Upside Down Kingdom

Well, good morning, everyone. My name is Alistair.

I have the privilege of being the assistant pastor here at Brunsfield

and the privilege of opening up that passage for us in Matthew.

But before we get to that, let's just quickly pray together. Let's pray.

Father, in the words of Psalm 19, we pray that my words would be a blessing to you

and that you would help the meditations of our heart be glorifying to you.

In Jesus' name, amen.

I wonder this morning how many of you remember reading the Mr. Men or Little Miss books.

I'm seeing a few hands, a few nods.

Or maybe you remember reading them as a child or reading them to a child.

So these books are in nearly every doctor's surgery or dentist surgery waiting room up and down the UK.

There's one particular character I'd like to draw your attention to this morning.

Do any of you remember Mr. Topsy-Turvy?

I'm getting nods. Okay, that's good. That's good.

So Mr. Topsy-Turvy is a bit of a funny character, isn't he?

So everything about him is either upside down, inside out, or back to front.

He wears his socks on his hands.

He sits down when he's told to stand up.

He stands up when he's told to sit down.

His left is his right and his right is his left.

Even speaks in a topsy-turvy way.

So when he's selling his house, he doesn't say house for sale.

He says sale for house.

Everything about this man is topsy-turvy.

Even his house, his doors, his curtains, his windows, everything is upside down.

Mr. Topsy-Turvy lives in a topsy-turvy world.

And children love to read his stories because his whole life is just so bizarre that it's funny.

But I wonder if when you listen to the reading of Matthew 19 this morning,

you notice something that was upside down.

I wonder if you realize that Jesus was speaking about something which seems a little bit topsy-turvy.

In this section, we see Jesus having two conversations.

And in both cases, he is teaching people about an upside-down kingdom.

In verse 30, Jesus says that many who are first will be last,

and many who are last will be first.

So in this whole conversation, Jesus is teaching about an upside-down kingdom.

And he's telling his people, his disciples, that they are to be Mr. Topsy-Turvies in the world.

So as followers of Jesus this morning, we are to be distinct,

radically different from those around us,

because as Christians, we are living for an upside-down kingdom.

So we get to listen in to this conversation that would change a life forever,

and a conversation that will change our outlook on life,

both in the here and now, and in the yet to come.

So it's about an upside-down kingdom.

Jesus tells the rich man to sell, give, and follow.

And he tells his disciples to leave and receive.

So the first thing that Jesus says about this upside-down kingdom to the rich young man

is sell, give, and follow.

In verses 16 to 22, sell, give, and follow.

So a rich young man comes to Jesus and asks him in verse 16,

Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?

So this man is acknowledging Jesus as a good teacher,

and the question that he asks is a question that many people are asking today.

What must I do to get eternal life?

But he isn't asking how he can live forever.

He isn't on the search for the fountain of youth so that he'll never grow old or die.

But the eternal life that he is speaking about

is the eternal life that is promised to those who are the people of God.

An eternity, a life that continues after death in the presence of God,

as opposed to eternal damnation and separation from God.

So this man knows about the truth about the existence of heaven and hell,

and the seriousness of it,

because he comes and asks Jesus this very important question.

But do you see the problem with his question?

This rich young man thinks that his deeds,

or that his religious acts,

are enough to get him into heaven.

He thinks that religious performance will make him right in God's eyes.

And Jesus responds in verse 17, look with me.

He says, there is only one who is good.

Now this does not mean that Jesus isn't good,

or that he has no authority to say what is good or not,

but Jesus is challenging this young man's superficial assumption

that he is good enough,

or that he can never work enough to get into heaven.

And Jesus continues and says that only God is good.

If you want to enter life,

keep the commandments.

So Jesus says that God has already revealed and defined to the world

what good is when he gave the Ten Commandments,

when he gave the Old Testament law.

But Jesus isn't saying that following the Ten Commandments

will make a person right with God.

