Sun Kwak, “Putting an End to the GOAT Debate”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBDf9KUrOE8

TEXT: Mark 9:30-41

[30] They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, [31] for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” [32] But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.

[33] And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” [34] But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. [35] And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” [36] And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, [37] “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”

[38] John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” [39] But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. [40] For the one who is not against us is for us. [41] For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.

SERMON: “Putting an End to the GOAT Debate”

So, I don’t usually bring in political and social matters into my sermons or things that might be overly opinionated or controversial. But when things go awry, and you need to take a stand, then you need to take a stand. Because enough is enough. And so, I’m going to settle it once and for all. The GOAT, the greatest basketball player of all time goes by the name of Michael Jeffrey Jordan. Especially with our kids in here, I feel the need to do some catechism. Because all other names are imposters and need to be removed from what’s deservingly his. There, I said it. And that’s that. All jokes aside, because this is a serious matter, there’s something sacred about being called the GOAT. This title, the greatest of all time, is something that is universally recognized by others upon one who stands above the rest. And from my vantage point, one of the numerous ways that Lebron James has disqualified himself from this conversation — aside from losing six times in the finals and playing on four different teams and insisting on joining stars instead of looking to develop them. Aside from all of that, what disqualified him was when he was watching his own championship video in Cleveland with his friends in a filmed documentary of him. And as he’s watching his own championship winning moment, he said — That right there made me the greatest of all time. That he felt the need to crown himself and assert himself as the one who stood above the rest. Even his friends looked like they were a bit stunned. Because in contrast, the true GOAT Michael Jeffrey Jordan, when asked if he thought he was the greatest of all time, answered by saying that it’s not something he can ever say of himself — that there were so many who went before him that he learned from. That this assertion of greatness has to be one given from others onto him. And you might be thinking that not much about what I’ve said has anything to do with the gospel. But that part right there — that true greatness comes through another’s declaration upon you as opposed to your own assertion of yourself. That part has everything to do with the gospel for us as sinful people who stand before the mercy and grace of a perfect and holy God. Because our spiritual greatness doesn’t come from how we’ve asserted or have proven ourselves. It comes when it is declared upon us.

And it might seem rather odd that we’re talking about greatness in the midst of a sermon and a worship service that’s supposed to be all about God, but you look at our passage. That’s exactly what the disciples were doing. They were talking about greatness right after they’d failed to do something, which was heal the convulsing demon-possessed boy. So, these disciples aren’t feeling great about themselves. And they’re reacting out of their insecurity. Now, commentaries say that this was a discourse that when we read in verse 33 that they came to Capernaum and were in the house — that most likely was Peter’s house, Jesus’ home base. So, when in verse 36, he took a child and put him in the midst of them, this likely wasn’t some random child. But it was likely either one of Peter’s sons or nephews. And it’s in this place of insecurity where Jesus takes one of Peter’s own kids and tells him, along with the other disciples — Learn from him, be more like him. It’s not only what seems like a hyperbolic lesson, but it flips everything upside down. For us as parents, who work so hard in order to create this indestructible image of us before our kids, here is Jesus tearing that all down. Because while parents are frantically and busily doing everything we can to prove our worth with the work of our hands, our kids find rest in reclining in the trust that our work is sufficient for them. And that’s where I think we start to understand greatness in the kingdom of God today. Where we can learn from kids with how they recline in trusting in the hands of those they deem sturdier, firmer, and better. For as great as you think you might be, it will never be your self-assertion or self-preservation that guarantees your stay in the kingdom of God. You and I must learn to trust in hands that are sturdier and better. And we must learn to regularly trust in the voice of who declares his truths upon us. That we are lifted not because of how we project ourselves or talk about ourselves. But we are lifted through what Jesus has to say about us — about who we are, not because of what we have done, but because what he has done for us and in us.

