Friday, April 30, 2010

Lyle's Hangs on For 13-11 Win

Fresh off their first victory of the young season, Lyle's Family Barbershop Kid Pitch baseball team won its second straight game as they defeated Sarah Bush LHC 13-11 on Thursday, April 29, 2010 to improve their record to 2-0.

Sam Owen was given the start for Lyle's. After Owen calmed the butterflies down in his stomach he pitched very well, striking out the last 2 batters of the inning. Owen began by issuing walks to Michael Brown and Sam Perry. Owen Bridges singled into left field to drive in Brown, but when Perry tried to follow Brown to the plate he was thrown out when Syrus Sears' rocket throw gunned him down as catcher Konour Smith appled the tag. Bridges stole second and third and he came home when Brady Betts singled up the middle.

Donovan Ferguson continued his fine performance as Lyle's leadoff hitter, drawing a walk from pitcher Michael Brown. Ferguson immediately stole second base. Not content to remain on second base, Ferguson hit the bag at second and headed for third. A momentary run-down slowed him briefly, but Ferguson eluded the tag and slid into third base safely. Preston Hayes, one of the 2 game ball recipients due to his fine pitching and hitting performances, had an infield single, just beating the throw as he hustled down the line, driving in Ferguson for Lyle's first run of the contest. Hayes stole second base and went to third on an infield double hit by Quinn Camfield. Syrus Sears walked on a full count just ahead of Sam Owen's strike out swinging. Isaac Ray got caught looking for out number 2, but hot hitting DeAndre Thomas provided the lift as he had yet another 2 out clutch base hit, this time a double into left field, clearing the jammed bases for 3 RBIs and earning the other game ball. Hayes' great base running set up the double for Thomas as Hayes slid under the tag as Sarah Bush tried to force him out at home. Sarah Bush threw to third base in an attempt to get Camfield, but the ball went into left field, allowing both Camfield and Sears to score and Thomas to reach second base safely. Dakota Vasquez was called out on strikes to end the first with the score 4-2 Lyle's.

Preston Hayes made short work of the Sarah Bush LHC bats, striking out the side in order. His teammates took advantage and proceeded to score 6 runs in the bottom of the 2nd to take a commanding 10-2 lead. Julian Harshbarger struck out but Konour Smith started the rally by drawing a 3-2 free pass. Smith pilfered second and third base just ahead of Donovan Ferguson's 2nd walk in 2 innings. Fleet-footed Ferguson stole second base and he and Smith came home on a double up the middle off the bat of Preston Hayes. Quinn Camfield had his second infield hit of the game, plating Hayes. Camfield got into the running game and he was soon perched on third base. Syrus Sears drew another walk and the bases became loaded as Sam Owen worked a full count before being issued a walk. Isaac Ray drew a big full count bases loaded pass for his first RBI of the season, scoring Camfield from third. DeAndre Thomas smashed a fastball into left field to score Sears and Owen to finish the inning as Lyle's reached the maximum of 6 runs allowed.

Sarah Bush came roaring back in the top of the third inning, scoring 6 runs on 2 hits, and benefitting from 8 walks. Lyle's did not score in their half of the inning as Donovan Ferguson's line-drive smash was caught by pitcher Trevor Smyser to end the inning, but they still clung to a 10-8 lead.

Preston Hayes took to the mound in the top of the 4th, slamming the door on Sarah Bush, garnering 2 Ks in the process. He also fielded a grounder hit back to him off the bat of Dylan Cole, throwing the batter out to first baseman Donovan Ferguson. Hayes' quick taking care of business ignited his teammates and they scored 3 more runs in the bottom of the 4th, increasing their lead to 13-8. Preston Hayes walked and stole second. Quinn Camfield doubled him home. Camfield took third on the throw and he scored when Isaac Ray grounded out to the second baseman following a strike out of Sam Owen. DeAndre Thomas had a 2 out double into left center field. Thomas stole third and he came home on a 2 bagger hit off the bat of Dakota Vasquez. Julian Harshbarger went down swinging to end the 4th.

