The Upside-Down Kingdom is what some call the Kingdom of God. The first will be last, the last first. Things get flipped.

The disciples understand everything upside down in this chapter.

The disciples rebuke them for bringing the children to Jesus, and Jesus welcomes the children.

The disciples can’t comprehend marriage where there is no option of divorce.

A little note here: this warning from Jesus about there being only one reason for divorce is talking to men only. A husband is free to divorce his wife, basically, only if she first chose to leave him and go to another man.

1 Corinthians 7:10-11 gives us the woman’s direction. She has no limitations on why she leaves, but she is not allowed to remarry.

God’s laws are very protective of marriage. We are not to separate. But they are very protective of women, which is maybe what confused the disciples!

The final story is about the rich young ruler. He keeps the ten commandments. But he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. He’s not perfect.

You have to be perfect as God is perfect. That’s our way to being with God. He is holy. We must be holy, separated from sin, self, and the world.

The disciples are thinking how could anyone be saved if that were the case.

Jesus confirms that it is impossible.

That’s why we need a savior.

Today, we seem to get stuck there. We say, that’s impossible, so God must not require it. We decide the cross just covers over all that lack in us and lets it stay.

But Jesus says it is possible for man to be saved because God is a savior. It’s not just that God shows mercy. If it were, why then wouldn’t everyone be saved? God delights to show mercy.

No, it’s “be perfect as I am perfect.” It’s only possible with God. How do we do it? We can’t. We just choose Him and give ourselves to Him to make us pleasing to Him. Then we let Him have His way.