Church Sermon - September 29, 2002

WHAT BRINGS CHRISTIANS JOY?

Rev. Bernt P. Tweit

Old Testament Lesson; Daniel 10:10 -14; 12:1-3
Epistle Lesson; Revelation 12:7-12
Sermon Text; Luke 10:17-20

During the course of the church year there are many Minor Festivals that are celebrated. Today is one of those days. Today is St. Michael and All Angels’ Day.

Who is St. Michael? What does Daniel mean in our Old Testament reading, when he speaks of Michael as the protector of the people? And what does the book of Revelation mean in our Epistle reading, when John tells of warfare in Heaven between Michael and the dragon?

First of all, both Daniel and Revelation were written during times of great upheaval in the church. They were written to provide encouragement to the faithful, who were under the stress of persecution.

The message of Daniel is that Michael is the protector of God’s people on earth. The name Michael means, literally, ‘Who is like God’. Michael has already done battle with the evil angels, who are enemies of God’s people and has won. Although the battle on earth has yet to be fought, the determining battle in Heaven is over and the victory by Christ’s death, for the sake of His people, is assured.

The author of the book of Revelation picks up on the very same theme. The all-decisive warfare in Heaven has already occurred. Therefore, all of God’s people on earth may freely and courageously face whatever remains for us, because we know that the outcome is the eternal victory for all who remain steadfastly faithful to Jesus.

We know that the devil has been defeated by Jesus’ death on the cross. And so, on this St. Michael and All Angels’ Day, we look at the words from our Gospel, in Luke 10:17-20 and consider this question,

The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."

He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

In the verses before our text, Jesus sent out 72 disciples to go, two by two, ahead of Him to every town and place where He was about to go. They prepared for the arrival of Jesus. They were forerunners, like John the Baptist.

Here are a few of the instructions that Jesus gave to the 72.

Jesus told them, "When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The Kingdom of God is near you’."

Jesus also said, "When you go to a town that doesn’t welcome you, shake the dust off of your feet and say, ‘The Kingdom of God is near.’ It will be more bearable on that day for Sodom, than for you."

Before sending them out, Jesus’ final instructions were, "He who listens to you, listens to me; he who rejects you, rejects me; but he who rejects me, rejects Him who sent me." And so the seventy-two were sent out.

Now the seventy-two disciples received their commission and carried out its instructions. They were highly successful in their efforts, for they came back to Jesus with joy over the reception, which they had experienced and in particular over the results of the authority given to them to drive out demons, in Jesus’ name.

But notice what is missing in their report to Jesus. They didn’t report on the reception of the prospects Jesus might find in the various towns, which He intended to visit. They didn’t tell Jesus which towns believed their message, nor which towns didn’t believe their message. They didn’t say, "Lord in this town they received you warmly." And, they didn’t say, "Lord, in this town they received you coldly, and so we shook the dust off of our feet."

Instead, they placed the emphasis on a minor point. They were congratulating themselves that the demons, the evil spirits, were subject to them, in the name of Jesus. It was as if they were saying, "Lord, look what we were able to do!"

It seems that when they announced their authority, as committed to them by Jesus, the demons were compelled to follow their bidding. Although this power had been given in the instructions by Jesus, Luke 10:9, it seems that they looked upon it as more than they had expected. And for that reason, returned with great joy.

They found joy in the power to perform miracles, and the power to drive out demons. But nowhere in the Bible does it say that true joy can be found in what we have done. And yet, it can even happen in church-work today, that both pastors and congregation members are more impressed by some form of outward success, in the matter of gaining recognition in the community, than by the actual winning of souls for the Savior.

For example, we could get so wrapped up in how many people came to our Carnival for Kids, that our pride could make us pat ourselves on the back and say, "Look at the results of what we have done", and we fail to recognize the work that Christ has done for us.

When we look to ourselves, we won’t be able to find true joy.

We can’t find true joy in ourselves.

where we can find

is when we look at

Jesus’ life,

from His birth to His death.

We need to see the complete victory that He won over the devil, for us.

In our text Jesus rebuked the disciples and said, "Do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you…"

You know, I’m glad Jesus said that! I have never driven out a demon, I have never faith-healed anyone and I probably never will. Most of us are in the same boat. We aren’t likely to experience anything like that. And if it took something like that to fill us with joy, we might never have true joy. Therefore, our greatest joy can’t and shouldn’t be found in the abilities God has given to us.

The entire life of Jesus, from His birth to His death, was a victory over Satan. In our text Jesus says, "I saw Satan fall like a lightning from Heaven." Just as a bolt of lightning comes down from heaven in shining glory and disappears on earth, so the power of the devil and his angels were thrown down out of Heaven. Jesus assures us that the devil has been defeated.

True joy can’t come from what we have done. Our true joy can only come from the great truth of what Jesus has done for us, by living and dying for us, and the wonderful certainty that our names are written in Heaven! This is the greatest of all spiritual blessings! To have our name written in the Book of Heaven, is to know that we will be delivered, Daniel 12:2. Jesus gives us, His sheep, the assurance that no one can snatch us out of his hands, John 10:28. There can be no greater cause for joy, than this assurance.

This morning I would like to close by looking at the last verb found in our text.

"…rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

Notice the verb is actually two words, "are written". In the Greek language, it is one word that is a perfect passive indicative. These three things may not mean much to you, but they will. You see, because Luke wrote this word, it brings great joy to those of us who are Christians! The literal sense of this verb is, "your name is written and shall be written." It means that it stands written.

The Perfect Tense refers to an action completed in the past, that has ongoing results into the future.

The Passive Voice reminds us that the subject is being acted upon, by another. So, here it is God who is acting on us!

The Indicative Mood is merely a statement of fact.

Putting all of this together we see that in the past, God wrote my name and your name in heaven, and that action carries on into the future. Simply put, Jesus said,

Today, this day, we should be warned not to look at our relationship with God through the special abilities He has given to us, in the work of The Kingdom. Rather, the surest confidence and joy we have is that we are Children of God, by faith in Jesus. And for that reason, our names are written in heaven.

Amen.

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