Weekend, July 12 & 13
Perfectly Spoken: To the Seventy
Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.
Luke 10:20
It's natural to rejoice when large crowds come to church, when souls are saved, when a loved one makes a wise decision, and when the sun shines brightly. It was like that when the Seventy returned from their missions trip. "Lord," they said, "even the demons are subject to us in Your name." Jesus acknowledged their success, but He tactfully warned them about basing their joy on successes they had seen in their work for Him. Their real joy should be based on their names being written in heaven.
In life and in ministry, the tide comes in and goes out. We labor in season and out of season. It's fine to rejoice when we see observable results. But Jesus, in His infinite wisdom, reminds us that there is a greater basis for joy. Success in life comes and goes, but He has redeemed us for eternity. Our greatest joy is just in Him, and the best rejoicing is in the Lord.
The name of Jesus is . . . light . . . food . . . oil . . . salt . . . honey in the mouth, melody in the ear, joy in the heart, and at the same time, medicine.
John Calvin
Read-Thru-the-Bible
Ecclesiastes 6:1 - 9:18 ; Ecclesiastes 10:1 - Song of Solomon 2:17
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