WHO'S THE GOAT?

 

WHO’S THE “GOAT?”

The greatest of all time

 

Who’s the goat- the greatest of all time- and how do we know? How do we even know what the term “great” means? The dictionary tells us that “great” often means very large in amount or degree. “The temptation was too large for Johnny. Her paintings cost a great deal.” “Great” may also mean something like “wonderful” of “fantastic,” like “it’s great to be home,” her meal was “great,” or pastor Ken does a “great” job of preaching.

 

Great means big, impressive, better than, and in some sense, more worthy of an honor or a position. It’s a competitive term. I see that Hank Aaron is the GOAT of the MLB, that Jerry Rice is the GOAT of the NFL, and that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the NBA’s GOAT. Thomas Edison is the GOAT inventor, but Steve Jobs and Nikola Tesla were close. When it comes to singing, who’s the GOAT? Or painting?

 

The GOAT is bigger than, better than, more memorable than, and more important than those who are not the GOAT. But what if we are measuring service, sacrifice, tears, love shown… instead of home runs and touchdowns? What if we’re talking about giving instead of getting, listening instead of talking? Who is the GOAT- the greatest of all-time at the United Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, IL.? I see the stained glass windows and the names that are identified, but I don’t know if one of them is our GOAT. Praise God for those who keep our beautiful old building in repair, for those who stock and distribute food, for those who visit and pray for others, for those few who work in our resale shop, and quilt, and prepare and deliver our holiday food baskets, and for those who show up and help us carry a tune! Thank God for the faithful, but who knows who are GOAT is, or if there can even be a GOAT in heaven?

The New Testament world was filled with slaves and free persons. A doulos was a slave. Slaves did a variety of jobs, but they were always owned and never free to choose for themselves. According to Matthew and Mark, you had to become a doulos to be first in the kingdom of heaven. You had to surrender entirely and “die to yourself,” as Bonhoeffer said. But to be “great” in the kingdom, you had to be a servant, a diakonos, a deacon. A diakonos was free to come and go, but he/she always worked in service of someone else! The ancient Greeks saw service as undignified, but in the kingdom of God, being a servant is great!  Paul was proud to call himself a servant of God.

This brings us to our passage: “Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, ‘What were you arguing about on the way?’ (Because they had been bickering on the way back home). And there was a awkward silence because they were embarrassed to say that they had been arguing about which one of them was the “greatest.” So he sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, ‘Whoever wants to be first must be last, and doulos of all.” In the kingdom of God everyone is a servant- kings, pastors, elders, deacons, teachers, healers, visitors, pray-ers, and everyone else!

And so, James, John and Peter… and Mary, Julie, Harold, Ken… and any other would-be GOATS in the kingdom of God, it turns out that God doesn’t see greatness in the same way we do… because being “great” is not about us! We can’t be great! A great servant is something of an oxymoron, but we can be faithful! We can be “of use” to our Lord by serving the least among us… as if they were Jesus himself. I’ve always liked 1 Cor. 13 because it reminds me that it is all about love… and unfortunately for those who want to be the GOAT, love doesn’t keep score! If I speak in tongues, Paul noted, but do not have love, I am only a clanging cymbal. ² If I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is not self-seeking! And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

If we love, forgive, empower, and love some more, and do it… until the cows come home, we may hear our master say, “Well done, good and faithful (servant) diakonos,” but if we do these things in hope of being the GOAT, we will be nothing! Amen!