The inspired words of the Apostle Paul in Hebrews chapter 12 reminds us of why we are gathered here today and the tremendous privileges that are ours in Christ. Beginning in verse 18, the apostle writes, For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched and that burned with fire, nor into blackness and darkness and tempest. and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, which voice they that heard intrigued that the word should not be spoken to them anymore. But they could not endure that which was commanded. And if so much as a beast touched the mountain, it shall be stoned or thrust through with a dart. And so terrible was the sight that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake. But ye are come unto Mount Zion. and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel. We are invited to enter into worship, to enter into fellowship, the communion with this one who shed his blood, whose blood speaketh better things than that of Abel. So with that joyful object before us, let's take our psalters and turn to Psalm 112, singing the entirety of that tune, that psalm to the tune Asmon. Psalm 112, standing together as you are able, singing Psalm 112 to the tune Aspen. Let us worship our God together. Praise ye the Lord, that man is blest, that is the Lord, the Bride. He who in his commandments doth upbraid me, take him light. His seed and offspring powerful shall be the earth upon. of a pipe then blessed shall be the generation. Riches and wealth shall never be within his house in store, and his unspotted righteousness endures forevermore. Unto Thee our pride like a prize, though he in darkness be, compassionate and merciful and righteous is He. A good man doth his favors show, and doth to others wear. He with discretion his affairs will guide unto the end. There is not anything that ever shall him do. The righteous man's memorial shall everlasting prove. Where he shall evil tidings hear, he shall not be afraid. His heart, his faith, his confidence are upon the Lord this day. If by His firmly established head afraid He shall not be, until upon His enemies He His desire shall see. He hath dispersed skill into the poor, His righteousness shall be. To ages all with honor shall His form be raised in high. The wicked shall not see a threat, his teeth shall not melt away. What wicked man do most desire, shall water the TV. Let's remain standing for prayer. Gracious God, you who with your Omnipotent power, your almighty power, your unsearchable wisdom have framed the heavens and created the earth. You who, with a word, spoke all that exists into being. Father, you who condescended to take from the dust of the earth and to create man, crafting him, fashioning him in your own likeness and image. breathing into his nostrils the breath of life, making him a living soul. You who, Father, did not give to Adam and his posterity that which they deserve, that which we deserve, when they transgressed your commandment and took in eight of the forbidden fruit, But Father, in your love and in your amazing grace, you made a way of salvation for an innumerable multitude of Adam's fallen race, among whom we trust, Father, we are numbered. Father, indeed, you are a God worthy of worship. You are a God before whom we stand in amazement and wonder. Father, we are amazed that you set your saving affection upon us. That you predestined us before the foundation of the world to be conformed into the image of your son. And that, Father, you have given us an inheritance in Christ that is beyond compare. Indeed, all things are ours in him, things in heaven, things on earth, things of this age and the age to come. Indeed, you have bestowed so many blessings and you continue to bestow so many blessings upon us poor, wretched, vile, undeserving sinners. Indeed, we can achieve among those blessings. that we might gather here in this place on this day, the Lord's Day, that we might assemble in the dear name of your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, by whose blood we have been purchased, by whose name we have been called, by whose righteousness we have been clothed. Father, we can enter into the holy place today, before your very throne of grace, Father, give us hearts that are inclined toward full, sincere, genuine worship today. Father, grant us the grace to put aside the distractions of the week past and the week to come. Father, the fleshly concerns and annoyances that often vex us and divide our loyalty from you, Father, renew our complete trust in You. Remind us that the very hairs of our heads are numbered. And that, Father, You know our rising up and our lying down. Indeed, the days of our lives are written in the book before we were even born. Father, remind us not to fret over what we will eat and what we will drink, what we will wear, where we will live. Father, you know we need these things and you provide them for us. Graciously, we always get better than we deserve. Remind us of that precious truth that it is your good pleasure to give to your little flock, the precious lambs of Christ, your very kingdom and all its riches. Father, ease our burdened and distressed minds this day so that we might enter fully into worship with you. Father, for those of us who have entered this place overconfident in our state of affairs, trusting