Introduction

The power given to you – Are you living in the power given to you through our Savior, Jesus Christ?

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given (Is. 9:6).”  We are all very familiar with this prophecy of the birth of Christ from the book of Isaiah.  The only begotten Son of God came from eternity to our temporary place for a reason and a purpose.  Do you know the reason and the purpose of why Jesus came to our world?

We will all recall what Jesus said to Nicodemus:  God gave the world His only begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16).  This statement from Jesus is the overarching point as to why Jesus came to our world, but there are several reasons as to why Jesus had to be born into this world of ours.  We live in a world where we are constantly hounded by Satan and his agents of wickedness, and frankly, we could easily be consumed by the wickedness in this world.

I share with you today that the Lord gave us His only begotten Son so that we do not have to stand in this world alone against all that opposes us.  I want to share with you today that not only can you stand against all that opposes you, but through the power given to you, you can trample over your opposition.  This has all been made possible through Jesus coming to our world.

Powerless in the World Before Christ

In Luke 10, this chapter opens with Jesus appointing seventy others to go into every city that He was about to go into (Luke 10:1).  (The seventy others were also followers of Christ though they were not of the twelve closest disciples.)  Now, we will see that they were going to go into these cities before Jesus and minister the kingdom of God (Luke 10:9).  Of this assignment, Jesus said to the seventy, “Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves (Luke 10:3).”

The days of darkness

When I read the opening of this chapter, I think about the condition of the world at that time.  Jesus’ ministry had been going but we can still consider that this was a time before Jesus had fully completed the mission He was tasked with doing.

I think about how Jesus described the time before He came to the world.  When He spoke of being the Good Shepherd, you may recall that Jesus spoke of the threats and dangers that faced the cattle grazing in the field.  Jesus said that before Him, all that came were either thieves, robbers, or wolves (John 10:1, 8, 12).  Wickedness abounded and posed a great threat to those who were innocent.

The world was shrouded in darkness.  In scripture alone we saw where man was capable of killing one who was his own flesh and blood when Cain killed Abel (Gen. 4:8).  Again in scripture, we can see just how wicked mankind could be to another through the Egyptians enslaving the children of Israel (Ex. 1:11-13).  In between the Old and New Testaments, before Christ was born, God went silent for 400 years.  During these years wickedness grew more wildly as mankind continued to oppress and deal harshly with one another.

So, when we consider the world before Christ was born, we should consider that the world was truly covered in darkness (wickedness and sin).  Those who were good we could consider to be like prey standing in a wide open field – they were powerless against the predators that sought to do harm.  Because they were powerless against those that did wickedness, it was completely easy for them to fall victim to the wicked ones.

As I have preached recently and did a bible study series on as well, we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against Satan, principalities, powers, rulers, and spiritual hosts of wickedness – Satan’s agents (Eph. 6:12).  So, in essence, before Christ was born, mankind was the helpless prey to the predators – Satan and his agents.  What was apparent was that mankind was in need of a power boost so that it could no longer be helpless in the open field that is our world.

Mankind’s Power Boost

So, as Isaiah prophesied, a Child was born and a Son – Jesus Christ – was given to a wayward world filled with a bunch of predators.  By this point, I hope you see that Christ was needed in this world so that powerless ones could receive some sort of power to stand against the predators seeking to do harm.

Jesus came to our world and He began to minister the word of God, sharing light in a world that was covered in darkness, wickedness, and sin.  This light was a light of hope and power to all of those that were standing helpless in the field.

Not in worldly materials

As we continue our look at Luke 10, we can see that the light of Jesus was being seen and received in the world.  Jesus had his closest disciples that were following Him, and then there were clearly several others who had seen and received the light as well.

Again, Jesus sent them out into a field where enemies would be lying in wait, according to Jesus’ own words.  I have spoken to the dangers of the predators in the field, but what is very interesting is how Jesus sent them out into the field.  Jesus says to the seventy, “Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road (Luke 10:4).”  So, essentially Jesus was sending them out into the field where predators waited, empty handed.

I cannot say for certainty how these seventy must have felt about this, but I can only imagine.  We could consider that the things Jesus was telling them not to go out into the cities with were things that they would certainly need to get by, right?  They would certainly require money, right?  Whatever they carried in their knapsack was likely something of need as well.  To top it all off, Jesus tells them not to carry sandals with them!

Now, if we consider ourselves today, we require money in order to be able to ‘make it’ and to live comfortably, right?  Yet, at the same time, there are many people who rely on their money bag so much that they begin to put their hopes and the faith in the money bag.  In other words, their money bag becomes their protection, their power, and their god.

So, why did Jesus send them into the field (the cities) empty handed?  The reason is that Jesus did not desire for them to put their hopes and faith in their money bag, knapsack, and sandals.  Jesus desired for them to rely on the new power that had been granted to them by Him!  What I want you to understand is that Jesus desired for the seventy to rely on their faith in Him!

Power given through faith in Christ

As we continue through this scripture, we will see that Jesus had granted authority and power to the seventy.  From our key verse for today’s message, we see Jesus say to the seventy others, “Behold, I give you the authority to trample (crush) on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

First, Jesus told the seventy that when they went out into the cities, not to get sidetracked (distracted) by those standing along the road (Luke 10:4).  Again, with the power given to them, they were on a mission to speak of the coming of the kingdom of God and the last thing that they needed to do was get sidetracked and distracted.  

