The Upside-Down Kingdom

Krista Wilson • September 15, 2021

Summary of sermon on Matthew 20:29 - 21:11 from Pastor Ky Martin.

If you’ve been walking with us through Matthew for very long, you’ve often heard the word Kingdom mentioned a lot.


Right from the get-go, Jesus has centered his teachings around the idea that the Kingdom of God has come to Earth. In the last six chapters especially, we’ve often used the phrase "upside-down". The upside-down kingdom is not a reference to the TV show Stranger Things. It is the idea that Jesus’ teachings are a reversal or flipping of religious norms and the culture’s value systems.


The value system of God’s Kingdom is upside down.


We have several recent examples of this:

  • Last week: To be great is to serve. The first will be last.
  • Laborers in the vineyard: The Kingdom of Heaven is not built on the idea of merit but rather on grace.
  • The rich young ruler
  • Let the children come: We should be like the children. The people who Jesus valued and spent time with was different.


Today at the end of ch. 20, we are seeing one more example of these upside down values.


The healing of the blind men...  Jesus and his disciples were on their way from Galilee, in the north, to Jerusalem. It’s passover. This takes place 1-2 weeks before Jesus’s death. There is likely a large crowd, making their pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the passover. This is a similar setting as with the children in that the way Jesus sees and values people is different from the ways everyone else sees them. 


Verse 29 says “The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent”


Does this Sound familiar? Like children, these men were seen as an unwelcome nuisance. Even after all Jesus had done to show that He has time for the hurting, the sick, and those who bring nothing to the table but their great needs. He’s shown that and said that time and time again, and yet the people still project this idea onto Jesus that He doesn’t have time to mess with these blind beggars. Why? Because that’s how they think. It’s what they would have done in Jesus’s shoes. It is a constant uphill battle for Jesus’ followers to accept the upside-down values of His kingdom. Jesus, as we know, does not deride them, but instead stops and heals them.


Verse 32 says “And stopping, Jesus called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you? They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him.”


This quote sums it up:


“That Jesus stopped among such a large, moving crowd to respond to the request of two insignificant individuals illustrates again the unconventional values of the kingdom of heaven, in which the good of a “little one” takes precedence, and in which compassion triumphs over the expectations of the many. At a time when his mind might be expected to be on his imminent arrival in Jerusalem and the fate which awaited him there, Jesus still has time to notice and respond to the need of a beggar.” -R.T. France


We saw a very similar story in Matthew chapter 9... There is a big shift though, one difference was the need for secrecy. What we are about to see is that the time of secrecy and keeping a low profile has come and gone. Jesus is about to be more clear and upfront to the general public about who He is and why he came.


There is a clashing of two kingdoms. We need to see it this way as we move through the rest of Matthew. You have the kingdom of man, then God sent a savior but he wasn’t welcome to the leaders. Jesus’s arrival in Jerusalem instigated a battle of Kingdoms.


When Jesus comes in we could call it "A Royally Odd Entrance".


When Jesus comes into Jerusalem, he does so as the King of Israel. He is declaring himself as King and there is a clash of kingdoms. You have this procession of people praising the coming King with palm branches as the sign of royalty. There are many elements to this that are upside down to what you would expect of a King entering the kingdom. Those who were deemed unimportant nobodies were in the procession of Jesus. You would expect a King to come on something impressive and majestic, not a donkey. For Jesus to ride in like this, with a crowd of worshippers laying down palm branches, signified a turning point for Jerusalem and the nation of Israel. The heir of David had come to sit on David’s throne as the King.


This is a clash of Kingdoms.


They had set up their own little Kingdom as a placeholder, or interim, until the new king returned.


This happens on Sunday. From this point on, He acts with almost complete disregard for who the religious leaders of the day thought they were. He leads and teaches as if they are just in the way, with no regard to their supposed authority. But as we have seen, it is a different kind of Kingdom and He is a different kind of King than what was expected. But those who held the authority in waiting for this King resented his coming. We do indeed see a clash of powers and kingdoms and values which builds and intensifies over the next 5 days, ultimately culminating in the execution of the King by those who did not want to give up their influence and authority.


The upside down elements:


  • While the presence of a crowd was to be expected, the composition of this particular crowd was not.


  • In most kingdoms, the audience of a procession is an indication of the importance or esteem of the one who is entering. And yet as the King of Israel enters, the ones hailing his name are not the dignitaries or the movers and shakers of the time. They would largely be categorized as unimportant. By this we are reminded yet again that in this Kingdom, conventional values are upside down. Someone’s importance in this kingdom is not determined by their wealth and accomplishments, but by their need and humility. Those who come last in this world are first in God’s Kingdom. The greatest in God’s Kingdom often seem ordinary and not so great to the world.  Another upside down element of this procession is the mount on which Jesus rode. YAs if to put a giant exclamation mark on the upside down values of the Kingdom, the King rides in on a donkey.Not even a full grown donkey, but a colt. 


