Christ had nothing of SELF in Him. That was why Christ would say, “I can of my own SELF do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me,” Jn. 5:30.
Unity in Operation
Earlier in that chapter, Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, ‘The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise,” verse 19.
Do we see how Jesus and the Father worked? They were in harmony. They were one.
Again, Jesus continued, “For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will show him greater works… Verse 20.
We see the Father just delighting to show Jesus His will in heaven, so that He will execute that on earth where He is on assignments.
Not done, Jesus said, “For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them, even so the Son quickeneth whom he will,” verse 21.
SELF Out of the Way
It means that whomsoever God was raising and quickening in heaven, Jesus was doing the same on earth. Whomsoever God was appointing for leadership in heaven Jesus was appointing here. Whomsoever God was not appointing in heaven Jesus was not appointing on earth. There was no politics. The Father and the Son were not working at cross purposes. Jesus had no personal interest. He was not to please himself but to please God (Read Jn. 5:30 in NIV). There was so much order. The reason was because SELF was out of the way.
If Jesus had SELF in Him, He would not appoint Peter as the leader, He would appoint John. Remember Peter denied Jesus three times, yet He chose him. Peter even rebuked Him for saying He was going to die, yet He did not set Peter aside, Jesus was patient with him. Jesus was not looking at Peter but following heaven’s manifesto.
Christ so lived a life that people echoed that “He did all things well.” The reason was because SELF was not in the way. If church leaders must do all things well, SELF must be out of the way.
●●Ndukwe, a Lagos-based minister, can be reached via festus-felicia@gmail.com
