“For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will find it.” — Matthew 16:25
As we learned in the last study, Disciples Strive to Imitate Jesus, the true goal of discipleship is that we aim to become more and more like Jesus. This allows qualities like His humility, mercy, and love to reshape our hearts. As those qualities take root, we begin to live by a completely different value system, those of the Kingdom of Heaven. These values often stand in direct contrast to the world around us. In this study, we’ll explore how Jesus’ teachings turn the world’s priorities upside down revealing what it truly means to live as citizens of His Kingdom while still walking in this world.
In the New Testament, “the world” (Greek kosmos) describes more than the physical earth – it represents a fallen system of values and priorities that stand in rebellion against God. It is the moral and spiritual order of humanity that exalts power, pride, money, and self above the ways of God. Jesus said that “the world” hates Him because He exposes its evil (John 7:7), and He warned that His followers would not belong to the world any more than He does (John 15:19). Through faith in Christ, believers no longer belong to this world but to the Kingdom of God.
The Kingdom of God operates by a completely different set of values. In the world’s kingdoms, success is measured by wealth, power, and recognition. But in God’s Kingdom, greatness is defined by humility, love, and sacrifice. Jesus’ teachings turned the world’s value system upside down, and they still challenge the priorities of our modern culture.
To belong to the Kingdom of God is to live in a way that may seem backward, or upside-down to the world. However, in the Kingdom of Heaven, it is right-side-up. Disciples of Jesus are called to embody this Kingdom life, following the values of Christ rather than the values of culture and this world.
The First will be Last, and the Last will be First – Matthew 19:20
“But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.” In the world’s system, people strive to climb to the top to get ahead, to be first, and to win. But Jesus redefined greatness. The path upward in His Kingdom leads downward, into humility and service.
When Jesus washed His disciples’ feet (John 13:1–17), He wasn’t performing a symbolic act of humility; He was redefining leadership. The greatest among His followers would not be those with authority but those willing to serve.
The disciple learns that greatness in the Kingdom is measured not by how many people serve us, but by how many we serve. Each act of kindness, unseen sacrifice, and humble obedience becomes a declaration that we belong to a Kingdom not of this world.
Blessed are the Poor, the Meek and the Persecuted – Matthew 5:3-12
“Blessed are the poor in spirit …” The Beatitudes are a direct challenge to worldly thinking. The world says, “blessed are the strong, the successful, and the self-assured.” But Jesus calls the poor in spirit, the meek, and the persecuted – Blessed. They are the ones who realize their weaknesses and frailties and recognize their desperate need for God.
In this upside-down Kingdom, spiritual poverty is not weakness, it is the doorway to grace. Meekness is not timidity but strength under control. And persecution is not failure but a mark of faithfulness. To live this way requires a complete transformation of values. As followers of Jesus, we must learn to measure success not by comfort or recognition, but by faithfulness to Christ. God’s blessings do not rest on those who impress the world but on those who rely on Jesus.
Losing Life to Find It – Matthew 16:25
“Whoever loses their life for Me will find it.” In the Kingdom of God, victory often looks like surrender. To gain life, we must give it away. To find true joy, we must release our grip on control. To the world, this seems irrational, foolish, and perhaps suicidal. But that’s because the world cannot see beyond what is visible or temporary. They are blinded by one of Satan’s greatest lies. He tells us that reality is measured by what we can see, touch, measure, or achieve – that this life is all there is.
But Jesus proved otherwise. His own life was the ultimate reversal of that lie. He gave up His divine privileges and “He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Phil 2:8). In losing His life, He revealed the power of eternal life and redeemed the world.
For disciples today, this same paradox holds true. Following Jesus means surrendering our self-centered agendas. It means believing there is more than what the eye can see, trusting that real life begins where our own self dies. In losing what we once thought was life, we discover what life truly is: abundant, eternal, and anchored in Christ.
Greatness Through Humility and Service – Mark 10:43
“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.” (Mark 10:43).
