Becoming the GOAT

Well good morning Summit families you have your Bibles will invite you to meet me in Matthew chapter 11.

I want to draw your attention to one of the most head scratching things Jesus ever said and it's going to have profound implications for how you and I navigate life today. Matthew chapter 11 picked me up in verse one. Matthew writes, when Jesus had finished instructing his 12 disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities now and John that would be John the Baptist heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ. He sent word by his disciples and said to him, are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another Jesus answered them going tell John what you hear and see the blind receive their side and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear and the debtor raised up in the poor have good news preached to them, and blessed is the one who is not offended by me as they went away. Verse seven Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John what did you go out into the wilderness to see a reed shaken by the wind. What then did you go out to see a man dressed in soft clothing to hold those who wear soft clothing are in kings houses.

What then did you go out to see a prophet.

Yes, I tell you in more than a prophet.

This is he of whom it is written, behold, I send my messenger before your face will prepare your way before you. Now for the shocking part. Truly, Jesus says, I say to you among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist, the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you're willing to accept it. He is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let them hear what shall I compare this generation. It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates. We played the flute for you and you didn't dance. We sang a dirge and you didn't mourn for John came neither eating nor drinking and they say he has a demon, the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say look at him, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.

Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds were more time. Verse 11.

Truly I say to you among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist get the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. Some XML talk this morning about becoming the goat, the greatest of all time will you pray with me. Father, thank you for your word. I'm always amazed and struck by Lord God, how timeless and relevant. It is thinking right now the words of Paul as he was writing to his young son in the ministry Timothy of the Scriptures and talking about how all Scripture is inspired and how it is profitable it's it's beneficial, Lord God, we need to hear from you father right now there are people who are all over the place.

Some are have been coming the seminar group grew up in church have been a part of the church all their lives, professions of faith when they were young and there some right now, Lord God, who who would say this is my first time in church. I wouldn't profess to be a follower of human there are others who are operating under the illusion of salvation. So I asked for God that your word would speak to all of us that it would change us, that would revolutionize our lives, save someone's soul. Do it right now in the name of Jesus I pray, amen. I'm guessing most of us here in this room we have a read the Ernest Hemingway classic the old man in the sea in this book written towards the end of Hemingway's life. We are introduced to the protagonist, the guy by the name of Santiago who is well an old man who decides to go out on the sea and he decides to go fishing for 84 consecutive days, he catches nothing of my kids will tell you I really enjoy fishing when got myself a fisherman, but that if I go 84 minutes without that some left in the day we going back to the house. Obviously, the lording in this, but this dude is 84 consecutive days catches nothing. As you can imagine he is is really dejected.

He's bummed out. And lo and behold, he decides to wait it out another day and on that 85th day. Not only does he catch a fish he catches the biggest fish she's ever seen or heard of in his life. He catches this huge marlin and immediately Santiago thinks now my existence is justified. I want to take this marlin back to shore. The go see how big it is and they're gonna just start sending my way praises and accolades. I'm finally going to get my just to greatness is finally going to come my way. But there's one problem. Santiago didn't have the strength the resources or the wherewithal to actually bring this huge marlin into the boat and so he's gotta keep it tied to the boat and he ends up killing it. But that's when the greater problem comes as this marlin begins to bleed out or start picks up the scent of blood and what you know if this shark starts whittling away at eating this marlin.

So much so that when Santiago gets back to shore. He has nothing to show for his labors but the skeleton of this fish in the greatness that was in his grasp is now no longer the most Hemingway scholars tell us again this book is written towards the end of Hemingway's life that actually the old man in the sea is Hemingway being somewhat autobiographical peers.

Hemingway is looking to the rearview mirror of his own life he has accomplished a lot of things.

He has his experience a measure or modicum of greatness. He seemingly has checked all the boxes wealth check frame check romance check and yet here he is at the end of his life.

