Spiritual Goals and Values: Following Jesus in His Upside-Down Kingdomعينة

Spiritual Health (Part 1)

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose” - Jim Elliot.

Over the last twelve studies, we have looked at many of the world’s values and motivations, including personal achievement and ambition, knowledge and intellect, pleasure, race and gender, reputation, religious duty, productivity, comfort, independence, busyness, wealth, and power to name a few. We have also seen how Jesus turned many of these values on their head - choosing instead to live and teach a life of selflessness, hospitality, generosity, love, growth, humility, dependence on God, perseverance, sacrifice, suffering, and teachability.

All of these values were and remain extremely counter-cultural. They are part of the upside-down Kingdom that Jesus came to establish, a Kingdom and a lifestyle that comes from an eternal perspective, prioritises spiritual health and wholeness, and draws us closer to God and other people. It is a life that isn’t in a hurry, and isn’t focused on personal success and achievement. It is about building God’s Kingdom, and not our own.

Reality is nothing in this world is guaranteed, and our very lives can be taken away from us at any moment. If that happens, what will we have to show for ourselves? All of our wealth, possessions, trophies… they will all be pointless and useless. Having an eternal perspective is the only way to live a life that lasts. Therefore, the way and life of following Jesus is not only counter-cultural but also incredibly wise and worthwhile.

History is filled with the lives of people who gained the whole world (money! success! fame! property!) and yet were deeply unhappy, or lost it all in the end. The Bible asks us: what good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? (Matthew 16:26)

Therefore, as you set goals for your life, remember to prioritise your spiritual health and well-being. Follow in the footsteps of Jesus, for He is the greatest leader who ever lived. The stories that we have looked at during this study are just a small selection of those that could have been chosen. If you are interested, you can take the foundational questions (listed below) and apply them to many more of Jesus’s interactions. For example:

• Mark 10:13-16
• Matthew 25:1-13
• Matthew 8: 18-22
• Mark 5: 21-43
• John 8:1-11
• Matthew 8:23-27
• John 11:1-44

Here are the five basic questions to apply to these (or other) passages:

What is the 'worldy' value displayed within this story?

How does Jesus challenge this motivation/value?

What is the Kingdom of God value that Jesus is presenting as an alternative?

What does this tell me about God?

How can I apply this to my life?

To finish up today’s study, choose one of the above passages and work through the questions listed.