The GOAT - Psalm 37:23-24

Introduction

We are here today not because Bro. Johnson died, but because he lived. Though the occasion means that he has transitioned, there would be no occasion had he not lived. So we resolve, we deduce, we are here because he lived. Had brother Johnson not lived there’d be no Rosetta, there’d be no Diane, there’d be no Leroger, there would have been no Herbert, Jr., and there’d be no Chester. There’d be no 17 grandchildren or 22 great-grand children. Thus we resolve, we are here because he lived!

Sadly, I did not have the pleasure to be acquainted with Bro. Johnson, being newly appointed here at Mt. Sinai and new to the City of Mobile. From what I have learned and heard of him he seemed to be a wonderful man. It is often very easy to know the character of a person when spending sometime with their family. You learn that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree because every apple on the tree originated from just one seed in the ground. And after some moments of time spent with Sis. Johnson, Sis. Rossetta, Bro. Walter and Bro. Leroger it was clear by there kindness and loving demeanor the character of Bro. Johnson.

I learned that Bro. Johnson was a loving husband and father. I learned that he loved to laugh and always had others laughing. I learned that he liked fish but like me didn’t prefer the boney kinds. And I learned that he had a love for giving especially at Christmas time.

As I pondered the life of Bro. Johnson, I sensed that Psalm 37:23-24 were the most appropriate to eulogize or speak well of Bro. Johnson. Certainly a life well lived has already spoken through out this service and evidenced of all of you that are here today for itself. But if we could glean something from the word of God with Bro. Johnson I think this would be befitting.

Body

There is often conversation about who is the GOAT - who is the greatest of all time. Michael Jordan is considered the greatest Basketball player. Muhammed Ali is considered the world’s greatest boxer. Serena Williams the worlds greatest tennis player. Michael Jackson the worlds greatest entertainer. And this list of the GOAT goes on and on. I’m certain all of you today would exclaim without reservation or hesitation that Bro. Johnson was the greatest husband, the greatest father, the greatest grandfather, and the greatest friend. I’ve heard even from many here of Bro. Johnsons faithfulness here at Mt. Sinai.

But the Bible would let me know as great as Bro. Johnson was, he had some help in his greatness. God had ordered his steps to be great because nothing just happens. People don’t just become great over night there is a village behind greatness but most importantly there is a God behind greatness.

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. That word good doesn’t mean good in our sense of the word. That word in this text means a strong man or a hero.

And the text is so significant because it lets us know even a strong man must have his foundation in God. Bro. Johnson wasn’t great because of his village as a child and into manhood but he was great because he had his foundation in God.

Through his ability to laugh and make others laugh I’m certain he could overcome the toughest of times in his life.

Through his ability to give, I’m sure at times he’d find himself giving even when it may have hurt to do so.

Through his ability to love his wife, his children, his grandchildren and great grandchildren; I am certain he has been the epitome of what it means to be great in these roles.

But his foundation in God ordered him to be that way.

The Scripture said because a strong man like Bro. Johnson had a firm foundation in God that God delights in him. Well naturally if God ordered his steps he’d be delighted or pleased. Oh what a joy it is for God to delight in us. While many are focused on loving money, cars, clothes, fame… I want to be among the ones who is focused on delighting God.

Yet the text seems to tell us something profound. The steps of a good man have been ordered by God - God delights in him - but then he says though he fall. It didn’t say if it said though - seemingly giving the connotation that sometimes no matter how great you are falling down might be inevitable. But there is a caveat attached even when a good man falls he won’t stay down because the Lord is holding him up. And as great of a life as Bro. Johnson lived, I’m sure he had days where he fell down.

But he could never stay there. It is evident among the text that if God had ordered his steps it means that God was with him. And it didn’t mean that God would order his steps and then leave him to walk alone. But it means that the same God who ordered his steps would walk with him every step of the way so that when the day came that he would fall the same God that ordered his steps would pick him back up. He said the Lord upholds him.

So although Bro. Johnson loved his wife that didn’t make him great.

Although he loved his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, family members and friends, that alone didn’t make him great.

What made Bro. Johnson great was the fact that he walked with God and God walked with him. Letting us know the recipe to greatness is not how little or how much you have… because if you walk with God - God will take two fish and five loaves and feed 5000 not including women and children.

Bro. Johnson walked with the same God who provided for Hagar and Ishmael when Sarah told Abraham that his other lady and her baby had to bounce.

Bro. Johnson walked with the same God that gave the children of Israel food from heaven when they were hungry.

Bro. Johnson walked with the same God who saved the Jewish people from the evil plot of Haman in the book of Esther

Bro. Johnson walked with the same God who gave hope and glimpses of freedom to our enslaved ancestors that they would one day be free.

Bro. Johnson walked with the same God who gave his only son Jesus to be born of a virgin, hung on a cross, beaten until he had drops of blood like sweat dripping from his body, a crown of thorns placed on his head, given vinegar to drink, placed in a borrowed tomb, but rose on the third day.

There’s just something about God that He’s always got to show himself mighty and pick you back up! I told you earlier… When God is ordering your steps you might fall down but you don’t have a choice but to get back up again because He is going to hold you up!

Bro. Johnson has brought you all here today to tell you the same God that has held him up for 81 years is the same God who will hold you up today! He’ll hold you up in good times. He’ll hold you up in bad times. He’ll hold you up in your time of grief and sadness because He is obligated to take care of His own.

The GOAT is not the man with the most fame, notoriety, and the greatest titles. The GOAT is not the man with all the money. The GOAT is not the man chasing all the women in the world. The GOAT is not the one constantly chasing after material possessions.

The GOAT is the one who lets God order his or her steps. The GOAT is the one who God delights in! They may not have all the friends on social media or all of the reactions - but they understand that only one reaction truly matters and that is God’s. And the GOAT lives under the assurance that God has got their back!

Therefore I resolve today under the criteria of Christ - Bro. Johnson was the GOAT!

You ought to follow in his footsteps!