Living by a set of rules won't save you,

but having faith and trust in Jesus Christ will.

So this young man asks which commandments he needs to follow,

and Jesus lists some of them in verse 18.

You shall not murder,

you shall not commit adultery,

you shall not steal,

you shall not give false testimony,

honour your father and mother,

and love your neighbour as yourself.

And what does the young man say in verse 20?

Oh, I've kept all of these,

so what else do I lack?

Now this reveals two things about this young man.

The first is that he is very, very proud.

He thinks that he's perfect,

that he's got it all sorted.

And the second is that he has a superficial and shallow view

of what God is asking of someone in the Ten Commandments.

See, the Old Testament law wasn't given as a way to work your way up to God.

And that's how this man was living.

That's the way of religion.

That leads to doubting and a lack of assurance.

But the law was given so that people could see

how far short of God's perfect standard we all fall,

which then leads to faith and dependence on him,

which then in the Old Testament results in following the law.

We cannot work our way to God because he is perfect, we are not.

He is holy and we are not.

A person is saved by faith in Jesus, not by works.

This man is like one of Madame Toussaint's wax figures.

So if you go to one of these museums,

you'll see figures made out of wax that look exactly like the person.

I've been told they're almost identical,

but the truth is that they are fake.

They're just figures, nothing more.

They have no brain.

They have no life.

They have no heart.

They are wax.

They look the part, but they're fake.

And this young man is the same.

He looks the part on the outside.

He has all the right trimmings.

He can say and do the right things.

But on the inside, his heart is in the wrong place.

He isn't trusting in God for eternal life,

but he is trusting in his own religious performance.

And then Jesus delivers a truth that will flaw this man.

Something that will make his whole idea of self-perfection crumble before his eyes as he lays bare,

as he realizes his sinful state before a holy God.

Jesus says,

if you want to be perfect,

meaning that you want to be made right with God,

if you want to live the life that you were created for and be truly obedient to God,

then you need to go sell, give and follow.

Now at this point, you can imagine the gasp from Lord Sugar's office.

And many other businessmen and people for that matter,

people who build their life around money,

will realize that this whole conversation will make their world crumble.

Jesus is telling a very rich man to sell, give and follow,

which will lead to him having treasure in heaven.

What an upside down kingdom this is.

This young man focused so much on his performance and on his prosperity

that he had no desire to submit to Jesus.

Performance and prosperity will not get you into heaven.

Keeping religious rules and being a good person will not get you into heaven.

What will?

Acknowledging your sinfulness and wrongdoing against a good and holy God.

Repenting of them, turning from them, believing in, submitting to and following Jesus Christ.

That is the only way to heaven.

This young man is focusing on his performance

and he's not willing to give up his wealth to follow Jesus.

He was trying to find his satisfaction in religious performance.

And so he walks away sad.

How devastating is it that this man,

that his money,

that his material wealth was more important to him

than his eternal state before a good and holy and just God.

He saw the cost.

He didn't like it.

And he walked away.

Does this mean that Jesus is telling us to go and sell and give everything that we own?

No.

You can breathe.

It's fine.

Jesus is not telling this young man that his wealth is wrong.

But Jesus is warning him that his money and his possessions are his idols.

If he doesn't let go of the thing that is stopping him from coming to God,

then he will never have eternal life.

Jesus calls people to come and follow him.

And once we do that,

our desire should be to serve him and to live obediently

and out of a devotion to him

in every area of our life,

including our money.

So whether you're rich or whether you're poor,

whether you came to church this morning in a Bentley or on a bike,

God is asking for your heart.

That is what this young man in Matthew chapter 19 wasn't giving to God.

Matthew 19 · chapter mention

He wasn't giving his heart.

Are you here this morning

and you're trying to work your way into God's good books?

Trying to look the part on the outside,

but you know deep down that your heart is being pulled away

by wealth or other distractions.

That is wrong, Jesus says.

