30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
LUKE 19 28-40 BLESSED IS THE KING WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD 06 The victory over the self at the cross
📖 Luke 19:28-40
13Jan2021 - *The victory over the self at the cross* - _Luke 19:28-40_ - BLESSED IS THE KING WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD 6 – Bible reading: _Hebrews 10:4-10_
_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_
We continue to explore the matter of Jesus leading us into a kingdom of lowliness
We considered the matter of man’s sin yesterday. Man’s sin, our sin, is the promotion of the self in us to be the king of our lives. This made us rebels and we were alienated and were cast out of God’s kingdom.
For man to come back 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. The self in Man needs to be dethroned and Christ must be enthroned in our hearts. It is only then can we be back into God’s kingdom.
In God’s kingdom, we do not rule our lives anymore but we submit and surrender to the lordship of Christ over us.
The victory over the self is what happened on the cross, which opened the door for us to come back into God’s kingdom, which is where we were at the beginning of creation.
Jesus provided this victory for us over the self, on the cross. The writer to the Hebrews sums it up for us beautifully as to what took place on the cross.
_Hebrews 10:4-10 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. (5) Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: "SACRIFICE AND OFFERING YOU DID NOT DESIRE, BUT A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME. (6) IN BURNT OFFERINGS AND SACRIFICES FOR SIN YOU HAD NO PLEASURE. (7) THEN I SAID, 'BEHOLD, I HAVE COME— IN THE VOLUME OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME— *TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD*.' " (8) Previously saying, "SACRIFICE AND OFFERING, BURNT OFFERINGS, AND OFFERINGS FOR SIN YOU DID NOT DESIRE, NOR HAD PLEASURE IN THEM" (which are offered according to the law), (9) then He said, "*BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD*." He takes away the first that He may establish the second. (10) *By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all*._
The body of Jesus had to be without sin in order for Jesus to be our sacrificial lamb. Only then could He take our place and be our sin offering. In the body of Jesus, there was no sin. We confirmed this yesterday that Jesus came not to do His will but 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*. I John 3:5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin._
The problem of sin, which was in our flesh, was settled by Jesus on the cross. We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all.
How do we appropriate what Jesus did for us on the cross? How does what Jesus did for us on the cross become our portion and experience?
We experience the victory over the self in us when we too are crucified with Christ by faith. This is how we, appropriate what Jesus did for us on the cross and we once again become citizens of His kingdom.
_Galatians 2:20 *I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live*, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me._
Our self is continuously being crucified with Christ and it is Christ who lives in and through us. It is no longer you and I who lives but it is Christ who lives in us. Christ is once again enthroned in our hearts, which is what the kingdom of God is all about.
_Colossians 3:3 *For you died*, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
II Corinthians 5:15 and He died for all, *that those who live should live no longer for themselves*, but for Him who died for them and rose again._
The reason for the cross was that we should no longer live for ourselves. It is only when we stop living for ourselves that we come into God’s kingdom and live a life of surrender and submission to the lordship of Christ over us.
Every moment when we recognise the self in us demanding importance, we take that particular matter of the self, to the cross, by faith, at that very moment. When we do so, we will be astonished to see the self in us being crucified, the old nature in us being buried with Christ and we rising with Christ with His nature.
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*
```Are you experiencing the nature of Jesus in you, every day?```