Dakota Vasquez pitched the top of the 5th inning. Sam Perry walked and stole second and third. Owen Bridges whiffed at a 2-2 fastball for out number 1. Brady Betts and Logan Greual walked to load the bases, bringing up Trevor Smyser. Smyser blasted a 2-1 pitch deep into left field for a 3 run triple, pulling Sarah Bush back to within 2 of Lyle's. Vasquez showed great composure in the face of adversity, however, and he struck out the next 2 batters to end the inning and the game due to the time limit.

Many of the boys had to step up and play positions in which they were not comfortable. Syrus Sears was injured on a tag play at third base, and although he went to play in right field, he was unable to bat and so he had to sit out the rest of the game. Lyle's only had 9 players available on the field as Jerry Hale had to come out of the game also. DeAndre Thomas hurt his leg on his last at-bat and he asked if he could sit out that inning, but he played through the injury for his team when he realized that if he sat out it would only leave 8 position players on the field. DeAndre then very gamely assumed his position in right field in the 5th.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Lyle's Defeats Buffalo Wild Wings 12-8

Lyle's Family Barbershop defeated Buffalo Wild Wings 12-8 on Wednesday, April 28, 2010 in their first completed baseball game of the season. Lyle's first game was suspended due to a late start this past Thursday with Lyle's trailing 5-0 going into the bottom of the fifth inning when the game was called.

Donovan Ferguson got things going in the right direction for Lyle's with a very good at-bat, spoiling two pitches before being issued a leadoff walk on a full count. He promply stole both second and third base as Preston Hayes stood in the batter's box. Hayes, too, drew a walk, bringing up the third batter, Quinn Camfield. Camfield hit an infield single driving in Ferguson from third base, giving Lyle's a 1-0 lead and moving Hayes to second base. Hayes and Camfield pulled off the double steal as Syrus Sears stood at the plate, and once they were both in scoring position Sears lined a 2-2 fastball into right field, scoring both Hayes and Camfield, increasing the lead to 3-0. Sam Owen struck out swinging for the first out. Sears stood at third base as Isaac Ray came to the platter following Sears' theft of second and third, but Ray went down swinging on a 2-2 fastball for the second out of the inning. DeAndre Thomas was able to pick up his teammates, though, and he lined a double down the third base line, plating Sears from third for the fourth and final run of the inning. Dakota Vasquez also followed with a single into right field, but Thomas had to stop at third as the ball was brought back quickly into the infield. Julian Harshbarger struck out looking on a full count to bring the top of the first to a close.

Konour Smith took the mound to start for Lyle's in the bottom of the first. Martez Enloe walked before Brendon Miller was called out on strikes for out number 1, but Enloe stole second to move into scoring position. Brock Smith, the starting pitcher for Wild Wings, singled into left center on a 1-0 count, and Enloe was able to score from second base easily. Smith stole second before coming home on a single hit by Alex Lensink, making the score 4-2. Wild Wings was able to load the bases as Travis Bailey singled and Skyler Hood was issued a free pass on a 3-2 pitch that was just off the plate, but on a 0-2 pitch Ethan Grasl's hard hit line drive up the middle was snagged by Konour Smith for out number 2. Smith then struck out Douglas Emenecker on a 2-2 knuckle ball he had just learned, ending the inning and the threat.

Lyle's notched another run in the top of the second as Donovan Ferguson started a 2 out rally when he was plunked on the first pitch he saw thrown from Brock Smith. Ferguson once again pilfered 2 bases, and Preston Hayes joined Ferguson on base as he drew a walk, bringing up Quinn Camfield. Camfield took a 1-0 fastball down the third base line to drive in Ferguson, making the score 5-2 in favor of Lyle's. Hayes and Camfield pulled off the double steal for the second time in two innings, but Syrus Sears struck out, leaving both runners in scoring position.

