On Line Bible Study - For the week October 18-24, 2010

Lesson 462

Luke 10: ¹⁷The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."

¹⁸He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. ¹⁹I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. ²⁰However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

In Lesson 459 we noted the disciple's impotence against an evil spirit. And in Lesson 460 we noted Jesus' sending of the seventy (or seventy-two). Today, we read of their return from the mission trip. In this text the seventy-two return, and this time, they marvel with joy at their power over the demons under the banner of Christ's name. It is clear that these disciples, at least in the situations they found themselves on this particular trip, experienced within themselves a power here-to-fore reserved only for God. The demons have to submit. It is also clear that this is an intended impact Jesus' disciples are to have in the world.
"The disciples' ministry spells defeat for Satan," writes Darrel Bock. True enough. Jesus explains that he has granted them authority to overcome. The forces of evil, regardless of how they present themselves, can be overcome. Then, we find ourselves up against a qualifier, a 'nevertheless', a divine warning introduced with "however"...
Power of any sort has the potential to corrupt and to lead us in the wrong direction. Jesus does not want us to rejoice in the power we wield, but in the security that comes from our relationship with God. As if to model this, Jesus then expresses his joy - not in his own power, but in what has been revealed to others:

²¹At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "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. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.

It's not the people we would expect who have both gotten the message and received the power, but society's 'little children' - not so much chronologically speaking, but in terms of society's power structures. We can think about this personally. We can also consider the implications for the church. In what should we take pride? Our size? Our budget? Our membership? Our influence in the halls of government?
What about the simple, joyful, wonderful news that God knows us, loves us, forgives us - is that worth anything? Jesus is reminding us of this - us loved by God is the best news we ever could hope for. That's the news he came to proclaim.