by John Grant
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“And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.� Luke 2:7
She opened her gates to the public today for the last time, to be replaced for a bigger, newer facility next door. Yankee Stadium has hosted nearly seven thousand Yankee games since opening in 1923. In addition, she was the venue for a major football team, host site of some of the most famous boxing matches in history and the site of three Papal visits. Yankee Stadium is indeed America’s most famous venue.
She got her nickname “The House That Ruth Built� from the iconic Babe Ruth who hit Yankee Stadium’s very first home run and went on to be one of baseball’s greatest players of the game.
As I sat behind home plate one night last week, I could only think of the history of this incredible place, both the players on the field and the thousands upon thousands who have sat in the stands. In this stadium, the “Bronx Bombers� have won more World Series championships than any other team. When I was a kid, the men in pinstripes were my heroes.
As I watched the crowd cheer for the winning home team, I could not help but think of another house build by another babe…… the baby in a Bethlehem manger more than two millenniums ago. That baby grew up to be the savior of the world.
As an adult, Jesus said “”And I say to thee, thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:18. Though centuries have passed, the message is the same… Jesus came into the world to save sinners and to establish his church… a church that will not wear out or get outdated… one that will stand forever, one that need never be replaced.
Though structures build by man ultimately fade away, the church built upon the rock of the baby in Bethlehem stands today as the one true access to God through His son Jesus Christ.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have disappeared, and-look – all things have become new!” 2 Corinthians 5:17.
(a thought on life from John Grant )
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http://thoughtsaboutgod.com/blog/2008/09/29/jg_the-house/