Salvation is Greater Than Service!

If you have your bibles this morning, please take them and find Luke 10:17.  I want to share a message with you entitled, “Salvation is Greater than Service!”

 

Remember the beginning of chapter 10 from last week.  Jesus sent out 70 disciples to minister in His name.  He sent them out as laborers into the harvest, but this wasn’t an agricultural harvest.  This was a spiritual harvest.

 

They were to go but not take any provisions.  Jesus would provide for all of their needs.

 

They were to look for other like-minded individuals and families who were ready to receive Jesus as the promised Messiah.  They were also to heal the sick.

 

However, they would certainly encounter opposition.   They were then to trust God for the judgment of those individuals, families, and cities.

 

Today, we are going to see the 70 returning.  What was their reaction?  How did they feel?

 

 

1. A Picture of Joy, Luke 10:17-20

17 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”  18 And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” 

 

Verse 17 says they returned with joy!  Why? 

 

They had power of demons.  How so?  They had healed the sick.  They had cast out demons.  They saw the lost saved.

 

In response, Jesus said in verse 18, “I saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven.”  What did He mean? 

 

In this context, I think He meant that every time a prayer is answered, Satan’s kingdom falls.  Every time a saint is obedient, Satan’s kingdom falls.  Every time a lost person is saved, Satan’s kingdom falls.

 

BTW…Satan is real.  Jesus thought he was.  Satan is also a fallen angel.  That happened before time began and seems to be alluded to in Isaiah 14.  Finally, the bible teaches us that Satan was defeated with the death and resurrection of Christ.  Satan is being defeated every time an individual says yes to Jesus and no to the devil, and Satan will be defeated once and for all when Jesus Christ casts him into the lake of fire for eternity. 

 

The reason that the ministry of the 70 had any success at all was because Jesus gave them authority of the enemy’s power according to verse 19. However, please don’t take verse 19 as your license to handle snakes.

 

And even though, they rejoiced over ministry and we can rejoice over ministry today, there is something greater than ministry.  We’ll come back to that in just a moment.

 

 

2. A Praying Trinity, Luke 10:21-22

21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. 22 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”

 

In verse 21, notice that the 70 are not the only who rejoiced.  Jesus rejoiced over the ministry as well, and He rejoices over you as well when you serve Him by serving others.

 

Verses 21 and 22 are a prayer.  Jesus the Son prayed to God the Father through the Holy Spirit, and He thanked God for these saints. 

 

God revealed the truths of salvation to these saints and to anyone who will humble himself or herself like a child.  We’ve already seen that in Luke 9:48.

 

48 and said to them, “Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great.”

 

Paul also understood that salvation is not because of our influence or ingenuity.  It is because of God’s grace and mercy.  See 1 Corinthians 1:26-29.

 

26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.

 

Brothers and sisters, don’t ever forget that you and I can’t impress a holy God.  When we come to him, it is with empty hands.

 

In verse 22, we are reminded of the deity of Christ, and God is sovereign and in control of all things.  Notice that Jesus is God, and God is Jesus.

 

BTW…this is proof positive that all religions aren’t the same.  Ask a Jew is they believe that Jesus is God.  Ask a Muslim if they believe that Jesus is God.

 

 

3. A Private Message, Luke 10:23-24

23 Then He turned to His disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see; 24 for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it.”

 

After Jesus prayed, He had a private message for His disciples in verses 23-24.  He reminded them of their privilege. 

 

Prophets and kings had longed to see what they had seen.  What had they seen? 

 

They saw the Kingdom of God.  They saw the promised Messiah.  They saw God in the flesh.  They saw Jesus Christ!

 

 

Conclusion

So what is the point of today’s sermon?  Go back to verse 20.

 

20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” 

 

Ministry or serving others is good, but salvation is greater!  It is good to serve others, and we should rejoice in our service.  Rejoice when you invite someone to church.  Rejoice when T. E. L. goes caroling.  Rejoice when our budget is met and when more money is given to the FLC.

 

However, rejoice more when in your salvation and when lost people are saved.  Why?  Ministry or service is earthly.  Salvation is eternal. 

 

Is you name written in heaven because you have been saved?  If not, would answer God’s call to be saved this morning? 

 

How do you do that?  Admit that you are sinner.  Believe that Jesus died on the cross in your place.  Confess Him as your only Lord and Savior.