As many of you know I am a baseball fan. And baseball season is right around the corner. I grew up playing the game. I dreamed of playing professionally until about the age of 35 when I realized it was never going to happen opportunity I have to play or watch I usually take it. A number of years ago, I had meetings to attend in Florida in late-February. This is about the time pitchers and catchers were to report for Spring Training and start their workouts for another season. I had a friend, who at the time, was pitching for one of the major league teams. My thought was I could go down early and maybe catch a game or some practice at least.

I called Matt and asked if there was any chance, if I come down early for my meetings, I could hang out with him for a day and watch some baseball. They invited me down to stay with them and so I flew in and drove to where they were staying. The next morning we were off to the ball park. This was Matt’s first season with this team and wasn’t sure where I would be allowed to go. So I headed for the bleachers and Matt disappeared into the club house.
Shortly, he reappeared with a pass that allowed me to hang out, walk around, and take some pictures, kind of a back stage pass. Here’s the thing – I didn’t belong there!  I wasn’t part of the team! I didn’t come holding any kind of credentials. I had no right to be standing in the same area where all of the ball players were – but there I was All because I knew somebody.

I guarantee you Matt didn’t go in and say “Hey I have Ted Harris out here” and they said “Oh! Ted Harris! Oh yeah get him down here!” But because Matt did belong there, Matt was part of the team, Matt did have credentials and because he said so – I was in!  I was able to go places that the general public wasn’t allowed. There a few other fans there that day but they had to stay in the bleachers.  I was back stage – the bullpen pitching mounds – the batting cages – all because someone said so.

I didn’t belong down there until someone said I belonged.

It will be the same thing when our time on this earth is done. Heaven and Hell are real places. Places where people will spend eternity. Every one of us belongs in Hell. Our sinfulness, our sin nature says Hell is where we belong. But when I put me faith in Jesus – Heaven is the place where I will spend eternity. I don’t really belong there. My credentials after this life are “filthy rags.” But because Jesus says so. Because Jesus has invited me to share his life. He invites me to spend eternity with him.

This is very much like that thief on the cross. The one who humbled himself, admitted his sinfulness, admitted that crucifixion was what he deserved. But also the one who admitted that Jesus didn’t deserve to die. That Jesus was sinless. The one that put his trust in Jesus and asked to be remembered when Jesus returned. The one to whom Jesus said, “Today you will be with me in paradise.”

That day in that spring training stadium was pretty close to paradise for this baseball dreamer.

We have one that invites us into his life. That invites us into his kingdom. Many will just sit on the bleachers and miss it. They will find themselves outside. Jesus wants you to join him on the field. Because He said so!

Philippians 3:17-21, “Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. ¹⁸ For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. ¹⁹ Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. ²⁰ But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.