Jesus then tells them that in the power that was given to them, the seventy were to go out into the field (the cities) in peace (Luke 10:5).  So, into this field that is filled with predators, the seventy were to go out unarmed and in peace.  Jesus tells them plainly that they were to only fellowship with those who shared a similar mindset of peace (Luke 10:6-8).  What is fascinating about this statement is that it is clear to me that through the power given to them by Christ, the seventy would be able to discern who was a predator in the field and who was not.

Lastly, Jesus commands them to heal the sick and minister that the kingdom of God had come to those who were, again, of a mindset of peace – not a predator (Luke 10:9).  Now, when we think of healing the “sick”, we often think of those who have a cough, runny nose, fever, or disease.  Yet, we should understand that the sick in this case also included those who had a spiritual infirmity as well.

Rejoicing in the power of Christ

All of this, Jesus told them to do in reliance on the power that He had given to them.  Again, I do not know how those who were of this seventy must have felt about this task for a certainty but I can only imagine and infer from scripture.

When the seventy return from their mission in the field, we are shown that they are filled with all kinds of joy, excitement, and amazement.  What was it that had made them so excited and joyful in their return?  Well, we see them say to Jesus, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name (Luke 10:17).”

I believe that they seventy had gone out into the field where predators lay in wait, with a bit of fear in their hearts.  Yet, when they went out into the field and relied on the power that had been given to them by Christ, they saw just how powerful they were through Christ!  Again, prior to Christ, these were the kind of people that stood powerless in the world and would fall prey to the predators.  

Now, they witness for themselves that they were no longer powerless to those that caused great danger and harm!  They rejoiced greatly in the power given to them through Christ!

The Same Power Given to You

Do you realize that Jesus has given this same power to you, today?  We have been given the same power in this open field that is our world if we are reliant in our faith in Christ and nothing else!  We have the power to walk in the peace of Christ should we rely on our faith in Him.  We even have healing power if we rely on our faith in Christ and pray in His name!  Again, there is great power in the name of Jesus! 

If you do not realize this, I want you to know today about the same power given to you through Christ.  You may ask, how has this power been given to us?

Power given to you through Christ

After causing Adam and Eve, therefore, mankind, to fall in the garden, the Lord cursed the serpent.  The Lord cursed the serpent itself to traverse the earth on its belly (Gen. 3:14).  After cursing the serpent, the Lord turned His attention to Satan, who in the book of Revelation is called the serpent of old (Rev. 12:9) because he entered into the serpent in the garden.

God told Satan that He would put enmity between him and the woman, and then his seed and her Seed (Gen. 3:15).  What we often miss in this scripture is that the Lord speaks of the great hostility and struggle that would occur between Satan and mankind.  God also speaks of her Seed with no mention of a man being involved in the making of this Seed.  The reason no man is mentioned here is because God was speaking of Christ.  

This is actually the first mention of the coming of Christ in the Bible.  The Lord tells Satan that her Seed (Christ) would bruise his head while he would only manage to bruise His heel.  God was likening Satan to the serpent since he had put himself in the serpent in the garden.  The saying is that you kill a snake (a serpent) by crushing its head.  So, the purpose for the birth of Christ was to crush the head of Satan, the serpent of old,  which was done at the cross.  Yes, Jesus died on the cross but He rose from the dead – all Satan could do was wound His heel.

In defeating the grave, Jesus showed that all power and authority belonged to Him – this includes power and control over the serpent, Satan (Matt. 28:18).  You see, the seventy experienced Jesus’ authority over the wicked one and his agents.  Jesus’ authority over the wicked one and his agents is not a struggle.  Notice that Jesus remarked about how they fell swiftly, just like the devil who fell from heaven like lightning (Luke 10:18).

Power to trample the serpent and scorpions

Because you and I, as genuine believers, are His children, Jesus preserves us with that same power and control – authority.  Because we have believed in His power and authority, Jesus tells us that we, just like the seventy, can trample over the serpent and scorpions!

Now, in nature, serpents and scorpions can be very lethal and very dangerous.  The venom of a snake can paralyze its victims so that the victim can be easily devoured.  The sting of a scorpion can be very painful and its venom can also be lethal.  So, in nature, we tend to do our best to shy away from these creatures.

Spiritually speaking, we know that the serpent, Satan, and the scorpions, his agents, have done much to destroy those who are in the field.  Where we were once helpless and it would have been best for man to shy away from them, Jesus tells us not to be fearful of them any longer!  As Paul stated, God has not given to us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Tim. 1:7).

Through the power given to you, you no longer have to tread lightly, but can not walk on the serpent and scorpion.  In fact, I want you to notice that Jesus says we can do this without fear of being hurt by any means!

What a wonderful gift that we have received from the Lord through His only begotten Son in being able to trample over those that have posed a great threat and devoured mankind for so long.  Today, I encourage you to rejoice greatly in the power given to you through Jesus Christ!  Yet, as we rejoice in this gift, Jesus leaves us with this statement, “do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven (Luke 10:20).”

We have the gift to be able to trample over our enemies without fear through the power and authority of Christ.  Being able to trample over our enemies allows us to be able to make it to the gates of heaven and because we have believed, we should rejoice even further because our names are written in heaven.  Let us rejoice at the birth of our Savior because none of this would be possible had He not come to our world and given us such a wonderful blessing!

Thought: The Power Given to You

By Rev. Leo H. McCrary II – December 19, 2021
Responsive Reading – Luke 10:1-12, 17-20
Key Verse – Luke 10:19