The Happiness of Heaven

Luke 10:17-24

Opening

What makes you really happy? What gives you a strong sense of well-being? The biblical word for this joy or to rejoice.

Is it an activity? A person? An event? A place? An experience?

For me, snow skiing makes me intensely happy. A really good bagel and a cup of coffee makes me happy. A walk in the beach at sunset makes me happy. These are all events that have a start and a finish. There also things that give me a constant foundation of happiness. 

I married a happy woman. Being married to her gives me a constant level of happiness. Being a father and a grandfather affects me similarly. Having a home and a car, and living in South Florida also provide a level of happiness.

But, even with all of this, I can be cranky. Why? Because I have what I suspect is a male bent toward always being concerned about threats. Things might be good now, but what about tomorrow? Julie celebrates when there is a possibility something good is going to happen. I celebrate only when it has happened and then only briefly.

In Luke 10:17-24 Jesus is directed the rejoicing of 72 returning disciples away from the results they experienced and toward something that is ongoing that impacts every area of life. The title today is “Heaven’s Happiness.”

Exegesis

Luke 10:17 (ESV) 

17The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”

Jesus had sent out 72 disciples ahead of Him to declare the Kingdom of God is coming very close to them. These are 72 disciples other than the 12. Jesus is expanding His circle by giving these 72 the responsibility of representing Him. We often think of only the 12 disciples as truly following Jesus. But immediately after Jesus rose from the dead, Luke reports there were about 120 praying and participating in the process of replacing Judas. This is the second step of giving His mission and His power to His followers

They return with great joy over the power God displayed through them. They even had power over evil spirits, demons. This is what they are particularly happy about.

Jesus gives them some additional information about what was happening.

Luke 10:18 (ESV) 

18And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 

19Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.

This verse can seem hard to understand. Jesus says He saw Satan fall from heaven like a lighting. When did He see this? Is Jesus talking about literally seeing this?

This could refer to the fall of Satan that Jesus would have witnessed prior to coming to earth. Isaiah 14:12 describes this:

Isaiah 14:12–14 (ESV) 

12“How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! 

13You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; 

14I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’

Satan is a fallen angel. He wanted to be greatest in heaven and led a rebellion that resulted in Him being cast out of heaven. Revelation 12 describes a time when Satan either was cast out of heaven or a time when He will be cast out of heaven permanently. 

Revelation 12:7–9, 12 (ESV) 

7Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 

8but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 

9And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

12Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!” 

Here’s what we need to understand. Jesus is telling them that their experiences of having power of Satan and his demons is a part of the ongoing fall and ultimate destruction of Satan. He is a defeated foe who will one day be eliminated.

Jesus goes on to describe the power gave them.

Luke 10:19 (ESV) 

19Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.

This verse and a parallel passage in Mark can be taken out of context to justify some dangerous practices. Jesus is not commanding His followers to physically step on snakes and scorpions without fear of being hurt. There are a very few small churches who use snakes in their worship and intentionally handle them to prove God is protecting them. Sadly, some pastors have died as a result of this practice.

Jesus is saying that I have given you authority to defeat the power of the enemy. It is similar to what God says to the serpent in Genesis 3.

Genesis 3:15 (ESV) 

15I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

The seed of the woman will crush the head of the serpent. 

It is important to note that the Apostle Paul will get bitten by a venomous snake in Acts 28 but is unaffected. However, Paul never advocates putting God to the test by picking up venomous creatures. 

Clearly Jesus is saying that He has empowered His followers to participate in the defeat of Satan.

As exacting as this is, is isn’t what they should be rejoicing about.

Luke 10:20 (ESV) 

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

Jesus adjusts their reason to be happy. It’s not that they should not be happy about the power they were able to exert over Satan, rather their joy should be founded on the fact that they are citizens of heaven. Having God’s power work through them to achieve results is amazing. But it is far better to know that heaven in your home.