It can be summed up with this quote...


"This would have been a ridiculous display, if it had not been in accordance with the prediction of Zechariah. |  In order to lay claim to the honors of royalty, he enters Jerusalem, riding on a donkey.  |  Magnificent display, truly! more especially when the donkey was borrowed from some person, and because they had no saddle, the disciples threw their garments on it, which was a mark of disgraceful poverty.  | Sounds of loud and joyful welcome are heard; but from whom? From the very poorest, and from these who belonged to the despised multitude…  |  He had to exhibit some proof of his kingdom, and to show that it does not resemble earthly kingdoms."


The ultimate display of the upside down kingdom is what happened 5 days later. Jesus won the battle through his own execution!


In light of this upside down Kingdom we see highlighted in this story, let's consider what it looks like for us to shape our values around this Kingdom…

-The values of Jesus’s Kingdom were opposed to the cultural value system then, and they are opposed to ours now.


Following Jesus is a constant effort to redefine our own value systems.


Four things to consider to reshape our values:


(1) How we value people.

We can’t get to know every person we meet.

Do we see their value because they are made in God’s image or for what they can or cannot do for us?


(2) Who do you consider to be “successful”?

Jesus has redefined that. Do we admire and esteem those who are ahead of us financially or those who are ahead of us in spiritual maturity?


(3)  What is our greatest hope for our kids?

Is it achievements and merits academically, athletically, socially? Or would we gladly trade all in order for them to truly know God and see how great their need is for Jesus.


(4) What do we hope to achieve with our financial gains?

Comfort and ease, or the ability to bless others


Hopefully we can sympathize with why Jesus’s followers wanted to push away the kids and the beggars. When you are introduced to a value system that is completely opposite of everything you know and how everything else operates around you, it's not an easy shift to just turn it all upside down. To adopt kingdom values in our culture or any other is to push directly against the grain of everything that’s happening around us. That is why we have to keep coming to worship each week. six days of the week the world is trying to shape our view of what is important.


Our King won victory over dying and that is what we should be fixing our eyes on!

Elected & Effective

August 14, 2025
Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, August 10, 2025. Sermon text: 2 Peter 1:8-11 Intro: March 25, 1911. Triangle Shirtwaist Fire. 146 dead. Young labor activist Francis Perkins witnessed it first-hand. She would go on to be appointed Secretary of Labor by President Roosevelt, making her the first ever female member of a presidential cabinet. She would go on to create and implement sweeping improvements, drafting and implementing legislation to reform workplace safety in New York. Her experience made her effective. 1.) Your experience with God is meant to make you effective. v.8 “For if these qualities are yours and increasing, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Christ.” How is it possible to be ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of God? - Gnosis (General or First Knowledge; 1:5 & 6) Vs. Epignosis (Relational, Intimate, Transformative, Complete Comprehension After First Knowledge; 1:8) - Illustration of pen vs Epipen - “I guess you had to be there.” - Shu’s definition from last week for knowledge: “knowing God’s will and God’s way.” - Experience… “near to the broken-hearted”… 2.) Your character impacts your effectiveness. The qualities have to be yours and they have to be increasing. Do you believe that all of these qualities can be increasing for as long as you live? For some, a decision is made for Christ, but no action is taken… professing Christians who are neither effective or fruitful. That is not God’s plan! What happens if they aren’t? v.9 “For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.” Consider your faith journey… (Blip on radar VS Lifelong upward trajectory) APPLICATION: 3.) Confirm your election. Election simply means that none of us have the ability to save ourselves. Predestination is explained in Romans 8:29. It refers to those whom God “predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.” Doesn’t that sound a lot like “effective and fruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Christ”? ADVANCE v.10 “Be all the more diligent…” HUGE PROMISE: “for if you practice these qualities, you will never fall” 4.) Anticipate eternity. v.11 “For in this way…” what way? EPIGNOSIS!!!… “there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Discipleship Questions: In your life, how has your experience with God made you effective? Discuss the differences between "gnosis" and "epignosis". How does epignosis with God transform us? How is it possible to be ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of Jesus Christ? What keeps us from completely falling away from God? What does it mean to confirm your election? How long does it take? What are some ways that we can help our children anticipate eternity?

