Luke 10:17-20
What Have I To Be Happy About?
What have I to be happy about? I hope that is not a question that you
have to ask yourself. Instead, I hope your thought is, "I have so
much to be happy about." But just in case the first is your mindset,
let’s answer the question tonight.
In \\#Luke 10:1\\, Jesus appointed and empowered 70 disciples to go
in ahead of Him to preach and do miracles. It is interesting to watch
these disciples as they go from being the taught to the teachers,
from being the benefited ones to being the benefactors, from being
the spectators to doing the spectacular.
How long they were gone, we do not know. The way the text is written
in the chapter, it might not have been very long. I almost get the
idea that Jesus sent 35 teams to the 35 different cities where He
would go and had them all return by a certain day. If that is what
happened, How long it would have took to reach, gather and prepare
those cities, and return; we do not know. We do know that when they
returned, they were all excited about the powers they had the works
they had done.
\\#Luke 10:20\\ In what would seem to be a strange move, Jesus told
them not to rejoice because of what they were able to do, but to
rejoice for a different reason.
Let’s discuss two main thoughts:
I. Why not rejoice in what we can do?
A. I think that is a fair question, especially if you can do what
they did.
1. They were able to cast out demons. In doing so, they no
doubt healed many sick and afflicted people.
2. But Jesus’ response was, "Even if you could play with
deadly snakes and scorpions or defeat great enemies, that
is not what I would want you to rejoice over."
B. Why? What is the problem with rejoicing over what we can do?
1. What we can do is limited to the will of God.
a. I am not a Calvinists but I do believe in the
sovereign will of God.
b. God’s will does put some limits on us.
(1) God’s will limits us in our callings.
(a) To be honest, I would think there would have
been many more than 70 who would want to do
what these 70 did. But the will of God was
for 70 to go.
(b) I don’t understand everyone not wanting to
preach and to pastor. But it is not God’s
will for everyone to do that.
(2) God’s will limits us in our health.
(3) God’s will limits us in our longevity. In the
past week, I have read of several pastors who
died of the Coronavirus.
c. Let me be quick to add that I think instead of God’s
will limiting most of us, it is we who are limiting
God’s will.
(1) I believe God wants to do more with most of us
than most of us have ever dreamed.
(2) Don’t limit the will, the work, and power of God
in your life.
2. What we can do is limited by our place and time.
a. Example of a place limiting Someone is given in Matt.
(1) The Someone is Jesus.
Matt 13:58 And he did not many mighty works
there because of their unbelief.
(2) The text said Jesus went to His own country.
(3) Most think that was Nazareth.
(4) Question: Could anyone have gone to that place
and done more?
(a) No.
(b) That place limited what could be done there.
b. Noah’s day is an example of a time that limited
people.
(1) Noah preached for 120 years.
(2) No converts!
3. What we can do is limited by our abilities.
a. This is only moderately so.
(1) If God wants you to do something, He will enable
you to do it.
(2) We see that in this text.
(3) The 70 had not ability to cast out demons.
(4) God gave them that ability.
b. But I know that there are things I would love to do
but I do not have the ability.
(1) I’d love to sing. I’ve tried.
(2) It is obvious that God does not want me to have
that ability, but that has not change my
desire.
(3) I am limited there and in other areas in which I
would love to excel.
4. What we can do is limited by our walk with God.
a. This one is completely repairable.
b. However, it is also painfully true.
c. Too many cannot do what God wants to them to because
they will not be what God wants them to be.
C. So Jesus says not to rejoice in what we can do, but to rejoice
in something else.
II. What are we to rejoice in? Jesus got the ball rolling.
A. We can rejoice that our names are written in heaven.
Luke 10:20 …but rather rejoice, because your
names are written in heaven.
1. I find it interesting that Jesus did not tell us where our
names are written in heaven.
a. Other passages tell us.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in
the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
b. Our names get written there when we get saved.
