The Kingdom of God- Upside Down

In this insightful episode of the Heartbeat of Faith Podcast, Dr. Andrew Farley delves into a profound biblical truth: God exalts the humble and opposes the prideful exploits of selfish individuals. Drawing inspiration from the words of Jesus in Mark 9:35, he challenges us to consider how we can be significaxnt in God's eyes, emphasizing that it means choosing humility over pride and prioritizing the well-being of others. This podcast episode serves as a powerful reminder that true greatness, according to God's Kingdom, is achieved through selfless service.

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In this episode, you'll witness how Jesus, the ultimate example of greatness in God's Kingdom, demonstrated humility through a poignant scene from the gospel story. Dr. Farley illustrates this concept through the washing of the disciples' feet, showing how Jesus prioritized service over status and encouraged his followers to do the same. The examples of King Saul and King David further emphasize this truth, illustrating how God values the heart and service to others above outward appearances or charisma. This episode challenges us to align our aspirations for greatness with God's standards, focusing on humility and selflessness.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Let us pray. God resists the proud but gives grace
to the humble. James, Chapter four, verse six. Dear Lord,
thank you for humbling yourself even to the point of death.
I pray that I would walk in your example, not
striving after status or recognition, but recognizing how healthy it

(00:25):
is to humble myself. When the pride of the flesh
presses against me, I will look to your spirit to
counsel me. Count myself dead to pride and alive to humility.
I humble myself today, recognizing I am new hearted and
deserve to serve others. Thank you for your humble service

(00:47):
to me through the Cross and resurrection. I am so
grateful for the way you esteem me and treat me
with dignity, even when I don't deserve it. Thank you
Lord in Jesus name, Amen, thank you for praying with
me today. Now discover the profound intricacies of scripture through

(01:09):
prey dot COM's podcast The Heartbeat of Faith with doctor
Andrew Farley. Stay tuned after this quick word from our responsors.
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Speaker 2 (02:23):
The disciples were discussing among themselves who was the greatest.
Then Jesus asked them what they were arguing about, but
they remained silent because they were discussing their own importance.
Jesus then revealed the upside down nature of the kingdom.

Speaker 3 (02:45):
He sat down and called the twelve and he said
to them, if any man wants to be first, he
shall be last of all and servant of all Mark
nine thirty five.

Speaker 2 (03:00):
How can you successfully operate in this upside down kingdom?
It starts with understanding that new heart of yours. It's
a heart of humility that wants to love others and
put them before yourself. Hello, I'm doctor Andrew Farley with
today's episode of the Heartbeat of Faith podcast. Last time,

(03:23):
we were reminded that the Kingdom of Heaven is not
just a place we go to when we die, but
also an active culture built by Jesus living in us
and through us. The Bible describes God's kingdom as anywhere
God rules and reigns as king. We eagerly await a

(03:45):
time when God's kingdom fully meets earth so we can
live under the perfect reign of Jesus. However, we don't
have to pine for heaven because we actively participate in
bringing Heaven to earth through the Holy Spirit. Every time
we bear the fruit of the Spirit, displaying acts of kindness, generosity,

(04:09):
and patience, we reveal more of God's kingdom right where
we are. Today, we'll discuss the contrast between the culture
of Jesus's kingdom and the world's culture. When Jesus taught
his disciples about the Kingdom of Heaven, he describes something
counter to the world's culture. He said, the first shall

(04:32):
be last, and the last shall be first. He also said,
whoever desires to be great in God's Kingdom must be
a servant of all. So while the world may see
greatness as getting ahead, being first, and getting recognized, Jesus
clearly had a different perspective. He saw the Kingdom of

(04:55):
Heaven as a place where the marginalized, the forgotten, and
the disinherited found purpose. He also saw it as a
place where the powerful and the prominent in this world
could genuinely humble themselves from the heart and use their
gifts to serve others. Let's return to the Gospel story

(05:18):
and examine how Jesus modeled true greatness with his disciples.

Speaker 3 (05:27):
There was an upper room for Jesus and his disciples
to celebrate Passover. Jesus entered with his disciples, contemplating what
God was about to do to him and through him.
His disciples began making themselves comfortable, ready to unstrap their
sandals and clean up before the feast. Jesus, as gentile

(05:47):
slaves would do in that time, removed his robe and
wrapped a towel around his waist, then bent over to
wash his disciples feet. Leaning over the puddles of dirt
and grime, getting wet with the filthy water, the son
of God washed his follower's feet. Peter, astonished by what
was happening, shouted, Lord, why would you wash our feet? Jesus,

(06:11):
knowing Peter's confusion, said what I am doing you do
not quite understand, but trust me in time you will. Peter,
still confused and flustered that his teacher and master would
be washing grimy feet, said you shall never wash my feet.
It is below you. Jesus, now sternly looking into Peter's eyes, said,

(06:34):
if you do not let me wash you, you will
have no part in me. Peter, after hearing this, insisted
that Jesus then wash his whole body. Jesus spoke literally
for a moment, saying, you are already clean. He said,
I just need to clean your feet because you have
been walking all day. Yet there was a greater metaphor.

