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

Two Kingdoms (Part 2)

What is the Kingdom of God?

If somebody came up to you and asked you this question, what would you say? How would you answer them?

Jesus repeatedly talked about the Kingdom of God, for example:

“After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news! ” Mark 1:14-15

“Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.” Luke 17:20-21

When thinking about setting Biblical goals and values, we must do so in line with the Kingdom of God. It is a Kingdom in which God is King and where He reigns in power and authority. It is also frequently referred to as the upside-down Kingdom because of its frequent opposition to the way the world works and what it values. As just a couple of examples:

• Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted (Matthew 23:13)
• The first will be last, and the last will be first (Matthew 20:16)
• We are to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44)
• Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternity (John 12:25).
• If somebody slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also (Matthew 5:39)

Can you think of any other Biblical examples? There are many.

We will see this theme of the upside-down Kingdom play out repeatedly throughout this study as Jesus comes face to face with the values of this world before turning them on their head. Often, people came to Him with a goal, a value, or a core motivation - but walked away completely changed or with a vastly different perspective. This happened to people back in the ye’ old Bible days, but it also happens all the time today as well. It is very rare for somebody to have an encounter with Jesus and walk away unchanged.

Is this your story? How has Jesus encountered you, and how has that changed the way that you live? Take some time to thank God for His presence in your life, and journal what this experience has been like for you.

As you make your way through each day of this study, think about or journal the answer to the following questions:

What is the 'worldly' 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 out today, finish by thinking through or journaling the answer to the question at the top of today’s study: what is the Kingdom of God?