We'll be continuing in the 10th chapter, reading from verse 17 down through verse 24. Again, we'll be reading in just a moment from Luke chapter 10, verses 17 through verse 24. As we read these verses, you will notice there are two firsts in our scripture. For the first time, we read of Jesus giving thanks. And for the first time, and I think for the only time in the Gospels, we read of Jesus rejoicing. And it is out of that joy that he gives thanks. But we find ourselves in a season of thanksgiving. And so we may well wonder, what is it that made Jesus thankful? And maybe we should be thankful for the very things that make our Savior thankful. So look for it as we read from God's word. And before we read, let's ask his help on the reading and preaching of his word. Father, we do bless you. for your word. We would say with Job, we have treasured it more than our necessary food. We pray that you would give us a hunger for it and feed us with the bread of life that we may live fruitfully, bountifully to your glory. Christ's name we pray. Amen. Here now God's word beginning at Luke chapter 10 at verse 17. The 72 returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name. And he said to them, I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. In that same hour, he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children. Yes, father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my father, and no one knows who the son is except the father, or who the father is except the son, and anyone to whom the son chooses to reveal him. Then turning to the disciples, he said privately, blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see and did not see it and to hear what you hear and did not hear it. Thus far, God's holy, inspired, infallible, and inerrant word. May he add his blessing on it. Well, Jesus, you remember, has sent the 72 out on mission. They are, we read in the first verse of our chapter, to prepare the way for Jesus as he is making his way from Galilee down to Jerusalem. And he sends them out with a message. They are to preach the gospel of peace. And he tells them, you are simply harvesting the fields that God has long since prepared. He's warned them of the opposition that they'll face. And now they come back and they have something of a missions conference. Their immediate response, verse 17, notwithstanding the opposition and persecution that surely came, the immediate response you'll see in verse 17 is joy. They returned with joy. And as they begin to describe what brought them such great joy on the mission field, Jesus sees into their hearts and he sees that their joy is not well placed. He tells them in verse 20, do not rejoice in this, but rejoice in something else. You are right to be joyful, but your joy does not rest on the proper foundation. Jesus, what is it that you would have us to rejoice in? And then Jesus models that joy. Verse 21, in that same hour, he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit. And out of that joy, he speaks to the father in verses 20 through 22, and then he turns and speaks privately to his disciples out of that joy. We're disciples of Jesus Christ. till he returns, we're on mission for his glory in this world. And Jesus, as he said to the 72, he says to you and to me, we need to have joy that is well-founded. What kind of joy does the Savior want you and me to have? And so that's what I want us to look at this morning from our scripture. And so in the first place, I want us to see joy that is misplaced. I want us to give a closer look to the joy of these 72 as they return. Now the 72 have come back from a long and arduous mission. They have served Christ sincerely. They have served him in faith. but something is not quite right about their joy. What is the problem with their joy? Jesus puts his finger on it. And if we wanted one word to describe the problem, it would be pride. Jesus detects a pride that has tainted their joy. Look at verse 17, they returned with joy saying, Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name. They had watched the devils submit to the Lord Jesus Christ instantly, without qualification or condition. And as they had watched the demons do to Jesus, so the demons had done to them. And this brought joy to them. But did you notice what they didn't say? They don't come back saying, Lord Jesus, If you had seen the sinners who were weeping tears of repentance, if you had seen the men and women who were placing trust in your name, if you had seen the sick who were healed signs of the power of your kingdom, the power of your Holy Spirit breaking into this fallen and cursed world. That's not what they say. Their takeaway is that the demons had been subject to their name, to the name of Jesus that they proclaimed. Now, I would have to think that's a heady thing to experience. I've never had a wicked angel submit to me. And so I can't put myself in the shoes of the 72. But as Jesus hears this report, he senses that something's not quite right and he very gently, but he very firmly sets them on the right course. Look at verse 18 and 19. I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall hurt you. What's Jesus doing? Did you notice when the disciples reported to Jesus, they said in effect, Jesus, look what happened to us. And Jesus, as he speaks to them, says, I, I, I. Jesus fears you have missed me. You are caught up in the euphoria of the work. I fear that you have missed me. And he says, it is I who have given you authority. And I want you to understand what all of this means. I fear that you are so caught up in what has happened that you don't understand what it means. And he proceeds to tell them, he said, I, I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Just as you see a bolt of lightning and it travels suddenly