If you know anything about Ernest Hemingway when the most tormented souls of ever walked the face of the earth, but he's not a picture of contentment or or meaning or value or significance is quite the opposite is an alcoholic who suffers the severe depression is an individual who who has been married and divorced numerous times. In fact, we all understand the.

The end result of Hemingway that he is so dejected that he is not been able to hold on to greatness that he ends up committing suicide with Santiago and Hemingway teach us is that there is no such thing as lasting values, significance and meaning in this life. Yet the problem for so many of us is not that we are on a quick quest for greatness actually think being on a quest for greatness is a part of what it means to be made in the image of God. This doesn't mean were on a quest to be famous with. We want our lives to make a difference. But the problem is where were fishing. So many people in this world are fishing and looking for the big game of catches of success or wealth or status and and maybe they experience those things only to come up empty and to realize they don't fulfill. To be sure our passage is all about greatness and not just greatness in general but true greatness again in verse 11 Jesus draws our attention to this. He says truly I say to you among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist he's out writing in Greek Matthew is in the Greek word for graders the idea of experience. It's the tallest tree. It's the it's the biggest lake.

It's the fastest car in that sense we might interpret this work greater as meaningful or valuable or significant. Jesus is saying that no one else born of women has experienced more value, more meaning, more significance than John the Baptist. Some of you might be bristling at this whole notion that it is quite okay to say I want to experience true greatness in life because maybe when you've heard of this idea of greatness you're thinking maybe of Mohammed Ali that the self-proclaimed greatest of all time something strikes you as narcissistic and prideful about that what you mean. It's okay for me to pursue greatness that you know we we have these goat conversations all the time.

The greatest of all time. I think Hank the guy let us in worship is a spirit filled young man except for when he gets to talk about Lebron James in basketball and then he goes over there. The person that the a precipice of heresy and start talking how Lebron is the greatest of all time and I'm just like what the world is wrong with you but did you notice him leading worship and a pair of Jordans coming such hypocrisy that the candidate for church discipline. If the Olympics please don't talk to me in the middle of preaching that bothers me as a black man but anyways is the Olympics right and in the Olympics. We been having this go conversation.

I think Simone Biles has been really helpful in helping in helping to lengthen the conversation.

It's more than just what happens in competition, but maybe some Simone Biles is helping us to see that maybe greatness is being a great teammate cheering others on being an advocate for your own mental health all over the place where having this discussion. What is true greatness. Jesus doesn't have a problem with greatness. However, this passage gives us a whole different set of metrics. The problem with worldly greatness is where using a different set of metrics, a set of metrics that is temporary and not eternal. The set of metrics. Jesus gives us is completely different. In fact, here's what Jesus is saying to us, he saying that when we commit our lives to him and to measure our lives by the metrics of the kingdom of heaven, and not the metrics of this world. You and I will attain the goat status and live the most satisfying life.

One could ever live and we will leave our marks for all of eternity.

I don't know about you friends with.

That's exactly what I want. I want to just walk you through this right now.

Our text is going to show us for areas we typically look for greatness greatness can't be found there. And then I want to land on one area that greatness. True greatness is found. As our text opens up we find John the Baptist he's in prison.

Why is he in imprisonment. He has been embroiled in the greatest scandal of his day.

King Herod, who is King of the Jews don't let that confuse you.

The Romans are in charge what they let they allowed Herod to experience a a monochrome or a measure of authority under their rule. So here is King Herrick, King of the Jews and government in a scandal that is tabloid worthy.

He has seduced his own brother's wife away from his brother, leading to the dissolution of that marriage, and he has taken her now to be his wife. Everybody else is keeping mum about this.

They understand how crazy of a political leader, King Herod is but John the Baptist, being the true prophet that he is just can't keep his mouth shut and so what is he do he speaks truth to power.

He calls out the immorality of that political leader, King Herod, that doesn't take this lying down and so he immediately has John thrown in prison while John is in prison that Jesus is it EEs one who receives the disciples of John and the disciples of John asked Jesus a question if he is the one I'll come back to that in just a few moments. Jesus then preaches the eulogy of John the Baptist and notice what he says about John the Baptist.

