30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 22 7-13 PREPARING FOR THE PASSOVER MEAL 06 Luke 22 8 Victorious over the self
📖 Luke 22:7-13
*FRIEND OF GOD*
Mon12Jul2021 - *Victorious over the self* - _Luke 22:7-13_ - PREPARING FOR THE PASSOVER MEAL (06) – Bible reading: _Colossians 3:1-3_
It is crucial for us to be prepared as we partake of the Lord’s supper. We need to be in oneness with one another, as we have oneness with Christ, at the meal. These two themes cannot be separated, oneness with one another and our corporate experience of oneness with Christ.
_Luke 22:8 And He sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.”_
These are the three items that Paul is addressing in the church, for our preparation to participate in the Lord’s supper. We cannot partake of the Lord's supper when we have divisions, factions and selfishness amongst us, in the body of Christ.
We have already considered the matters of divisions and factions in the church. We will now focus our attention on the issue of selfishness amongst us.
_I Corinthians 11:19-21 For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you. (20) Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper. (21) For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk._
Factions in the church led to people wanting recognition, which led to jostling and a pecking order amongst the people of God.
*Selfishness*
The self is manifested in so many different ways in our lives. The self in us dominates our behaviour, responses and our relationships. The self seeks to be enthroned in us.
Sin is all about the self being enthroned in us. _Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; *We have turned, every one, to his own way*; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all._
Our iniquity is, *choosing to go our own way, the way of our self*. The self seeks to rule our lives. The self in us says, “I am the master”. In declaring this for ourselves, we eliminate God from being the King of our lives.
Our iniquity of the self, dominating our lives, was laid on Jesus. This is why, when we come to Christ, He has to be our Lord and King and not just our Saviour.
When we come to Christ, we come to Him as our Lord and in our everyday life situations, we constantly dethrone the self and we enthrone Christ. This is what it means to be led by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit causes us to give Christ the kingship over us.
The self is also termed as the old man, the carnal nature or the flesh. The flesh can be overcome only by the Holy Spirit. _Galatians 5:16 I say then: *Walk in the Spirit*, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh._
This is the practical way to dethrone the self and enthrone Christ. We yield to the Holy Spirit to take control of us. In yielding to the Holy Spirit, He will enable us to be victorious over the flesh or the self.
This is why Jesus came in the flesh so that we can overcome the flesh or the self. Remember it was the self that caused us to sin. The flesh of Jesus now operates from within us by the Holy Spirit.
_Romans 8:3-4 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, *God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh*, (4) that *the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit*._
Since we are living in the Holy Spirit of dethroning the self and enthroning Christ, Apostle Paul calls us to bring this experience into our relationships into the body of Christ.
_Philippians 2:3-4 *Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit*, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. (4) Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others._
This sounds so wonderful and exciting but where is the resource for us to bring this into practice in the church? The reality is the work of the Holy Spirit in us, where we do not walk in the flesh but in the Spirit.
*When we give room to the flesh or the self in us, we are in reality giving room to the devil to operate in us and amongst us in the church*.
_James 3:14-16 But if you have bitter envy and *self-seeking in your hearts*, do not boast and lie against the truth. (15) This wisdom does not descend from above, *but is earthly, sensual, demonic*. (16) For *where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there*._
The manifestation of the evil one, in any situation, is confusion and every evil thing. These are the symptoms of the devil at work and this can be seen in our homes, churches and other contexts.
This is the reason why the self cannot be given any place in our hearts, for when the self is given room, the devil will come in.
_Colossians 3:1-3 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. (2)
Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. (3) *For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God*._
We must constantly reckon that we are crucified with Christ, which is also another reason why Jesus died for us. He died for us so that we too would die with Him.
This matter of dying with Christ and living in the Spirit is the substance of our fellowship within the body of Christ and our preparation for the Lord's supper.
*Thought to ponder*
```Oneness within the body of the Christ is possible after all. We have been believing a lie.```