Subtle Idols
Subtle Idols
Luke 10:17-20 is an important passage, even if we struggle to understand it. “The seventy-two 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.’” The seventy or seventy-two (tough to translate) have come back from the mission that Jesus had sent them out on. They could not contain their excitement over the power they had over the demons. They understood that the power was from the name of Jesus but they were tremendously excited to be part of that type of ministry. Jesus reacts in a somewhat peculiar way. He reminds the disciples that they should not be too surprised that the demons did not have much power because the Lord had thrown Satan out of heaven. Satan tried to rebel and take over and God promptly threw him out of heaven. Satan has never had power over the Lord and so when the disciples went out in Jesus’s authority, they shared in that power. The promise about serpents and scorpions is probably a figurative promise that compares demons to serpents and scorpions. While those truths are interesting and important, we should focus on the exhortation that Jesus gives. It reveals the danger Jesus sees in our hearts.
Jesus points the disciples to the eternal. He teaches them not to become too enamored with what just happened but to always keep your focus on the eternal. Focus on the true miracle of the gospel that their names have been written in heaven in the Book of Life. That miracle lasts forever and so do not fall in love with the fruits of that amazing work in your life. Rejoice in the work of God in their lives that produces eternal life. Rejoice in the One who is accomplishing that work. Jesus recognized our tendency to worship almost everything except the One who deserves our worship. It was possible for the disciples to make an idol out of the ministry they just had. To fall in love with the rush of ministry and take their eyes off of what is most important. To allow that to happen in our lives is how we end up making life about us and not the glory of the Lord.
We have a tendency to lose our focus in worship. Sometimes we worship the blessings more than the blesser. We worship the rites and practices of religion more than the Savior. It is possible to fall in love and worship ministry and forget about Jesus. When Jesus pointed the disciples back to the truth that their names were written in heaven, he was pointing them back to the God who wrote their names there. He was pointing them to the eternal miracle that they were brought from death to life. In our case, we know fully how that happened. Worship and love Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross more than the benefits that brings to our lives. Do not allow the blessings received in this life to cause you to fall in love with the temporal but rejoice in what is eternal.
Tomorrow we focus on being thankful. Above all else, be thankful that your name is written in heaven. The blessings of this life are meant to bless us but they are not meant to be worshiped. The blessings of this life are only temporal. They will pass away. To fall in love with them not only robs God of his glory but it robs us of the eternal perspective we need to have to continue to walk by faith.
Luke 10:17-20 is an important passage, even if we struggle to understand it. “The seventy-two 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.’” The seventy or seventy-two (tough to translate) have come back from the mission that Jesus had sent them out on. They could not contain their excitement over the power they had over the demons. They understood that the power was from the name of Jesus but they were tremendously excited to be part of that type of ministry. Jesus reacts in a somewhat peculiar way. He reminds the disciples that they should not be too surprised that the demons did not have much power because the Lord had thrown Satan out of heaven. Satan tried to rebel and take over and God promptly threw him out of heaven. Satan has never had power over the Lord and so when the disciples went out in Jesus’s authority, they shared in that power. The promise about serpents and scorpions is probably a figurative promise that compares demons to serpents and scorpions. While those truths are interesting and important, we should focus on the exhortation that Jesus gives. It reveals the danger Jesus sees in our hearts.
Jesus points the disciples to the eternal. He teaches them not to become too enamored with what just happened but to always keep your focus on the eternal. Focus on the true miracle of the gospel that their names have been written in heaven in the Book of Life. That miracle lasts forever and so do not fall in love with the fruits of that amazing work in your life. Rejoice in the work of God in their lives that produces eternal life. Rejoice in the One who is accomplishing that work. Jesus recognized our tendency to worship almost everything except the One who deserves our worship. It was possible for the disciples to make an idol out of the ministry they just had. To fall in love with the rush of ministry and take their eyes off of what is most important. To allow that to happen in our lives is how we end up making life about us and not the glory of the Lord.
We have a tendency to lose our focus in worship. Sometimes we worship the blessings more than the blesser. We worship the rites and practices of religion more than the Savior. It is possible to fall in love and worship ministry and forget about Jesus. When Jesus pointed the disciples back to the truth that their names were written in heaven, he was pointing them back to the God who wrote their names there. He was pointing them to the eternal miracle that they were brought from death to life. In our case, we know fully how that happened. Worship and love Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross more than the benefits that brings to our lives. Do not allow the blessings received in this life to cause you to fall in love with the temporal but rejoice in what is eternal.
Tomorrow we focus on being thankful. Above all else, be thankful that your name is written in heaven. The blessings of this life are meant to bless us but they are not meant to be worshiped. The blessings of this life are only temporal. They will pass away. To fall in love with them not only robs God of his glory but it robs us of the eternal perspective we need to have to continue to walk by faith.
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