While John the Baptist is in prison.

He says I want you to understand that John the Baptist is the goat. He is the greatest of all time. He says that to him while he's in prison. I love it.

One of the things Jesus is teaching us is that greatness can't be measured by our circumstances.

Greatness can't be measured by our circumstances.

If you're near the summit you need understand when the things I absolutely love about our church as we have several locations that are actually inside prisons. It's amazing to me to think that there are many individuals right now were watching the sermon in and maybe they are looking to the rearview mirror of their own lives implementing some of the choices that they've made. Maybe there wondering, can God use me when you need to take a page out of the Bible in Matthew chapter 11 Jesus says of an incarcerated individual that true greatness again. Greatness cannot be measured at any time. Good or bad by your circumstances. My wife and I have severe friends of ours that these friends of ours are just been going through the ringer. It's been kind of like a Job like journey that they've been on. Seems as if Satan has thrown everything at them, including the kitchen sink. I checked in on them.

The other week just to see how they were doing in the portal. The report that I got was absolutely worse than what I initially heard things have gotten so much worse. They've lost her job that they're struggling financially, they're looking for housing. Right now there's family drama that they're going through. It seems as if the sky has caved in on them and yet in the middle of all this, the wife says to me, throws this zinger of a line at me. She says yeah but Brian is bad as things are. We are learning that circumstances are a horrible foundation to build our lives on circumstances are horrible foundation to build our lives on.

Listen, I don't know where you are in your in your own walk in life. Maybe things are going well for you.

I don't want to be the bearer of bad news but to keep inhaling and exhaling and problems will come our way. James says it this way in James chapter 1, count it all joy. Not if but when trials come your way is just a fact of life. Maybe some of you right now this is exactly where you're at. Maybe you got diagnosed with that with cancer or some kind of long-term debilitating physical disease in men who just really struggling right now I want you to understand that your value is not tethered to your circumstances. Maybe someone else are here today and maybe you're dealing with issues of infertility. Maybe if I take that a step further. Maybe there's a sense of shame that you're feeling right now is you're just struggling through this valley. I don't make light of that at all. I'm not going to give you any kind of platitudes that I want you to understand your sense of value or self worth is not ultimately found in your circumstances. Here is Jesus.

He says to an individual who was locked up that this person is the greatest of all time. Greatness is not a byproduct of my circumstances. If you just permit me to park here for just a few more moments I will press into something because here is John. He's finding himself in jail and man he's he's down, he's he's he's discouraged that we know that because he commissions his own followers got to go tagalong with Jesus and to give Jesus a message that he has his followers say to Jesus, hey Jesus.

John wants to know are you the one or should we look for another. In other words, John is saying are you the long-awaited Messiah.

The implication is if you are brother and I need you to work your magic and get me about it here. Now the question is unbelievable. Here is John the cousin of Jesus asking Jesus if he is the Messiah to go wait a minute John your mother is Elizabeth and in and in and Jesus is your cousin. His mother is Mary and I remember the time when in utero. Here is Elizabeth.

She goes to meet Mary. Mary is pregnant. Your mother is pregnant with you and in and at the very sense of the Messiah in utero. You start doing cartwheels and backflips what you mean, are you the one you want to go wait a minute John, I saw you in Matthew Matthew chapter 3 you're the one who baptized Jesus you were there when the heavens open up in the spirit descend upon Jesus like a dove. You heard the word of God saying this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased what you mean you're doubting if he's the one all of your preaching all of your proclamation about Jesus and you are doubting if he's the one ever been or ever been there. Listen, I'm a church OG.

