Weekly Lesson 42

KNOWING YOUR TEAM

Putting us on Christs’ team was God’s work. Why did God put us on Christs’ team? He put us on the team so that He could deal with that old, sinful self that is the cause of so much of our troubles. God put us, Christs’ team, on the cross so that we were crucified with Him. In going to the cross, the Lord Jesus not only took our sins, but He also took us. The Bible says, “our old self was crucified with him” (Romans 6:6).

But something else happened. The Bible says God “made us alive with Christ…and…raised us up with Christ…” (Ephesians 2:5-6). God gave us a new life in Christ! The Lord Jesus Christ did not die just to save us from hell. He died to save us from ourselves as well. He died that we might have a new team—Christs’ team.

The Bible says, “For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord…” (Romans 14:9). Get that straight—”that He might be the Lord.” In plain, simple language that means “the Boss of your life”—the One who makes the decisions and gives the orders. The Bible says of those who are raised up to new life in Christ, “that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” (2 Corinthians 5:15).

When the Lord Jesus takes His rightful place as Lord of our lives, things will be different. Instead of the ugly ways of the self-life, our lives will show the beautiful fruit of the Spirit—“love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23).

Being on His team and giving yourself to God is not a matter of holding up your hand or of going down front in a church. It is a matter of completely giving the rightful place to the Lord Jesus Christ in your heart. It is giving to Him that which belongs to Him—the throne of your heart. It is making Him Lord of everything in your life.

Besides Satan, we face a real struggle with the other part of his team. The Bible calls this flesh or self. Here are some of the struggles we will have with self.

Self-Will
Self is a born rebel and how it hates to take orders! It wants no one, not even God Himself, to rule over it. The self wants its way and will do almost anything to get it. Oh, the self can be religious and even pretend to honor God, but it is a rebel at heart and, sooner or later, it will show its true colors. The Bible says, “the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.” (Romans 8:7).

Self-Righteousness
Self readily sees the sins and shortcomings of others but is blind to its own. Its language is that of the Pharisee who prayed, “God, I thank you that I am not like other men…” (Luke 18:11).

Self-Pity
Another form of self is the martyr complex. Self always feels that it is the one who gets the “raw deal.” The self wears its feelings on its sleeve and is easily “hurt.”

Self-Seeking
The self is never satisfied. No matter what it has, it wants something more. In self’s opinion, the big “I” always rates first place.

Self-Rule
Self has taken over God’s throne in the heart. Self is guilty of committing many sins, but undoubtedly the most serious one is stealing God’s throne. Self has taken over God’s throne in the heart, and from this stolen throne, it exalts itself and seeks to be worshipped. It cares not that it has broken God’s first commandment given from Mount Sinai, “You shall have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3).

Self is God’s enemy and our enemy. Though we have by no means covered all the forms of self, we can see why the self-life is so hateful to God. It is no wonder that the Bible says, “Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.” (Romans 8:8).

Self is not only God’s enemy, but it is our enemy as well. The one sure way to ruin your life and that of others around you is to let self rule your life.

Being on Christs’ team requires us to know who is on our team and our enemies. Our friends and teammates are counting on us to do our part. They are watching our lives and will quickly be able to see if we have let our guard down.

Are you a good teammate?

Go to Romans Road to Salvation and/or Prayer of Rededication

Christ Centered Champions

Christ Centered Champions

We are more than champions through him who loved us. Romans 8:37