Sports Spectrum Daily Devotional: Tuesday, July 9, 2019

“… Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father …” — John 14:9

The Miracle Man

Michael Jordan leaped like a deer and walked on air until he put the ball in the basket. How did he do that? When Nolan Ryan pitched, the catcher appeared to be catching the ball before we could blink our eyes. Fans sat stunned when they saw the ball whizz through the air with such amazing speed. When Hank Aaron hit a baseball, it jumped off his bat for singles, doubles, triples and home runs. The ball took flight like a little rocket as he rounded the bases when he hit a home run. “Hammering Hank” rarely struck out and usually hit the ball somewhere. He was more consistent than most players today.

People do impressive things every day in sports, at home, at school, at work and in the streets. Though men, women, boys and girls do lots of things for us to clap and cheer, we are all limited as to what we can do, and none of us are good at everything we try to do.

Jesus is different. He is smarter than anybody else. When people asked Him tough questions, Jesus gave the perfect answer every time. The scoffers who tried to make Jesus look bad finally stopped trying to trip Him.

“No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask Him any more questions.” — Matthew 22:46

Jesus lived for 33 years and never sinned. Jesus “has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet He did not sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Since Jesus was falsely accused before He was crucified, Herod and Pilate couldn’t find anything, not even one thing, against Jesus. “I have examined Him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against Him. Neither has Herod, for he sent Him back to us; as you can see, He has done nothing to deserve death (Luke 23:14-15). Also the 12 disciples never saw or heard Him do anything wrong. “For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty” (2 Peter 1:16).

Jesus fed thousands of people on two different occasions. He did much more because He is much more than a man. “Jesus replied, ‘Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor'” (Matthew 11:4-5).

This miracle worker is fully God. Jesus said, “Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father…” (John 14:9).

Bill Kent, Pastor of Memorial Baptist Church, Sylvania, Ga.

If you would like to submit a reader devotional, please email all submissions to jason@sportsspectrum.com.

Click here for all Sports Spectrum Daily Devotionals

>> Subscribe to Sports Spectrum Magazine for more devotionals and stories where sports and faith connect <<