You will never be good enough.

You can never work enough.

You can never have enough money for God to be pleased with you.

In this upside down kingdom,

the only way to be made right with God,

to have eternal life,

is to surrender to and follow Jesus.

Will you do that this morning?

Or maybe you are a Christian,

but you're so focused and caught up in money.

You can have money as an idol,

whether you're rich or whether you're poor.

Where your heart is,

there also your treasure will be.

What is more important to you?

The comfort in this world for the few years that we have here?

Or eternal peace and communion with the God who created

and who loves you?

Practically speaking,

do our bank balances and our possessions

reflect the things that we worship?

Now this doesn't mean that we shouldn't have nice things,

but if we're working overtime to get that second home,

or if we're working overtime to get that second car,

or that bigger TV,

or that new phone upgrade that's just come out,

we need to ask ourselves,

what and who is our money serving?

What and who are we doing?

God's kingdom,

or are we worshipping ourselves?

Now some of us might need to search our hearts

and motives and see where we stand,

and it could mean that we need to go sell, give, and follow.

Is Jesus telling you this morning to do that?

If he is, let me encourage you that the reward

is far greater than the sacrifice.

The reward makes the sacrifice non-existent.

And that is the second thing that we see in this passage

that Jesus says about this upside-down kingdom

to his disciples,

he says,

leave and receive in verses 23 to 30.

Leave and receive.

So in the culture of first century Israel,

people often believed that if someone was rich,

that that was an obvious sign that God was blessing them,

and that they were almost automatically into heaven,

that that was their get into heaven card.

And so what Jesus says in verse 23

shocks his disciples,

and is counter-cultural.

He says in verse 23,

truly I tell you,

it is hard for someone who is rich

to enter the kingdom of heaven.

And then he gives an illustration

to drive the point home,

because no camel can fit

through the eye of a needle.

Jesus is turning their whole worldview upside down,

and letting them see that God's eternal perspective

is far, far different from our earthly perspective.

The disciples are astonished

and ask in verse 25,

well, who can be saved?

Surely this man's wealth

is an indication that God is pleased with him.

If the rich,

those who seem to be under God's blessings,

aren't saved,

then who can be?

In verse 26,

Jesus brings light to this whole situation

and says,

with man this is impossible,

but with God all things are possible.

salvation,

eternal life,

perfection,

all of these words in the passage

are pointing to the same thing,

and eternity spent in the presence of God,

being forgiven of our rebellion,

and rejection of him,

and having a right relationship with God.

Jesus says,

with man this is impossible.

Salvation,

both for the rich and for the poor,

cannot be achieved by human efforts.

We cannot save ourselves.

We cannot work our way to God.

We can never do enough

or give enough

to be made right with God.

People cannot save themselves.

Salvation is only possible with God.

Now, do you see how different

this makes Christianity

from all other beliefs?

Other religions are built on works

and deeds and good actions.

Other beliefs tell you

that the way

that you have to work your way up

to some kind of God.

But Christianity

is an absolutely different message

because God came down.

Salvation is an act of God.

God opens people's hearts.

God draws people to himself.

We are solely saved

because of him

and by his grace.

And the great news is

that God is the God

who specializes

in the impossible.

God set the plan

into motion

to rescue humanity

from our sin

and rebellion

against him

from the beginning of time

by sending his son,

Jesus Christ,

to pay the punishment

that we deserve

on the cross

and to be raised to life

so that we know

it is true.

Salvation,

being made right with God,

is only possible

through Jesus.

There is no other way.

And Peter speaks up

in verse 27

and wants to know

what this teaching means

for him and the disciples.

He says,

we have left everything

to follow you.

What then

will there be for us?

So the disciples

weren't just sitting around

one day doing nothing

and Jesus

comes up to them

and says,

hey, do you want to come

hang out with me

for a little while?

