The upside down kingdom - Mark 9:30-50
I am involved in campus ministry. Every time I go to campus, I interact with students. It is astonishing how Jesus is misundertood at the University, more so about his kingdom. Students and scholars alike have a misunderstood perception or have created their own idea of Jesus and his Kingdom.
It humbles me to know that Jesus in a place like the University, can reveal himself in simple ways. Praise be to God, for such wisdom and power.
The passage (Matthew 9:30-50) shows us that even the disciples, who are simple in their also grapple with the idea of a Messiah. The Messiah they have in mind - is different to the revealed Messiah who stands before them.
After Jesus’ public ministry, performing of miracles and healings. Jesus is with the discples. He is telling them about his ministry, mainly his death. This is a very important part of his ministry.
Verse 30-32 show Jesus on his way with his disciples, he then prepares them again for what is coming, he talks about his death (betrayal) and resurrection. The disciples do not understand and they do not enquire of what Jesus is saying to them. It could be that the disciples remember earlier when Jesus rebuked Peter (Chapter 8). Also, it could be that what Jesus had told them had them so devastated - their hopes for a reigning Messiah on earth was crushed. What could that mean for them? How is a dying Messiah going to establish the kingdom? Imagine the inner conflict and the tons of questions they had. What did this mean for them and for their people?
It seemed like the disciples had forgotten the controversal statements that Jesus made with regards to his death, that he would rise again. “I lay my life down and take it up again”, “Destroy this temple , I’ll raise it again in three days”. “The son of man will be killed and will rise again.”. That is the basis of Jesus’s kingdom: He will have to die! Perhaps the pin hadn’t yet dropped for our fellow disciples.
The journey continues (verse 33-37). The disciples had been disputing among themselves as to who would be the greatest among them? Notice that Jesus had never said anything to the discples about them being unequal and there being someone greater among them, but they were so concerned about things that Jesus never said, meanwhile, they did not understand the plain statement when Jesus was talking about his death and resurrection.
We are no different to the disciples, sometimes we find ourselves majoring on minor while the truth is plain and simple - right in front of us. We end up missing what is most important. Like the Jewish leaders, the disciples were also concerned by their status and issues of ranks for when Jesus reigns in his Kingdom.
We see that they were still caught in their own idea of his reign. This set a stage for their lesson for the day; Jesus teaches them that whoever wants to be the first, he shall be the last and a servant of all” teaching them about the “upside down kingdom” that their eyes are not yet open to see. He further makes it clear to them by an illustration; He takes a child and sits him in the midst of them. A child is the least in the family and is subjected to their parents or adults. Therefore, if the disciples can identify as children, worthy to be told what to do and be humble about it first, expecting no reward like children, only then they identify with Jesus and his kingdom, whoever will receive them receives him. Those who receive the disciples or the sent will be receiving Jesus, God the father and the kingdom. This is a glimpse to the great commission and Jesus sending them to the furthest parts of the world, he has started building his kingdom, will continue in his death and resurrection and is now preparing them to serve in his kingdom, we see that in verse 37.
Jesus is building a kingdom of the lowly and the meek, blessed are those. Jesus is now making his disciples understand certain important truths about being a believer. And at the same time he is preparing them for ministry for when he is gone, for they must be servants in this upside down kingdom.
Verse 38-40 is very interesting. Normally, when a teacher gives a lesson, you would expect students to push back and answer questions based on what is being said but now we see John “answering” in verse 38 “teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us”, Jesus responded in verse 39.
Just an observation here, they saw someone casting out a demon, he actually succeeded and they but they forbade him because he is not one of them, the chosen and the sent, that’s their thing and how dare he uses the name of Jesus, he isn’t even part of the group. But! He actually succeeded in doing so, remember who had recently tried to cast out a demon from a demon possessed men but they couldn’t till the boy’s father went to Jesus. Jesus’ answer do away with the disciples exclusivism when he says “no one” (vs 39 and whoever in verse 41) because there will be more disciples and believers; gentiles, Jews, different races, languages and the likes, coming to the kingdom, this was carefully chosen by Jesus. This man was not following Jesus with his disciples but he clearly was following Jesus and believing him because he stood against Satan.
In chapter three the Pharisees and scribes had said Jesus casts out demons with Belzebub, his reply was that a house/kingdom divided amongst itself cannot stand. This man was clearly on the Lord’s side. To stress the point and even simplify it, Jesus uses another example in verse 41 “Whoever gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ, he will not lose his reward”. Nothing done for the Lord is in vain or goes unnoticed, no one can do something for the Lord and be against him. If you are for the Lord, you will serve him, whether by acts of kindness unseen or by public ministry. Sometimes we may see our services as if they are small, Jesus sees it, whether you’re preaching, singing or sorting out chairs, Jesus sees it when it’s done for him.
The one showing kindness and helping The Lord’s people identifies with them and is not against them, similar to the one who casts out demons and to the one who welcomes them, contrary to the one whom they’ll have to shook of the dust of their feet because he did not welcome them. They are rejecting disciples, Jesus, God the father and his kingdom.
Here we see the people who will be in the kingdom of God and that the Lord is introducing a kingdom of servants than kings. Also, believers must watch and wait, purifying themselves and do away with sin, working out their salvation. Suffering while being tempted, fighting sin every day. Fighting sin is actually proof that you are in this upside down kingdom. Believers are to take decisive action against whatever seems to want to draw them away from God. Be intentional. It is better to renounce all the passing worldly pleasures than to be a non-believer who will be thrown into hell where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched, after enjoying temporal pleasures, verse 44, 46 and 48.
Jesus is building a kingdom of the meek and lowly where all are welcome, inclusivity must be shown in us taking seriously the great commission and making the gospel known. If you are a believer, we need to be usable in this kingdom with meekness being our greatest trait. We are not here to be served but to serve, we are not saved to be the greatest but the least. Our inheritance and portion is eternal and sure, just like Jesus’ death and resurrection. We must cherish the gospel every day and remind ourselves every day, sharing with believers and non-believers how his death made us partakers in his kingdom and praise God for that!
