Upside-Down Kingdom

Awaken

Jesus is talking about His own death. His closest friends are arguing about which of them is the greatest. The gap between what Jesus values and what we naturally value has never been more obvious.

Behold

Passage: Mark 9:33-37

Read the passage. What are the disciples arguing about on the road? How does Jesus flip the definition of greatness — and who does He hold up as an example?

Internalize

1. Missing the point. As Jesus and the disciples walk toward Jerusalem, Jesus repeatedly tells them He's going to die. But the disciples are entirely missing the point. While Jesus is talking about dying, they're arguing about which of them is the greatest. Jesus stops and teaches them that the Kingdom of God is completely upside-down compared to the world. In the world, greatness is about power, money, and bossing people around. In Jesus' Kingdom, "anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all." He welcomes little children — the lowest, most powerless members of ancient society — and says the Kingdom belongs to such as these.

2. The cost of security. Shortly after, a rich young ruler comes to Jesus. He has money and morality, but he can't bring himself to give up his wealth to follow Jesus. He walks away sad. To follow Jesus requires letting go of everything we use to find our own security. Notice what you flinched at reading that last sentence — that flinch is usually a more accurate map of your own security than anything you'd say out loud.

Do

Take a few minutes with the questions below — your answers are private.

Today's one small act: Serve someone today in a way no one else will notice or thank you for — an errand, a chore, a quiet kindness — as a small, deliberate act of "last place" greatness.

Entrust

Ask someone: "What does our culture call greatness — and how different is that from what Jesus said in Mark 9:35?"

Gospel Appeal: Notice what you flinched at in today's Internalize — that's usually a more accurate map of what you actually trust for security than anything you'd say out loud. No amount of climbing higher on the world's ladder gets you closer to Jesus's kingdom; the rich young ruler had morality and wealth and still walked away sad, because what he actually trusted was never up for negotiation. Jesus doesn't ask you to white-knuckle your way down to last place — he modeled it himself, becoming least and last for you at the cross, and he's now interceding as your great High Priest, able to actually loosen your grip on whatever you're gripping instead of him. If you've never let him near that grip, today can be the day. And if you already have, name the specific thing you flinched at and hand it to him again.

Add Mark 9:35 to your memorization deck and say it once out loud before you close this lesson.

Pray — in your own words, or borrow this: "Father, Your Kingdom operates so differently than the world I live in. Strip away my pride and my desire for status and wealth. Give me the humble, trusting heart of a child, and make me a servant to the people around me. In the wonderful name of Jesus, amen."

Tomorrow: James and John ask for the best seats in the Kingdom — and Jesus gives us the mission statement of His entire life instead.