January 29, 2020

Rejoice in the Lord Always. I Will Say It Again: Rejoice!

Luke 10:1–24

Jason Cirone
Wednesday's Devo

January 29, 2020

Wednesday's Devo

January 29, 2020

Central Truth

Hold fast to a Philippians 4:4-9 posture so that you may be 1 Peter 3:15-ready. Ask to be sent by the King (Luke 11:9-13) who uses those He chooses (John 15:16)! Be ready to Preach, Pray, or Die. Why? "[Y]our names are written in heaven." (Luke 10:20b) YES! Praise Jesus! Rejoice!

Key Verse | Luke 10:2-3, 20

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. Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. . . . Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

Luke 10:1–24

Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two 1 10:1 Some manuscripts seventy; also verse 17 others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. 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. Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. 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. Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. 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.

Woe to Unrepentant Cities

13 Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more bearable in the judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades.

16 The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

The Return of the Seventy-Two

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.”

Jesus Rejoices in the Father's Will

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. 2 10:21 Or for so it pleased you well 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.”

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.”

Footnotes

[1] 10:1 Some manuscripts seventy; also verse 17
[2] 10:21 Or for so it pleased you well

Dive Deeper | Luke 10:1–24

Luke 10:20 shows me not to lose sight of the One who grants salvation and the role I am to play in recognition of the gift I've received! I am a servant and should desire to go forth as called in Matthew 28:19-20. I should be a seed planter or one that waters in all that I do. And I get to rejoice in that!

The works I am (we are) doing are not by my (our) hands. Jesus tells us in John 15:16, "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you." 

As sowing and reaping go hand in hand, I seek a James 4:7-8 heart in my approach to the harvest. Father, praise You for allowing Your power to be seen through Your people. Will You grant me the ability to fully submit to You? Will You keep me from temptation and lead me by Your Word in all I do? And as You continue to transform my heart and sanctify me by Your truth, will You send me out to share Your Word and be Your love to others?

God chose the 70/72 to go and perform miracles for others to see because they did not have the Scripture that we have now. The gospel story was unfolding in real time as those faithful followers went out by the power of and in the name of Jesus! It is in and through Christ alone that any good thing may happen. So, as we point people to the only One who is good, we see life change happen right in front of our eyes, if we commit the time! May we remember Whose time it truly is and invest our lives in others! (Psalm 24:1) In turn, may we see the miracle that happens—the miracle of a life truly transformed by the gospel (Romans 1:16).

Let's GO, Church! (Luke 10:3; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21)

Discussion Questions

1. How is God using His people, consequences you've faced, or spiritual disciplines you've developed in this season of your life to shape you more into the image of Christ?

2. Are you discipling someone right now (1 Peter 5:2), or are you being discipled (1 Peter 5:5)? If not, why not? Would you prayerfully consider helping to sharpen another believer (Proverbs 27:17)?

3. What is your prayer today in asking the Lord to send you into the harvest (James 3:18)?

4. What is the next faithful step you need to take in your walk to become a fully devoted follower of Christ? Will you share that with someone you trust who can help you to take (or recognize) that next faithful step?