Baseball's playoff season has begun, and I saw a story recently about elite hitter Ichiro Suzuki that fascinated me. He treats his bats as if they were expensive violins. It struck me that the respect he gives to his bats is something like the way we should regard the Word of God. Read Premier Hitter Ichiro Suzuki Protects His Baseball Bats.

This week we also feature:

• Sermon: Why Can't You Be Like Your Brother? by Hershael York. This is a surprising portrayal of God's grace from the shameful chapter in Judah's life (Genesis 38).
• Skills article: Steve Mathewson gives six ways to resolve apparent contradiction between the Gospels and the Epistles. This is the fourth and final installment in the series Are Jesus and Paul on the Same Page.

Preaching Christ,

Brian Larson
Editor, PreachingToday.combr /> blarson@christianitytoday.com

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Craig Brian Larson is the pastor of Lake Shore Church in Chicago and author and editor of numerous books, including The Art and Craft of Biblical Preaching (Zondervan). He blogs on Knowing God and His Ways at craigbrianlarson.com.