Konour Smith struck out the side in the bottom of the second, stranding runners at the corners. J. C. Keller had a one out walk and he moved to third on a two out double hit into right field off the bat of Martez Enloe, but Brendon Miller whiffed at a 3-2 knuckle ball to end the second.

Sam Owen walked on 4 pitches to start the top of the third. Isaac Ray went down swinging for out number 1. Owen took third as DeAndre Thomas singled into left. Both runners advanced as they, too, pulled off the double steal. This proved to be a big play as Dakota Vasquez, instead of hitting into a double play, was able to ground out second to first as Owen scored on the play. Julian Harshbarger walked on 4 straight pitches out of the strike zone. Harshbarger stole second base and Konour Smith joined Thomas and Harshbarger on the basepath as he, too, walked on 4 straight pitches off the plate. Jerry Hale then was called out on strikes on a 3-2 pitch as Lyle's left the bases loaded. This, too, would loom large as will be seen shortly.

Donovan Ferguson took the mound in the bottom of the third. Brock Smith hit a grounder to short and he reached first safely when shortstop Preston Hayes could not get the ball out of his glove cleanly. Alex Lensink followed with a shot into deep left center field. Konour Smith chased the rock down, but he held onto the ball for a few seconds before firing it all the way home on the fly to catcher Quinn Camfield. Brock Smith was able to score all the way from first base on the play, but Lyle's really had a chance to tag him out at the plate, but no play was made, and Lensink raced into second base for a double as the score stood at 6-3 in favor of Lyle's. Travis Miller hit a grounder to first baseman Sam Owen, but Owen did not throw to Ferguson at first base who was covering on the play, and neither did he take it himself, although he could have, and so runners were now at the corners with nobody out. Skyler Hood hit the first pitch he saw to second baseman Dakota Vasquez, but Vasquez was unable to handle the ball, allowing Hood to reach first safely as Travis Bailey moved to third. Ethan Grasl went down swinging for the frst out of the inning. Things were really looking up for Lyle's as Ferguson made an excellent defensive play as the next batter, Douglas Emenecker, hit a comebacker to Ferguson, who raced Bailey to the plate, tagging Bailey before he reached home safely for out number 2. It was at this point that Lyle's defense had a meltdown. Ferguson could not find the strike zone as he walked Mike Botts on 4 straight. J. C. Keller hit a popup on the infield between third base and home, and as Ferguson ran to catch the ball, his cleats caught momentarily, and he slid past the ball. He was able to get his glove on the ball while in fair territory, so Keller reached first safely to load the bases. Tyler Estes hit the first pitch he saw back to Ferguson, who knocked it down. While on his knees, Ferguson tried to throw out the runner racing towards third base, but his throw was wild, allowing 2 more runs to score as Lyle's 6-2 lead evaporated into a 7-6 deficit. Lyle's finally caught a break as the next batter, leadoff hitter Martez Enloe, hit the ball between first and second. The batted ball hit Estes as he ran towards second, and so he was called out for interference, bringing the bottom of the third to a close.

Lyle's failed to score in the top of the fourth inning. Quinn Camfield took the mound as Wild Wings increased their lead to 8-6 without the benefit of a hit. Brandon Miller drew a leadoff walk. Brock Smith joined his teammate on the bases as he, too, was issued a free pass. Alex Lensink struck out swinging as he flailed at Camfield's knuckle ball as it floated tantalizingly over the plate. Miller and Smith moved up on a double steal, and so Miller was able to score from third base as Travis Bailey grounded up the first base line. Camfield fielded the grounder and tagged the runner unassisted for out number 2. Camfield then recorded his second K of the inning, buckling the knees of Skyler Hood, who could not pull the trigger as the bottom fell out of the 1-2 knuckler.