Essential Supplements

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Notes from Lance Shumake's sermon on Sunday, August 3, 2025. Sermon text: 2 Peter 1:5-7 “A farmer is helpless to grow grain; all he can do is provide the right conditions for the growing of grain. He cultivates the ground, he plants the seed, he waters the plants, and then the natural forces of the earth take over and up comes the grain...This is the way it is with the Spiritual Disciplines - they are a way of sowing to the Spirit... By themselves the Spiritual Disciplines can do nothing; they can only get us to the place where something can be done.” ―Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline “The difference is one of motivation: legalism is self-centered; discipline is God-centered. The legalistic heart says, “I will do this thing to gain merit with God.” The disciplined heart says, “I will do this thing because I love God and want to please Him.” ―R. Kent Hughes, Disciplines of a Godly Man Faith —trusting God in all of life Virtue —seeking to live a life of moral excellence “Moral excellence means walking in integrity of heart; when we sin (not if), we deal with our sin in humility and repentance, trusting in the grace of God, who brought not only the conviction of sin upon us but also the desire to repent.” —Miguel Nunez, 2 Peter and Jude For You Knowledge —knowing God’s will and God’s ways Self-control —controlling our bodies, thoughts, and emotions “Self-control is not control by oneself through one's own willpower but rather control of oneself through the power of the Holy Spirit.” —Jerry Bridges, The Practice of Godliness Steadfastness —enduring with patience in all circumstances Godliness —becoming more and more like Jesus Brotherly Affection —loving one another because we are family Love —loving sacrificially and unconditionally 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NLT) Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. Love does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Discipleship Questions: How do you find the balance between God giving us everything we need and making every effort? How do you see faith and love as being the foundation and culmination of what Peter is talking about? Read through the list Peter gives and discuss how we rely on God to produce these things in our lives while also making every effort to pursue them. Read 1 Corinthians 10:13. What does that teach us about God’s help with self-control? What can help us be more patiently enduring with people and circumstances? How can seeing each other as family help us love one another well? How can we love others with the love described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7?

Everything We Need

July 29, 2025
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, July 27, 2025. Sermon text: 2 Peter 1:3-4 We have everything we need for a godly life. Sentence has: 68 words 9 prepositional phrases 5 dependent clauses God called us. “By His divine power” The word here is summon Like Lazarus, come forth. English readers are apt to understand calling in terms of an invitation that can be accepted or rejected. Peter has something deeper in mind. Christ’s call is effective, awakening and creating faith. -Thomas R. Schreiner 1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. By revealing Christ to us. “Through the knowledge of Him” Side note, ambiguity: The ambiguity in the text indicates that Peter does not clearly distinguish between God and Christ, which indicates that God and Christ were venerated equally. - Thomas R. Schreiner Excuses are Eliminated We need to note that this comes to us by grace, but also that we have a part to play here. Effort is not a 4 letter word. You have no excuse for: Pornography- You have everything you need. Substance Abuse- You have everything you need. Pride- You have everything you need Laziness- You have everything you need Anger- You have everything you need. Prayer and Scripture Reading- You have everything you need. Evangelism- You have everything you need. He’ll go on to mention supplementing He has given us what we need for godliness now, and He promises us even greater things to come. We will share in Christ’s Divine Nature 2 Pe 1:4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature Unusual word… The “divine nature” (Theos) appears only here and in Acts where Paul addresses the Areopagus an odd work choice and would have appealed to his pagan readers. Acts 17:29 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. Redefining what it means to become like God. Christ shared in our nature that we might share in His. 1 John 3:2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. In 1:3, it’s through the knowledge of Christ that we are called to Him. Here, we see that a fuller revelation of Christ will conform us even more fully into His likeness. How so? Purity Immortality Restoration to Eden Christians also share in God’s immortality. They are not trapped in this world. Though ‘perishable’ now, Christians will be raised ‘imperishable’ -Paul Gardner Glory John 17:22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, We have everything we need for a godly life. English readers are apt to understand calling in terms of an invitation that can be accepted or rejected. Peter has something deeper in mind. Christ’s call is effective, awakening and creating faith. -Thomas R. Schreiner 1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. The ambiguity in the text indicates that Peter does not clearly distinguish between God and Christ, which indicates that God and Christ were venerated equally. - Thomas R. Schreiner Excuses are Eliminated We will share in Christ’s Divine Nature Acts 17:29 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 1 John 3:2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. Purity Immortality Christians also share in God’s immortality. They are not trapped in this world. Though ‘perishable’ now, Christians will be raised ‘imperishable.’ -Paul Gardner Glory John 17:22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one. Discipleship Questions: 2 Peter 1:3 says we’ve been given everything we need for life and godliness… Do you find that verse encouraging, challenging or both? Are there any areas of your walk where you struggle to believe that you already have everything you need for success? Do you ever make excuses to yourself or others for a lack of godliness? If yes, explain. How much work does it take to live as a Christian? What does it mean that we will be “partakers in the divine nature”?
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