FAITH OVER FEAR - Snakes and Scorpions
Luke 10:13-24 February 26, 2023
Introduction:
Authority is a tough word in our society today. We’ve seen people use it in horrible ways…and we have seen people reject it in protests over and over again as well.
Let me first say that power and authority are not the same things…Someone said, “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
But authority…real authority, is the use of power that’s been bestowed on someone…Whether it’s with people’s votes or military promotion or the wearing of a uniform or badge…and with those powers come great responsibility.
Power can be abused by those in authority…or it can be used to accomplish great things. It can be used to protect the weak and heal the hurting…or it can be used for selfish gain and oppression.
Our nation began in a reaction…a revolution to “tyranny,” taxation without representation…a reaction to King George and British authority over the American colonies.
It’s the very reason George Washington wasn’t elected as King…but as President with many checks and balances on his authority…and the authority of others in power.
History has shown us what happens in nations where someone has almost unrestricted authority…and they use their power to accomplish evil goals…It resulted in the death of 6 million Jews and 50 million people worldwide.
We currently live in a culture of division…where left attacks right and right attacks left…where half the people in America believe the other half of the people are wrong…so there is a rejection of authority…and continuous attacks of those in power…and it doesn’t matter which party holds the presidency…this is true.
So what does this have to do with those Jesus has sent out to represent Him? Whether it’s the 72 we talked about last week who were anointed by Him to go ahead of Him to every town and place He was about to go, or those who represent Him now in this divided culture? How do Jesus’ disciples “promote peace” to houses that are so divided? How do we live lives of faith in a world so enveloped in fear?
First of all our text teaches us…
I. GOD WILL BRING JUDGMENT ONE DAY
Jesus says “woe” to you, Chorazin! Woe to you Bethesda! And Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you’ll go down to Hades.” (v. 13, 15)
Woe is not a good word! It’s a word that warns of impending doom. It’s a word that says “Watch out, consequences are headed your way buddy!”
Jesus talks about the miracles these people have witnessed…dead people raised to life, blind people given their sight, lepers cleansed, thousands fed.
He says if Tyre and Sidon or Sodom and Gomorrah had witnessed these miracles they would have repented and put on sack cloth and ashes in mourning!
Jesus says, “It will be more bearable for these cities that God totally destroyed in judgment than for Chorazin, Bethesda, and Capernaum at “The Judgment.”
That’s an amazing statement if you think about it…Sodom and Gomorrah were famous…or infamous for their sexual immorality and refused to repent…and Jesus says, “it’ll be easier on them at the Final Judgment than you!”
Why? Because God’s Son is not present…God in the flesh has shown up. The Messiah that has been prophesied through the scriptures has come…and the people of Chorizan, Bethsaida, and Capernaum witnessed his power and said no to His authority.
Jesus says, “Whoever rejects me rejects Him who sent me.”
Believing in God and accepting the authority of Jesus in your life are two radically different things…most people, Jew and Gentile, black and white, rich, poor…old and young have no problem saying “I believe in a higher power…I believe in a concept of God (yes, I know some reject this concept) but when it comes to Jesus, things change dramatically…because that loose concept of a creator becomes a specific surrender to His Lordship in our lives.
REREAD VERSE 22
And John 3:16 & 17 tells us “That God so loved us He gave His one and only son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life…for God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world but to save the world through Him.”
This is God’s plan of salvation for every one of us…a plan formulated before creation, but if you reject Jesus’ salvation and Lordship…when He returns again you will face His authority as Judge…Sodom and Gomorrah never experienced God’s Son…Chorizan, Bethsaida, Capernaum and all of us have.
Let me give you a future glimpse into that judgment…and Jesus’ authority and power.
REVELATION 20:11-15
Jesus turns privately to His disciples in our text and says, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you many prophets and Kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”
The scarlet thread that ties together everything from Genesis to Malachi is the coming of a Messiah…and Jesus tells his followers “what they all waited on…what they all longed for is here…you’re blessed to be part of it.”
The Savior is here…but if you reject that Savior now…you will meet Him in Judgment, and that will be an eternal rejection.
Let me share how important it is that our focus be on people’s salvation:
II. BE CAREFUL TO REJOICE OVER THE RIGHT VICTORIES
When the 72 returned to see Jesus after their journey, they returned rejoicing. It had been a powerful trip…and they explain why…“Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name!”
It’s the wrong thing to celebrate…it’s a premature celebration.
I watched this video of a girl’s district softball championship…it’s of a team from Wylie Texas that believes they’ve defeated a team from McKinney North Texas to win. The Wylie Texas girls run out onto the field in celebration and joy....all while two runners on base from the McKinney team run the bases and cross home The problem was…there were only two outs. And the Wylie team began the celebration way too early
Jesus has a powerful reply to the 72’s premature celebration:
I saw Satan fall like lightening form heaven…I’ve given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.
However…However…that word jumps out like a tiger from the bushes, huh?
Jesus witnessed the ultimate premature celebration and it’s consequences…Satan’s rejection of God’s authority and His banishment to earth and then ultimately to hell itself.
All authority in Heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus. Every knee will bow…every tongue will confess His Lordship one day. Snakes, scorpions and the power of the enemy are nothing compared to His power.
But that power is focused primarily on one purpose…salvation.
“Don’t rejoice that the spirits submit to you…rejoice that your names are written in heaven!”
Have you ever noticed it’s much easier to celebrate our victories than someone else’s?
These demons submitted to us!!! “Oh yeah, in your name Lord.”
It’s really easy, if we’re not careful, to forget where the spiritual power and authority for real victories come from.
I share this because many believers get caught up in battles over things they think are of utmost importance and then forget about people’s salvation. We celebrate when we “win,” put the demons in their place…but have no concern about whether their names are written in heaven…it seems at times we are content to tell people they’re going to Hell and in our anger, hope they do. We celebrate way too prematurely and sometimes over the wrong things…instead of using the power and authority of Jesus to “make disciples.” We are joyful about proving people wrong.
When he was two years old his university professor parents divorced and his father and mother entered the gay lifestyle. His lesbian mom and her partner took him to gay pride parades, LGBT clubs, parties and camp outs, while his father remained “closeted” for several years.
“Mom was a political activist,” says Caleb Kaltenbach, author of Messy Grace (Waterbrook Press). At gay pride parades, Caleb witnessed Christian demonstrators spray homosexual marchers with water and urine.
When he asked his mom why they were doing this, she said: “Because Christians hate gay people.”
As a result, Caleb wanted nothing to do with Christianity or God.
That is until he met another group of believers in a small group study and he learned “that Jesus is really not like the Christians he encountered on the street corner.”
As Caleb read God’s Word he fell in love with Jesus. He was baptized into Christ and became a follower…after attending a Christ In Youth Conference he felt God’s call to become a preacher…he entered Ozark Christian College and ministers now in Simi Valley California.
He if firmly committed to his convictions about sin and God’s holiness, but is just as committed to a need to engage lost people in view of their salvation instead of in anger over “them being wrong.”
“It doesn’t do any good to win an argument if you’re losing the character of Christ in you.” If you’ve “won” an argument by demeaning other people, or by being harsh toward them, you’ve really lost your core.
A.W. Tozer said, “Always it is more important that we retain a right spirit toward others than that we bring them to our way of thinking, even if our way is right.”
That perspective comes right out of Scripture. In Luke 6:27-28, Jesus says, “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who abuse you.”
In verses 32-33, He says, “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.”
If that strikes you as difficult to do, it should. We can’t do it on our own human strength. Loving people with whom we disagree takes the Spirit of God working through us.
REREAD LUKE 10:21
Let’s pray