in the arm of flesh rather than trusting in your power and your might and your spirit. Father, grant us humility this day so that we also might worship in spirit and in truth. Father, provide for each one here exactly what he or she needs. to enter into precious communion with you today. Father, use the means of grace that you have set within the church to strengthen each and every one of us. Father, we thank especially the children gathered here today. Father, we pray that you would take the fundamental truths of the gospel that will be set forth and make them understandable and accessible to even the youngest mind here. Father, help us all to be converted like little children to a childlike faith and trust. To once again enter with complete faith and trust into a study of scriptures. Father, in all things, may we be edified, may you be glorified. In Jesus' name we ask it all. Amen. Please be seated. Our Old Testament reading for this first service is found in Genesis chapter 3, the very first book of your Bible, the first book of Moses. Genesis chapter 3, reading the entirety of the chapter together. Now the serpent was more subtle. than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden. And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden, but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden. God has said, You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die. And the serpent said unto the woman, He shall not surely die. For God doth know that the day he eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eyes and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof and did eat and gave also unto her husband with her and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were open, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. And the Lord God called unto Adam and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked and I hid myself. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree and I did eat. And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field. Upon thy belly shalt thou go, and thus shalt thou eat all the days of thy life. I will put enmity between thee and the woman, And between thy seed and her seed, it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception. In sorrow thou shalt bring forth children, and thy desires shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hath eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it. Cursed is the ground for thy sake. In sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life. Thorns also, and thistles shall it bring forth to thee, and thou shalt eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground, for out of it was thou taken. For dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." And Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. Unto Adam also, and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothe them. And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat and live forever. Therefore, the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man and placed at the gate at the east of the garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword, which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life. Our New Testament reading is found in the last book of your Bible. The book of Revelation. Reading together the entirety of Chapter 12. Revelation Chapter 12. Beginning in verse one. And there appeared a great wonder in heaven. A woman clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet and upon her head a crown of twelve stars. And she being with child cried, travailing in birth and pain to be delivered. And there appeared another wonder in heaven. And behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns upon his head. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven. and did cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. And she brought forth a man-child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her child was caught up to God and to his throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness where she hath a place prepared of God that they should feed her there a thousand, two hundred, and threescore days. And there was a war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not. Neither was their place found anymore in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent called the devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world. He was cast out into the earth, and His angels were cast out with Him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now has come salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God and the power of His Christ. For the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame Him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. and they love not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea, for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which wrought forth the man-child. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time from the face of the serpent. And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman. And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the blood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. And the dragon was wrought with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Thus far, the reading of God's Holy Word. May God grant His rich blessing to us as we enjoy the reading and the hearing of His Holy Word. Our sermon text today is found in the Gospel according to Luke. Luke chapter 10 beginning with verse 1. Luke 10 and verse 1. After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place whither he himself would come. Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the laborers a few. Pray you, therefore, the Lord of the Harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest. Go your ways. Behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves, carrying either purse or script or shoes and salute no man by the way. And into whatsoever house you enter, first say, Peace be to this house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it. If not, It shall turn to you again. And in the same house remain eating and drinking such things as they give. For the laborer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. And into whatever whatsoever city he enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. And heal the sick that are therein and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, Even the very dust of your city which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you. Notwithstanding, be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom and Gomorrah than for that city. Woe be unto thee, Chorazin! Woe be unto thee, Bethsaida! Forget the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you. They had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which are exalted to heaven, shall be thrust down to hell. He that heareth you heareth me, and he that despiseth you despiseth me, and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me. And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on surface and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. notwithstanding in this rejoice night that the spirits are subject unto you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven. Amen. In our Lord's earthly ministry in his first advent, he was reconstituting Israel. He was calling unto himself the new Israel. The Israel of God, endowed with a new covenant, which was not like the old covenant, which the fathers of old covenant Israel broke. When our Lord spent an entire night in prayer, and then called the twelve disciples unto Him. He was symbolically reconstituting Israel, the 12 apostles corresponding to the 12 tribes of Israel. Here we read of our Lord in this 10th chapter of Luke's Gospel, calling unto him 70 disciples, appointing them, anointing them, ordaining them and commissioning them with the task to go forth two by two preaching in every place, every city, every village, every hamlet where our Lord would himself visit on his final trek down to Jerusalem where he would be betrayed and crucified. If the twelve apostles correspond with the 12 tribes of Israel? With whom do these 70 disciples, to whom do these 70 disciples correspond, if to anyone? I suggest, and I merely suggest this, that perhaps these 70 preachers correspond with the 70 elders of Old Covenant Israel, who were Moses' helpers, who handled the less critical, the less important day-to-day disputes within Israel, and were themselves prototypical of Presbyterian representation within the Church. those old covenant elders correspond to new covenant elders within the church. So perhaps what we have here is a symbolic commissioning of these 70 elders who are to go forth as heralds announcing the presence of the kingdom, announcing the coming of the king, that the kingdom is close, that the king himself is nigh. And the way the Lord Jesus commissions them and instructs them prior to their setting forth is indeed quite remarkable. He begins by observing that the harvest is here. The harvest is ready. It's time for the sickle to be put to the harvest. Let the harvest be brought in. I understand this to be our Lord's statement of surety and certainty that these whom He sends forth will be successful in their mission. He's not sending them out into empty fields, into barren fields. but he's sending them forth into fields that are ripe unto harvest. The harvest truly is great, he says. There's no chance of failure on their part. There is a harvest for them to gather in. It is not a meager one. It is a great one. And the way he sends them forth in verse 3, the way he describes them, Go your ways, behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. If we could use one word to describe these 70 and the way that they're sent forth by the Lord, it would be vulnerability. For it's absolutely counterintuitive for a shepherd to send out his lambs, these that are weak, defenseless, vulnerable, to send them forth into a field guarded by wolves. But yet, that's exactly the way the Lord sends these 74. Two by two. Without purse, without script, without money, without additional shoes. So urgent is their mission. So critical is their task. And so dependent are they. upon the Lord. Indeed, this is a picture of the church in her present day mission. Our task is critical. We are commissioned with the highest of orders to hold forth the cross of Christ, to lift high His name, to let our light so shine before men. that they see our good works and glorify our Father who is in heaven. Our task is no less critical, and like these 70, we are sent forth as