Baseball and the Bible
Fun podcast discussing baseball and baseball training. We will also be getting into the Bible and doing weekly devotionals.
Baseball and the Bible
Jesus Won
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The Easter message reminds us that what looks like the end is never truly the end when God is involved. In Matthew 28:1-7, we encounter the powerful declaration: 'He is not here. He has risen, just as he said.' This statement transforms everything we thought we knew about finality and defeat. When the women arrived at the tomb expecting to find death, they instead discovered victory. This same pattern plays out in our lives today. Whether we're facing disappointment in our personal pursuits, struggling with setbacks that feel insurmountable, or wrestling with situations that appear hopeless, the resurrection teaches us a fundamental truth: nothing is truly finished until God says so. The Easter story isn't just about an event that happened two thousand years ago; it's about the ongoing reality that Christ's victory over death translates into daily victory for us. Every situation we face, no matter how dire it seems, is redeemable. The same power that raised Jesus from the grave is available to bring life into our dead situations, hope into our despair, and transformation into our brokenness. We can walk through each day with the confidence that because Jesus won, we too can experience victory in whatever we're facing.
Welcome back to another episode of Baseball in the Bible. I'm Riker Dotson here with my father, Ryan Dobson, and we're back for another podcast of Baseball in the Bible.
SPEAKER_01Happy Easter.
SPEAKER_02Happy Easter. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, no, it's it's uh obviously a celebration day today as this episode airs. Um so uh excited to to release this one on on Easter Sunday, and um glad you guys are with us, and we just pray that you have a blessed day if you're uh at church today or watching this later in the week. That you've just had a great Easter week and a great great time with family and and celebrating our risen king, right? Yep, so it is Easter, uh, which is awesome. Um, and we had planned to have a a big special guest today. Parker Bird promoted it.
SPEAKER_02We definitely promoted it probably more than we should have.
SPEAKER_01No, no, it's good, it's it's exciting. We're excited to have him on. But such is life, scheduling conflicts arose at the last minute, so he could not be with us for this episode. Uh, but in the very near future, hopefully in the next couple weeks, we'll have have Parker on and a chance to talk to him and have him share his story and share some uh just advice and and some cool things uh with us. Uh but we did have we had the chance to meet him uh in person this past weekend.
SPEAKER_02Hopped school Friday, yeah, drove down to San Antonio to watch in East Carolina University versus Yeah, we're representing our one of our new favorite college baseball teams here, East Carolina. We're rocking the merch.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Got to watch him against UTSA, the Roadrunners. Um it was a good game. Uh I think they won three to nothing. Uh Pirates did. Yep. And uh the game started, it was like 90 degrees. By the time it was over, it was 60 degrees. The wind, the wind was blowing, um, and it was blowing in straight in from the outfield.
SPEAKER_02So couple balls probably could have been.
SPEAKER_01Balls were dying out there, yeah. But the pitcher for the pirates pitched very well. He had one hit, uh gave up one hit through seven innings.
SPEAKER_02Didn't even cost a run.
SPEAKER_01So then they brought in another guy. I think only used two pitchers that night, got through, got through the nine, and uh got the three-nothing win. But more importantly for us, we got to meet Parker. Um, got a chance to chat with him briefly, um, and we'll continue that conversation. And again, look forward to having him on the pod with us uh very soon. I won't say a date yet, but very soon. And uh again, just a just a great young man.
SPEAKER_02Um top tier human.
SPEAKER_01Top tier human. And uh look forward to having him on. But uh so today we don't have him, uh, so we're we're gonna just kind of pivot a little bit. Um again, obviously it's Easter, so we have plenty to talk about. And it is also um opening weekend, opening week of MLB season. Uh has happened, has has come and gone. And just so we're gonna recap a few things that happened. A few things that happened, a few highlights, uh surprises. Uh again, it's the first week uh of a marathon season.
SPEAKER_02So there have been some shocking, yeah.
SPEAKER_01But you can't you just can't jump to any conclusions after one week of of the MLB season. So um, but you know, some people started hot, some people did not. Um, and so we're gonna we'll talk through some of that and uh then we'll get into our our devotion.
SPEAKER_02So um Cardinals beat the Rays two out of three games.
SPEAKER_01Cardinals beat the Rays two out of three. We can start with that, yeah.
SPEAKER_02It's an absolute stud. There's nothing more to it. Shares faith on an interview, like I don't know what to say. This guy's my favorite.
SPEAKER_01He's quickly becoming our favorite, uh, a household favorite.
SPEAKER_02Every time that the the Rays and the Cardinals were in a close game, and Weatherholt came up, my dad would stand up off the couch.
SPEAKER_01I'm excited. I'm excited for JJ.
SPEAKER_02He would like rub his hands, he was getting so ready. He's like, come on, Weatherholt.