No, in Matthew chapter 4,

Matthew 4 · chapter mention

you can look this up later,

Jesus was walking

by the Sea of Galilee

when he saw two fishermen,

Peter and his brother Andrew.

And Jesus didn't walk up

to them and give them

five reasons to follow him.

He didn't sit them down

and ask them about their strengths

and their weaknesses.

He didn't.

He just simply said,

come and follow me

and I will make you

fishers of men.

These men left

absolutely everything

to follow Jesus.

They left behind family,

jobs,

the comfort of their own home.

They sacrificed so much

and Peter wants to know

what their reward will be.

And Jesus tells them

some marvelous truths

in verses 28 to 30.

Jesus says,

truly I tell you,

at the renewal of all things,

when the Son of Man

sits on his glorious throne,

you who have followed me

will also sit on 12 thrones,

judging the 12 tribes of Israel.

And everyone who has left houses

or brothers or sisters

or father or mother

or wife or children

or fields for my sake

will receive a hundred times as much

and will inherit eternal life.

But many who are first

will be last

and many who are last

will be first.

So Jesus says,

in the new creation,

when he returns to judge

and rule the world

and be with his people

forever,

that's when the reward

will come.

Jesus here is talking

about a future time,

a time when every eye

will see him coming

and every knee will bow

and he will reign.

That's when his followers

will be rewarded.

But look at verse 29 again.

Is this a fair reward

for their sacrifice,

that they will receive

a hundred times?

Absolutely not.

The reward far outweighs

the sacrifice.

Jesus is saying,

Peter, you have missed the point.

The reward that you will get

for following me

is not to be found in this world.

It is not in the here and now.

But the reward is far beyond

your imagination,

far beyond what you can ever grasp.

And you will have an eternity

to enjoy it in my presence.

Mind-blowing.

And in the first century,

when people left the traditions

of their families

and the teaching of Jewish religious leaders

to follow Jesus,

it often meant a radical break

from their families.

And that was very difficult for them.

And the same still happens today

in many cultures,

in many religions,

and in many countries.

But Jesus isn't saying

that we need to leave our families

and forget about our responsibilities.

What Jesus is saying

is that his followers,

that we should have a radical change

of priorities in our lives.

The world tells you

to look out for yourself,

strive to be number one.

But Jesus says in verse 30,

many who are first will be last,

and many who are last will be first.

Jesus says that as the world sees it,

those who exalt themselves now

will be brought low

in the life to come.

And those who humble themselves now

and follow Jesus

will be exalted in the life to come.

You could be on the Forbes richest list

in 2019,

but if you're not right with God

and you do not believe in Jesus,

then you will be humbled in the end

and you will not have eternal life.

Do you see how upside down

this kingdom is?

This whole section

is an illustration

of what Jesus is teaching.

This young man

was rich during his life,

but when the end would come,

he would receive no blessings,

no reward,

because he would not sell,

give,

and follow Jesus.

But the disciples

who were willing to sacrifice

and leave everything,

they would receive

the greatest reward

that they could ever imagine

in the kingdom of God.

So let me ask you a question.

Let me ask all of us a question.

How upside down

is your life?

This passage is first and foremost

about our response to Jesus

and whether we're willing

to follow him.

It is about salvation,

eternal life,

and our priorities.

Are you following Jesus?

Are you following Jesus?

not the same

or not?

But this passage

also has big implications

on all areas of our life

and not least

our money.

Our money is a gift

given to us by God

and as Christians,

we should want to use it

for him.

Are we living the same

sacrificial life

that the disciples were?

Are we living

as if we are last?

Now this challenge

challenges us

how we use our money

and it is a big challenge

for every single one of us

in this room.

It has been a big challenge

to me this week.

What is the first thing

we do with our paycheck?

Do we go on

that shopping spree

that we've been

looking forward to

for ages

or do we use

our funds for God

and do we plan

how we give?