lambs, as vulnerable lambs in the midst of wolves. Indeed, the Apostle Paul challenged the church at Corinth to consider their calling, to consider the composition of that congregation. Were they made up of the elite, the powerful, the rich, the influential? No, he said, consider your calling. Not many of you wise, not many of you noble, not many of you holding high standing within society, great reputation as the world bestows and understands reputation. No. Of the outscouring of the world. is the fundamental building block in many cases of the church. So the Lord sends them forth as lambs into the midst of wolves. From a human perspective, vulnerable. From a human perspective, at risk. But because the Lord of Glory Himself, the King of the Kingdom, appointed them and ordained them and empowered them, there is no risk of failure. There is no risk of being overcome. And so we as well have nothing to fear from the world. We have nothing to fear from principalities and powers. We have nothing to fear from those who breathe threats and murder. against the body of Christ. Indeed, it's part of the fight of faith, the struggle of faith, to believe that and to claim that. When all the world is set against the church and Daly assails her, Daly criticizes and mocks, scorns her, Daly uses all the powers of state of governmental authority to to impede her mission. Times when we can look around us and grow greatly discouraged and wonder if all the great and precious promises given to the church are true. And the tempter can plant seeds of doubt within our minds and in our hearts, causing us to question whether or not our Lord indeed reigns, whether he remains upon the throne. No, we must not allow, and these 70 could not allow, their circumstances to at all dissuade them from the task at hand. No, their Lord had commissioned them, their Lord had empowered them, and their mission was going to be successful. Indeed, as we look down at the text upon which we shall focus this morning, 17 through 20, their mission was a success. Their Lord had not sent them on a fool's errand, on a futile task. And we're told in verse 17 that they returned unto the Lord ecstatic. They returned to Him rejoicing, celebrating the success that they had enjoyed. Verse 17, and the 70 returned again with joy. Let's pause for a moment to consider the disposition of these 70 upon their return. We know less than they are called. We're commissioned. We have a task within the kingdom. As our gifts are varied, so our tasks are varied. Our place within the body is not the same, perhaps, as in others. How often do we embrace the task set before us with joy? How often do we kneel in thanks and express our appreciation to Christ? for having called us and commissioned us and given us such precious privileges within the kingdom. How often do you, how often do I go before the Lord and grumble? Paul warns us not to grow weary in well-doing because he knows indeed that's a danger for us as children of God. I must confess to my shame that I often or weary in well-doing. And I often wonder, when will this series of trials come to an end? When will the dark clouds part and the sun shine again upon me? And of course, that's faithlessness on my part. Paul instructs us to consider the opportunity to suffer for Christ, for his sake, for his kingdom, to consider that a privilege. How often do I consider it a burden, an imposition, an inconvenience? God, I've done my part. I've suffered enough. I've endured enough. This cross is heavy. The splinters are long and they're painful. When can I lay it down? and enjoy some ease within your kingdom. God, when are you going to pat me on the back and congratulate me for the job that I've done? Show some appreciation toward me. Of course, this is selfish and self-centered and fleshly, but I must confess it's often my perspective. No, we are to count it all joy. Our Lord instructs us. We're to count it all joy when we are considered worthy to bear reproach, to suffer shame, to endure hardship. Because thus holy men and prophets and others of God's faithful have struggled and been blessed to so endure. The 70 here return again from a difficult, as their mission is described here, it's a difficult one. They're not going out in the lap of luxury. Theirs is a Spartan ministry. But they don't come back complaining, they don't come back griping about their fatigue and the difficulties they experienced. but they return again to the Lord with joy. Oh that we might have the same delightful disposition when we consider the high calling which is ours in Christ Jesus and that this momentary light affliction that is ours in this life in no way compares to the weight of glory that awaits us? Do we believe that? Do we live like we believe that? Do we talk to one another? Does our conversation reflect that? Is it seasoned with that expectation? Or with fake smiles and gritted teeth? Do we sing psalms and pray prayers We speak of the goodness and the blessing of God. We believe it. Oh, that we would be joyful and thankful, that I would be appreciative of all that is mine in Christ, of the opportunity for sanctification that is given to me in the trials that are set in my way. know that I see these burdens, not as empty things, but as vessels rich with the treasure of sanctification. That takes