17 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” 18 And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 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. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 22 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
23 Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”
21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 22 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
23 Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”
It almost sounds like these disciples were a little like all of us - a little power can go to our heads: "Wow, look what we can do!" But Jesus reminds them, and us, that it is His power, His protection, and even His prompting that sends us out into the world. Have you every stopped to wonder what He was doing while they were out there? Most likely He was where the real battle was raging: praying for them. As soon as they debrief, that's what He does: talks to the Father, thanking Him for what He has done in giving them victory, and thanking them for His plan: revealing Himself and the Gospel to this band of spiritual children. Finally here, He turns to these servants, to remind them, and us, of how blessed we are to hear, know, and see what we do, as He works out His plan of salvation, and to be a part of it. May we rejoice, knowing that in Christ, our names are written down in the Lamb's book of Life in heaven.
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