Jesus came introducing God’s right-side up Kingdom to a fallen, broken world. In this Kingdom selfishness is replaced with selflessness, hate is met with kindness, hurt is met with forgiveness and the needs of those around us are truly our concern.
The Fall turned everything upside down as man’s desires began trying to take God’s throne. In an upside-down world, we easily lose sight of things that truly matter chasing our potential rather than our call. We must grow in discernment our ambition will outrun our anointing. Opportunities are distractions if they’re not assignments and fruitfulness is not about ambitious pursuits as much as it is about healthy results. In a right-side up Kingdom, we learn to rest in our God-given identity discovered in Christ.
Right-side up church must begin with the Biblical understanding of Jesus who is at the center of everything!
Jesus was arrested, beaten and brought before Pilate. The contrast between the kingdoms of this world and the Kingdom of God was never any clearer. Pilate represents Rome, this Empire that is powerful, mighty and winning in the world’s system.
Pilate asks Jesus if He is the King of the Jews. To which Jesus replies, My kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). The kingdoms of this world are upside down. My Kingdom is right-side up and it doesn't represent or reflect the world’s system.
The kingdoms of this world clash, go to war and fight to the bitter, bloody end. Then in the end the losing King is surrounded by his loyal men and they all fight to the death.
Pilot, do you see any of that? My kingdom is nothing like your kingdom. My kingdom is nothing like yours. If my kingdom was like yours. My servants would fight to prevent my arrest. Pilot must have thought, you are a very odd king. You don't fight back. Your people don't defend you. They don't rally around you. This kingdom of yours is going nowhere.
With accuracy Jesus could have said, Pilate, one day your powerful kingdom will be reduced to a story in history books. Your gods will be the names of planets. A future Roman emperor will actually declare me to be God and one day this table will turn and I will be your judge.
But Pilate, you will be remembered in centuries to come - mainly because of your role in my story.
Be careful not to fight an upside-down battle when we’re called to a right-side up Kingdom.
The Kingdom of God in the earth is unstoppable. And we have been invited to participate in it. When we get this right, at home, in friendship, in marriage, at work, it may appear that we're losing but we're not.
Powerful Pilate is now a footnote in the story of Jesus. Jesus was executed and Pilate won. Did he? Who is worshiped today, not only in Rome, but all over the world? Who are we still quoting? What is the best-selling book of all time? Did Jesus lose? No, He won. How does something like that happen? Can this still happen today?
The right-side up Kingdom of God slowly, tenaciously, relentlessly makes its way through our upside-down world leaving its mark and pulling people along in its wake. This Kingdom advances not by mandates or forced conversions because that’s not the way of our King, so that’s not the way we fight. We fight a different kind of fight. Friendship, marriage, work or any relationship. We, like our King, do not fight against flesh and blood. Our fight is against spiritual forces of evil in heavenly realms (Eph 6:12).
The characteristics of the Kingdom are defined by the character of The King so love others well. Even your enemies!
Matthew 5:43-48 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. ESV
Paul makes this very clear to young Timothy, instructing him to refuse to be entangled in the ways of this world as a good soldier for the Lord and fight the good fight of the faith:
1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. NIV
Paul is saying, Timothy, make sure the fight you fight is the right fight. The right fight characterizes what Jesus did.
Make sure you are fighting the fight that characterizes our faith. We're not fighting for the faith as if it is our responsibility to defend God.
The fight that we're invited into as Jesus followers is so counterintuitive and this is where we often get things wrong. We are called to reverse an upside-down kingdom that says, “Power up!” Win the argument! Talk them down! Demonize them and do whatever it takes to dominate! And this only feeds the system of the world to grow stronger.
The “good fight” is the fight to maintain the posture and character of our King, regardless. Will that work? We're halfway around the world and you don't even remember the first time you heard the name of Jesus. It worked and it works.
Jesus proved to be tougher than Roman nails and harder than Roman steel, his way is easy to dismiss, because it feels like and from the outside looking in, it looks like losing.
The good fight is the fight to be Christ like, to return good for evil, to refuse to demonize any person or any group of people, in fact, to pray for the people that persecute us, to forgive, to forgive people who aren't even asking to be forgiven and don't really even care.
That's what Jesus modeled, that's what the Apostle Paul modeled. That is what got the attention of the world.
Through the practice of spiritual disciplines (training) we become what we could not be through direct effort (trying). Continue to be devoted to the process of becoming all God has purposed for you to become in Him.
2 Samuel 3:1 The war lasted a long time. The House of David grew stronger and stronger as the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.
GP2RL: Purpose quality time in God’s presence this week asking Jesus to awaken His nature within us all as we put love into practice in our five-foot circle.
