Counting Your Blessings - February 13 Readings: Luke 10

Today’s Readings

Context

Israel's failing, since the very beginning of their existence, had been their failure to understand that when God chose them to be his people it imposed on them a burden to be a blessing to the world. They thought God called them to himself because they were special and he loved them more. He called them to use them as a blessing to others. God chooses his people to channel his blessings through them to the world. 

Jesus was determined that his disciples would know better. He sent out the disciples and here he sent out another 72 disciples - six times the original 12. They were sent on mission because when anyone follows Christ they are meant not only to receive blessing but to serve Christ as a channel of his blessings to the world. 

There are two other stories in this chapter. The second, the parable of the Good Samaritan, continues Jesus' definition of his gospel and his call to service. The story of Mary and Martha, a favorite of mine, shows the importance of worship and devotion, not just hard work and service. 

As the gospel of Luke and the story of Christ goes on, he continues to push toward the end of his ministry and draw the line for his followers. This is who I am, this is what my kingdom is, and this is what my followers must be. As he drew the line, many turned away, many religious leaders got offended, and a few followed him with all their hearts. 

Devotional - Counting Your Blessings

 The seventy-two disciples of Jesus returned from their travels, having been sent out by their master and empowered by him. They were breathless with excitement on their return, rejoicing that, "Even the demons are subject to us in your name." (Luke 10:17.) Heady stuff. To be able to speak to people who are under the control of the forces of darkness, and to have those demonic beings obey your commands - that is no small thing. They were amazed and excited at the new power that they were experiencing.

But Jesus wanted them to keep things in perspective. It is easy for us to see things from a skewed perspective, a human viewpoint that fails to see things as God sees them. Jesus made it clear that there was something much more important than the fact that demons fled before them.

I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Luke 10:18-19

Defeating Satan was nothing new for Jesus Christ. He was there when after the first tragic rebellion Satan was cast from glory to earth. He defeated him at the beginning and had done so repeatedly since. And he had, indeed, granted authority and power to his disciples over all the works of the enemy.

But that was not the greatest reason that a believer ought to rejoice. There was a greater work that God was doing among them than simply giving them the ability to defeat demons.

Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. Luke 10:20

Greater than the blessing of power over demons is the joy of knowing that we have an eternal home in heaven, that our destiny is settled, our sins are forgiven and we have been reconciled with God. We ought never become so enamored with that which God gives us and that which he does for us that we forget that the greatest gift of God is himself! It is not about how many demons we can defeat but the great privilege of knowing God and walking with Jesus Christ his Son! 

The fact that we are part of the heavenly family is a privilege far greater than the anything of the other blessings we receive through our relationship with Christ, even though those blessings are many and great. None can compare with the simple of joy of belonging to God, of being part of the family, of having your name written eternally in heaven - in indelible ink. 

Thank you, Lord, for writing my name in heaven in Blood of your Son. No greater privilege exists for a sinner like me than to know my place in your family is secure because of what you have done for me. 

Think and Pray

Do you seek Jesus for things he does for you, or for the simple joy of knowing Jesus? 

Do you revel in and worship God for your eternal or temporal blessings? 

A Bonus Article - "Mother of All Baptists"

When I began my online writing ministry over a decade ago, one of the first articles I wrote was "Mother of All Baptists", based in Luke 10. It's still a favorite of mine. I'm putting it here just for your enjoyment as a bonus read for all you hard-working Baptists out there!

Historians have argued for hundreds of years about the history of my denomination. Who were the first Baptists? From whom did we descend? I think that today's reading in Luke makes that abundantly clear.

We descend from Martha, the friend of Jesus from Bethany. Luke 10:38-42 tells the story. She loved Jesus, no doubt about it and she welcomed him into her home. That's when her true Baptist-ness came to the surface. Verse 39 introduces us to her sister, one of the many women named Mary in the gospels. She sat at Jesus feet the whole time he was there hanging on every word Jesus said.

And Martha got upset. It wasn't fair! She was left in the kitchen doing all the hard work while her sister did nothing but listen to the preaching. There were styrofoam plates and cups to stack, there was coffee to make, someone had to make sure the dishes were done, the trash cans were emptied and the bags all carried out to the dumpster. There was so much to do and someone had to do it.

I've always loved verse 40. Martha was "distracted with much serving." She was a good Baptist - a busy bee, working her fingers to the bone. Her idea of relating to Jesus was measured in how hard she worked for him, how much she did, and, well, how little others did.

It bothered her that her sister was lazy. All she did was sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to his words. How could Jesus let her get away with that? Didn't he see that her love was stronger and her dedication more sincere? This prototype of all Baptists, this hard-working, sweat-soaked, don't-just-sit-there, do-something-for-Jesus lady thought Jesus would back her up, rebuke her sister, and tell the lazy girl to get up get to work.

She was in for a real shock. Jesus blew her neat little Baptist world all to pieces.

“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary, Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

You are so wrapped up in busywork, Martha, that you have forgotten the one thing that matters most. Mary's choice, to sit at Jesus' feet, it better than your choice, to wear your fingers to the bone working. 

No, Jesus was not advocating laziness nor was he rebuking Mary's diligence. But he was making clear what mattered most. Hard work in the service of Jesus is a good thing, but it cannot replace sitting at his feet and worshiping him. It cannot replace listening at length and in depth to the words of Christ so that we might know him. Working for Christ cannot replace seeking to know Christ. Know him first and you will serve him better!

My Baptist buddies, our passion for work, for kingdom busyness can be noble, but only if it is rooted in a deep grounding in the Word of God and a passion for spending time with Jesus. We need not abandon "Marthaism," but we must make sure that the way of Mary is also at the root of our ways.