Evangelism Part 18: Proclaiming with Joy
Luke 10:17-21 October 15, 2023
Recap
Luke 10:1-2, 9, “10 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…. 9 Heal the
sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’”
o Jesus sends out the 72 (or 70) in the same way He sent apostles. A little later in
the text they return.
Luke 10:17-20 “17 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons
are subject to us in your name!” 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.”
Rejoicing
Joy (Gk. chara) is a feeling of great pleasure, of inner gladness or delight. Joy is an
emotion evoked by a sense of well-being. It is a deep feeling of contentment, regardless
of the circumstances around you.
closely related to our value system and identity – what we value and esteem will most
directly shape our identity and self-view
o We rejoice in the things in which we find value, which are going to be things that
affirm our self-view and identity as it relates to those values.
The enemy is an expert at enticing you to value the things of this world –
and therefore root your identity and self-view in the attainment of the
worldly things you value.
E.G. the affirmation of other people, success or security of all kinds
(financial, athletic, political, social, educational, physical appearance,
etc.), obtaining of possessions or experiences, etc.
o The enemy will seek to get us to value some social ladder of
attainment in this world – usually whichever one we most
easily find worldly achievement and attainment within
Once we value that system, we start to measure
ourselves and seek to attain more prestige according to
that system. This, in turn, creates an self-view and
identity that is rooted in that system which we value.
o The lie is that these systems and the values we place in them
can somehow actually bring contentment and satisfaction and
give us a lasting sense of belonging and peace. – They cannot.
All are fleeting, require constant striving, and will never
completely satisfy.
Thus, Jesus is quick to point out the things that we are not to rejoice in.
Do Not Rejoice in Displays of Authority, Power, and Protection
As we are faithful, humble, and obedient to follow the leading of Holy Spirit, God will
move through us and in us
o These displays of God’s authority and power are to be appreciated and result in
the glory and praise of our Lord – but they are not to be the object of our joy,
they are not to be the measures by which we value ourselves nor are they to be
the systems in which we find identity and understanding of self.
o Danger is that many churches over emphasize power and authority and
unwittingly fall into the deception of the enemy.
V18 saw satan fall like lightning from heaven
o Not referring to the initial fall of Satan from heaven
Isaiah 14:12-15
“12 “How you are fallen from heaven,
O Day Star, son of Dawn!
How you are cut down to the ground,
you who laid the nations low!
13 You said in your heart,
‘I will ascend to heaven;
above the stars of God
I will set my throne on high;
I will sit on the mount of assembly
in the far reaches of the north;
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.’
15 But you are brought down to Sheol,
to the far reaches of the pit.
o Not referring to Matthew 4/Luke 4 and the temptation of Christ, when Jesus was
confronted with the lies of satan and then cast him away.
o Not referring to the future victory that Jesus will have over satan when he casts
him into the abyss, the lake of fire to receive his final judgment (see Revelation
20)
o Saw (Gk. theōreō) literally = “was watching”, to observe like a spectator
In the imperfect tense, meaning observing continuously (as they went out)
o While the disciples who were sent out experienced the power and authority of
Jesus in action, Jesus was witnessing the spiritual reality going on
Like an awesome lightning storm, Jesus observed the flashes of power
encounters they were having and knew that the Kingdom of Heaven was
pushing back the enemy in the lives of those individuals who were healed
and who had demon cast out of them.
Yet, we are not to rejoice in this. Displays of power and victory over the enemy should
not the cause of our joy…we do not find our value in such things, for they are merely the
display of God’s power and authority, they are not things in which we can find true
value and therefore actual identity
o Why? Because authority and power are not ours – they are given to us By Jesus
through Holy Spirit and they act and move at His will, not ours.
o Therefore, if we value ourselves by and build our identity on displays of power
and supernatural experiences, we will develop a shallow faith that is dependent
on those signs and wonders to spur it on.
This is exactly what Jesus condemned.
Luke 11:29 “29 When the crowds were increasing, he began to say,
“This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign, but no sign
will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” See also Matthew 16:1-4
As we go through this life and encounter the enemy, the Lord will protect and preserve
us.
2 Thessalonians 3:3 “But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against
the evil one.”
1 John 4:4 “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in
you is greater than he who is in the world.”
Romans 16:20 “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of
our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.”
2 Corinthians 2:14 “But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal
procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.”
o Even if we are afflicted in our flesh – like Paul with the thorn in the flesh (see 2
Cor. 12:7-10, or Job or Peter – the enemy cannot kill us…the enemy cannot take
control of us.
No follower of Christ can be possessed in their inner man.
