Introduction

Good morning, dear family of faith. It's another beautiful day that the Lord has made, a day of grace, a day of blessings, a day of divine encounters. We gather here not by chance, but by divine appointment, to share in the bread of life, to drink from the well of wisdom, to be nourished by the Word of God. As we gather in this sacred place, let us prepare our hearts to receive the message that God has prepared for us today.

Our guiding Scripture today comes from the gospel according to Luke, chapter 10, verses 1 to 16: "After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. He said to them, 'The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road. But whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house.' And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house. Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. And heal the sick there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.' But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 'The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.' But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city. Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades. He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.'"

In this passage, we find a powerful message about the authority we have in Christ, the assignments He gives us, and the eternal investments we make in His name.

The great preacher Charles Spurgeon once said, "Every Christian is either a missionary or an impostor." This, dear friends, is a profound truth. We are all called to be ambassadors of Christ, to spread the good news of His love and salvation. But how do we do this? How do we harness the heavenly authority bestowed upon us? How do we honor His assignments? How do we harvest eternal investments? These are the questions we will ponder today as we delve into the depths of this Scripture.

Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for this day, for your love, and for your Word. As we meditate on your Word today, we ask for your guidance and wisdom. Open our hearts and minds to receive your truth, and empower us to be your faithful servants. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Harnessing Heavenly Authority

In the passage we've read, we see Jesus sending out seventy disciples, two by two, into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. This is a significant moment. It's not just about the physical journey they were embarking on, but also about the spiritual journey they were undertaking. They were being sent out with a divine mandate, with a heavenly authority.

This authority was given to them by Jesus. It was a gift, a divine endowment. This is the first thing we need to understand about heavenly authority. It's not about our strength, our wisdom, our abilities. It's about God's power, God's wisdom, God's abilities working in and through us.

We may not be sent out to preach in unknown cities or heal the sick, but we are all given a divine mandate. We are all given heavenly authority. We are all called to be ambassadors of Christ, to spread the good news of His love and salvation.

But how do we harness this heavenly authority? How do we use it in a way that honors God and furthers His kingdom?

Firstly, we need to recognize that this authority comes from God. It's not something we can manufacture or manipulate. It's a gift, a divine endowment. We need to receive it with humility, with gratitude, with reverence.

Secondly, we need to use this authority in accordance with God's will. Jesus gives specific instructions to the seventy disciples. He tells them what to do, where to go, what to say. They were not to use their authority according to their own desires or plans, but according to Jesus' instructions. We are not to use our heavenly authority according to our own desires or plans, but according to God's will. We need to align our actions with His purposes, our words with His message, our lives with His mission.

Thirdly, we need to use this authority with love. In the passage, Jesus tells the disciples to bring peace to the houses they enter. They were not to use their authority to condemn or judge, but to bless and heal.

Lastly, we need to use this authority with faith. These disciples were to face challenges, opposition, and even persecution. But they were to go forth with faith, trusting in God's protection, God's provision, God's power. This is an important encouragement for us. We are to use our heavenly authority with faith, trusting in God's protection, God's provision, God's power. We need to believe in His promises, rely on His strength, depend on His grace.