Isaac Ray started a big rally for Lyle's as he walked to start the top of the fifth. Ray successfully stole second and third base, and DeAndre Thomas walked. Dakota Vasquez was out on strikes for the first out of the fifth, but Julian Harshbarger followed by walking to load the bases. Konour Smith walked as well, driving in Ray from third to make the score 8-7 Wild Wings. Donovan Ferguson was issued a bases loaded freebie, too, and the socre was suddenly tied 8-8. Preston Hayes came to the dish and he served up the biggest hit of the game, driving a fastball into centerfield for a bases-clearing triple, giving Lyle's an 11-8 lead. Quinn Camfield singled Hayes in from third as Lyle's scored their maximum per inning of 6 runs.

Quinn Camfield went back to the mound in the bottom of the sixth as his battery mate, Konour Smith, took up the catching duties. Smith had never caught before, and with 2 outs and a runner at second base and the best hitter for Wild Wings at the plate, Brock Smith, Brandon Miller, who had walked and stolen second following the strike outs of Tyler Estes and Martez Enloe, attempted to steal third base. Konour Smith fired a strike down to third baseman Syrus Sears, who put the tag on the runner to end the inning and the game.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

The Truth Will Set You Free

Day after day as the freight trains rumbled into the camps cramped and filled with their human cargo, the first thing the distraught people saw at their new destination were the words carved above the wrought iron gate, Arbeit Macht Frei. These words, meaning Work Makes You Free, hung over the entrances to the concentration camps in which the Nazis of Hitler’s Germany placed millions upon millions of people during World War II. The purpose of these words was to give the individuals enslaved in the service of the Third Reich a sense of hope in a hopeless situation. But it truly was a false hope.

Many today, although they are not being carted off into a Nazi work camp, still are living a life enslaved, believing in the false hope that their works will somehow set them free and save them. But their own works will never be able to free them, and they will always be disappointed, because they will never be able to live a life completely void of sin, for “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 [RSV]). Our good works will never save us, for once we have committed sin we have earned only death as our reward: “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23 [RSV]). In fact, when we turn to ourselves for our salvation and believe our good works will somehow warrant our salvation, what we are doing is waving a filthy rag in front of God’s face: “We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.” (Isaiah 64:6 [RSV]) No, it is not through our own works or our own righteousness that we are saved and truly set free. We are saved through the grace and power and mercy of God. 8. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God – 9. not because of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 [RSV])

Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in Him in John 8:31-32 [RSV], “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” On another occasion He said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6 [RSV]). If you are sincerely wishing to be set free from your sins, do not look to your own good works, for they will never save you. Look to the One Who is able to save you now and Who is able to save you throughout all of eternity. Be washed in His holy blood today for the remission of your sins. “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool” (Isaiah 1:18 [RSV]). Jesus has already done the work that will truly set us free: 4. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with His stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:4-5 [RSV])

Thursday, April 8, 2010

A Shadow of Better Things

The Hebrews writer tells us in Hebrews 10:1-4 [RSV], 1. For since the Law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices which are continually offered year after year, make perfect those who draw near. 2. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered? If the worshipers had once been cleansed, they would no longer have any consciousness of sin. 3. But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sin year after year. 4. For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. According to the dictionary, a shadow is a dark figure or image cast on the ground or some surface by a body intercepting light; a hint or faint, indistinct image or idea; a mere semblance of something else. All of these very much describe the Old Testament and the Law of Moses with all of its types and prophecies, all of which found their fulfillment in Christ. As Jesus said in His Sermon on the Mount, 17. “Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18. For truly, I say to you, till Heaven and Earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.” (Matthew 5:17-18 [RSV]) As “the light of the world” (John 8:12 [RSV], Jesus illuminates our minds as no other. Nowhere is this found as aptly as it did in Luke 24 following His glorious resurrection. Appearing to two downtrodden, gloomy disciples on the road to Emmaus who were grieving and sorrowful over the death of their Master, Jesus said to them, 25. “O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26. Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into His glory?” 27. And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. (Luke 24:25-27 [RSV])

