . if the witness is a false witness and has accused his brother falsely, then you shall do to him as he had meant to do to his brother; so you shall purge the evil from the midst of you.” (Deuteronomy 19:16; 18-19 [RSV]) Rightly so did Caiaphas forfeit his position, for, though he did not realize it at the time, the new High Priest of the better covenant was standing before him and was about to succeed and supersede him. Aaron, as were all subsequent high priests that followed after under the Law of Moses, was a human being, full of failure. Christ, our High Priest, on the other hand, is “ . . . holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens” (Hebrews 7:26 [RSV]). As the writer of the Book of Hebrews continues, “He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; He did this once for all when He offered up Himself” (Hebrews 7:27 [RSV]).

May our Great High Priest bless you today!