The Upsidedown Kingdom

Jesus was countercultural - flipped the kingdom upside down - the things that were normal in society are flipped upside down.

You’ve heard it said — the way that moses did it was.....but Jesus is saying it..... He’s upping the standard of living. Living in the tree of life and tree of knowledge of good and evil.

He saved them from themselves.

Messiah and Christ are the same word.

Messiah is a Hebrew word.

Christ is a Greek word.

People would also use the phraise “The Anointed One”

Defintion: A future deliverer and savior who would rescue his people and usher in a time of prosperity and blessing.

People expected a conquering messiah in what they considered to be conquering.

The Messiah was thought to be a man, but had characteristics of God (“free from sin”)

Mark 2:1-12 (TPT)

2 Several days later, Jesus returned to Capernaum, and the news quickly spread that he was back in town. 2 Soon there were so many people crowded inside the house to hear him that there was no more room, even outside the door. While Jesus was preaching the word of God, 3 four men arrived, carrying a paralyzed man. 4 But when they realized that they couldn’t even get near him because of the crowd, they went up on top of the house and tore away the roof above Jesus’ head. And when they had broken through, they lowered the paralyzed man on a stretcher right down in front of him! 5 When Jesus saw the extent of their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “My son, your sins are now forgiven.” 6 This offended some of the religious scholars who were present, and they reasoned among themselves, 7 “Who does he think he is to speak this way? This is blasphemy for sure! Only God himself can forgive sins!” 8 Jesus supernaturally perceived their thoughts and said to them, “Why are you being so skeptical? 9 Which is easier, to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are now forgiven,’ or, ‘Stand up and walk!’? 10 But to convince you that the Son of Man has been given authority to forgive sins, 11 I say to this man, ‘Stand up, pick up your stretcher, and walk home.’ ” 12 Immediately the man sprang to his feet in front of everyone and left for home. When the crowds witnessed this miracle, they were awestruck. They shouted praises to God and said, “We’ve never seen anything like this before!”

Mark 2:23-27 (TPT)

23 One Saturday, on the day of rest, Jesus and his disciples were walking through a field of wheat. The disciples were hungry, so they plucked off some heads of grain to eat. 24 But when some of the Pharisees saw what was happening, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples shouldn’t be harvesting grain on the Sabbath!”

They were hungry and needed to eat. So they ate. The Pharisees were standing by WAITING to find a rule that they were breaking. Jesus came to abolish THIS type of system. He came to bring FREEDOM to the people.

25 Jesus responded, “Haven’t you ever read what King David and his men did when they were hungry? 26 They entered the house of God when Abiathar was high priest and ate the sacred bread of God’s presence. They violated the law by eating bread that only the priests were allowed to eat. But there is one here who is even greater than the temple.” 27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for the sake of people, and not people for the Sabbath.

He’s saying that the Sabbath and every law and commandment for that matter wasn’t made for us to serve. They are there to HELP us.

Mark 3:1-6 (TPT)

3 Then Jesus left them and went again into the synagogue, where he encountered a man who had an atrophied, paralyzed hand. 2 Everyone was watching Jesus closely to see if he would heal the man on the Sabbath, giving them a reason to accuse him of breaking Sabbath rules. 3 Jesus said to the man with the paralyzed hand, “Stand here in the middle of the room.” 4 Then he turned to all those gathered there and said, “Which is it? Is it against the law to do evil on the Sabbath or to do good? To destroy a life or to save one?” But no one answered him a word. 5 Then looking around at everyone, Jesus was moved with indignation and grieved by the hardness of their hearts and said to the man, “Now stretch out your hand!” As he stretched out his hand, it was instantly healed! 6 After this happened, the Pharisees left abruptly and began to plot together with the friends and supporters of Herod Antipas on how they would kill Jesus.

Jesus reminds us that laws and commandments help us

Sabbath - when it’s serving us, we find peace, healing, rest.

Jesus flipped everything on its head. The disciples oriignally thought that following Jesus would mean fame and fortune. Well, Jesus told them three times

Mark 8:27-38 (TPT)

27 Then Jesus and his disciples walked to the villages near Caesarea Philippi. On the way, he posed this question to his disciples: “Who do the people say that I am?” 28 They replied, “Some say John the Baptizer, others say Elijah the prophet, and still others say you must be one of the prophets.” 29 He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter spoke up, saying, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God!” 30 Then he warned them not to breathe a word of this to anyone. Jesus Prophesies His Death and Resurrection 31 From then on, Jesus began to tell his disciples that he, the Son of Man, was destined to go to Jerusalem and suffer great injustice from the elders, leading priests, and religious scholars. He also explained that he would be killed and three days later be raised to life again. 32 Jesus opened his heart and spoke freely with his disciples, explaining all these things to them. Then Peter took him aside and rebuked him. 33 But Jesus turned around, and glancing at all of the other disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, “Get out of my sight, Satan! For your heart is not set on God’s plan but man’s!”