In God’s Kingdom, humility is not an option, it is essential. Jesus, the Lord of heaven, stooped to wash the feet of His disciples. He welcomed children, ate with outcasts, and touched lepers. Every action revealed a different kind of greatness – the kind that flows from love.
In a world that glorifies pride, status, and self-promotion, the upside-down Kingdom of God teaches humility, compassion, and service. We are called to kneel when the world demands that we stand tall, to give when the world tells us to take, and to serve when the world expects us to be served.
True greatness is not found in asserting our will but in aligning our hearts with the will of Christ, who came “not to be served but to serve” (Mark 10:45).
Giving is True Wealth – Luke 12:33
“Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail.” The world teaches that security and success come from accumulation, from what we can hold, own, and control. But Jesus teaches the opposite: security is found in what we release. Earthly possessions promise comfort yet often result in anxiety, because they can be lost, stolen, or destroyed. True wealth, Jesus says, is not measured by ownership but by generosity, which can never be taken away.
In the upside-down Kingdom of Heaven, generosity is never a loss; it is gain. Every act of giving weakens the hold of materialism on us and strengthens our trust in God’s care. It realigns our hearts to His economy, where faith is the currency and love is the measure of value. The disciple learns that true treasures are stored in heaven. True generosity is not just about giving money, but also our time and our abilities to the things cherished by Christ – other people and the advancement of the Kingdom of God.
What this Means for a Disciple Today
To live in the upside-down Kingdom means that instead of trusting in ourselves and in the world – we must put our entire trust in God. To live as though heaven’s values are more real than the earths. It means we measure success by obedience, not achievement; wealth by generosity, not accumulation; greatness by humility, not position. In a world that constantly says, “Look out for yourself,” Jesus says, “Deny yourself.” The life of a disciple may seem utterly foolish to the world, but it is the only life that leads to ultimate freedom and joy.
When we choose to serve, give, and live as Jesus did, we are loudly declaring that we belong to a different Kingdom – the one that cannot be shaken. The Kingdom of God turns the world’s values upside down, but in doing so, it sets everything right side up.
As we close this section on The Marks of a Disciple, we will next turn to examine the Cost of Discipleship. As we will learn in the next study, Counting the Cost, before choosing to follow Him, Jesus told people to understand the costs of being a disciple and choose wisely. While the road is hard the benefits are eternal.
Questions for Reflection and Discussion
Jesus said that His followers “do not belong to the world.”
In what practical ways can you live by the values of God’s Kingdom rather than the values of culture? Where do you feel most pressure to conform to the world’s system?
“The first will be last, and the last will be first.”
How does Jesus’ redefinition of greatness challenge your understanding of success, ambition, and leadership? What might humility look like in your daily relationships?
The Beatitudes describe a Kingdom that blesses the poor in spirit, the meek, and the persecuted.
Which of these Kingdom qualities do you find hardest to embrace, and how might God be using current circumstances to shape them in you?
Jesus calls us to lose our lives to find them.
What parts of your life (goals, comfort, control, or reputation) are hardest to surrender? How does trusting in eternal life change your view of those sacrifices?
In God’s Kingdom, greatness flows from humility and service.
What opportunities has God placed around you to serve quietly or sacrificially? How can serving others help free you from self-centered thinking?
Jesus taught that true wealth comes through generosity.
How does giving, whether of time, resources, or love, reshape your heart and your trust in God’s provision? What steps could you take this week to live more generously?
Living in the upside-down Kingdom often looks foolish to the world.
When have you experienced criticism or misunderstanding for living by Kingdom values? How can those moments strengthen your witness and deepen your joy in Christ?
My name is Michael Adkins. For several decades I’ve been studying Scripture, developing discipleship resources, and teaching others how to walk more closely with Christ. Currently, I serve as the Discipleship Pathway Leader at Riverside International Church in Cascais, Portugal, where my passion is helping believers grow into mature disciples who live out their faith in everyday life.