THINKING AND LIVING RIGHT-SIDE UP
- Key Verse
- "It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:26-28)
READ THE CHAPTER
Central Truth
Jesus came that we might have life and have it right-side up.
Reflections
In today's chapter, Matthew arranges a parable and a real-life story to make the same point. In the Kingdom, the last shall be first, and the first shall be last; in the Kingdom, the path to greatness is through servanthood; in the Kingdom, if you want to be first in your tribe, be their slave.Kingdom values, it seems, are upside down.
Only they're not upside down at all -- they're right-side up! It's our worldly, earthly values of prizing self before others, of choosing power over love, of elevating things above people and anything above God, that are crazy upside down. And our hardheaded sinfulness makes us so blind to our "upside-downness" that we need Jesus to crash the light of truth into our darkness.
That may be why we wince at His emphasis on serving others, just as He came not "to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (verse 28). It's an unwelcome, foreign kind of soul-light for which we need grace to embrace. No wonder we wince with discomfort!
As we've been seeing throughout Matthew's Gospel this month, the Kingdom is all about love, which we show by serving others, in what may feel like upside-down ways:
- Waving another driver in front of you in traffic;
- Picking up trash on the floor in restrooms and other public places when no one is looking;
- Asking others about themselves instead of talking about yourself, and not bringing the conversation back to you whenever possible;
- Looking for ways to show kindness to someone who can't return the favor;
- Paying for a stranger's meal or beverage, especially one who serves: a soldier, police officer, firefighter, or teacher;
- Trusting God's goodness when He shows a kind of grace to another that He doesn't show to you, as in today's parable of the vineyard.
Here's to developing a right-side up Kingdom perspective!
Discussion Questions
1. What are some ways that Kingdom values are opposite of the world's values?2. When was the last time you served someone out of love rather than an expected payoff? Have you ever served someone who can't benefit you?
3. What if you made a serious commitment to show love to someone by serving them in a completely new and different way . . . by the end of the day?
WEEKLY FAMILY ACTIVITY
MATTHEW 16-20 (JANUARY 23-27)
Read Matthew 18:12-14.
* What does the shepherd do if one sheep is lost? Scripture tells us that Jesus is our shepherd, and we are His sheep. Read John 10:14.
* Jesus wants all of His sheep (people) to trust Him as their Savior. Read 2 Peter 3:9.
* How do people know and hear about Jesus?
Activity: Get a roll of toilet paper. This will represent your lost sheep. Take turns hiding the "sheep" around the house and having the rest of the family look for it. Each time you find it, stop and pray for someone you know who has not trusted in Jesus as Savior.
Comments
The views expressed under “Comments” are solely
those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Watermark Community Church.
Lamp
January 27, 2012 04:50 AM
Sue! What a great Journey and it is spot on, I find that the times I focus on others and their needs, that mine that I thought unsolvable, seem to work out much better in the end. Thanks for what I have come to know as the "second" Journey of each day through your comments. They are an encouragement to me daily!!! Lamp
Eric c
January 27, 2012 06:12 AM
Hi Sue!! Nice to see your face this morning! Thank you for delivering the "why" this morning. I see that we so often focus on what our response to Jesus should be, that we forget why we are doing it...because He loves us so much and we love Him back.....like a perfect marriage. This morning and always, you have ancouraged me! Keep going....
Paul Rutherford
January 27, 2012 07:36 AM
Mrs. Sue! How great to see your picture this morning and be encouraged by your words. Thank you. Question number three is fun to imagine. What if I committed to serving someone in a new and different way? Radical. I accept the challenge. Thanks for challenging me, Mrs Sue.
Millye hale
January 27, 2012 08:21 AM
Sue, sweet lady and bright light. You are such a encouragement so often with words but most often with your sweet smile and heart for the Lord. So glad I read this first thing this morning as I have the rest of the day to hopefully live it out. Keep shining !!!!!
Rob Thomas
January 27, 2012 09:08 AM
Thank you Sue for your incredible insight... not just on this passage, but in the comments of all of the other passages. I might start a Facebook Fan page to start a 'Sue's Join the Journey Year'... with every day a post from you. Don't tempt me.
Sarah C
January 27, 2012 09:42 AM
Today? you expect me to serve and love differently today? (Sue, your words are as sweet as your smiling face!)