SPEAKER_01He's the future, uh, but just seems like he's he's ready for the moment, 23 years old. Um, if you're a baseball fan, look him up. We're trying to get his rookie card. Really want that. Believe the believe the young man is gonna be a stud. And he had a great opening series uh with the Rays. Continue to really, he's had a great you know, first week in um batting leadoff as a rookie. Um first game of the year, he had a had a home run and didn't a sack fly. But um that first game of the year, Cardinals got down seven to one, and came they gave up six in the top of the sixth and came back and scored eight in the bottom of the sixth, and ended up winning that game nine to seven. And then the second game of the series, they were up four-o going in the ninth, blew that lead. Uh, and then Weatherholt hit the the walk-off single uh in the bottom of the 10th, scoring two runs. Um, so we had a you know, just an awesome start, and uh even good start for the cards. I really I do I'm enjoying watching the young. There's gonna be some some downs when you have a young team like that, but they're fun to watch, and I'm excited. You know, again, so many of these guys are 23, 22 years old. Yeah, just young guys that are gonna get gonna be better, building a good core. So yeah, I'm excited for that.
SPEAKER_02And I want to say everyone's saying, and it is, it's a reconstruction year, but don't like this rebuild the team can have it has some weight to his name if they if they keep playing like they did against Tampa.
SPEAKER_01We'll see. There's a long way to go, long way to go, but um good start. And uh again with Weatherholt, there's something to be excited about, if nothing else. So and Jordan Walker, some of the other young guys have gotten off to a good start. So church, but we'll talk others because I I know everybody here is not here. We could have uh just a single Cardinals podcast and just sit here and talk about the Cardinals for hours, but we won't do that. No, we won't. We'll we'll talk uh we're gonna go through the whole league real quickly, but uh we'll stay local to the Rangers opening series against the the Phillies won that series. Uh and um the played pretty well again. That's again the Phillies off to a rough start, but it's it was my team to to make it to the World Series upset the Dodgers. But you just can't, you know, Bryce Harper kind of struggling, getting booed at home, but just so early. Um but that opening series, uh Sanchez shut you know shut the Rangers down that that first game. But you had some homers from Seager and Berger in the second game, and then you know, some of the uh new guys, um McCutcheon, you know, has done well. Brandon Nimo had a home run. McKenzie Gore pitched well in that his first start with the Rangers. So uh good start for for the local team. And uh again, my pick to win the the West. Mariners started off good as well. Brandon Donovan, who I felt like would have a big impact for the Mariners, has started off very well for them. Um couple things, a couple surprises. The big surprise you were referencing, just again, one start, but uh Skeens got rocked opening day.
SPEAKER_02I was referencing that, but there was another thing I was referencing. But yeah, Skeens went 0.2 innings.
SPEAKER_01Yep, only got two outs. Give him five five earns, yeah, five runs. Wow. Um had a had a some defensive errors behind him, but again, I I am zero percent worried about Paul Skeens. It just happens to the yep. Uh even opening night, Aaron Judge that's I was referencing Judge went over four, yeah. Over four over four and four K's, yeah. So the Golden Sambros. So, but it's just uh you know, again, it happens to the best of them. So it's like sometimes again the booing after one week is insane to me, but you know, yeah, it's you know, and people in New York are freaking out because Yankee fans, what can I say? Well, they didn't boo him, but uh Phillies fans just booed Harper, and they're they're known for that kind of stuff.
SPEAKER_02But yeah, it's crazy, but uh so that was good.
SPEAKER_01Um some other highlights. Uh Max Fried on opening night was good for the for the Yankees, six shutout innings. Um the Brewers uh opening day combined. Their young pitcher Jacob M is all his last name is crazy to pronounce, but he's the young stud coming up too. I think he had 11K's, but as a team, they had 20 uh on opening day, which was a record. Um Marlins kind of off to a good start. The Blue Jays that opening series had uh they went they swept that series and they had 50 strikeouts as a pitching staff, which is pretty awesome. Dodgers have obviously they swept their series off to a good start for them. Of course. Um yeah, I think that's it. I mean, you know, just some good good early baseball. Uh long way to go, but excited for the cards. We'll see how see how the season unfolds. So any other highlights from you for the opening week?
SPEAKER_02Nah, just brings back. It's just anything can happen, you know?
SPEAKER_01Anything can happen. And it's a long, long, long series season for for baseball. So you're gonna have your highs and your and your lows throughout that season, and again, especially for young teams, uh like the Cardinals. I mean your your teams that like the Dodgers and your established teams, they're gonna they're more more steady, more consistent, but um you kind of know what you got with those guys.
