Upside Down Kingdom – Week 1
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus describes an Upside-Down Kingdom that was counter cultural. It still is.
Our hope isn’t in who wins the election. Our hope is in Jesus!
19“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money. 25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?” Matthew 6:19-21, 24-25
When we live in Jesus’ Upside-down Kingdom, we have an eternal focus.
Are you willing to put your Jesus filter in front of your political filter?
When we live in Jesus’ Upside-down Kingdom, we build our life on Jesus’ ways.
24 “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.25 Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. 26 But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. 27 When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” Matthew 7:24-27
When we live in Jesus’ Upside-down Kingdom, we understand out true citizenship.
20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. Philippians 3:20
What do we do with this election? We pray. We vote. We vote based on our Jesus centered, Biblically informed conscience as citizens of Heaven.
34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:34-35
How will the world know we are followers of Jesus and ultimately, come to know Jesus? By our love!
Next Steps:
This week as citizens of Jesus’ Upside-Down Kingdom:
- Don’t lose your mind. Jesus is still King!
- Have an eternal focus.
- Love like Jesus loved.