(06:56):
He then communicated, but not all of you are clean.
He said this, He said concerning Judas. Jesus had already
known what Judas was planning on doing, yet he cleaned
his feet. Anyways, after Jesus had finished cleaning his disciples feet,
he cleaned himself and walked back to the table. Do

(07:18):
you understand what I have done to you? He asked.
I am your teacher, and I humbled myself to wash
your feet, a job only slaves do. If I am
willing to do this for you, surely you can do
this for one another. A servant is not greater than
his master. Yet I did this for you. Blessed are

(07:39):
you if you do these things for others.

Speaker 2 (07:44):
According to Jesus, God's kingdom involves loving and serving others.
God gives grace to the humble, and he resists the proud.
We saw this illustrated in King Saul's demise because of
his pride and King David's rise due to his trust
in the Lord.

Speaker 3 (08:07):
Saul, out of fear people would not trust him, spoke saying,
just bring the peace offering to me, I will make
the sacrifice to God. Saul hastily and sloppily offered the
sacrifice and led people in worship. Saul worshiped God with
no reverence, love, or intensity. Instead, he sought as a
chore that needed to be done quickly before they went

(08:30):
into battle. As Saul had finished Behold, Samuel stood behind him.
Saul looked at Samuel's eyes. They shot right through him.
His gaze was piercing and reflected the intensity of God.
What have you done, Samuel said to Saul. Saul gave
a nervous laugh and said, the people were growing nervous

(08:51):
because you were late, and the Philistines are ready for battle.
Saul continued to smile and feign ignorance. I had no
choice but to begin offering as king. I had to
seek favor from God. Samuel saw right through Saul. He
knew Saul only did it out of compulsion. He rushed
the worship of God to appease his own anxiety. Not

(09:14):
only that, but he was not a priest or chosen
by God to speak for him. You are a fool, Saul,
Samuel said, Your kingdom will be as temporary as your
obedience to God. God has already set his gaze on
another king, a man after his own heart. After saying this,
Samuel vanished and the people followed Saul into battle.

Speaker 2 (09:41):
Saul displayed the outward qualities people were looking for in
a king. Therefore, the people were not bothered by his actions.
But God saw the depths of Saul's heart. He knew
that no amount of charisma or clout could ever replace
a heart that trusts the Lord. God chose a different

(10:02):
king who was unremarkable on the surface, but inwardly he
had all the qualities of God's chosen king.

Speaker 3 (10:14):
Samuel greeted Jesse, and the two of them ate together
and consecrated the land for God. Samuel looked at Jesse
intently and asked if he could bring forth his sons.
When they came, Samuel looked at the oldest Eliab. He
was a well built man, tall, muscular, and had charismatic
qualities that made up a king. Surely this must be

(10:37):
the Lord's anointed, Samuel thought to himself. Yet God interrupted
him and said, do not look at his stature or looks,
for I do not see as man sees man looks
at the outward appearance, but I look upon the heart.
Abinadab came forth before Samuel, and he too was not
the one God had chosen. Seven more of his sons

(10:58):
passed by Samuel, and none of them were the one
God had spoken of. Frustrated and a bit flustered, Samuel
turned to Jesse and said, are these all your sons?
Jesse scratched his head and said, well, there is still
the youngest. He is out in the field tending to
the sheep. David was in the fields. The day was

(11:20):
almost over, and the cool spring air whistled across the
grass where the sheep fed. David often took them to
a hill not too far from home, where he would
sit and look at the stars. David sat in complete peace,
but still on alert for any predators that may lurk
around the corner. David took a deep breath, soaking in

(11:40):
the last rays of good sunlight. As his eyes were closed,
he could hear his father's voice in the distance, beckoning him.
Slowly and methodically, David corralled the sheep and stepped into
his father's house. Samuel was sitting when David entered into
the home. He had a smile on his face. He
was a handsome I'm young man, no older than seventeen,

(12:02):
and had beautiful eyes that made you feel warm and welcomed.
God whispered to Samuel and said, arise, for this is
my king.

Speaker 2 (12:15):
The contrast between Saul's pride and David's humility illustrates the
upside down nature of God's kingdom. Saul, as well as
David's brothers, had all the outward qualities of a king. David, however,
had the inward qualities of a king. Jesus values the

(12:35):
heart and service to others over charisma, power and stature.
So how can you successfully operate in this upside down kingdom?
Understanding the new heart that God has given you is key.
True humility is not some heroic effort on your part

(12:57):
to push yourself down, but rather the beautiful opportunity to
recognize that you are the new self, a new creation
with a new humble heart. This new heart naturally desires
to love others and serve them, So you don't have
to try to act humble, because you already have a

(13:19):
humble heart given to you by God at salvation. It's
also important to remember that God is not the one
humbling you. Scripture tells us to humble ourselves, just as
Jesus humbled himself. This is a decision we make in
line with our new hearts, choosing to act in a

(13:41):
way that aligns with who we truly are. So embrace
the humility that flows naturally from your new humble heart,
and let the indwelling Christ guide you in loving and
serving others in the upside down Kingdom of God. Thank

(14:02):
you for listening to today's Heartbeat of Faith podcast. If
you enjoyed today's episode or learn something new about the Bible,
share it with a friend or family member. Download thepray
dot com app, and for more encouragement in God's grace,
visit Andrew Farley dot org. That's Andrewfarley dot org.