faith. It takes grace. And to the degree that I attain to that perspective, all praise and glory be to God. But the 70 return again with joy, and they exclaim, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us in thy name. Now, the Lord mentions preaching, the Lord mentions healing the sick. There's no mention in the original commissioning of the first sixteen or so verses of this chapter, there's no mention there of spiritual warfare. But of course behind sickness and disease, pain and death, is the work of the wicked one, is the work of Satan. And these 70 disciples are amazed that not only does physical disease yield ground at the name of Christ. But the powers of darkness that are at work behind this physical disease, they too turn tail at the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And it's important for us to recognize what the disciples mean by the name of Christ. We should beware the temptation of looking at the name of Jesus as some sort of... or the use of the name of Jesus as some sort of Christian magic. Some sort of Christian incantation. So that whatever we want, we can get by simply employing the name of Jesus. Like Alakazam, Abracadabra. That's not what the disciples mean here. Within Scripture, the mention of a name, the name of God, the name of Christ, is a reference to His person, to His authority, to His presence and His power. In Deuteronomy, there is mention of worshiping at the place where the Lord set His name. That's more than simply an inscription in stone. the place where the Lord chooses to manifest His presence in a particularly significant and powerful way. So here's a 70 when they explain that even the devils are subject to us through thy name. I mean, Lord, because of our relationship with You, because You're our Lord and You've commissioned us and we carry Your authority, we go forth in Your name, We do so at your behest. Even the devils, even the demons are subject to us mere mortals. Us mere men who have been called out of the highways and byways. from every corner of human occupation and endeavor. You've called us to this high calling of proclaiming your name, and proclaiming your presence, and proclaiming the nearness of your kingdom, and all the power and the blessing that comes with that kingdom. Even the devils are subject to us, mere humans, mere mortals, in your name. And how does the Lord respond? Rather enigmatically in verse 18. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Now, there are two ways to interpret our Lord's statement here. Probably within popular theology, and certainly this was the way I had been taught that this passage was to be interpreted, growing up in kind of a garden variety, a dispensational Southern Baptist church, that the Lord here is making reference to the original fall of Satan after his initial rebellion, Jesus being a member of the Godhead, the second person of the Trinity, beheld Satan's defeat, his initial casting out of heaven, as he attempted to usurp the place of God. And that the Lord is warning these 70 not to get overly excited, not to get overly impressed with themselves, because after all, pride was the sin that led to Satan's downfall. So lest they participate in a similar fall themselves, don't get overly impressed with the dizzying heights of spiritual experience that you have just enjoyed. Being able, in my name, to heal and to cast forth demons. Don't get overly impressed by that because just as Satan was consumed by pride and fell, so you too might be consumed with pride and experience a similar shameful episode. On further reflection, I do not believe that that's what our Lord is referring to here. I don't believe that our Lord is referring to the initial fall of Satan in ages past. Rather, I believe that our Lord is... He is... He's telling the 70 here, that as you are preaching, As you were healing, as you were exercising spiritual authority in my name over the powers of darkness, I saw Satan's kingdom take a terrific hit. I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning. In the preaching of the gospel, remember, these 70 are going, they're an advanced guard going forth ahead of Jesus. As our Lord's gospel kingdom is pushing back the frontiers of darkness, in gospel preaching, in healing, in the exorcism of demons, Satan's kingdom is being shaken to its foundations. Satan is falling from heaven like lightning. Indeed, our Lord goes on to say in verse 19, remember, He sends them forth initially as lambs in the midst of wolves. The word I used to describe that commissioning was a commission of vulnerability. Well, here our Lord further enhances their standing. They go from being vulnerable to quite invulnerable. Here in verse 19, Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions. In other words, the best is yet to come. In other words, you haven't seen anything yet. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. And nothing shall by any means hurt you. What tremendous empowerment. He gives these 70, whom I believe are symbolic of the embryonic New Covenant church. Not that the church begins in the New Testament. The church begins with Adam. But we have the New Covenant experience of the covenant of grace portrayed here in embryonic form. in the mission of the 70. And he bestows upon them an offensive power here. The power to go forth. To take the fight to the forces of darkness. To take the fight to principalities and powers. Using Ephesians 6 language, to don the whole armor of God. and to stand, not to cower in fear, not to engage in a tactical retreat, but to go forth and to tread upon serpents and scorpions and be victorious in doing so. and over all the power of the enemy. This is a blanket empowerment here. There's not a single weapon of the wicked one that is not rendered invulnerable. That is not rendered vulnerable, rather. And is not diminished, almost entirely, in power by this proclamation. He also gives them defensive authority. And nothing shall by any means hurt you. Now, why do I spend time on this point? In a recent Bible study that I was privileged to participate in, the discussion of the person and work of Satan. arose. And I was a bit shocked to hear the manner in which the person and work of Satan was described. He and his work were described in a manner very akin to the person and work of God. Please don't misunderstand me. Satan is the enemy of our souls. He is a supernatural being. He is infinitely more powerful than I am as a mere mortal, operating out of a very limited set of personal resources here, physical, intellectual. I'm not in any way downplaying the threat that Satan poses as the deceiver, as the enemy of our souls. But I am disturbed whenever Satan is described as sort of a lesser evil version of God. Satan has created beings who read in Genesis 3. The serpent was more subtle than the other beasts of the field Lord God had made. Satan is a creature. And when we elevate the person and work of Satan, so that he takes on almost divine proportions, then we We certainly misrepresent, we almost engage in idolatry. We misrepresent what scripture, the biblical testimony concerning Satan is. And I think it also plays into a sort of fatalistic, almost nihilistic view of the church's mission and work on the earth in this age. within certain circles of popular theology. The church is not going to be victorious. Gospel preaching is not going to be effective and spiritually successful. The word of God is not going to go forth and accomplish that for which he purposes it. But the church will continue to face rejection and persecution until she is almost at the point of extinction, and then Jesus will return and rapture the church to rescue her from extinction. This view of the church, this diminished view of the church, as the body of Christ, this exaggerated view of Satan, is completely at odds with what we read in this text. It takes the theology of Luke 10 and turns it on its head. So that rather than having power tread on serpents and scorpions, all we can do is run from them. And rather than having the whole armor of God, which will protect us from anything that would attempt to hurt us or injure us, we're completely vulnerable to all the weapons, to all the wiles of Satan. Brethren, we have the empowerment of the Lord Jesus Christ. We have the gifting of the Holy Spirit. We have the whole armor of God. We have the full equipping of the Holy Spirit. to enable us to step out on faith, to follow our Lord Jesus Christ into any arena of battle, and to, in His name, emerge victorious. It is shameful for us to behave otherwise. This passage should be a great encouragement to us not to fear the threats that the world may hold out before us. Not to tremble in the face of the enemy of our souls. In fact, if you turn with me to the book of James. James chapter 4. And verse 7, there James writes, Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Lord, even the devils are subject to us in your name. In Christ we can resist the devil, not in Rome. Not in your flesh, not in your strength, or your wit, or your wisdom can you resist the devil. But in Christ, in His name, we can resist the devil and he will flee from us. The next book over, 1 Peter. In 1 Peter chapter 5 and verse 8, we find this Cautionary note. To be sober. What does that mean? Be sober. It means don't be frivolous. Don't be careless. Be grounded. Have a realistic grasp on the world around you and your place in it. Be sober. Be vigilant. Be alert. Be watchful. Why? Because your adversary, the devil, has a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour. Now, we often stop right there. We stop at the end of verse 8. We don't read verse 9. Whom resist steadfast in the faith. Yes, Satan... To borrow the title of a book published in the 70s, Satan is alive and well and living on planet Earth, but we as blood-bought children of God, as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, as Spirit-empowered members of His body can resist our adversary, this roaring lion, in the faith, and to couple together James and Peter. When we resist our adversary in the faith, he will flee from us. Satan is a defeated foe. The Lord Jesus Christ declared, I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning. He is a defeated foe. He is on bar of time. And our enemy may hiss, but he cannot hurt. if we stand steadfast in the faith, equipped with the whole armor of God. Back to Luke chapter 10, one more point before we bring this message to a conclusion. Jesus declares in verse 19, Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you, notwithstanding, verse 20, and