Spoken at SGBC
2-16-97
Luke #87
Luke 10:13-20
Is Your Name Recorded In Heaven?
Last weeks lesson ended with the warning found in Luke 10:12 NASB. "I say to you, it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. Jesus speaks of a city that might reject the seventy Evangelists He is about to send out. The judgement on such a city and it's inhabitants would be more severe than His judgement on the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Sodom and Gomorrah were two cities in Palestine. They were among the so called five "Cities of the Valley" in Abraham's time. The exact location is hard to determine. It is believed they were situated near the south end of the Dead Sea. Sodom and Gomorrah are famous for their wickedness. Their sins covered the full spectrum of sinfulness including oppression of the poor, pride, and all abominable things, (Ezekiel 16:49-50). The particular sin brought into focus in Genesis chapters eighteen and nineteen was homosexuality. You may remember, righteous Lot doing everything he could think of to save two male guests from a lust driven mob outside his door. He even offered them his virgin daughters to no avail. They wanted the men for the satisfaction of their homosexual desires. To make a long story short, Lot's guests were Angels sent to remove him and his family from the city which God was about to destroy. When Lot was a safe distance from Sodom God rained fire and brimstone upon all the cities of the plain until there was nothing left of man, building or beast! From that time onward God used Sodom and Gomorrah as examples of wickedness and of the certainty of His judgement. Their's was a terrible wickedness and their's will be a terrible judgement but, says Jesus, the judgement upon those who reject the Gospel and it's bearers will be even more severe. He says the same thing in our text for today but with different cities in mind.
(Luke 10:13-15 NASB) "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had been performed in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. {14} "But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment, than for you. (He does not say that Tyre and Sidon are not guilty and will not be punished. Rather He is speaking of degrees of punishment. Chorazin and Bethsaida will be treated more harshly because they had seen Christ preform miracles and had heard Him teach truth. Tyre and Sidon did not have these privileges.) {15} "And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? (As you thought you would.) You will be brought down to Hades! Why would this be the case? Because this city was Christ's head quarters. These people had been granted the greatest of blessings yet they did not embrace our Lord or His Gospel. Therefore, they did not know God! Their punishment would be in direct proportion to their privilege. Another place in Luke's Gospel will explain the principle more clearly.
(Luke 12:42-48 NASB) And the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time? {43} "Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. {44} "Truly I say to you, that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. {45} "But if that slave says in his heart, 'My master will be a long time in coming,' and begins to beat the slaves, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk; {46} the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him, and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers. {47} "and that slave who knew his master's will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, shall receive MANY LASHES, {48} but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, WILL RECEIVE BUT FEW. And from EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN GIVEN MUCH SHALL MUCH BE REQUIRED; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.
Just as there are varying degrees of reward in Heaven so there are varying degrees of punishment in Hell based on the amount of truth one had to defy to die in unbelief. The greater the privilege the greater account must be given on that day. Increasing knowledge of God requires an ever increasing response and conformity to that knowledge.
The next lesson in our text has to do with God's messengers to us, how we think of them and how we treat them. Look with me to Luke 10:16. Jesus is speaking to the men He is about to send out with the message of Peace, the Gospel.
Luke 10:16 "The one who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me; and he who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me."
The lesson our Lord teaches is plain to see. It is this. Christ's ministers are to be regarded as Christ's personal ambassadors and spokesman. So long as they do their work faithfully, they must be given serious audience and respect for their Master's sake. Those who despise them are not despising them only but Christ and His Father as well. When you deal with a Godly man who speaks God's words to you, you are dealing with God! Those who reject men commissioned to proclaim the Gospel reject the King Himself.
J. C. Ryle writes this; "Let us remember these things, in order that we may form a right estimated of the position of a minister of the Gospel. The subject is one on which error abounds. On the one side the minister's office is regarded with idolatrous and superstitious reverence. On the other side it is often regarded with ignorant contempt. Both extremes are wrong. Both errors arise from forgetfulness of the plain teaching of Scripture. The minister who does not do Christ's work faithfully, or deliver Christ's message correctly, has no right to look for the respect of the people. But the minister who declares all the counsel of God, and keeps back nothing that is profitable, is one whose words cannot be disregarded without great sin. He is on the King's business. He is a herald. He is an ambassador. He is the bearer of a flag of truce. He brings the glad tidings and terms of peace. To such a man the words of our Lord will prove strictly applicable. The rich may trample on him. The wicked may hate him. The pleasure-lover may be annoyed at him. The covetous man be angered by him. But he may take comfort daily in His Masters's words, "He that rejects you rejects Me." The last day will prove that these words were not spoken in vain." (End Quote)
If you reject a person who brings you the Gospel you reject Christ. Reject Christ you reject God. Reject God and Hell will be your eternal reward.