It’s easy for us to get excited about the results God is achieving. We do this all the time. We count everything. We count attendance, baptisms, money, leadership development. And we should keep track of what is going on. But all of the activity is meaningless if we are not citizens of heaven and if we are not helping other become citizens of heaven. Even a world without Satan is still a corrupted world. But citizenship in heaven guarantees a life in a new heaven and new earth.

You night be wondering, is heaven really all that great? 

Consider Revelation 21

Revelation 21:1–5a (ESV) 

1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 

2And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 

3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 

4He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” 

5And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”

Imagine having Jesus himself living among us. Imagine having God himself wipe away your tears. Imagine an end to death and mourning. Imagine all things being made new. This is a picture of the new earth, a place that is even better than the first earth. It wil be a place that is even better than the Garden of Eden. It will better than any place you have ever been.

In John 14, Jesus talks about His preparations for His people.

John 14:1–3 (ESV) 

1“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 

2In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 

3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

Jesus is preparing a place for you. He is preparing a place for you to dwell within His Father’s estate. We need to get our heads around the kind of place Jesus would design and build for those He loves. 

The Apostle Paul encourages the church at Colossae with this:

Colossians 3:1–2 (ESV) 

1If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 

2Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

This echoes what Jesus told the 72 returning missionaries. Rejoice. Set your minds on heaven not on earth. The idea is the same. What happens on their earth is important. There are many victories  but there are also tears, and mourning, and disappointments. God is working through it all to build His Kingdom, to defeat Satan, and to provide a place for His followers.

Jesus is so happy about this that He rejoices.

Luke 10:21–22 (ESV) 

21In 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. 

22All 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.”

Jesus rejoices in what His Father is doing. His rejoicing is in the fact the Father has made His salvation available to babies rather than the wise. He has hidden the way to heaven from the wise. The 72 were not wise. They were spiritual babies. Everyone who follows Jesus has to become a baby, knowing nothing, and totally dependent. This displays the greatness of God.

He doesn’t need our wisdom. It only gets in the way. But He empowers the weak.

Jesus then turns to the disciples.

Luke 10:23–24 (ESV) 

23Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! 

24For 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.”

Jesus is declaring that His Kingdom, the kingdom of the great Messiah has begun. The kings and prophets of the Old Testament looked forward to this day, this era, when evil would be defeated by the Messiah and God would empower His people and prepare a new place for them. People who lived before Jesus were saved by believing in God’s promise to save His people. People who live after Jesus are saved by looking back at what He did.

Applications

How are feeling about heaven? 

Is there rejoicing in your heart that your name is written on the citizenship roles there?

Right now, in this moment, are you rejoicing over heaven?

How would your life change if you lived rejoicing in your citizenship in heaven?

Your life would be:

·      Happier

·      Less anxious

·      More loving

·      More humble

·      More at peace

Base your happiness in heaven rather than in results because Jesus has written your name there.

The happiness of heaven changes how we live. 

·      We are not dependent on circumstances to be joyful. 

·      We do not have to wait until the victory is complete to celebrate.

·      Even in difficult situations we still have a foundation of joy.

·      We don’t have manipulate every situation to benefit ourselves

If you are not intensely happy about your citizenship in heaven, something is wrong. You are neglecting this great salvation, or you have never had it. 

We will unpack this next week from the book of Hebrews and Numbers.

How do I know my name is written in heaven?

Your life is pushing back evil

·      You have received the gift of salvation.

·      Conviction, repentance and forgiveness are a normal and regular part of your life.

·      You regularly experience the presence of the Holy Spirit.

·      The Fruit of the Spirit flows from your life.

·      You live connected to others who are walking the same path.

Close

What is keeping you from rejoicing in heaven? 

Is it fear, or worry, or having too much to do?

Are you waiting on some results to come in?

Are you sure you have received the gift of salvation? If not, I would love to talk with your today. The names of most people are not written in heaven. 

Jesus said:

Matthew 7:13–14 (ESV) 

13“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 

14For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. 

If you are not sure, please, please, please, let’s talk after the service.

Don’t miss living the life that rejoices in heaven.

Rejoice, you are a citizen of heaven.