Bible Text: Luke 10:17-20 | Preacher: G.F.

What do you delight in and especially what are your spiritual delights? What you delight in will show you what your treasure is. What you rejoice in will show you what you think is most important in life.

I believe this passage is teaching us what we should be delighting in. What we should be rejoicing in. The key word in these four verses is the word “joy”. It is found three times;  in v17, and twice in v20.

The greek word for joy/rejoice is “khah’ee-ro”. The word is primary verb; to be full of cheer, that is, calmly happy, glad or well off.

Dr. Ryken says, “We can be happy with ourselves, but true joy comes only when we get outside of ourselves to glorify God. Happiness may be self-centered, but joy is always God-centered.” So, while happiness is often the result of circumstances, joy is a deep-seated delight and satisfaction in God, regardless of circumstances.

Contrary to popular false teaching, Jesus has not come to make us happy, happy, happy. Jesus has come to make us holy, holy, holy. And even though as believers in the sovereign God we go through trials and suffering we can still have joy.

As we study this passage of the seventy-two disciples returning from their short-term missions trip in Luke 10:17-24 we will discover the reasons for their joy. And Jesus rejoices with the disciples in God’s victory of Satan. But Jesus points his disciples as well as us today to a far greater joy for the disciple of Jesus and His saving grace.

Rejoice in the Lord Always – (Biblical Grounds for Joy)

1. The Joy of God’s Victory Over Satan (10:17-19)
2. The Joy of God’s Gift of Eternal Life (10:20)

Illustration: Sometime in 1980, the Rev. Iain Murray visited the aging Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Rev. Murray had at one time been Dr. Lloyd-Jones’ Assistant Minister. The famous preacher was drawing near to death and could only sit up for an hour or two each day. Dr. Lloyd-Jones had been perhaps the most powerful English preacher in the twentieth century and had preached to countless thousands, seeing many come to faith in Jesus Christ. Dr. Lloyd-Jones also had a leading role in establishing important evangelical institutions such as Tyndale House, The Westminster Conference, and the Banner of Truth.

Rev. Murray asked Dr. Lloyd-Jones, “How are you coping now that your ministry is so confined?”

Dr. Lloyd-Jones replied, “Do not rejoice that the demons are subject to you in my name, but rejoice that your name is written in heaven.”

And then he added, “I am perfectly content.”

The joy of God’s gift of eternal life is a joy that will keep every believer safe until he sees his Savior face to face.