Let's move on to verse seventeen.
{17} And the seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name." {18} And He said to them, "I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. {19} "Behold, I HAVE GIVEN YOU authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall injure you. (The words "power of the enemy" refer to the Devil and his Demons. The words "serpents and scorpions" describe the character of the Devil and his workers. They are intent on poisoning all they can and imparting the sting of death. In that sense they are serpents and scorpions. Jesus never gave his people a mandate to "temp God" by handling dangerous creatures. The Evangelists were speaking of the Devil and his Demons and so was Christ. The death, fear and pain associated with snakes and scorpions sufficiently describe the character and intent of this "Powerful Enemy." Jesus gave these seventy men power of the Devil and His Demons yet He says . . . ) {20} "Nevertheless DO NOT REJOICE IN THIS, that the spirits are subject to you . . . "
It appears that these men returned surprised by their success and proud of it. The first thing out of their mouths was "Lord even the Demons are SUBJECT TO US in your name." Jesus rejoices with them for a moment before He corrects their emphasis. To their declaration of power over Demons Jesus replies, "Yes I know I was watching Satan fall like lightening from heaven." In other words "I am aware of the success you have had in battling the forces of darkness. It's a good thing to have power over evil but you are rejoicing about the wrong thing. Your focus is wrong. Notice they did not say,"We marveled at the power of God as we saw Him expelling Demons from His Children. Rather their joy had to do with the Demons being SUBJECT TO THEM. They had the power in them and were reveling in that. Glory was due God not men. Here is spiritual pride.
Every Gospel worker from the Pastor to the person who hands out tracts to strangers longs for and looks for tangible results. All God's workers want to see Satan's rule over poor sinners broken and souls converted to faith in Christ for salvation. This desire is right and good however the time of success is a time of danger for the Christian worker. Every hint of success is a temptation to pride and self exaltation. The same person that is depressed when no fruit is seen and prays for God's blessing is likely to be PROUD INSTEAD OF THANKFUL when God does grant success. Bishop Ryle is worth quoting once again. He said this, "few men are like Samson, and can kill a lion without telling others about it," (Judges 14:6). Again he said, "There are few Christians who can carry a full cup with a steady hand." No wonder Paul warned that a Pastor should not be ". . . a novice, lest being lifted up with PRIDE he fall into the condemnation of the devil. (I Timothy 3:6) I have personally fought this great enemy of God's people all my Christian and especially my ministerial life. Pride is not our friend for "God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble." (I Peter 5:5) I think the following statement very true. "Most of Christ's laborers probably have as much success as their souls can bear." Let us be on guard against the sin of pride and learn to be thankful to God instead for all He does in and through us.
In our last text for today Christ turns the hearts and minds of the seventy away from "their power" over Satan to God's "grace in salvation." Away from pride to thankfulness.
,20} "Nevertheless DO NOT REJOICE IN THIS, that the spirits are subject to you BUT REJOICE THAT YOUR NAMES ARE RECORDED IN HEAVEN."
Is it possible that one could have the power to perform miracles and cast out Demons and not be a Christian, not have his name recorded in Heaven? Yes it is!
(Matthew 7:22-23 NASB) "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not PROPHESY in Your name, and in Your name CAST OUT DEMONS, and in Your name perform MANY MIRACLES?' {23} "And then I will declare to them, 'I NEVER knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'
(Matthew 10:1-8 NASB) And having summoned His twelve disciples, HE GAVE THEM AUTHORITY OVER UNCLEAN SPIRITS, TO CAST THEM OUT, AND TO HEAL EVERY KIND OF DISEASE AND EVERY KIND OF SICKNESS. {2} Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; {3} Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax-gatherer; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; {4} Simon the Zealot, and JUDAS ISCARIOT, THE ONE WHO BETRAYED HIM. {5} These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them, saying, "Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; {6} but rather go to the LOST SHEEP OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL. {7} "And as you go, PREACH, SAYING, 'THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND.' {8} "HEAL THE SICK, RAISE THE DEAD, CLEANSE THE LEPERS, CAST OUT DEMONS; FREELY YOU RECEIVED, FREELY GIVE.