SPEAKER_02But oh another thing I want to say, uh the new challenging strikes. That's cool.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_02You like that? I like it. I love that. I saw this thing, it's like, can we get this in our day-to-day life? It's like you say that, can we challenge that? Make sure it's like in my if I didn't tear my ACL in high school football, I had 13 touchdowns in my rookie season. Check that. Check that. I don't see that. Check the stuff. Check stats, yeah. Make sure you tell the truth here.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah. Yeah, that would be good. I mean, I do like it. Um, and it's it's been uh pretty efficient. Like, I mean, you're watching the game, it's pretty quick. They tap their helmet, boom, it's popping up on the screen. You get the you get the result quick. It's also shedding some light. Uh I think it's all I think the Derek Shelton for the twins got thrown out opening week arguing the the robot call, which is like how do you do that? But uh yeah, yeah, I don't I didn't see the um all of the particulars of what the I just saw Derek Shelton got tossed for arguing for arguing the ABS call. Yeah, I don't know the premise, but there there has been some uh it's shedding some light on some of the umpires that may be struggling a little bit because a couple of them that opening weekend they had like eight challenges against them and seven of them were overturned uh behind the plate. So that's it's pretty yeah, pretty rough. Um but true. Uh but again we'll see. I I do like it, I think it's a cool feature, and and the best part of it is it's happening, it's not holding up the game in in any way. It's been it's been very quick. Yeah, no, it's more efficient than even the having a manager come out there and argue, or you know, having guys yell at you, it's just tap my helmet, yes or no. And and I think the people are using the players are still getting a feel for when to use it, you know, because you don't want to blow it in the first inning. Try to use it on more well, yeah. You gotta use it. You only have so many, and you gotta use them on high leverage situations. So uh, but yeah, that's cool. Anything else?
SPEAKER_02No, I think that's it.
SPEAKER_01That's it. Okay. Um, all right. Well, it is Easter, uh, Easter Sunday. Um, and so again, um just thankful for this day and what it represents. And so we just wanted to read some some verses, have a you know, a quick devotion about it, hopefully share some encouragement and um and you know discuss, as we said on last week's episode with Palm Sunday. I mean, obviously, you don't have the cross and the resurrection without Jesus being born, um you know, that sacrifice, and then him sacrificing his his life on the cross, uh, but all of it comes and and comes to not comes to a head, but come, you know, it's all the climax. Yeah, it's all it's the climax, it's all validated. You know, he he's not just a a sacrificing savior, he's a risen, victorious king on this day, and um so I think I mean that's the the power and the freedom and the victory that we have are because of what we celebrate today on Easter Sunday. And so just go ahead and we'll we'll read some some verses, again, very familiar verses. Uh just start there, Riker and Matthew 28, uh read one through seven. Verse six will be our focus verse of the week, but read one through seven.
SPEAKER_02Uh after the Sabbath, at dawn, on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and going to the tomb and going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him as that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the woman, Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, he has risen just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples he has risen from the dead, and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him. Now I have told you.
SPEAKER_01Again, verse six, he is not here, he has risen just as he said. And so uh Easter reminds us uh that what looked like the end again, it's never the end. If it's not good, it's not never the end with with the Lord, yeah. Um until he says it's the end. But yeah, uh so many times we look at what we think, oh my world is over. Um, but it could really just be the beginning of something the Lord is about to do. Um, and so you know, you you have Easter week, and we talked about it last week on the episode, uh Palm Sunday, and he's coming in. Uh Hosanna, Hosanna, save us, and then by Friday, Good Friday, uh he's he's crucified, uh, laid in the tomb, uh, and then three days later, uh risen, victorious. And so um again, when he when he rose from the grave, they provided us the the victory. Um he defeated death, he defeated sin uh through his through his resurrection. And so um what are some some thoughts you have there as far as resurrection sunday?
SPEAKER_02Uh just again it shows that nothing uh nothing is truly finished until Gaza. So like for me, like what you said it kind of helped me because again, I'm going through getting kicked off the baseball team. So it's like it's not the end. Like there's still more, it's not over. It's not good, it's not done.
SPEAKER_01Correct, correct. And while in our little bubble of a world that feels like a big deal right now, um there are uh we as a family have faced in reality bigger issues than than that. There are people that are watching that are probably you know that going through things that are more difficult than than even that, you know. And it just when we're going through hard times, um sometimes again it can be difficult to remember um uh that he has us in his hands and that he is again that he is victorious. So we can when we're feeling down, when we're feeling heavy. Uh, and if anybody's watching that today, you know, watching today is feeling that feeling hopeless in any way. Uh the Easter story reminds us that nothing is hopeless, that every person, every situation, every moment is redeemable, uh, and the Lord can bring uh life into that hopeless situation, you know, whatever it is that they may be facing. So whether it's you know, working through your baseball journey at 11 years old or dealing with something, you know, much, much bigger, much, much in again in the grand scheme of things, much, much more serious, much more difficult. Um uh again, the Lord, you know, but again, because he's a loving uh savior, a loving father, uh, loving God, he cares about uh all of our situations, whatever we're facing. And so um He's still Jesus is still at uh at work bringing hope and life to situations that seem dead, right?