The Lord may permit some sort of affliction for purposes of refining us and
disciplining us, but that’s it.
o Yet, even in this protection we do not rejoice. For even this protection is not the
thing we should value, it is not the system in which we should find our identity
and self-worth
For the Lord, in his timing will allow us to be refined through trial,
tribulation, and affliction. This doesn’t mean we have failed or are no
longer valuable. In fact the exact opposite is true:
Hebrews 12:5-8, 10-11 “5 And have you forgotten the exhortation
that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the
discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For the
Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he
receives.” 7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is
treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not
discipline? 10…he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his
holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than
pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to
those who have been trained by it.”
o But if our joy and value is in going through this life safely and without trial or
difficulty, we are in for a rude awakening. This is why Jesus tells us not to rejoice
in this.
So what are we to rejoice in?
Rejoice in our Eternal Security with Jesus
“…but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
o “rejoice” = present imperative tense = ongoing rejoicing
Even more than that, we rejoice knowing that our names are written in heaven
o Book of life references: Exodus 32:32-33, Psalm 69:28, Isaiah 4:3, Daniel 12:1,
Revelation 3:5, and Revelation 13:8
o 1 John 5:13 “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of
God, that you may know that you have eternal life.”
o John 10:27-30 “27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow
me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch
them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me,[a] is greater than
all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father
are one.”
o Revelation 3:5 “The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments,
and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name
before my Father and before his angels.”
“Written” (Gk engraphō) to formally record with permanence
o Is in perfect tense which speaks of a past completed action with ongoing results
or effect
o Daniel 12:1 “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of
your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since
there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered,
everyone whose name shall be found written in the book.”
Septuagint “written” = engraphō, same word as Luke 10:20
A sincere and submitted follower of Jesus cannot lose their salvation. They are an
adopted child of God (see Rom 8:12-17); they are a sheep in His flock (see John 10), they
purchased by the blood of Jesus (see 1 Peter 1:18-19, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20) – a people
for His own possession – and they belong to Jesus. They will conquer the enemy through
the power of Holy Spirit and the authority of Christ, as the Lord preserves them until
they come home to be with Him forever when His work in them is completed (see
Philippians 1:6).
The blessings of this life are certainly cause for praise to our King, but real joy is found,
real value can be placed in the eternal blessing we have in eternity with our King. In that
blessing, we can place our identity as a child of God, as one who is loved by Him,
adopted into His family, victorious with Him, reigning with Him, and worshipping and
praising our God together forever. That gives us value that is an identity that is eternal
and fully satisfying.
In what do we rejoice?
o Preacher Steven Cole in a sermon on this text asked ““Congratulations! You have
just won the Reader’s Digest Five Million Dollar Sweepstakes!” Would that make
you rejoice? “Congratulations! You have just been used of God to move a soul
from eternal darkness to eternal light and life!” Now that should make the
believer rejoice like nothing else! But all too often, when we hear of a soul being
saved, we respond with, “That’s nice. Hey, who do you think will win the Super
Bowl?” Whatever makes us the happiest reveals our true values. Do we get more
excited about temporal blessings or eternal ones? Do we get more excited about
a new car or a new brother or sister in Christ?”
Luke 10:21 “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.”
o Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit saving the souls He did through the 72 that were
sent out and revealing truth to them.
This is the same thing in which we should rejoice. As we grow in our
submission to the Lord and knowledge of the Lord’s truth, our confidence
and value in being a Child of God should grow. Correspondingly, our joy in
the Lord will grow as we see His hand move in and through our faithful,
humble, and obedient following His lead.
One of the clearest indications of a mature follower of Jesus is that
they are walking in the joy of the Spirit as they go through the trials,
tribulations, and difficulties of life – because their value comes from
the Lord and they know their identity as a child of God.
o John MacArthur “In contrast to the notion that these profound truths are only for
the elevated elite, Jesus’ chose infants as an illustration of those who
understood….young children have nothing to boast of; they have not yet achieved
anything in life, they are not educated, and they have no exposure to the world’s
wisdom or knowledge. Only those who humbly admit their inability to know God
in their own wisdom and knowledge apart from His revelation of Himself can be
saved. Jesus was pleased with that truth because it gives all glory to God.
Salvation belongs not to the intelligent, wise, proud, conceited, and boastful, but
rather to those who are admittedly ignorant and foolish, humble, broken, and
contrite.”
Ultimately, rejoicing in salvation is really all about rejoicing in our God
o Yeshua = Jehovah is Salvation or God Saves
o Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”
o Let us rejoice in our God, who loves us and saves us. Let us rejoice that the Lord
has revealed His truth to us that we may share it with others and be instruments
that the Lord uses to bring them to salvation.
What you are joyful about, you will talk about. I pray that we are filled with the joy of
our salvation and that we will continue to proclaim the confidence of our future hope
with Jesus to the lost and hurting in this world who desperately need the true measure
of value and the eternal identity that their loving God desires for them.