All these things Judas Iscariot did with the rest of the Disciples yet he was the "Son of Perdition", a Devil from the beginning. He was not a Christian! How many are there in our day who look to some kind of miracle working power in themselves and others as proof of salvation? Hundreds of thousands I am afraid. Sadly, it is no proof that your names are written in heaven! Jesus declares DO NOT REJOICE that the spirits are subject to you but that your names are recorded in heaven. Spectacular gifts without grace will lead you into hell. On the other hand Grace without spectacular gifts will still lead you into an eternal heaven. Nothing but the grace of God in your life and heart will deliver you from hell. I counsel you my friend give yourself no rest until you know for certain that your name has been recorded in heaven. Never rest until you know that you've been." . . .washed. . . .sanctified . . .and . . .justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11 NASB) Never rest until the Holy Spirit within you bears witness with your spirit that you are a child of God, (Romans 8:16). Then you can rejoice that your name is recorded in heaven. When your heart has been renewed so that you now love God and His Christ with all your heart soul mind and strength and your neighbor as yourself. Then you may know that your name is recorded in heaven. When you love the Word of God and the People of God have become your real Brothers and Sisters you may know your name has been recorded in heaven. When you have been caused to love holiness and hate every evil way you may know your name has been recorded in Heaven. Rejoice not in your abilities no mater how miraculous, but only and exclusively in the fact that your name has been written in the Lambs book of life from before the foundation of the world. In this grace you may rest and know that no evil can touch you. The great Serpent and his many Scorpions can do you no harm. No force can remove you from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus your Lord. Hear the word of the Lord.
(Revelation 13:1-9 NASB) And he stood on the sand of the seashore. And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names. {2} And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority. {3} And I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed. (This likely speaks of a resurrection from the dead.) And THE WHOLE EARTH WAS AMAZED AND FOLLOWED AFTER THE BEAST; {4} and they WORSHIPED the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?" {5} And there was GIVEN TO HIM a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies; and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him. {6} And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and HIS TABERNACLE, THAT IS, THOSE WHO DWELL IN HEAVEN. {7} And it was GIVEN TO HIM TO MAKE WAR WITH THE SAINTS AND TO OVERCOME THEM; and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was GIVEN TO HIM. (Remember, the Devil and his cohorts cannot do anything without the permission of God, Job chapters one and two.) {8} And ALL who dwell on the earth will worship him, EVERYONE WHOSE NAME HAS NOT BEEN WRITTEN FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD IN THE BOOK OF LIFE OF THE LAMB WHO HAS BEEN SLAIN. {9} If anyone has an ear, let him hear.
There is so much talk and speculation about the book of Revelation. Everyone, it seems, is afraid of the Anti-Christ, the Beast, the mark of the Beast, the great Dragon and so on and so forth. Christians everywhere are needlessly anxious about the end times as they are called. Will there be a rapture before or after the tribulation or at all? Is the tribulation yet future or are we in it right now. The questions are endless and there is a sense in which the answers are irrelevant. Not that any portion of the scripture is unimportant. That's not what I mean. I mean the questions and the answers are irrelevant in the sense that the Christian can and should be at peace regardless of the answers if he knows that his name is recorded in heaven. For if my name is recorded in heaven there is absolutely nothing that can keep me from getting there! Not the Devil or the Beast with seven heads and ten horns, or the Dragon or Demons or the Mark of the Beast or anything else. None of these will deceive me or any other child of God! However EVERYONE but those whose names have been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will be led off to destruction by the Devil. What a statement! Everyone but Christians will worship the evil one. Everyone but the Christian will be deceived! Praise God, the lost and found Sheep of God cannot be ultimately deceived for God has determined in eternity past to save them and conform them to the image of Christ. Christ has determined to save all those the Father gave Him and not loose even one! These are the names written in the Lamb's book of life from before the world began.
(Revelation 20:10-15 NASB) And the devil who deceived them (The unbelievers whose names are not recorded in Heaven.) was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. {11} And I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. {12} And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and BOOKS WERE OPENED; AND ANOTHER BOOK WAS OPENED, WHICH IS THE BOOK OF LIFE; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. {13} And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. {14} And death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. {15} AND IF ANYONE'S NAME WAS NOT FOUND WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE, HE WAS THROWN INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE.
In the day the day of judgement nothing will matter but whether or not your name is found in the Book of Life. You won't be concerned to tell the judge about your great exploits. About your power over demons or your ability to perform miracles, these things won't matter. The one and only thing that will cause you to rejoice instead of tremble on the day of judgement is the knowledge that God, in eternity past, put your name in His Book of Life. That knowledge belongs only to those who by faith have trusted Christ for forgiveness of sins and life eternal. Jesus said to the seventy and to all men throughout the ages, ". . . . do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven."(Luke 10:20 NASB) This is the source of true happiness and eternal rejoicing, the knowledge that Christ is your Lord and Savior.