Joy On The Line Of Scrimmage

So what do we have so far? We have the seventy sent out by Jesus to do an overwhelming task, one that was just impossible to do, and to do it without equipment, ill-equipped. Pretty bad so far, isn’t it? But it gets worse.

Because after all that, when they go out there, half the time they are going to face rejection. They are going to get abused by the very people they are trying to serve. "Behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves … whenever you enter a town and they receive you, heal the sick in it and tell them the kingdom of God is near, but whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, ’We wipe off the dust of our feet against you, and you are going to be judged. He who rejects you rejects me"!

Rejection: not everywhere, but enough to make it hard. Rejection that hurts, rejection that stings... and that doesn’t sound like fun at all, does it? Most of us can keep on doing what we are doing if it means something to somebody, but when you face rejection, when they say no to you, you may just want to quit, right? It’s not everybody who can absorb hostility and keep on going.

So this is tough. Being one of the seventy is tough. An overwhelming task, to be done without enough preparation and equipment, and to be done in a hostile, unfriendly, rejecting environment. What would you think the reaction of the seventy would be? How do you think they will feel after they get back from this impossible, bruising, worrisome, hardship-giving job?

Well, the answer is in verse 17: "The seventy returned with joy …!” Isn’t that astounding? Hardships, bruises, beatings, rejections, but this: "the seventy returned with joy, saying, ’Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!’ And he said to them, ’I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you … rejoice that your names are written in heaven’"

Joy! Why? Because they saw that they did make a difference. Because they saw that something was getting done. Because the rejections they got were nothing compared to the knowledge that Satan and the powers of evil could be driven back. Because there is more joy on the line of scrimmage anytime than on the sidelines or in the comfortable place or just in the background. The joy is on the line of scrimmage!

They say that if you want a job done, give it to a busy person. Why? Because he or she has discovered that the joy is on the line of scrimmage and he would far, far rather do than simply sit and see.

One of my friends says he will not accept an assignment on a committee unless he can be the chairman. It’s not egotism. It’s the awareness that it’s more fun to be in charge of something than just to be an assistant or a rope-holder. Joy on the line of scrimmage.

Today the Lord Jesus calls His church to a witness in the world. He calls us to nothing less than the redemption of humanity. That’s big job, a huge job. This world has more than five billion people in it and most of them are not saved. That’s a huge, huge task. This city is torn apart by violence; this city is full of need. Redemption will be a huge, overwhelming task. But just remember, there is joy on the line of scrimmage.