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

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

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

The first makes me feel powerful, the second powerless.

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.