Are you written in heaven?

Luke 10:1-12.17-20

10 After this the Lord chose seventy-two others and sent them out two by two, to go ahead of him to every town and place where he himself was about to go. 2 He said to them, “There is a large harvest, but few workers to gather it in. Pray to the owner of the harvest that he will send out workers to gather in his harvest. 3 Go! I am sending you like lambs among wolves. 4 Don't take a purse or a beggar's bag or shoes; don't stop to greet anyone on the road. 5 Whenever you go into a house, first say, ‘Peace be with this house.’ 6 If someone who is peace-loving lives there, let your greeting of peace remain on that person; if not, take back your greeting of peace. 7 Stay in that same house, eating and drinking whatever they offer you, for workers should be given their pay. Don't move around from one house to another. 8 Whenever you go into a town and are made welcome, eat what is set before you, 9 heal the sick in that town, and say to the people there, ‘The Kingdom of God has come near you.’ 10 But whenever you go into a town and are not welcomed, go out in the streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust from your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. But remember that the Kingdom of God has come near you!’ 12 I assure you that on the Judgment Day God will show more mercy to Sodom than to that town!

17 The seventy-two men came back in great joy. “Lord,” they said, “even the demons obeyed us when we gave them a command in your name!”

18 Jesus answered them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Listen! I have given you authority, so that you can walk on snakes and scorpions and overcome all the power of the Enemy, and nothing will hurt you. 20 But don't be glad because the evil spirits obey you; rather be glad because your names are written in heaven.”

Food for thought!

Technically speaking, the successors to the twelve apostles are the bishops. This means that in effect all of us, you and I, are the OTHERS Jesus sends out in his name. The gospel says, the Lord chose and appointed seventy-two others and sent them out ahead of Him, two by two, into every town and place where He Himself was about to come (visit). Let's look at this phrase in detail.

Seventy-two others: Jesus had, besides the 12 apostles, many followers. When we say apostles we are generally talking of the 12, and when we say disciples, we mean all the followers of Jesus, including the 12. On this occasion Jesus appointed 72 others, that is, besides the 12. The word disciple means learner or follower, while the word apostle mean sent out, envoy, ambassador.

Jesus sent and sends these others to all the places he intends to go. This is particularly interesting because it means that Jesus reproduces himself in people like you and me, so much that wherever we go, he goes there. Jesus went to 36 places in those 36 pairs of men he formed that day. Interesting to note is also to know that he sends us to where he intends to be and go. This is why you and me are where we are; it is because Jesus wants us to be here, and represent him, and make him present, and stand in for him. Tomorrow he may choose to be and go to other places, and we will go. Interesting, isn't it?

When the Seventy-two disciples returned on their first weekend, they were radiant with the gains ant triumphs which they had wrought in the name of Jesus; they had achieved a lot. They were happy for their results, just as we are at the end of the month or at weekend. It is good to celebrate our victories, our successes. It is good to tell Jesus, not only our problems, but also our successes. Some of us talk to the Lord only when we are afflicted, never when we are celebrating our milestones. Jesus must know about both your pains and your gains.

However, many times our joy is misplaced; many times we celebrate the wrong victories. After telling Jesus about their victories, Jesus immediately said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven." That is a difficult phrase to understand. It may have two meanings.

(i) It may mean, "I saw the forces of darkness and evil defeated; the citadel of Satan is stormed and the kingdom of God is on the way." It may mean that Jesus knew that the deathblow to Satan and all his powers had been struck, long before his final conquest on the Easter Sunday.

(ii) Equally well it may be a warning against pride. The legend was that it was for pride towards God that Satan was cast out of heaven and glory. It may be that Jesus was saying to the rejoicing disciples, "You have had your triumphs; keep yourselves from pride, for once the chief of all the angels fell to pride and was cast from heaven."

Certainly Jesus went on to warn his disciples against pride and over-confidence. It was true that they were given all power, but their greatest glory was that their names were written in heaven. It will always remain true that our greatest glory is not what we have done but what God has done for us.

We should rejoice not because we made so much money this week, or that we brokered so many deals, or that we have had so much success this year; we should rejoice rather because the Lord has used us to serve his people. In other words, we rejoice for being known by heaven, and for having our names written in heaven. This is the true cause for joy and glory.