In a book that came out some time ago titled America the Anxious. I think it came out in 2017. So, not too long ago, but I guess it’s been about a decade. The book recalls through some research how Americans are more anxious than we’ve ever been but seeking happiness more than we ever have. And one of the aims of the book is to find the strange correlation and relationship of these two things. One particular stat was how Americans have more unused vacation days than any other nation. And I don’t think it’s necessarily that we work harder than any other nation, but we feel the need to act like we do, the need to look the part. Now, some companies do work hard, and the book argues that these are the ones blazing the trail for lesser companies looking like real life versions of Dunder Mifflin, or even worse Office Space. We need to look the part, because work has become so much a part of our identity. That if we actually got to knowing that our work is not that significant, it shatters our identity. Because work has become our identity. It’s what Google and Facebook and Apple try to do, by creating these enjoyable work environments, so you don’t have to escape work in order to exercise or get good food. You can find it all there, where you can build your entire life, finding deeper identity and fulfillment in your work life than outside of it. And so, we as Americans have been studied to be anxious and busy and restless. And all the while, we’re striving for connection but don’t have the time for it. We’re too busy for friendships, we’re too busy for our families. And we’re too busy to be still. And why? Because we find our worth in what we do. And the more we do and the busier we are, we not only accomplish more. But we feel better about ourselves. And the book gets into this. Because something it digs into is how we love to talk about how busy we are. Just like parents have this kind of tired righteousness — you know what I’m talking about. Where you show how worthy you are as a parent by talking about how tired you are through how you take care of your kids and sacrifice for them. Because implicitly you’re alluding to how hard you work, how selfless and caring you are. And on the other side of the same coin, we talk about how busy we are. Not necessarily because it amounts to how much we accomplish. But the busier we are, the better we feel about ourselves, in our attempts to self-propitiate and self-assert. Busyness means that we are booked and important. It gives us self-worth. And as you might know, this whole endeavor is tiring. It is utterly exhausting. It is life-sapping.

And you look at what Jesus says in verse 35 — If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all. Jesus just has this way of making no sense in order to create aha moments. He’s saying in essence — Whatever you’re doing, do the exact opposite. And for the disciples and for us, who live in this restlessness, it’s the reality check we need. Whatever we’re doing doesn’t work. And what we need to find is something different, something completely upside down.

In a recent poll, if you were to be asked how you were doing, 54 percent of us would respond by saying — Tired. And as some of you know, I started a new season for YAC (Young Athletes for Christ). And as the coach of this new team, I started out by asking our six to eight year old players — What is your favorite thing to do? And five out of nine kidsanswered — Sleeping. And five out of nine checks in at 56 percent rounded up — so, I think we’re on track here. Betsy Burn wrote in a recent article about how being tired has become so commonplace in our society. In her words and witty tone — There’s an underlying contest over who is more tired, and who has truly earned his or her own tiredness. According to the tired married people with kids, for instance, there is no contest. They are the royalty of the tired kingdom, smug with exhaustion. So, let’s not challenge parents with four young kids. But whether it’s young or old or ancient or modern, we all suffer from spiritual fatigue and long for deep rest for our souls.

G. K. Chesterton, known as the Prince of Paradox, once said of paradox — that it’s the truth standing on its head to get attention. And in this upside down kingdom, what will catch our attentions? Well, in this busying and frantic world, perhaps, it’s to tell us that it’s all a sham. And the sooner we know, the sooner we can get out of the cave and start to see reality. That greatness isn’t attained by putting on a front. This just creates anxiety and restlessness. But true greatness is something that creates and provides rest. And when you look at what Jesus says in his upside down fashion, as his disciples are talking about ways they’ve exalted themselves, he’s teaching them of his humiliation. And they don’t get it — they don’t get the paradox. And they won’t, until they learn to recline into him instead of the ceaseless and tiring act of proving themselves. Because what do we get here? Three times Jesus would foretell his death in his ministry. And The Gospel of Mark, we get it once in chapter 8, here in chapter 9, and once more in chapter 10, where he would then proclaim — The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. Remember what Jesus said about those who are first who become servants of all? The prototype was standing right before them. For in this upside down kingdom, Jesus had to lose to win — but not win for himself but to prove again and again. Every time we get fatigued in our efforts of self-assertion, we look to what he’s done for us. It seems that Jesus loved to work in threes. For three times the rooster would crow, and he would tell Peter that he would betray him. And three times later he would ask Peter if he loved him. But three times, before it all happened, he foretold his death. A death and crucifixion and upside down victory that was not contingent upon Peter’s obedience or our obedience. It involved none of our self-asserting or self-aggrandizing. But it was an upside down victory, where Jesus would yield his spirit. But as he breathed his last and gave up his life, it would be the very portrait that would give us life. In true upside down fashion, in the way of paradox, Jesus teaches us what it means to be great. It’s to admit that we don’t have it, so that we might attain it.