Since Jesus Christ is the fulfillment f all the Law and the prophets, why would anyone choose to return to the bondage of sin and the requirements of the Law? This was a question which greatly puzzled the apostle Paul, who wrote to the churches of Galatia, saying, 1. O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 3. Are you so foolish? Having begun with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? (Galatians 3:1-3 [RSV]) He went on to tell those who wished to bind circumcision on those who were at liberty in Christ, 3. I testify again to every man who receives circumcision that he is bound to keep the whole Law. 4. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the Law; you have fallen away from grace. (Galatians 5:3-4 [RSV]) Why would Paul make such a harsh statement? He answers this question himself in the next two verses: 5. For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait for the hope of righteousness. 6. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any avail, but faith working through love. (Galatians 5:5-6 [RSV])

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Sitting Down At the Right Hand of God Part 2

There are some who are not convinced that Jesus ascended to the Father on the day He was resurrected. A passage they point to is Acts 1:1-3 [RSV]. 1. In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2. until the day when He was taken up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom He had chosen. 3. To them He presented Himself alive after His passion by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days, and speaking of the Kingdom of God.

Yes, Luke says Jesus ascended after “He presented Himself alive His passion by many proofs,” but this does not negate in any way the many other passages that show He had to present Himself unblemished to the Father first. Here is an illustration that demonstrates this truth.

For instance, if I told you, "I assembled with the saints last Sunday after visiting a member in the hospital in the afternoon," are we going to assume that this statement prohibited me from assembling with the saints in the morning prior to the hospital visitation? That is what one is doing with Luke's statement from Acts 1 if one reads it and concludes that Jesus could not ascend to the Father prior to His final ascension. One is making Luke’s comment that Jesus ascended AFTER He showed Himself alive by many infallible proofs as prohibitive of Jesus ascending at any other time. But is my original statement about assembling with the saints Sunday evening after I visited a member in the hospital Sunday afternoon somehow false if I say that I did, indeed, assemble with the saints last Sunday morning, too? No, it does not. In fact, I did all of these things this past Lord’s Day, and my original statement still holds true, and it was not at all false, deceptive or misleading.

If Jesus allowed Thomas to touch Him at a later point, as He did, then this would have to hold true as He did not allow for Mary to touch Him just after He was resurrected from the dead. Jesus’ holy and perfect sacrifice would have been made impure had Mary, because of her fallen flesh, touched Him. So Jesus had to remain clean and pure to enter the Holy of Holies in Heaven when He ascended to God the Father. Jesus alone was qualified to do so on our behalf, as He is the expressed image of God the Father. 1. In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; 2. but in these last days He has spoken to us by a Son, Whom He appointed the heir of all things, through Whom also He created the world. 3. He reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of His nature, upholding the universe by His word of power. When He had made purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4. having become as much superior to Angels as the name He has obtained is more excellent than theirs. (Hebrews 1:1-4 [RSV])

On the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2:27 [RSV], Peter quotes David from the Old Testament, applying this fulfillment of prophecy to Jesus, saying, “For Thou wilt not abandon My soul to Hades, nor let Thy Holy One see corruption.” Couple this with what we see in Acts 13:37 [RSV]: “but He Whom God raised up saw no corruption.” Jesus was raised bodily from the dead. He did not see corruption. So when He first appeared to Mary that glorious morn, He could not allow Himself to be touched. He had not yet presented Himself to God the Father as the pure, undefiled Firstfruits of the resurrection of the dead, “in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:4 [RSV]). Remember, He had said earlier in His Sermon on the Mount, “For truly, I say to you, till Heaven and Earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished” (Matthew 5:17 [RSV]). Even at this point, Jesus was still concerned with following ALL of His Father’s will in everything, including the minutia of the Law of Moses! What a great further demonstration is this of His wondrous and infinite love for the Father, and for fallen mankind!