this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven. Our Lord here declares that saving graces are more to be rejoiced over than spiritual gifts, spiritual conquests. We live in a very experiential age. We live in an age where many in the church are impatient with The quest for biblical literacy, the quest for doctrinal digging deep, setting your foundations deep in sound doctrine. They want experience. A conversation with a brother Christian, a very earnest man, who attends a charismatic congregation. down in my part of Tidewater. And I was inquiring if he was following a yearly Bible reading plan this year. And his response to me was, well, you know Rob, the Lord convicted me earlier this year that for me, this is not a season of learning, but a season of doing. And I want to be busy doing things for God. Now what he meant by doing things was imparting words of revelation, words of knowledge that the Lord gave him for other people and laying hands on the sick and praying for their recovery. Again, a very earnest man and a man who I count as a brother. I'm sure of his relationship with the Lord. But I sort of shuddered when he said, for me it's not a season of learning, it's a season of doing. I thought, wow, isn't that putting the cart before the horse? We live in a very sensationalistic age, a very carnal age, a very experiential age. Jesus warns the 70 here, don't get preoccupied with these momentary experiences of spiritual victory. Yes, they're significant. Yes, they reflect the presence and the power of the kingdom. Yes, when placed in the right perspective, they bring glory to me and to the Father who sent me. But don't get imbalanced, don't get off balance here and become preoccupied with these deeds of power, these expressions of spiritual power. Rejoice not that the Spirit is a subject unto you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven. Rejoice because you have a relationship with me. Rejoice because you've been hidden away in the Beloved. You've been clothed in His righteousness. You enjoy His standing before the fire. Now, there are things that we as members of the body of Christ are to do. I am not an advocate for ecclesiastical negligence or spiritual laziness, don't get me wrong. But we dare not put the cart before the horse. We dare not become imbalanced. We need to heed this warning from the Lord. To make our relationship with Him the chief cause of our rejoicing. To have an ever conscious understanding of our position and our standing in Him. Grant us the necessary humility so that we might be useful servants in the kingdom, so that we might not be carried away by our own pride and become spiritual catch-aways. Indeed, we are victorious in Christ, but we must always keep in mind that our victory is in Christ and not in ourselves. It's in His perfect work. It's in His merit that we stand. If we are going to stand, it is in Him that we stand. It is in Him that we conquer. Let's pray together. Father, we thank you for this word of encouragement and this word of caution to us. Father, may we have a biblical understanding of the person, the work, the threat of our adversary, the enemy of our souls, Satan. And may we have faith in the resources that are ours in Christ. The whole armor of God, the understanding, the wisdom, that comes through a grasp of sound doctrine, the faith once for all delivered to the saints. And Father, may we always assume a posture of humility, humbling ourselves before you, rejoicing, not in these spiritual privileges and blessings that are ours, but rejoicing in the Lord Jesus Christ, the fountainhead, the giver of these blessings, the author and finisher of our faith, in whose name we pray today. Amen. Let's take our psalters and turn to Psalm 124. The second version. And let's stand together as we sing all eight verses of this psalm to the tune, Old 124. Psalm 124, the second version to the tune, Old 124. Now Israel, may its day and night truly If that the Lord had not a costly chain, If that the Lord had not our eyes sustained, When cruel men against us furiously Rose up in wrath to make of us their prey. Then certainly they had devoured us all, and swallowed with poor heart that we could give. Sun was their rain, as we might well assume, And as their floods, before them all things drown, So have they brought our soul to that quiet town. The wading streams, with their flower-swelling waves, Have in us, O Lord, well-met in the deep. But bless me, God, who doth us safely keep, And hath now given us forth a living grave, unto their teeth and bloody cruelty. He has a burn out of the fowler's lair, Asked is the way, so is our soul set free from all modernness, and thus unscathed we where for our help is him of Lord's great name, who hath met earth by his great God in rain. Bow with me for the concluding prayer. Gracious God, we thank you for this first service of worship. We thank you for the spiritual feast that was before us in prayer and praise and the passages of your word that we read and studied together. Father, cause us today to reflect upon these things that we have considered and even now be preparing us for the second service apportionment that lies yet before us. May it too be an hour, a season of equipping. so that we might serve you better within Christ's kingdom. In whose name we pray, Amen.