The Upside Down Kingdom
Pastor Scott Borden
March 17th – 18th
20Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said, “God blesses you who are poor,for the Kingdomof God is yours.21God blesses you who are hungry now,for you will be satisfied.God blesses you who weep now,for in due time you will laugh. 22What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man.23When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, their ancestors treated the ancient prophets that same way.24“What sorrow awaits you who are rich,for you have your only happiness now.25What sorrow awaits you who are fat and prosperous now,
for a time of awful hunger awaits you.What sorrow awaits you who laugh now,for your laughing will turn to mourning and sorrow.26What sorrow awaits you who are praised by the crowds,for their ancestors also praised false prophets.27“But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you.28Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.29If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also.30Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back.31Do to others as you would like them to do to you.32“If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them!33And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much!34And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.35“Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind those who are unthankful and wicked.36You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.
Luke 6:20-36New Living Translation (NLT)
I. What is the consumer kingdom?
17When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!”18“Yes,”he told them,“I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning!19Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you.20But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.”
Luke 10:17-20(NLT)
II. What is the Upside Down Kingdom?
7“TheLorddid not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations!8Rather, it was simply that theLordloves you, and he was keeping the oath he had sworn to your ancestors. That is why theLordrescued you with such a strong hand from your slavery and from the oppressive hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.9Understand, therefore, that theLordyour God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands.
Deuteronomy 7:7-9(NLT)
35But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”
Luke 7:35New International Version (NIV)