Under the Law of Moses, no one was allowed to enter the Temple who had touched a dead person or any unclean animal for this made him or her ceremonially unclean. This restriction applied even more so with the High Priest, for he was not allowed to enter into the Temple or the Holies of Holies if he touched any dead thing. Touching something dead made him thus impure, and he was incapable of performing his duties as God’s High Priest. There were strict laws governing these things. Jesus is our High Priest under the New Covenant (Hebrews 2:17), and as our High Priest He, too, could not allow Himself to become ceremonially unclean by allowing someone, in this case, Mary, from touching Him prior to His going to the Holy of Holies in Heaven to present Himself to the Father, for corruption cannot enter the Kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

So we see it here with Jesus, Who is the heavenly pure and perfect without spot or wrinkle, Who knew no sin and became sin for us Savior (2 Corinthians 5:21). Because of His great sacrifice, those who are washed in His holy garments (Galatians 3:27) will see our own corruptible flesh one day put on incorruptible flesh (1 Corinthians 15:41-50), and we will be able to see Him as He is (1 John 3:2).

So yes, it shows here in John 20:17 that in the case of Jesus with Mary that He had to present Himself to God the Father first. After doing so and being accepted as the Firstfruits of the resurrection of the dead, Jesus later on allowed the apostles, and even encouraged Thomas, to touch and handle His glorified, resurrected body (John 20:27).

Monday, April 5, 2010

Capsizing Island Fears Allayed

You may have been unaware, but capsizing islands are a major concern of the Congress.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xkbhidoEe0

This is serious. There is a solution, though. The Navy is now installing motors on the stern of each island in which it has a base. By the way, "stern" here means "the back of" in nautical terms. And "nautical" here means relating to ships or sailors. "Ships" are great big boats, and the United States Navy has some really big boats, so they know all about installing motors on the back or stern of islands in order to keep them from capsizing, which means "tipping over."

Islands tipping over with bases on them was a major point of concern of the Navy until the solution of placing motors on the stern of the island was brought in by the Obama Administration. The plan was originally proposed by the Roosevelt Administration following the attack on Pearl Hardbor back in 1941, but only Obama the Messiah was able to pull it off. This, too, means that the military budget has been slashed since big boats will no longer be needed since we have movable islands now that are safe from capsizing. This is also how the health care plan will be paid for and the budget deficit reduced simultaneously, which means "at the same time," since no more big boats will be needed for the Navy. All of this is found on page 2,649 of the health care signed into law by President Obama. However, the EPA is expected to block any further installation of motors on islands as it is feared motorized islands are a major cause of man-made global warming. Greenpeace is joining in on the lawsuit as dophins have been known to get hit by the rudders which are powered by the motors on the back of the islands that are no longer capsizing. "Rudders" are great big things mounted ("mounted" means placed on or attached to) on the stern, (remember, the back of the boat) that guide the great big Navy boats and islands. "Guide" means to direct or steer. "Steer" can be a big animal called an ox that has been castrated in its youth. "Youth" means "young," and is the opposite of "old." (I REFUSE to explain castration!) In this case, however, there are no castrated ox or oxen ("oxen" is the plural of "ox," and "plural" means "more than one," although some of you may just go ahead and say "oxes" since you are a product of public education run by the NEA) steering or guiding motorized islands. The Navy wanted to use steers to steer their islands and great big boats, but PETA prevented, which means "stopped," this from happening.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Sitting Down At the Right Hand of God

This morning I made a comment which provoked a question from a friend of mine. The comment I said was, “When Mary saw Jesus in the garden after His resurrection, Jesus told her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.’” (John 20:17 [ESV]) Why did Jesus bid Mary not to hold Him or delay Him (as the Greek text implies)? He said this because He had to ascend that same day to present Himself before the Father as the Firstfruits of the resurrection from the dead.”