I grew up in the church meant my dad planted two churches in two different states. At the same time every time the doors of the church will grow up and I was there I go back to flannel more days. I go back to one of hard days and yet from my learning for all the sermons I've heard preached from my Bible college and seminary training. When we had to spend five years at St. Jude's over sick child. There are times I'm driving down Poplar Avenue there in Memphis and in my own way. I'm going are you the one that you really who you say you are. Ever been there for all of our information and learning. There are times in our lives when life will wind us will be filled with doubt.

I love it. Nowhere in our text is Jesus ever scroll John for his doubt. Jesus can handle your doubts. Let me press into this just a little further, these disciples, Jesus Naegele Johnson prison he wants to know if you're the one. If you're the long-awaited Messiah Jesus then gives him a cryptic message.

He says in our text verse four Jesus answered them going tell John what you see and hear the blind receive their side and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf ear, and the debtor raised up in the poor have good news preached to them.

Most scholars tell us that this is a cryptic message loosely based on the first sermon. Jesus ever preached at the start of his ministry. That sermon is found in Luke chapter 4 verses 18 to 19 listen to what Jesus says the spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. Yet sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor in both of these parallel passages. Jesus says loosely the same thing. Listen, I've come to preach outcome to heal and come to do justice. Notice what Jesus leaves out in his message to John in verses four and five. He leaves out the part about the captives being set free in other words, what Jesus is saying to John is yes, I am the one and know you ain't getting out of jail. Friends don't you see what Jesus is doing now is pronouncing the eulogy to prosperity theology what is prosperity theology. Maybe some of you you have in your minds. Just of the crazies over there.

There the preachers on certain neo-Christian networks and ultimately they say things like, if you have enough faith you'll never get sick you'll get the brand-new luxury car with 26 inch rims rims African-American colloquialism for hubcap since you'll have all that stuff if you really have enough faith you'll never get sick prosperity theology I to say this but it's true it it it really kind of takes a foothold in impoverished communities. It gives them a false sense of hope, but I want you to understand a little bit of prosperity theology lives in all of us the end of the day, prosperity theology is equation theology. It says do good things over here get good outcomes over here the end of the day, we gotta be careful because prosperity theology is idolatry. It replaces the Messiah with the material benefits that we think comes with following him. The problem with prosperity theology is when the equation doesn't work out what happens when I tithe over here but get cancer over here. What happens if I'm faithful in my leadership over here but get terminated from my job over here. What happens when I'm doing the best I can in doing good over here but suffering and evil come knocking on my family store over here bit of prosperity theology lives in us. Here is Jesus.

He saying to John the Baptist. I am the one in your situation will not change. Matthew 14 he gets beheaded while in jail.

Am I still worthy of your worship that your friends are you following Jesus for the benefits package, or you following him because he's worth can you say with Job even though he slay me. I will still follow worst greatness found it's not found in circumstances with secondly it is not found in status. He gives the message. This cryptic message to the disciples of John the Baptist. They then turn and go away and he now preaches his eulogy verse seven he says as they went away. Jesus began to speak to the crowd concerning John what did you go out into the wilderness to see a reed shaken by the wind. What then did you go out to see a man dressed in soft clothing to behold, those who wear soft clothing on things houses the idea of soft clothing is on individual they were wearing outfits like this you associated them with the king. They were the kinks kick out couriers later delivered messages to and from the king you saw this clothing you associated them with the king and tells you they were people of status, Jesus is saying by the world standards.

John had no status. We know this to be true from Matthew chapter 3 verse four. Look at it with meat on the screen it says now John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist and his food was locusts and wild honey. The idea here is John had no status of dad's work with me on this one. Imagine you're sitting in your living room one day.

There's a knock on the door you open it up and you're looking at individual there were in camel's hair with a belt around her waist and got deadhead. They look disheveled and they say to you. Yes sir, what you not been dating your daughter and I'm here to ask permission to marry her daughter. Like what in the world never heard of you before never seen you before Lagasse review questions what you do for living.

They tell you I'm a preacher, where's your church out in the wilderness. We don't have a building where do you live I live near my church in the wilderness, really, how are you doing financially not that great. I meet locusts and wild honey. Right now get to smell it on my breath.

