A REASON TO REJOICE

Luke 10:17-

The facts:

1.	The seventy-two returned with joy and said,

2.	'Lord, even the demons submit to us

3.	in Your name."

1.	How did the seventy-two return? with joy.

2.	What did they say? "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."

3.	In whose name? Jesus'

v.18-19

1.	He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

2.	I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy;

3.	nothing will harm you

1.	What did Jesus say he saw? "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

2	Where did they get the authority or power or ability to trample snakes and scorpions and to overcome (how much?) all the power of the enemy? Jesus gave it to them.

3.	How much danger were they in? Nothing will harm you.

v.20

4.	However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you,

5.	but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

4.	What did Jesus warn them against?

5.	What did He direct them to do instead?

Interpretation:

In chapter 9 list three evidences that the disciples were more likely to rejoice in casting out demons than in having their names written in heaven.

What is similar about Satan falling from heaven and praising God that your name is written in heaven?

What is similar about getting authority from Jesus to trample snakes and scorpions and overcome all the power of the enemy and rejoicing that the spirits submit to you?

What is the relationship between nothing harming you and the other two kinds of elements? for you, in you, to you

Why will nothing harm you? Is it because you have cooperated with God? Is it because you have become powerful? No, it is because God has triumphed. You didn't have anything to do with it. You receive invincibility as a gift as well as authority.

Does God do anything in chapter 9 to try to rearrange their priorites? What? 1. couldn't cast out demon. 2. three men seeking worldly acclaim

1.	couldn't cast out one demon

2	We saw a man driving out demons and tried to stop him because he's not one of us!

3.	call down fire

What is the difference between rejoicing that the demons submit to you and that your names are written in heaven?

The first is man-centered, the second is God-centered.

The first makes me feel powerful, the second helps me see God's power.

What might a person be tempted to do who is in the habit of praising God when they feel powerful if they stop feeling powerful? Is there any incident in the context that illustrates this?

demon possessed boy

who's greatest

fire from heaven?

foxes have holes

how many of us are waiting for someone to die before we'll take action for Christ?

three priorities

Jesus comes before

position

to those seeking power Jesus says, you won't find it working for me.

circumstances/peacemaking/convenience/delay

to those ready to buckle under pressure, Jesus says, don't let the dead hold you back from life

affections

to those whose ties are strong with family he says, no human affection is worth being a half-baked Xian.

Why does Jesus tell them not to rejoice in the submission of spirits, but in having their names written in heaven?

What is different about rejoicing in having spirits submit to you and having your name written in heaven? This will be the acid test of how well you all are understanding the issues of the gospel that we've been looking at these last two weeks.

You participate in one, but not the other!

What is it about rejoicing in having demons submitting to you that is not advisable?

1. It's not you they're submitting to, but one could get confused--apparently the disciples had, they couldn't cast out one demon; why? unbelief

What does that mean, they didn't believe hard enough to make God do what they wanted? No, they had lost track of their relationship to God. They had let doubt slip in where there had once been confidence that God loved and forgave them. Unbelief creeps in any time we substitute human performance for God's performance.

2. It's so easy to bring self into the picture. Just as they had done w/ the other exorcist and the Samaritan village. (need more study of these two.)

1.	At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit said,

2.	"I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children

3.	Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure

1.	What motivated Jesus' speech? joy through HS

2.	For what did He praise the Father? hid from wise, showed to kids

3.	What motivated God to do this? His good pleasure

What had happened through the Holy Spirit that would bring Jesus joy? What had Jesus just instructed the disciples to rejoice about? Now He's moving into praise for what God has done according to His good pleasure. Jesus give us an example of how to praise God that our names are written in heaven?

Why does God's good pleasure lead him to reveal things to little children and hide them from the wise? (welcoming children?)

He who is least is greatest. God can make great lovers out of those who don't have a false sense of their own importance.

1.	All things have been committed tome by my Father,

2.	No one knows who the Son is except the father,

3.	and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.

1.	How many things have been committed to Christ by His Father?

2.	What does only the Father know? who son is

3.	Who are the only ones who know who the Father is? Son and those he chooses to reveal to

What are the "all things" that have been committed to Jesus by His Father? Are they the same as the "hidden things" that the wise can't see? Are they the things that would lead us to praise God that our names are written in heaven?

Why is it that no one but the Father and Son know who each other are, except when the Son chooses to reveal the Father to someone?

Jesus has the responsibility to reveal the Father. Jesus is the only revelation of the Father, but why does only God know who Jesus is?

Jesus only known by Father

Father only known by Jesus and those to whom Jesus reveals

1. After this the Lord appointed seventy others

2. and sent them two by two ahead of him

3. to every town and place where he was about to go.

What did Jesus do for the people where He was about to pass by?

How did he send them? To whom did he send them?

Why did he send them only to those whom he was about to visit?

1. He told them, "The harvest is plentiful,

2. but the workers are few.

3. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.

What interesting word-picture does he introduce? How many parts?

What is the harvest that is so plentiful? repentance and acceptance of Jesus and the Father

What is being harvested? people who believe?

What does it mean then to harvest, what really is the work of a harvester, what must one be doing to be a harvester? Giving people the opportunity to believe?

Who are harvesters? appointed ones from God

Who is the Lord of the harvest? Jesus

What is the harvest field of the Lord? here it seems to be wherever Jesus was about to go

1,2 Why does he counsel them to pray for workers to be sent right before he sends them? If we ask him to send out workers who will he send? us? Why are they counseled to ask? Harvest is plentiful, workers are few. Many willing to repent, but few asking for it? Many willing to receive the message of the kingdom with joy, but few offering it? What is the implication for the many if the Lord of the harvest does not send out workers? What is the implication of having a plentiful harvest, but few workers, agriculturally. Much grain will ripen, but little will be reaped. Much of the grain will go to waste. How can spiritual ripeness go to waste? If a person is ready to receive the kingdom but no one invites them to do so, does their readiness rot? What happens to it? It isn't wasted, but it dies and produces more grain.

1. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.

2. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals

3. and do not greet anyone on the road

How is working in the harvesting business for Jesus like being sent out as a lamb among wolves? a lamb is weak and vulnerable among wolves. Jesus explains, "Make yourself vulnerable. Don't take anything with you." "Don't lose any time by visiting on the road. Get into each town, there aren't enough of you to get around."