Lee Danis
January 27, 2012 09:50 AM
Sue, I should have known you were on today because of the many interruptions that kept me from getting to the Journey - Satan was at work. Well I finally got here and what a great devotional; I agree with Lamp re the second Journey every day and love it. I love your servant comments. We are prone to make too much of the knowledge part of the Christian life and forget about the thousands of things we can do to show others we care. I know we all have our favorite way of doing some of these things and your list is a good starter. One of my favorites is to try and find the man or woman who is cleaning the tables (usually Hispanic)in the restaurant and give them a bigger tip than I give the waiter or waitress. I also try to give them spiritual encouragement. It's always a joy to receive their response. I always tell them Jesus loves them. Thanks again for all your efforts re the Journey. I appreciate them very much. Your article on suffering on the Probe web site shows tremendous insight and provides encouragement to those who are experiencing trials.
Tracy
January 27, 2012 10:05 AM
Sue, you are a godly and faithful woman! I'm SO thankful to have you as a friend and part of our body!
Sheri
January 27, 2012 10:07 AM
Loved the devo Sue, and love how you serve the Lord with your whole life! Will never forget how you taught the women in Burundi, not only God's Word, but also how to blow kisses!! Priceless....
Todd Wagner
January 27, 2012 10:45 AM
Going to try and do all of these today Sue. Praying thousands of others will join us in "KINGDOM MADNESS". GREAT job! Waving another driver in front of you in traffic; Picking up trash on the floor in restrooms and other public places when no one is looking; Asking others about themselves instead of talking about yourself, and not bringing the conversation back to you whenever possible; Looking for ways to show kindness to someone who can't return the favor; Paying for a stranger's meal or beverage, especially one who serves: a soldier, police officer, firefighter, or teacher; Trusting God's goodness when He shows a kind of grace to another that He doesn't show to you, as in today's parable of the vineyard.
Ray Bohlin
January 27, 2012 12:04 PM
Greetings to you my dear wife of 37 years! I always learn from you and have been doing so for such a long time. I appreciate your admonitions and will look for opportunities today. Such a refreshing change to come to your Journey post after wallowing in the atheist blogosphere this morning. You just feel dirty with all stuff they throw around. And you do love me well in the many little things.
Lee Danis
January 27, 2012 12:25 PM
Sue, I should have known you were on today because of the many interruptions that kept me from getting to the Journey - Satan was at work. Well I finally got here and what a great devotional; I agree with Lamp re the second Journey every day and love it. I love your servant comments. We are prone to make too much of the knowledge part of the Christian life and forget about the thousands of things we can do to show others we care. I know we all have our favorite way of doing some of these things and your list is a good starter. One of my favorites is to try to find the man or woman who is cleaning the tables in the restaurant and give them a bigger tip than I give the waiter or waitress. I also try to give them spiritual encouragement. It's always a joy to receive their response. I always tell them Jesus loves them. Thanks again for all your efforts re the Journey. I appreciate them very much. Your article on suffering on the Probe web site shows tremendous insight and provides encouragement to those who are experiencing trials.
Julie Vetter
January 27, 2012 06:11 PM
Sue! I think I enjoyed reading everyone's comments today as much as I enjoyed your devo. I just love seeing people love on the people especially important to me. I will 'third' Lamp's comment. I'm really enjoying all the devotionals on this journey but I specifically read the comments looking for yours. You are a bright, shining light to so many and I've been blessed to have you as MY light for over 51 years.
Jan
January 27, 2012 07:13 PM
Sue, your Journey devo was very meaningful to me today. My world has been upside down for most of my life. And when I struggle to control and keep it upside down, it's a big waste of time and immature and unsatisfying. After reading Bonhoeffer and The Hiding Place I started to see the logic, and process how our blessings come in suffering, how the humble are great, how we grow so much more through pain than getting the things we think we want, etc. So much more is just backwards to how I've always thought. Things are beginning to make sense, have a long way to go to let go of all my upside down ways, praying that the Lord will help me do that. Thanks for a real goody.
Brett
January 28, 2012 08:51 AM
Good to see your smiling face. I love the right side up thinking. Great devo. Blessings.
Liz
January 29, 2012 07:14 PM
Sue, fresh words explaining valuable life lessons...thanks for the reallife examples of living this truth out. Refreshes and re-frames my heart! Bless you, Liz
susan Coy
January 30, 2012 09:43 AM
Better late than never...Sue, so fun to see your happy and smiling face :) Always love your thoughts on God's Word and this was particularly timely and encouraging to me...thank you!
Robert White
January 30, 2012 12:01 PM
It took a while to get to "leave a comment" as so many others who love you want you to know how blessed we are to have someone who so gets it and then gives it. May we try to get upside down in order to see reality. Robert
Tonni Shook
March 15, 2012 02:21 PM
Way behind on the Journey's, but blessed that I read this one today! Sue, I am still praying for you, the funds, and that the walls come down for your mission trip. God bless!