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_01Okay, any other thoughts on um Easter week, Easter Sunday. What does it what does it mean to you at 11? What do you what does Easter Sunday mean to you?
SPEAKER_02Um to me Easter Sunday just it really just reminds me that the Lord loved me individually enough to die on the cross and just wipe my sleep clean. So when I think about that, it's just like no matter what I do, I'm not too far gone. Because he gave his life so I could devote my life to him.
SPEAKER_00Very good.
SPEAKER_01Um yeah, I think that's good and you know uh I think again more than more than anything, I think it just we celebrate today, just uh what Jesus obviously we celebrate and we we honor his sacrifice and his courage to go to the cross. Um the courage that that took and the obedience that that took. And but on Easter Sunday, again, it's it's all about the victory that he provided for us. Uh and it and it's an eternal uh victory, you know, that we have the opportunity to go spend eternity in heaven, thanks to what he did on the cross and and the victory that he won uh at the grave. But it's also the day-to-day stuff. Again, we harp on this. So it's just like my hope is today is if anybody's watching this that's going through anything, that they can just be reminded that this Easter Sunday, uh, or whenever you're listening or watching this, whatever day of the week, you know, if it's in August sometime when you're and you're watching this, the victory that he uh provided uh Easter Sunday. Yeah is available to us every day of our lives. No matter what situation we're going through, no matter what we're facing. The Easter story is a story of hope. It's a story of freedom. Peace. Peace. Victory, transformation. And so we can all experience that because of what Jesus did at the cross and at the grave. Right? He is not here. He is risen. Just as he said. So you know, it's again, it's it's this is a we talked about this getting ready to come in here. I mean, there's so much that you could talk about with with Easter, but I think we just want to be short and sweet with that. And you know, again, hopefully you guys uh again, if you're watching this on Easter Sunday, we're able to get get to a service and um uh just pray that we all would walk with that kind of understanding and that kind of victory uh today and every day of our lives, right?
SPEAKER_02That death was defeated because of Jesus, right?
SPEAKER_01So we just want to give him the praise, give him the glory, uh, and celebrate what he did uh for us this day, right? Right. So I think that's it, unless you have anything else you wanted to add. Um we wanted to be quick and quick and efficient today.
SPEAKER_02So anything else you wanted to Yeah, I want uh Reach's peanut butter cups in my district. But other than that, I'm good.
SPEAKER_01Okay, well, again, we hope you guys have a great day with the family, and um no matter when you're listening or watching this, that uh you'd be encouraged. Um we just thank the Lord for for what he did for us and the victory he provided. So a cool shirt, you know. I've I've seen a lot of people wearing it. Um you know, the Jesus won shirt. A lot of people, it's a very popular shirt. But I saw even the this this week uh during one of the post-game interviews, I saw Mike Trout wearing it. It's just again, you you sometimes you can see those shirts, and you can you can it can become you know cliche and just you know, whatever, whatever. But again, when you step Jesus won. He won. Exactly. I mean, and so you know, even though sometimes I think maybe guys are wearing those shirts just because it's it's cool. Uh I mean it it's just it's an ultimate statement, you know. Absolutely, and so just seeing him wear it was cool. But um again, he he didn't just come and lay down his life and sacrifice and be the humble savior, he capped it off by being the victorious king and defeating death, and so again, that's what we celebrate. And so Jesus won.
SPEAKER_02Absolutely.
SPEAKER_01I love that's the title of this episode, baby. Jesus won. I like that. Jesus won.
SPEAKER_02All right, thank you for looking. Thank you for clicking on the Jesus won video.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah. So all right, that's it. Happy Easter again. Keep keep watching baseball, keep seeing how the season unfolds, and see what other cool things uh unfold here for the podcast as it uh continues to develop and grow. So thank you guys for being a part of it. Have an awesome Easter Riker, pray for us, and we'll get out of here.
SPEAKER_02Lord, thank you for this day. Thank you just for another podcast where we can just devote a couple minutes just to honor you, Lord, and give you the glory for everything here. Lord, I just uh I pray that if anybody ever is just feeling down or hopeless or not good enough, Lord, I just pray that you would remind them that you won and that they have no reason to worry because at the end of it all, Jesus Christ has won the battle. So Lord, I just pray that no matter how big the problem, big or small, uh I just pray that they would find peace in you, Lord. In Jesus' name, amen.
SPEAKER_01Amen. Love you guys. Happy Easter. Jesus won.
SPEAKER_02Jesus won.