If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.
11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” 12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” (Romans 10:9-15)
If you have ever played sports, then you’ve probably been in a situation where a come from behind, last minute score is needed to win the Game. In the final moments, somebody is needed to come through—someone is needed to step-up and make a play.
The game is on the line, and the clock is running down… tick, tick, tick. A three point shot at the buzzer…a walk-off grand slam…a Hail-Mary pass…. What will it take to win the game? And who’s going to be the person that pulls it off?
In the 1972 NFL playoffs, with only seconds remaining, the Pittsburg Steelers trailed the Oakland Raiders. Terry Bradshaw threw a pass that was deflected, and then was miraculously caught by Franco Harris. Franco then ran it in for the game-winning touchdown. Known as the “Immaculate Reception,” this play remains one of the most iconic moments in NFL history.
In 1980, the US Olympic hockey team achieved one of the most improbable upsets in sports history, by defeating the heavily favored Soviet Union. A team that had dominated international hockey for years. With the game tied and seconds remaining, Mike Eruzione scored the game-winning goal, creating what is now known as the “Miracle on Ice.”
“Immaculate” — “ Miracle” With titles like these, it’s obvious that moments like these are very rare. But nevertheless, teams are often presented with situations near the end of the game, where somebody must step up and make a play—The game-winning play.
I was faced with this situation just over a year ago.
My father was a very good man. Dad didn’t express himself or his love for us with eloquent words. However, there was never any question in our minds that he love us. He loved me, my older brother, and my younger sister very much—he was a good father.
My father was a tough man, and although he was a very good teacher and an excellent coach, he was very rough around the edges. And when you were with my father, you always had the sense that he had already learned it all. For dad, school was out, and what he hadn’t learned there, he had taught himself.
Although I wanted to, I often felt that I couldn’t talk about salvation and Jesus Christ to my father. Whenever I brought up the subject or tried to dovetail a conversation onto that path, he would shut the gate. I typically drew back, feeling a bit inadequate in my ability to communicate Jesus’s message. Being his son, I felt out of place providing a knowledge I had that he didn’t. This always bothered me, but obviously not enough to get it done.
Early in 2024 my father’s body started shutting down, and within weeks he was in a dire state. I knew that my father had never excepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior, and the clock was running down.
The Hail-Mary came just a few days before my father died. As my wife and I sat beside dad’s hospital bed, we let the ball fly… My father caught the ball and Jesus… In that moment with tears in his eyes, he squeezed my hand and excepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. My father was graced with salvation.— Hallelujah! Glory be to God!
My father’s eternal life was changed in an instant and so was mine. I was touched by Jesus through my father’s acceptance, and his testimony is also mine. I read from the second book of Peter at my father’s funeral:
And remember, the Lords patience gives people time to be saved. (2 Peter 3:15)
The Lords patience is immense. However, our earthly time is not. There are many people in our lives who need to get it right before it is too late. Your pass may be the only one ever thrown to them. Are you going to hold the ball and miss the chance? Or are you willing to step up and run the play?
Look around and keep your head on a swivel; look within your family… at your in-laws, your children, your nieces and nephews, your friends and your playing partners. Some of them need the ball thrown their way. Are you going to step up and throw it? Are you going to be the one who helps them receive eternal salvation, and a place by Jesus’ side?
If you are going to be in the game—play it to win! Thing is, if you’ve already accepted Jesus Christ into your life, you are no longer only playing for yourself; you’re also playing for those who haven’t been saved.
Tick, tick, tick, the clock is running…. Throw them the Ball!
“I tell you the Truth”