Matthew It’s Been Called the Upside-Down Kingdom Death to Life Death brings Grief – Life brings Joy

Matthew

It’s Been Called the Upside-Down Kingdom

Death to Life

Death brings Grief – Life brings Joy

Jesus for 8 months shared with the disciple He must suffer and die

But consider now 2000 years later

 He has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  

You and I are going to lose it all, we will suffer and die

But in 2000 years from now, we will be in the New Heaven and New Earth

Of all the visions you might have

Make sure you have the vision of Christ at the right hand of God 

Accept this prayer Paul prayed for everyone who is a part of the Church

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. Ephesians 1:18-23

Don’t forget the remedy for grief takes three days and it will all seem right-side up

But on the third day he will be raised from the dead. Matthew 17:23

 

Matthew

It’s Been Called the Upside-Down Kingdom

Death to Life

Death brings Grief – Life brings Joy

Matthew 16 takes place about 8 months

before Jesus was crucified.

 

Peter’s revelation of who Jesus is

brings a change to Jesus’ message.

 

From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders,

chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed

and on the third day be raised to life.

Matthew 16:21

 

Jesus says those who want to follow Him…

 

 Must take up their cross.

 

They must lose their life in order

to see Jesus, the Son of Man, come in His kingdom

Matthew 16:24-28

 

The kingdom message is being turned upside down.

 

Jesus demonstrated the kingdom with…

 

 Healing, deliverance from evil,

and even raising the dead.

 

And now Jesus is predicting His death and resurrection.

 

It is about the third time Jesus

predicts His death in Matthew 16:22-23.

 

 The disciples are experiencing

the common ailment for loss, grief…

   

He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead."

And the disciples were filled with grief.

 

So, kingdoms conquer their enemies but…

 

The Son of Man is going to be betrayed

into the hands of his enemies.

 

Jesus is going to be conquered by His enemies.

 

 He is going to suffer and die.

 

This is upside down from everything the disciples

and followers of Jesus thought.

 

No wonder they were filled with grief.

 

Is Jesus powerless?

 

Jesus gave hope of a better life on earth

and now that hope is being crushed.

 

This glass is not only half empty…

 

 But someone has a straw in it

and sucking the life out of what is left.

 

Why are the disciples filled with grief?

 

It doesn’t seem to be a hard question to answer.

 

 We all hate to lose what we have.

 

So, what are the disciples missing?

What are we missing when grief takes us

to a deep valley and the shadow of death passes over us?

 

What are we missing is 3 days?

 

He will be killed,

but on the third day he will be raised from the dead.

 

Jesus tells both sides of the story.

 

 But we quickly are drawn to the negative,

the loss and suffering.

 

Jesus knew His enemies would conquer Him,

strip Him of everything, even His clothes.

 

They would inflict great suffering

bringing Him to an agonizing death.

 

Yet, according to Hebrews 12:2-5…

 

 Jesus found JOY in the cross.

 

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as son

 

We, too, like Jesus should consider His suffering

so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

  

Jesus for 8 months shared with the disciple

 He must suffer and die.

 

But consider now 2000 years later…

 He has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  

 

You and I are going to lose it all.

 

 We will suffer and die.

 

 But in 2000 years from now,

 we will be in the New Heaven and new Earth.

 

Of all the visions you might have

make sure you have the vision of

Christ at the right hand of God. 

 

Accept this prayer Paul prayed for everyone

who is a part of the Church…

 

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

Ephesians 1:18-23

 

Don’t forget the remedy for grief takes three days

and it will all seem right-side up.

 

But on the third day he will be raised from the dead.

Matthew 17:23

 

 

Scripture Reading

 

Matthew 17:22-23 NLT

 

Jesus Again Predicts His Death

 

22 After they gathered again in Galilee, Jesus told them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies. 23 He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead." And the disciples were filled with grief.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.