from the sky to the ground, Jesus says, I saw Satan fall to the ground. He says, I've given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions. You'll put your foot on the snake and it won't bite you. You'll put your foot on the scorpion, it won't sting you. Nothing will hurt you. And how did this come about? Jesus says, it's not because of you. It's because of me. You understand I've done this work. And you see, Jesus Christ is giving them a preview of the cross. He's going to crush the head of Satan at the cross. He will rob the devil and his angels of all his usurped power and authority at the cross. Jesus Christ will rob death of its sting and of its curse at the cross. And Jesus is saying, friends, don't get so taken up with what you're doing that you've lost sight of me and you lost sight of what I have come to do. to defeat Satan, to conquer sin and death, to win the salvation of many. So there's joy misplaced. What does this say to us? You know, Jesus gives us any number of warnings in his teachings. We have seen him warn us of the dangers that trials and temptations can pose. We have seen Jesus warn us of the danger of this worldly prosperity, cares and money and things. But Jesus is warning us of another danger. It may not be something that you would ever think to be a danger. And it is spiritual prosperity. These men have done exactly what Jesus Christ has called them to do. The Lord has blessed them in the work. And Jesus fears that they are bowing to a temptation to become proud, that they have lost sight of him by focusing too much on themselves. I wonder how it is with you this morning. Maybe you find yourself in a place of great spiritual encouragement and prosperity. Thank God for it. But understand that there is lurking the sin of pride and it seeks to have you. It would have you turn your gaze from Jesus Christ to yourself to say, my hands have done this. The devil is poised to puff you up in order to bring you down. And did you notice Jesus not only warns us, he shows us the way out. What's the cure for pride? And did you see Jesus is drawing a straight line from the work that they do to the work that he has done. Yes, the demons are subject to your name, and it is because I have conquered the devil. I think there's a lesson for you and for me. You're making some progress against sin. This is the power and grace of Christ in you. Draw that line. You're finding God's word to be a delight, unusually so. This is an appetite that your God has given you. Draw the line. You are relishing in a wonderful way sins forgiven by the blood of Jesus Christ. You are relishing your access to God the Father. This came at the purchase price of the blood of Jesus Christ. Draw the line. There's a danger when things are going well spiritually. But Jesus shows you, he shows me the way out. It is to draw the line straight back to Jesus Christ. Well, there's joy misplaced and then In the second place, we see joy reset. Jesus wants your joy and my joy to be set on a sound and pride-proof foundation. And he's going to do that, he's going to bring that out in three steps. In the first place in verse 20, there is election. Nevertheless, he says, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. Jesus says to the 72, the demons are subject to your name, that is good. But there's something better. There is the grace of election. Your names, he says, are written in heaven. Your names are written in the book of life of the lamb that was slain. What's Jesus saying? He's saying to his children, he says, the father set his mercy upon you in eternity past. For reasons known only to him, and from nothing in you moving him to choose you. And he entrusted you, all of you, to the Son of God, who in eternity pledged to live and die and rise again for them and for their salvation. And then the Father and the Son pledged the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit comes to recreate and to indwell and to perfect them and bring them safely home. Jesus says, You've done great work, and Jesus never takes a thing away from what they've done. But he says, You have a greater and a higher destiny. Look up. Your names are written in heaven. Ian Murray visited Dr Martin Lloyd Jones about six months before he died. And at that point in his life, Dr. Lloyd-Jones was not well. He was very sick and he had very little energy. And Ian Murray asked him a very bold question. He said, Dr. Lloyd-Jones, how are you coping now that your ministry is so confined? And that was an understatement. Think of all that Dr. Lloyd-Jones had done. And he was now confined to a room. And this was Dr. Lloyd-Jones' reply. Do not rejoice that the demons are subject to your name, but rejoice that your name is written in heaven. I am perfectly content. For all that Dr. Lloyd-Jones had been able to do for the Lord in his life, he rested content. His name was written in heaven. And so Jesus starts with the election and then he moves to revelation. Look at verses 21 and 22. In that same hour, Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my father. And no one knows who the son is except the father or who the father is except the son and anyone to whom the son chooses to reveal him. You see, Jesus begins to draw out the electing purpose of God as it's working its way into the lives of sinful men and women. And the man of sorrows rejoices. And he is rejoicing in the mercy of God to sinners. And he gives thanks to God. God, I thank you. You've hidden these things from those who are wise in their own eyes. You have revealed them to little children, the offscouring of the world, the despised, the ignored. Father, you've committed all things to me, and you know me through and through, and I know you through and through, and I reveal you only to those whom you have given