My view from the porch 3.24.22

My View From the Porch 03.24.22

G.O.A.T.

Greatest of all time! Boy has this become a saying over that past 5-10 years? Do we know what G.O.A.T. looks like? Some would say Michael Jordan, and I guess he is in basketball. Some would say Tom Brady, and I guess he is in football. ESPN says that Vladimir Guerrero, Jr is in baseball (I don’t recognize that name). But what does it mean to truly be a G.O.A.T.? The world’s standard for being a G.O.A.T. is so very different than what the Word of God says the standard is. When we look at the Word of God, we see what the G.O.A.T. did. Leviticus 16:22 says, “The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities…” In the old testament all the sins of the people were placed on the goat and it was then sent out into an uninhabited land and released into the wilderness. Then Isaiah 53:4 & 5 says, “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him and by His stripes we are healed. Leviticus is describing the “scape goat”. The thing that took the place of the people in paying for their sin. Isaiah was a prophecy of the coming Messiah. Their roles were identical, to take on the sins of the people. BUT… Jesus did it once and for ALL!!!

Jesus, was and is the G.O.A.T.! He became that sacrifice for us. Our sins, sicknesses, diseases, were placed on Him and He took them to the cross, He descended into hell, and then ascended into Heaven and took the keys to hell and the grave with Him. He defeated satan once and for all! NOW THAT is the G.O.A.T. We can never take on our sins, much less the sins of others but we can humble ourselves. We can love like Jesus. We can give our very best to each other. We can forgive. We can live a life of surrender. We can serve. Let’s recognize the One True G.O.A.T. today by living, loving, giving and serving those around us, and maybe even ourselves.