Trinity 17
James 3:13 – 4:3, 7, 8a – Two kinds of Wisdom
Mark 9: 33 – 37 – Who is the Greatest?
Who’s the GOAT?
That question is guaranteed to provoke endless argument, the claimed candidate being dependent on personal allegiances, age, culture and experience. The GOAT we’re talking about here though isn’t Billy, as pictured here.
It stands for Greatest Of All Time.
Although probably based on questions of sport, usually football (George Best or Colin Bell?) (No contest, IMHO), the appellation ‘GOAT’ is now applied to people in all walks of life. For me, I guess the top candidates in various other disciplines are:
Politicians: Abraham Lincoln or Nelson Mandela?
Cricketers: Don Bradman or Gary Sobers?
Guitarists: Clapton or Hendrix?
Artists: Picasso or Van Gogh?
Racing Drivers: Fangio or Senna?
Authors: Dickens, Lawrence or Joyce?
Disciples: James, John or Peter?
In truth, you’d have to question whether they were really the greatest or simply just the best known. The answer according to Jesus is actually many who we’ve never heard of, those who were happy to be servants of the smallest child despite the cost to themselves. That’s the challenge.
Whereupon, perhaps the GOAT could even be (should be?) You.
Better learn how to Bleat.
Previous Posts
Praying Together 3rd March 2024
And what of our anger? Is it based on injury to self? Injury to others? Or injury to love, to forgive, to serve? Can we defend it at the foot of the Kingly throne?
Praying Together 25th February 2024
‘Which am I – the chicken or the pig? Jesus makes it clear that in following Him, there is no half-way house – our values are either of the material world, or of the Kingdom.
Praying Together 18th February 2024
The world is in flames. Are you impelled to put them out? Look at the cross. From the open heart gushes the blood of the Saviour. This extinguishes the flames of hell. Make your heart free by the faithful fulfilment of your vows;
Praying Together 11th February 2024
It’s the same for us – we cannot build our faith on just one or two aspects of Jesus’ story. The fundamental truth we need to accept that He is risen from the dead and He is Lord, alive.
Praying Together 4th February 2024
He asks for no reward, save that of loving His creation, His Father and our neighbours (all of them) as He loves – do we even do that?
Praying together 28th January 2024
So, says Paul, eat or don’t eat. Stop making a fuss over things that don’t matter, and get on with loving your neighbour.
Praying Together 21st January 2024
as we celebrate this week of Christian Unity, let us consider what service we could offer together, that we wouldn’t be capable of achieving on our own – the whole being much greater than the parts.
Praying Together January 14th 2024
Plough Sunday has its roots in medieval times, when the parish church was often used to store a communal plough in the winter months, then being decorated and blessed before the rhythm of the agricultural season begins once more on Plough Monday
Praying Together 7th January 2024
When the world looks at us, sees our actions, our life, do we reflect the light of Christ, and further His Kingdom? Or do we deepen the darkness?
Praying Together 31st December 2023
Jesus – the revolutionary terrorist according to the Sanhedrin – is different, however, in one unique regard.
His only weapon is love.
Even for enemies.
Which is how His Victory is won.
Praying Together 25th December 2023
Without the crib, there is no cross.
Without the cross, the crib has no meaning.
Unto us a child is born…
… a Saviour who is Christ the Lord.
Praying Together 17th December 2023
May you walk in His light throughout your life; may you be His body on earth, share Faith, Hope and Love, and use the all the gifts He gives you to bring His Kingdom in.