me, and they know you, and they know me. Jonathan Edwards, as many of you know, was the son of a man. Catechized, he knew the scripture through and through, but by his own testimony, he struggled mightily in the heart with the scripture's teaching on the sovereignty of God. He could not be reconciled to it. And he traced his conversion at the age of 17 to God, bringing him to a solid conviction of his absolute sovereignty with respect to salvation and damnation. And here's how Edwards described it. It was a delightful conviction, exceedingly pleasant, bright, and sweet. You see, Edwards captured something of the spirit of the Savior. Sovereignty wasn't an algebraic equation or a geometric proof to be solved. It was a truth that had set his heart and his life on fire. And Jesus Christ rejoices and out of that joy comes Thanksgiving. So there is election. There is revelation. And then finally, in verses 23 and 24, there is benediction. Then turning to the disciples, he said, privately blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see and did not see it and to hear what you hear and did not hear it. Ran out last night to get a few things at Kroger. Was checking out and the cashier said, as we were wrapping up, as many cashiers have said to me, and I suppose to you, have a blessed day. How she was being nice. Friends, when Jesus Christ blesses you, this is not a nicety. When Jesus Christ pronounces his benediction upon you, you perk up and listen. Jesus turns to his disciples in private and he says, do you know how blessed you are? And we long to know, Jesus, tell me. Why am I blessed? And he says, because many prophets and kings would have given their right arm to be just where you are. Abraham and Moses and Noah and Job and David and Solomon and Hezekiah, they were searching, inquiring carefully Crying as to what person or time the spirit of Christ in them was indicating. They only saw me from afar. And he says, you little children. You get to see me in the flesh. But these men desired more than anything. And to hear my voice in your ears. and you're blessed. Well, as we close, what does this say to us? You know, we're moving now, I suppose, into a season that is marked by joy. We have cards, we have banners, we have signs that have the word joy in them. And the reality is so many people are joyless. It's a time of year that is marked by profound sadness and even despair. It's one thing to tell someone you need to be joyful, but where does that joy come from? That's the good news of our scripture. There is joy and here it is. Joy is found only in one place. Solid, everlasting joy is found in one place only, in one person only, and His name is Jesus Christ. The only way to this joy is to know Him. And in knowing Him, you know that you are beloved of the Father. that salvation, your life, your destiny rests in secure hands. Have you come to Jesus Christ to find this joy? That's why he came to earth, to invite sinners to himself. And as he is on this long and hard road to Jerusalem, he pauses and he exalts in what God has sent him to do. This is no burden for the Savior, you understand. This was his joy. It was for the joy that was set before him that he endured the cross and despised the shame. And he says, come, share in this joy. Share in the joy of knowing the Father. Share in this rejoicing in the Holy Spirit. And you see, if you've taken him up on that call, your call is to rejoice in the Savior. You know, a joyless Christian is a contradiction in terms. How do we rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ? How do we rejoice in a joyless world? There was an editorial published in a British scientific magazine a couple months ago, and it reads this way. 2020 is a lost year on many fronts. The loss of lives, the loss of jobs, the resultant economic slump and a loss of certainty in a world we once knew whose effects may be irreparable. What does a Christian say to that? Well, a Christian might start by saying, yes, but. Because if you're in Jesus Christ, everything is gain. What has this year been to you, Christian? This is a year where God in his mercy has drawn you closer into the fellowship of his son. This is a year where God, your father has drawn you one step closer to your eternal home and glory. This is a year where you have known every moment every day by your savior's word. I am a Christian. My name is written in heaven. Father has made himself known to me, and I know him, and I know the son. I am the envy of prophets and of kings. What privilege it is to be a Christian. These things are true. They'll never change. They'll never be lost. But you can't be joyful. if you don't start by thinking about them, filling your mind with them. That's what Jesus did. He paused in the way to step back and say, Father, look at what you're doing. And it filled his heart with joy. So will you join the Savior? Rejoice and give thanks. Let's pray. Father, we confess all too often our lives are not marked by this joy and by this Thanksgiving. And we pray that you would forgive us, for we of all people have reason to rejoice and to give thanks. We pray that you would set our minds not upon ourselves, but upon the Lord Jesus Christ more and more. As our minds are filled with him, we pray that our hearts would be filled with a sense of your love, of your mercy, and that this would draw us to joy and to thanksgiving, and that that would lead us to serve you into the very places you've called us to be. Father, in this impending season that is supposed to be marked by joy, We pray that we who have cause for joy in Christ, we alone who have cause for joy in Christ, we not be puffed up in pride, but humbled by your love and mercy. We would rejoice, a joy inexpressible and full of glory, and ours in the Savior, in whose name we pray.