When we give

to the church

do we think

okay I'm going to

pray about this

I'm going to plan

how to give

or do we just give

what we have left

at the end of the month

when everything else

is gone?

This is all about

identifying

where your heart is.

And we can tell ourselves

that money isn't

an idol for us

but practically living

but are we practically

living like we are

last and God is first.

Our bank balances

and our lives

don't lie about

the state of our heart.

This week alone

I've seen three

different churches

all in need

of financial support.

Money to keep

their building up

to scratch.

Money to buy

a building.

Money to hire

someone to do

gospel work

in a scheme.

so that people

can hear the good

news of Jesus Christ

and get this eternal

life that we're

thinking about.

Investing in eternity

investing in this

upside down kingdom

is far greater

than storing up

treasures here on earth

that will fail

and that will be gone.

The radical lifestyle

that Jesus is calling

us to in this passage

affects every area

of our life.

we cannot serve

both God

and money.

But we do need money

because we do

have needs

but so often

our money serves

our own desires

and wishes

rather than just

our needs.

But our money

isn't there

to serve us

but all of our money

should be serving God.

So how are you

using your finances?

How are we using

our finances

to serve God?

Jesus doesn't tell us

to move out of our homes

to sell our cars

and give it all away

but I wonder

if we need the reminder

that our money

is ultimately

not our own.

That we should invest

it in eternity

that we should use it

for God's glory.

But we need to check

our hearts

because Jesus

isn't preaching

a prosperity gospel

here whereby

you give in order

to get

or you sow a seed

in order to reap

financial gain.

If we walk away

from this passage

with that in mind

then we've completely

missed the point.

Jesus says

that if we sell,

give and follow him

our reward

will be in heaven.

But our financial

sacrifice here and now

will bless God's people

will bless God's church

and it will mean

that we have Jesus

as a priority

in our lives

and we will be living

obediently

and sacrificially

for him.

This has worked out

very well

in my own life

when I studied

at the Faith Mission

Bible Colleges

a few years ago.

Sabina and I

were newly married

both studying full time.

We had no money

coming in

and I had no idea

how I would pay

my tuition fees.

Started out

Bible College

not knowing

if I was going

to make it

to the end

but thankfully

God put it

on someone's heart

to put an anonymous

donation

into college for me

that paid

all of my fees.

Through someone

else's sacrifice

I was able

to complete

my studies.

That person

sacrificially gave

to God's kingdom

and we were blessed

as a result.

That changed

my life.

God

this is an upside

down kingdom.

Jesus flips

our whole world

upside down

and tells us

that our priorities

need to be eternity

in God

not earth

and ourselves.

So if you're living

for the here and now

building your own kingdom

focusing entirely

on yourself

and giving no thought

to God

in his kingdom

then Jesus

is telling you

go sell

give

and follow.

But if you're

a Christian

who is sacrificially

serving

and giving

someone who

has God

and his kingdom

at heart

someone who

has been

giving up

and continues

to give up

for God's kingdom

then Jesus

says

you will be

rewarded

far beyond

your imagination

when he returns.

As we draw

to a close

I want us

to walk away

this morning

knowing

that it is

far better

far

far better

to live

for eternity

to live

for this

upside down

kingdom

than it is

to live

for a world

that will not

satisfy us

and that in the end

will leave us

cut off

and separated

from God.

This is the

upside down

kingdom

that we live

for.

Many who are

first in this

life

will be

last in the

life to

come

and many

who are

last in

this life

will be

first in

the life

to come.

Let's pray

together.

Loving God

and Heavenly

Father

would you

reveal to

us

where our

heart is

not in

the right

place?

Would you

challenge us

this morning

if we need

to sell

give and

follow?

Would you

encourage us

because we

have left

and we

will receive?

But Lord

we ask all

of this

not for our

own fame

for our

own glory.

We ask

this for your

fame and your

glory only.

Would you

help us

in the name

of your

Son Jesus

Christ.

Amen.