What Team Are You On?

Monday, August 26th, Danny Jansen made major league baseball history when he became the only player ever to start a baseball game as a member of one team and finish it as a member of the opposing team. How is that possible? The game actually started on June 26th. The Toronto Blue Jays, his previous team, was playing the Boston Red Sox. Janson was up to bat with a 0-1 count when the game was called for rain. It was rescheduled for August 26th, but not before Jansen was traded to the Red Sox on July 27th. When the game resumed, Jansen was behind the plate for the Red Sox as catcher making him the only player to play for both teams during the same game.

My lesson Sunday morning deals with another change of allegiance, but on a significantly larger scale and certainly more serious than a ball game. Consider Paul’s words in Ephesians 4:17-24.

So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more. 20 You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. 21 Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

The Ephesians had changed teams. Formerly, they were owned by the Gentile Old-Selves, but their contracts were bought out by the Christian New-Selves. They had changed owners and thereby their allegiance. That’s why Paul said they should not live any longer as the Gentiles do – futile thinking, darkened understanding, separated from God, ignorance, hardened hearts, given over to sensuality, impure, and with a continued lust for more.

Once under contract to their new owner, Christ, they learned they should put off their old selves and deceitful desires and put on their new selves – new in their attitude, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. That’s quite the change.

It would have been traitorous and disloyal for Jansen to return to his at bat for the Blue Jays or step behind the plate again as their catcher. He is on a new team now with a new allegiance. Similarly, for a Christian to return to his or her old ways or return to the opposing team would be a betrayal of Christ and an affront to the price paid for them.

What team are you on? I’ll say more in my lesson.

Joey