The goal of this individual.

You find out that they are a convicted felon. Tell them the single work undeterred a couple days later they come back with their cousin. The cousin of you find out is 33 years old is homeless has been rejected by most people and in a few days is going to be executed on a cross, chances are you gonna double down and said there's absolutely no way you can marry my daughter. These two individuals John and Jesus were individuals who, by the world standards had no status yet. What is he saved John the Baptist with no status, no sense of esteem in this world.

He's the goat. Truly I tell you, no one has been greater born of women in some senses friends on the continuum of eternity. That's all of us writing to the Corinthians, Paul says, for consider your calling brothers not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble bulk birth, but God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. II gotta be careful here. He's not saying if you're wealthy or if you do have status by the world's eyes that that God can't use you Bible is filled with individuals who had wealth and status in the world's eyes and they did profound things for the kingdom of God. They give individuals like like Abraham and Lydia and Philemon and so and Esther and so on and so forth. However what Jesus is saying is you cannot be obsessed with pursuing status in this life, and at the same time pursuing status in the kingdom of heaven.

Those two things don't worst greatness found it's not found my circumstances is not found in my status. This is a big one is not found in my religion. It's not found in my religion book of Matthew is peculiar because what makes Matthew different from Mark, Luke and John is the audience Matthew was addressing Matthew is writing his authorized biography on the life of Jesus. He's he's writing his gospel to the Jews.

Individuals with the synagogue every week and went to the temple on high and holy days or went to the temple to offer sacrifices for their sins to memorize the tour that be the first five books of the Bible. They memorize Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Leviticus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. They memorize that the average Jew Dave are almost 20% of their annual income to the Lord and yet the fact that he writes his gospel to religious people tell us that not only are those two things drastically different but you could be religious as the day is long and headed to hell at the same time. This is our text protects winds down. Jesus likens him and John to children playing in the streets.

He says to them. Listen, I want you understand John and I played the flute for you and you did not dance.

This is a reference to what would happen at weddings at weddings when you heard the flute that was your cutie hit the dance floor due to do the wobble. The Cupid Shuffle the electric slide. That's what you did when you heard the flute to the left if that's what you did.

He says we did that you didn't respond. You set down at your tables when we played the flute for you.

Is it okay that didn't work so we we sang a dirge. This is an allusion to what happens at funerals at funerals when you heard the dirge that was your tutor mourns these as we sang the dirt you did mourn. We played the flute. You didn't dance and sing the dirge and one what is he saying John and I came to you religious people giving you gospel truth and you did not respond.

You said I will have my religion at the expense of the gospel fact that religion gospel in the gospel are two different things as evidence. Religion says I do the gospel says it's done. Religion is works driven. The gospel is grace driven religion is about me that gospel is about God. Jesus said we came to you, giving you the gospel you refuse to accept our invitation. With that in mind now are ready to rightly divide when the most perplexing verses in all of the Bible verse 12, Jesus says, from the day of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence and the violent take it by force. What is Jesus saying Jesus is saying, the kingdom of heaven is being abused in context it was it being abused by religious people who refuse to repent of their religion spirit of religion says I can get the got on my own terms spirit of religion says I will do it. It is me center. I will have it in my way. Jesus is the kingdom of heaven is being abused by church folk who come to church but were very religious, whose hearts are as far away from him as the elder brother's heart in Luke chapter 15, only to be a sophisticated analogy to submit this in your mind.

Imagine I am. I come to you and I say I will bless you, I would take you out for a wonderful steak dinner. My dad lets hang we go out and the waiter comes by takes her ordering you order the mother load of all fillets I have five that's what I'm talking about. The waiter asked you how you were prepared and you have the audacity to say I wanted. Well done facility stop you right there brother.

That child did not die for you to burn it you are ruining the experience at supposed to be medium maybe even medium rare, but not well done. I'm begging and I'm pleading with you. I'm playing the flute I'm singing the dirge well done is not the way it's supposed to be. But you persist, you gotta have it your way and you ruin the whole purpose of it.

