Luke 10 (4)

Pray Psalm 146.5-7, 10.
Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help,
Whose hope is in the LORD his God,
Who made heaven and earth,
The sea, and all that is in them;
Who keeps truth forever,
Who executes justice for the oppressed,
Who gives food to the hungry.
The LORD gives freedom to the prisoners…
The LORD shall reign forever—
Your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the LORD!

Sing Psalm 146.5-7, 10.
(Hallelujah! What a Savior!: Man of Sorrows)
Blessed are they whose hope resides in the Lord, Christ at His side.
By Him heav’n and earth abide – God forever reigns in Zion!

He is faithful evermore; He gives justice to the poor,
feeds the hungry from His store – God forever reigns in Zion!

Read Luke 10.1-24; meditate on verses 21-24.

Preparation
1. Who did Jesus say was blessed? Why?

2. For what did He thank His Father?

Meditation
The central idea of these verses is the rejoicing of Jesus. He has just instructed His disciples about where to look for joy; now He demonstrates that teaching in prayer. Jesus “rejoiced in the Spirit” as He broke out in joyful prayer to His Father (v. 21). Why did He rejoice? Because now the secret, glorious, unbelievable, dripping-with-grace joy that He had shared with the Father and the Spirit from all eternity past was beginning to be made known to those who would hear Jesus’ voice (v. 21).

The joy of the Godhead is the perfection of grace and truth, shared and embraced between the three most beautiful, most loving, most holy, most wise, and most just Persons of the divine Trinity. Now that joy is being extended to people, that we who believe might enter the joy of Jesus, and know it more fully and completely and continuously than did even the prophets of old (v. 24). This is what it means to be blessed – to know the joy of the Lord (v. 23).

But only those who receive such news with the trusting obedience of a child can expect to know it (v. 21). The joy of the Lord is revealed through Jesus to whomever He wills should know it (v. 22). Think of it: We who believe and receive the revelation of God in Christ Jesus participate in or partake of the divine essence, which is joy unutterable and unending (2 Pet. 1.4)!

Do you know that joy? Joy that nothing can diminish or obscure? Joy to lift you above all adverse circumstances into realms of ready rejoicing? You can. Look to Jesus. He’s ready to deliver it to you.

Treasures Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
It is hard for us to put into earthly words the joy that Jesus was experiencing with the Father. “In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit…” (Lk. 10.21). For us, could it have been akin to a Christmas morning anticipatory joy, or a pre-wedding jittery joy, or the wonder-filled joy in the birth of a child? Or perhaps like the ecstatic joy of singing a hymn with other believers, or like the joy we experience in times of shared prayer with a spouse, child, or Christian friend? It is rejoicing that is beyond expression but fraught with peace-filled elation. Yet, beyond words.

This is what Jesus felt as He prayed to His Father, with heart bubbling over. And why was He so joyful?
Because God had revealed to His children the truth of Jesus. His believing children, those “with the trusting obedience of a child”. He is still that excited and joy-filled because we know and love Him, too! How truly awesome is that?

“And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins…” (Eph. 2.1) “I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people…they shall all know Me…for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more” (Jer. 31.33, 34). “God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ…” (Eph. 2.4, 5).

That is what brings joy and rejoicing to Jesus.
And that is what brings joy and rejoicing to us.
A joy beyond expression or human experience.
Eternal joy now and forevermore.
“Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight” (Lk. 10.21).

Rejoice the Lord is King: your Lord and King adore!
Rejoice, give thanks, and sing, and triumph evermore:
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice!
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!   
(Charles Wesley, 1746)

For reflection
1. How would you include the idea of joy in your presentation of the Gospel?

2. Whom will you encourage today to rest in the joy of Jesus?

3. What’s the proper response to our heavenly Father for His having revealed His joy to us? Give that response right now!

The more simply dependent we are on the teaching, help, and blessing of the Son of God, the more we shall know both of the Father and of the Son; the more blessed we shall be in seeing the glory, and hearing the words of the Divine Savior; and the more useful we shall be made in promoting his cause. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Luke 10.17-24

Pray Psalm 146.1-4, 10.
Jesus opened your blind eyes, to show you the joy of the Lord. He sent His Spirit to bring that joy into your soul. He speaks from His Word continuously about the joy that is yours in Him and with the Father and the Spirit. Thank God for Jesus and the joy that comes through Him. Ask Him to help you know that joy at all times.

Sing Psalm 146.1-4, 10.
(Hallelujah! What a Savior!: Man of Sorrows)
Praise the Lord, my soul, give praise! While I live, His Name I’ll raise,
and exalt Him all my days – God forever reigns in Zion!

Trust we not in prince or man; no salvation’s in their hand;
death shall take them, breath and plans – God forever reigns in Zion!

T. M. and Susie Moore

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (Williston: Waxed Tablet Publications, 2006), available by clicking here.