In 1961, there was an episode from The Twilight Zone. And it involved Fats Brown, who was considered the greatest pool player in history. And all the while, there’s this living pool player whose lone quest is to be the best pool player to ever live. And he’s come to beat everybody in pool except for the legendary Fats Brown. And Fats Brown has his picture all over the walls, as the greatest pool player to ever live. And so, this man who’s seeking to become the best ever challenges the legendary Fats Brown. And every time he’s challenged, he has to come play. And every time he’s challenged, he’s beat his opponent. But this man is determined to be the new champion. And so, they play. And to everyone’s surprise, the man beats Fats Brown, becoming the new champion and holding the title as the greatest. And he’s overjoyed. But oddly enough, so is Fats Brown. And why? Because he doesn’t have to keep coming back to face new opponents — those who are supposedly the best pool player and seeking to be the best ever. And in Rod Sterling’s voice, the episode ends with a statement — Being the best of anything means always needing to prove it but Fats Brown has gone fishing. And there would be another moment where Peter would have gone fishing, wouldn’t there be? And where do we find Jesus? Pursuing his disciples, giving them fish, cooking them food. Not reminding them of their own works — their failed pursuits, their abandonment of him. But rather, reminding them again and again of what he’s done and accomplished for them. That though they left his side, he stayed and would never leave. For the picture of forgiveness from the Old Testament was of a lifting up — a lifting up of burdens and weight. And if you don’t believe in the God of forgiveness, there is an unbearable weight that’s on your shoulders. And it’s our invitation that you might take that weight, that burden upon one who’s promised to take it from you, that we might fly in grace. Because if you feel heavy from a long week of parenting, if you feel like your legs are ready to give out, figuratively speaking, in your pursuit to self-define and self-promote, if you feel the burden and weightiness of life collapsing you to emotional paralysis, I have good news for you.

Because rest is found in this story of forgiveness. And forgiveness is not just about a lifting up. But it’s about a lifting upand putting on. We read of Jesus’ words in Matthew 11:28-29: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Jesus, when viewing those who are weighed down by the weight of life, those of us who ceaselessly strive and are looking to achieve and self-define and appear busy and flaunt our fatigue. In view of us, he tells us that he not only identifies, but comes to share in the burden. For the yoke was a wooden instrument put over the necks and onto the backs of two working animals — oxen, for the most part — in order to pair weaker oxen with stronger oxen. That they might become one, where the weaker animal would be carried by the stronger one. And in Christianity is the only place where God puts a yoke upon himself. Where he likens himself to a working animal that’s subject to labor. Where he doesn’t force his people to ceaselesslyand tirelessly work for him. But where he comes to serve and to work for us. That he might attach a yoke to us who have legs that are giving out, to lead us to observe the transformative story of the gospel. For there would be another time, an ultimate time when Jesus would have a wooden structure strapped onto his back. And it would be to attach himself to us. Where on the cross, he committed entirely to taking upon our restlessness in order that we might enter his rest. Where he exchanged places with rebellious disciples and betraying friends in order that he might be the king who was slain for the forgiveness of his subjects. And there, he declares upon us our forgiveness and our acceptance and belonging once and for all.

Are you tired this morning? Are you tired in your sins? Are you tired in your striving? Come to the gospel for rest. For friends, this table is not a reward for our accomplishments. It’s to be told and to have declared upon us that we are worthy participants — not because of anything we’ve done or accomplished but in spite of it. That we come with confidence that our failures don’t define us but Christ’s obedience alone does. That we don’t find our ultimate identity in what we say about ourselves but what Jesus says about us. That we are not unforgivable, we are not hopeless, we are not rejected. As we read through the prophet Hosea and the apostle Peter — Once we were not a people, but now we are God’s people. Once we had not received mercy, but now we have received God’s mercy. May his voice lift us and elevate us to partake today, as we’re reminded of how we can now go fishing. Because Jesus gives us deep rest for our souls, with his indelibly printed successes now on our resume — represented once and for all by The Greatest of All Time.