That's what Jesus is saying, I came offering you a whole different experience. But you thought the kingdom of heaven could be had on your terms can't readily see this today. Let me give you three examples we see this all the time today and you'll forgive my directness.

I say this to us in love. I got a buddy of mine who a group of people left his church a few years ago they were ticked off because they said he was talking about sin too much. They left his church and they planted a new church constructed this church in their own image God. A pastor who would preach the sermons. The way that they wanted it they ordered the kingdom of heaven.

Well done. They did violence because of their refusal to respond and conform to gospel truth. We see this now and when preachers and leaders give a biblical vision of sex and sexuality. They say the Bible says it can only happen this way and you can individuals who have left the church started denomination started churches because they refuse to conform to biblical truth and have in the process ordered the kingdom of heaven.

Well done and they said no marriage can happen between anybody I can press even further.

All my life I give myself to ethnic unity in the biblical vision, not a cultural vision of biblical vision of ethnic unity I preach. Ephesians 2 Revelation 5 Revelation 7 honoring the text and I can count on every single time I do a people complain people leave why because the biblical vision is cutting against the grain of how they were culturally formed. All these more cases of individual saying, I will have the Bible, and the kingdom of heaven according to my preferences. Jesus said when we do this we are abusing the kingdom of heaven.

Greatness cannot be found in circumstances status, religion is around third head for home. It can't be found in people's opinions of us can't be found in acceptance again. Jesus says John and I gave you and we explain the flute you didn't dance we sang the dirge unit one. What you think you all rejected us, and yet in spite of you are rejecting us to have the greatest of ever lived. John says of Jesus that he came into his own and his own received him not.

Other people's opinions of you is no appropriate commentary on your worth worth greatness found it's not found my circumstances. It is not found my status if it's not found my religion if it's not found in acceptance where his true greatness found answer as we close it is found only in Jesus Christ.

Verse 11 is truly I say to you among those born of women there has arisen no one greater then John the Baptist get the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he has been years pastoring in Memphis during the immensity of Memphis city of Memphis is typically ranked in the top 10 for murder is murder villains fact so many murders happen in the city of Memphis is the bane of the Memphians that its density is enrolled violent television show called the first 48 murder after murder after murder after murder. Yet for all the murders that have taken place in memory is highly no one murder by name. You know this letter to his name is James Earl Ray, why do we know James Earl Ray will remember what he looks like it was an average individual's biographer says why does James Earl Ray have a legacy for murder he committed on April 4, 1968.

His legacy is that he killed Martin Luther King Jr. because he had a legacy he is linked with that legacy has a legacy Jesus how the world can you say John the Baptist is the greatest of all time about Moses that legendary liberator opened up the red Caesar.

What about the Esther who spoke the power for such a time as this is what about Elijah and Elisha in their ministry remark by the supernatural.

John didn't have anything on them. How can you say he's the greatest Jesus says the difference between John the Baptist and Abraham, Moses, Joseph, the patriarch Elijah and Elisha and everyone else is his and his life's calling was inextricably tied to me as being is inextricably tied to me and I am the greatest that ever was never an end and never will be likewise true greatness in life. Jesus said, you and I can experience the same goes.

This is not tell you the person that is least in the kingdom of heaven can be the greatest of all time during the kingdom of heaven. How to get there. You didn't get there by your own good works, you didn't get there by your choices. You didn't get there. My church attendance unit, thereby your morals driving you got there by Christ and Christ alone in your life tied to his. I don't care what I don't hear reviewer's name is having those netizens in your life is in Christ, and Christ is in you, you, you are Craig's. You can leave your mark really is the father of thank you for your word.

Seven euros for fishing in the wrong scenes forgive us of our idols trying to find greatness apart from you following renew our commitment to be inextricably linked to Jesus over 100 times in the New Testament we are told in Christ we live in today is