The batter did not consider the first pitch to be very important.  He had a good batting average and even a good number of home runs.  His team had a winning record.  He was instrumental in defeating teams like this one in the past.  He knew you don’t win or lose on the first pitch.  And sometimes letting the first one go by can help you size up the pitcher.

After the first pitch was called a strike by the umpire, only a couple fans criticized the batter for passing up a perfect home run opportunity. But he heard them and knew they were right.

Then, a strange thing happened for the batter, something foreign to his professional career.  He seemed to lose his edge, his confidence, his composure.  He stepped out of the box for a moment to clear his head.  He felt a surge of determination return, and stepped up to the plate ready to knock it out of the park.

He swung his bat with all his power and — strike two.

Now, more fans criticized the batter for passing up the first pitch.  Yet, most everyone still counted on him to take care of business and save the day.  It was the last inning, and the game was in his two hands holding the bat.

Then, the unbelievable happened for the batter.  He realized he had swung too hard (tried too hard) on the second pitch, and because he missed, he re-injured his shoulder.  No one else noticed, and he couldn’t bring himself to admit he was in trouble.  What would people think?

He didn’t stop to think or pray, and he was too proud to call for a time-out.  So, he stepped up to the plate for the third time.  Like many other professional athletes, he figured the medical folks could again deal with the injury after the game.

Then, the unthinkable happened for the batter.  Just as the pitcher wound up and delivered, and the batter started his swing, unbearable pain shot through his shoulder, and he dropped the bat and dropped to his knees.

Game over.  It was strike three.

 

Lessons in the All-American Game:*

The batter is the church in America.

The game is the World Series for America.

The umpire is God, calling it straight for America.

The other team is not for America—– take your pick (Islam, Satan, terrorists, foreign dictatorships, domestic dictatorship, sin, abortion, gay agenda, double-minded diluted message, culture comforts, materialism mindset, pacifism, lukewarm love, intimidation, empty form of godliness).

 

The church in America has an awesome track record—instrumental in inspiring and winning the Revolutionary War and many since—eternal vigilance that paid for our freedom—creating a stable and moral culture to foster prosperity and charity—worldwide leadership in meeting needs and defeating evils with no return—the very reason America is exceptional.

But the church in America didn’t even swing when God was ruled out of our schools, and killing babies was ruled in as the law of the land.  STRIKE ONE—just standing there.  And very few raised alarm then.  After all, you let some things go by and save your swing for the real mission of the gospel.  In fact, the church uncharacteristically backed off even further from involvement in the culture.  It was like inverse culture shock—comfortable compatibility won out over risky confrontation.

Then, thankfully, many more raised the alarm and mobilized the church to step up to the plate again.  So, some of the church realized we had missed it, and tried to make up for it.  We got some God-fearing Presidents and others into office.  Pro-life gained, defense of marriage is law, lots of people are talking about Christians.

So what happened with STRIKE TWO and the injury?  The church in America tried to make a difference again, and parts of the church were successful in getting attention.  If they all voted, they could clean up the game and win the Series.  But a recurring and debilitating weakness that has plagued God’s people periodically from day one, unexpectedly shot through the church’s influence like an arrow.

The church thought they could be effective again, but found themselves impotent and immobilized.  Something was seriously wrong, but the church could not afford to admit it.  There was too much at stake.  So they tried harder, especially since many were counting on the church to save the country.  And the church was filled with counselors to take care of the problem after the game.

But then it happened.  Or shall I say, it will happen.  The church will come crashing to its knees with this painful reality:  unable to “turn from their wicked way” means the money stored up on earth, invested in the world’s kingdom, has cost the church everything.

We’ve been told to save for retirement, invest for more income, insure everything so we can’t lose it, buy guaranteed income, get advice to outsmart recession, track the markets, focus on the economy.

BUT GOD SAID:

“DO NOT lay up treasures on earth, where moth and rust corrupt, and where thieves break in and steal.”

“DO lay up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust corrupts, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

“For where your treasure is, there your heart WILL BE also.”

The church today has forgotten the vulnerable weak spot that has again cost a game-breaking injury.  History repeats itself, even in the church.

The Scribes and Pharisees in Jesus’ day had their money and prestige and power, and Jesus blasted them.  Later the church had its popes and cathedrals and indulgences, and the Reformation tried to fix it.  Now the church has everything the world has to offer today—buildings and budgets, insurance and pensions, advice for investments, positive teaching about your stuff, all the best of both worlds, plans for your right to retirement, financial security.

And most of what Jesus taught doesn’t fit, literally, without some modern modifications.  The church has been cooked by the culture, as surely as the frog in the pot of water, and it doesn’t want to hear about it.

No one is sounding this alarm.  No one believes it.  But they will when the excruciating pain hits and the church’s investment in the world’s system comes crashing to the ground with it.

In the meantime, the world is going to hell around us because our money is not laid up (spent, given away) in heaven.

*The All-American Game is materialism.