Coming back

Last week...

Luke 10:1–12 ESV

1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. 2 And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 3 Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. 4 Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. 5 Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ 6 And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. 7 And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. 8 Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.

Last week we heard about how Jesus sent the 70 disciples out into places that He was about to go into, and the specific instructions He had given them with regards to how they were to conduct their ministry (Luke 10:1-12). He told them to:

Pray (Luke 10:2)

Know that they would be persecuted (Luke 10:3)

Not to take anything with them and not to garner supporters (Luke 10:4)

Take peace (shalom) and give it freely (Luke 10:5-6)

Stay with those who received them and to allow them to be hospitable (Luke 10:7-8)

Preach the Gospel where they were welcomed (Luke 10:9)

Leave those who rejected them (Luke 10:10-11)

In Luke 10:13-16, Jesus pronounced a number of ‘woes’ or ‘judgements’. These were upon places He had already been into and had done much work in, but many of the people there had rejected the Gospel. You can see how Jesus ‘dusted off His sandals’ and continued on His way.

The disciples rejoiced

Luke 10:17 ESV

17 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”

The disciples returned to Jesus and told Him what they had seen and experienced. They had been obedient in how they went, and so they were able to bring back a favourable report. They had been sent into specific places by Jesus, they had prayed and delivered peace and they had walked away from those who rejected them. The blessing of their going in obedience was one of supernatural joy.

Because of that joy, the disciples:

Testified about what they had seen (“…saying...”)

Recognised God’s power (“…in your name...”)

Acknowledged their position in God’s Kingdom (“…the demons are subject to us...”)

A reality check

But they needed a reality check as well. Jesus could see that they were getting ahead of themselves and were getting drunk on the newfound authority and power that they wielded. It was important for Jesus to keep the main thing the main thing and to remind them that it was God’s power and authority that did the work.

Luke 10:18–20 ESV

18 And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Jesus was quick to bring perspective back to the disciples’ joy. He reminded them that:

The demons had always been subject to the authority and power of God

It was in Jesus’ power to delegate His authority to His disciples

The better thing was to rejoice that their names were written in heaven

The better thing here according to Jesus was to rejoice in what God has guaranteed for us and not in what we perceive we can do or have. Our joy is not in our ministry or accomplishments or even in the results of our ministries. It is the pure joy of being accepted into the Kingdom of Heaven!

Jesus rejoiced

Luke 10:21–22 ESV

21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 22 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

Jesus led by example in His ‘main thing’ alignment by rejoicing at how the Father chose to reveal these spiritual things to those who were like little ‘children’ and not ‘wise’ according to the things of this world.

The Father revealed the presence of the Kingdom

The Father revealed the fall of Satan

The ‘wise’ did not understand these things

The ‘children’ did receive these things

Jesus blessed the disciples

Luke 10:23–24 ESV

23 Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

Jesus made very clear to the disciples what the blessing was here. It was the ability to see the Kingdom of God and the fall of Satan. The blessing was not in the casting out of demons or in the success of a ministry, but rather in being accepted by the Father into His Kingdom. This is a spiritual and eternal blessing over a worldly and limited reward.

What are the blessings you look for?

What are the ways you judge the effectiveness of your life or ministry?

What are the things you rejoice over?

Jesus rejoiced over the revelation of the Kingdom of God and told His disciples to do the same.

Will you?