God's Coaching #293

God's Coaching #293

“Red Sox Rise from the Dead.” Newspapers around the United States printed that headline on this day in 2004. The Boston Red Sox accomplished something that no other Major League Baseball team had ever done before—they’d come back from a 0–3 deficit to earn four straight victories and win a best-of-seven play-off series. Best of all, they’d done it against their rival New York Yankees.

The Yankees had dominated the first three games, winning by a combined score of 32–16. And it appeared as if New York would sweep Boston when it held a 4–3 lead going into the bottom of the ninth inning of game four. But Dave Roberts scored for Boston in the ninth, and then David Ortiz hit a home run in the 12th inning to win the game. Game five was equally as exciting as Boston scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to tie the game 4–4. David again won the game—this time with an RBI single in the 14th inning. With the momentum behind them, the Red Sox outscored the Yankees 14–5 in the final two games to advance to the World Series.

What’s the Score?

If there’s one place you don’t want to be, it’s trailing 0–3 in a best-of-seven-game series. But that’s where Boston was in 2004. The Red Sox were even three outs away from losing, but they came back to win it all.

Many stories of people rising from the dead appear in the Bible. We all know that Jesus rose from the dead after he died on the cross. During Jesus’ ministry on earth, one of his best friends died. When Lazarus died, his sister told Jesus, “If only you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21). She knew Jesus could do miracles, and he was about to perform one of his greatest feats. Jesus replied to her, “Your brother will rise again” (John 11:23). Jesus went to Lazarus’s tomb and asked for the stone to be rolled away. Lazarus had been dead four days, but Jesus yelled inside the tomb, “Lazarus, come out!” (John 11:43). Almost immediately, Lazarus walked out of the tomb.

On the Ball

Isn’t it awesome that you serve a God who has power over death? As a Christian, you will never truly die. You will live forever with Jesus in heaven. Read about Jesus’ raising Lazarus from the dead in John 11:1-44. Write down a couple of your favorite parts from this miracle:

Coach’s Comment

Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die.” John 11:25-26