Lord’s Day, Vol. 14 No. 34
The Joy of Service
Luke 10:17-24 (KJV) And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. 18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. 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. 20Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. 21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. 22 All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. 23 And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see: 24 For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
The greatest joy in human life is to know Jesus. It is to have our names written in heaven (v20), the Lamb’s book of life (Rev. 21:27). It is to have our sin forgiven because the Lamb of God, Jesus, who is the Christ of the Old Testament Scriptures, gave His life as our ransom when He was crucified on the cross on our behalf two thousand years ago, that we might be saved. Salvation is that precious gift of God that is hid from the wise and prudent of this world who rejected Jesus and hast been revealed unto His own, as it were, unto babes, unto us, blessed chosen ones of our Lord.
And having known Jesus, as Lord and Saviour, we serve Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. What a great salvation He has wrought on our behalf! The first disciples of Jesus experienced great manifestation of God’s power whilst serving Him! The disciples had power over evil spirits to overcome the threats and the snares of the evil one, snatching souls from his clutches. They rejoiced in having such power entrusted to them, more so, they rejoice because they have themselves, been free from the bondage of the evil one!
It is indeed the greatest privilege to be a child of God and more so to serve the King of kings and the Lord of lords (Rev. 17:14, 19:16). Jesus told His disciples privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see: For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them” (v23-24).
You have to first experience the joy of life with Christ and then you are able to share that joy with others. You have that life first in you, that abundant life (John 10:10) that Jesus promised to all who abide in Him (John 15:5). Life with Christ is a supernatural life, as Christ’s witnesses, seeing the conversion of souls miraculously wrought by the power of God in response to the preaching of the gospel!
Joy is the by-product of life with Christ. It is a foretaste of heaven, of eternal joy where sin, sickness and death is no longer a snare. The joy of eternal life. It is a fulfilled, purposeful and productive life that the seventy disciples experienced. It is ours too when we give our life to Jesus! Amen.