2. However, this statement also tells me that God does not
have a Book of the Damned written.
a. Maybe such a thought would never cross your mind, but
it did mine.
b. You see, Jesus said anyone whose name is written in
heaven has cause to rejoice not to mourn.
c. That is obviously true if you name is written in the
Book of Life, but it would not be true if you name is
written in the Book of the Damned.
(1) There is no such book.
(2) How will God know who is damned?
(a) First, He is God and He does not need a
book.
(b) But second, the Bible makes it clear
everyone whose name is NOT written in the
Book of Life goes to hell.
(c) You had better get your name written in that
Book!
3. What are some reasons we can rejoice if our name is
written heaven?
a. You will never have to give an account for your sins.
b. You will never die.
c. You will never go to hell.
B. Having my name written in heaven means that I am adopted.
Ephesians 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the
adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself,
according to the good pleasure of his will,
1. The word "adopted" means that God has added me to my
family.
2. God has One begotten Son, but He has an innumerable host
of adopted children.
3. This may be hard to comprehend, but being God’s adopted
child is almost as good as being God’s begotten Child.
a. What I am about to say is difficult to understand.
(1) Jesus is not God by virtue of His birth of His
“begottenness.”
(2) Jesus had no beginning because He is God.
(3) God is eternal.
(4) The only thing begotten about Jesus was His
physical body.
b. Jesus is God because He is of the nature and
character of God.
(1) Kathy and I did not birth our grandchildren.
(2) However, if OUR children and their mates are
doing their job correctly, as these kids grow
up, you should see some of our nature and
character in them because it should also be
in their mothers.
c. The day WE were saved, God’s character and nature were
implanted into us.
1 John 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not
commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he
cannot sin, because he is born of God.
4. Because we have His nature, we also have God’s authority.
a. I have never healed any by the laying on of hands.
I have never knowing cast out a demon.
I have never raised the dead, parted a river, or
given sight to the blind.
b. However, the power to do these kinds of miracles are
ours by virtue of WHO we are.
John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them
gave he power to become the sons of God, even to
them that believe on his name:
c. Either when it is God’s will for us to use this power
or when we get spiritual enough to release this
power, we will be able to do so.
C. Having my name written in heaven means I’ve got a perfect
future.
Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all
tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more
death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall
there be any more pain: for the former things are
passed away.
D. Having my name written in heaven means I’ve got a glorious
job.
1. God has given to us a glorious job right now.
2Corinthians 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors
for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us:
we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled
to God.
a. I know that to many, serving God is a chore—and
perhaps it is to everyone from time to time.
b. However, we have been called to join God in the
greatest task of this world, and I think, thus far,
the greatest task in eternity.
(1) Telling other people about Jesus.
(2) Showing other people who God is and that God
cares.
(3) Friend, we got a great job to perform and the
benefits are literally out of this world!
2. And when we get to heaven, God will give us an even more
glorious job.
Luke 22:29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as
my Father hath appointed unto me;
30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my
kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve
tribes of Israel.
E. Having my name written in heaven means I will have glorified
body.
2Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if our earthly
house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have
a building of God, an house not made with hands,
eternal in the heavens.
F. Having my name written in heaven means that I’ve got two
Comforters in this life
John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he
shall give you another Comforter, that he may
abide with you for ever;
1. The text says that the Father will give me ANOTHER
Comforter.
2. I have always heard that the Greek word for ANOTHER here
means "another of the same kind."
3. Regardless, before God can give me another, He must have
given me a first.
4. Jesus is my first Comforter. The Holy Spirit is my
Second.
G. Having my name written in heaven means that I’ve got a mansion
in glory.
John 14:2 In my Father’s house are many
mansions: if [it were] not so, I would have told
you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I
will come again, and receive you unto myself;
that where I am, there ye may be also.
1. Like the inheritance that Peter mention, this mansion will
not fade away.
2. It is eternal, permanent. absolute.
Now you can decide what kind of theology you want to have, but the
one I want to have is Bible theology. In the Bible, Jesus tells us
that we have some great and permanent reasons to rejoice. I think I
will. What about you?
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