30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
LUKE 19 28-40 BLESSED IS THE KING WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD 05 The problem of the ‘self’
📖 Luke 19:28-40
12Jan2021 - *The problem of the ‘self’* - _Luke 19:28-40_ - BLESSED IS THE KING WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD 5 – Bible reading: _Matthew 26:38-39_
The Lord Jesus was fulfilling prophesy of Himself as He entered triumphantly into Jerusalem. He longed for the disciples to connect the dots and believe in Him as the King.
_Zechariah 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, *your King is coming to you*; He is just and having salvation, *Lowly* and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey_
The kingdom of God consists of the justice of God, which Jesus gave us by clothing us with His righteousness on the cross. The kingdom of God consists of the salvation of God, one facet of which is to save us from the kingdom of darkness and save us into the kingdom of light. Jesus obtained this salvation for us on the cross.
The kingdom of God is of lowliness. This is a feature of the kingdom of Jesus which is contrary to that of the kingdoms of this world, where self-aggrandisement is the norm.
How did Jesus demonstrate and bring us back into the kingdom of God, which is a kingdom of lowliness?
As we read this passage, _(Luke 19:28-40)_, we see much detail on how Jesus sent two of His disciples to get the donkey from the village. We read of how the disciples threw their clothes on the donkey and set Jesus on the donkey. We see how they spread their garments on the road for the donkey carrying Jesus to walk on.
The disciples and the people began to rejoice ad praise God with a loud voice. _Luke 19:38 saying: " '*BLESSED IS THE KING WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!*' Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"_
Jesus was King but He was lowly. The lowly King was heading for the cross and establishing His kingdom of lowliness.
What is the significance of lowliness? Let us go back to the very beginning and consider the sin of man.
What is the sin of man? Man’s sin, our sin, is the promotion of the self in us to be the king of our lives.
This was the core issue with the devil. _Isaiah 14:13-14 For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; (14) I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, *I will be like the Most High*.'_
This was why Lucifer fell and he has injected this very same core illness into man by tempting and causing man to fall into sin. The trap of the devil was to make man seize the throne of his own heart, where God has the rightful place to rule our lives.
_Genesis 3:5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and *you will be like God*, knowing good and evil."_
For man to come into the kingdom of God, this core issue of man’s sin, which is the ‘self’ that is ruling our hearts, needs to be dealt with. Man needs to be dethroned and Christ the Lord must be enthroned in our hearts. Only then can we be in God’s kingdom.
In God’s kingdom, we cannot rule our lives, we submit and surrender to the lordship of Christ over us.
The victory over the self is what happened on the cross, which opens the door for us back into God’s kingdom, which is where we were at the beginning of creation.
Jesus subjected Himself to His Father’s will. _John 6:38 For I have come down from heaven, *not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me*._
As the Lord agonized in the garden of Gethsemane, this was His submission. _Matthew 26:38-39 Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me." (39) He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, *not as I will, but as You will*."_
The Lord longs for us to perceive the full picture of the cross and His kingdom, and perceiving will believe. _John 13:19 Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He._ (Keeping in mind the right understanding of belief)
*Thought to ponder*
```The cross of Jesus Christ was not only a historical event, but it was also a place where man comes back to the right place of submitting his will to the will of the King.```