34 Jesus summoned the crowd, along with his disciples, and had them gather around. And he said to them: “If you truly want to follow me, you should at once completely disown your own life. And you must be willing to share my cross and experience it as your own, as you continually surrender to my ways. 35 For if you let your life go for my sake and for the sake of the gospel, you will continually experience true life. But if you choose to keep your life for yourself, you will forfeit what you try to keep. 36 For what use is it to gain all the wealth and power of this world, with everything it could offer you, at the cost of your own life? 37 And what could be more valuable to you than your own soul?

38 So among the unfaithful and sinful people living today, if you are ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of you when he makes his appearance with his holy messengers in the glorious splendor of his Father!”

Jesus tells us to hold our lives with an open hand

Our culture tells us to hold onto our life with a tight fist. Earn more, keep more, spend more, hoard more.

Jesus isn’t telling us to give away everything and live in poverty. Some people might have God tell you that specifically, but that isn’t a general rule for all followers of Jesus. What he is telling everyone is to not cling to any of our posessions. It’s all temporary.

Mark 9:30-35 (TPT)

30 They went on from there and walked through the region of Galilee. Jesus didn’t want the people to know he was there, because he wanted to teach his disciples in private. 31 He said to them, “The Son of Man is destined to be betrayed and turned over to those who will execute him. But after three days he will rise again.” 32 But the disciples didn’t have a clue what he meant and were too embarrassed to ask him to explain it. 33 Then they came to Capernaum. And as soon as Jesus was inside the house, he asked his disciples, “What were you arguing about on the way here?”

34 No one said a word, because they had been arguing about which one of them was the greatest. 35 Jesus sat down, called the twelve disciples to come around him, and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be content to be last and become a servant to all.”

Jesus tells us that greatness comes from serving.

In our 21st Century american cultulre we can easily view leadership as lordship. But if you can think back on the best bosses you’ve had, they have probably all been ready and willing to serve first.

Serving is taking the time to do what’s best for your people. Are you willing to do what’s best for those around you? Are you willing to lead your family through servanthood?

You might be persecuted for this.

We’re teaching our baby Moxie to eat all kinds of food. We have to hide the french fries and chicken nuggets because that’s all she wants to eat.

Mark 10:32-45 (TPT)

32 Jesus and his disciples were on the road that went up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was leading them forward. The disciples were filled with wonder and amazement at his bravery, but those following along with them were very afraid. As they approached the city, he took the Twelve aside privately and told them what was going to happen. 33 “I want you to know that we are going to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be handed over to the ruling priests and religious scholars and they will condemn him to death and hand him over to the Romans. 34 And they will mock him, spit in his face, torture him, and kill him, but three days later he will rise again.” 35 Jacob and John, sons of Zebedee, approached Jesus and said, “Teacher, will you do a favor for us?” 36 “What is it you’re wanting me to do?” he asked. 37 “We want to sit next to you when you come into your glory,” they said, “one at your right hand and the other at your left.”

38 Jesus said to them, “You don’t have a clue what you’re asking for! Are you prepared to drink from the cup of suffering that I am about to drink? And are you able to endure the baptism into death that I am about to experience?” 39 They replied, “Yes, we are able.” Jesus said to them, “You will certainly drink from the cup of my sufferings and be immersed into my death,

Jesus invites us to experience his blessings and his sufferings.

41 Now the other ten disciples overheard this, and they became angry and began to criticize Jacob and John. 42 Jesus gathered them all together and said to them, “Those recognized as rulers of the people and those who are in top leadership positions rule oppressively over their subjects, but this is not the example you are to follow. 43 You are to lead by a different model. If you want to be the greatest one, then live as one called to serve others.

44 The path to promotion and prominence comes by having the heart of a bond-slave who serves everyone.

45 For even the Son of Man did not come expecting to be served by everyone, but to serve everyone, and to give his life as the ransom price in exchange for the salvation of many.”

Jesus reminds us that advancement comes from lowering ourselves.

People expected Jesus to come as a king ruling over everyone. He FLIPPED it all upside down and