So the question asked of me was, “Are you saying that Jesus was ascending and descending to Heaven during the 40 days following His resurrection and final ascension which occurred in Acts 1? If so, what about Hebrews 10:10-13?” This is a very good question, so let us take a few moments first of all to examine Hebrews 10:10-13 [RSV]:

10. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11. And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God,

I believe it is possible Jesus could have ascended and descended to and from Heaven during the 40 days from His resurrection to His final ascension. But the only time I believe it is safe to say is certain He ascended prior to Acts 1 would be after His resurrection but before He met with the Apostles later. He was the High Priest of the New Covenant, and as High Priest only He was sanctified to offer the sacrifice to the Father, which in this case was Himself. Had He allowed Himself to be touched prior to His offering of Himself and being accepted as the Firstfruits of the resurrection, then He would have been ceremonially unclean. This is why Jesus said to Mary, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father.” Jesus had just been raised from the dead at that point when Mary arrived on the scene, and I believe He could not be touched by anyone at that point because He had not presented Himself to the Father as the Firstfruits of the resurrection.

Later on after the Father had accepted Him as the Firstfruits, Jesus had no problem with anyone touching Him and, in fact, He encouraged Thomas to do just that in John 20.

Verse 12 of Hebrews 10 is really what my friend was keying in on: “But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God.” I think the context of this passage is the contrast being made between Jesus as our High Priest juxtaposed against the High Priest under the Law of Moses. Sitting "down at the right hand of God" is symbolic of saying the work is finished, it is completed, and nothing more is needed, compared with the daily standing by the priests doing a work that could never have been completed or finished, “For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sin” (Hebrews 10:4 [RSV]). It took the blood of Jesus to be the perfect sacrifice and atonement for our sins, for He is our Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7). Jesus sitting "down at the right hand of God” in this context does not mean He is literally always sitting. In fact, we see Him standing at the right hand of God when Stephen was being stoned, and we know He appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus. So yes, it is very likely that during those 40 days following His resurrection Jesus was ascending and descending into and from Heaven, which is what He told Mary in John 20:17 [ESV]: “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.’”

Friday, April 2, 2010

In Accordance With the Scriptures

According to Leviticus 23 and Joshua 5, the following occurred in the Jewish month of Nisan:
1. Fourteenth day – The slaying of the Passover lamb.
2. Fifteenth day – The Feast of Unleavened Bread.
3. Sixteenth day – The firstfruits of harvest presented to the Lord.
Jesus was the One to Whom all those types and ceremonies pointed. He was the true Passover Lamb. That is why John cried out, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” in John 1:36. Paul showed how Jesus fulfilled the Passover in 1 Corinthians 5:7-8 [ESV]: 7Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed. 8Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
This is exactly why Jesus died on the fourteenth of the Jewish month of Nisan. He did it to fulfill the Scriptures. Paul declared, “that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures.” Jesus had to die on the same day that the Passover lamb died in order to meet the prophetic type and to establish His identity as the true Passover Lamb. The sheaf of firstfruits was to be offered to the Lord before the people ate of the harvest of the land.
But just as surely as Jesus died on a certain day according to the Scriptures, He also “was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:4 [ESV]). He not only was our Passover, but He was also the Firstfruits! And Paul ties the firstfruits specifically to the resurrection: “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the Firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20 [ESV]). Again in verse 23 [ESV] of that chapter, Paul writes, “But each in his own order: Christ the Firstfruits, then at His coming those who belong to Christ.” No wonder, then, that Paul wrote so confidently about the resurrection on the third day according to the Scriptures. No wonder that Jesus stated this so emphatically time after time! Christ rose from the dead as the Firstfruits of those that slept. He was the antitype of the wave sheaf, and His resurrection took place on the very day that the wave sheaf was to be presented before the Lord. We can now understand why Jesus and His followers used the expression “third day” more than any other to describe the resurrection. Prophecy had decreed hundreds of years earlier that He would be the fulfillment of the types and shadows surrounding the Passover observance. As the Firstfruits, it was essential for Christ to be “harvested” and “presented” before the Lord “on the day after the Sabbath.” In the year of the crucifixion the Passover Sabbath coincided with the weekly Sabbath, making it “a high day” (John 19:31). It was the next day after that Sabbath that Jesus arose from the grave – on Sunday. The biblical proof of those three successive days during Passover Week answers definitively how Jesus was resurrected on the third day, “in accordance with the Scriptures.” The proof of the resurrection of Jesus just gets stronger as the years pass by!