Luke 10: 21-22 The Power of the Powerless

Luke 10: 21-22 The Power of The Powerless

[21] At that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; 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."

What is happening in this scripture? – Jesus has just heard from the seventy he sent out. They have rejoiced and told him that in his name that even demons had submitted to them. Jesus shares with them a vision; tells them he saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven and that he has given them authority to tread on scorpions and serpents, and have all power over the enemy, and nothing could hurt them.
The author of Luke-Acts wants us to know that Jesus empowered his proclaimers, and protected them. There is no escaping the claim made here that Jesus, as God’s son, had given divine authority over the powers and principalities of evil. The Encarta dictionary’s first definition of the word divine is “having god-like qualities”. In this scripture we hear the rejoicing of men and women who have gone out at Jesus’ command, proclaiming the nearness of the Kingdom of God, and have returned to him saying that they experienced power such as they had never known. Jesus then prays and thanks God for hiding this knowledge or power from the so-called wise and intelligent and revealing it to these “infants”. Yes, Father for such was your gracious will. The author of Luke-Acts wants us to know that is God’s gracious will, to empower the powerless, not those who weld power of Caesar’s kind. It is, as Jesus says in the next verse, a knowledge that the Son chooses to reveal.

How is this happening in the world today? – What are god-like qualities? It depends upon the nature of your god, doesn’t it? What is the nature of God? Through Jesus we see the nature of our God. He is empowering. He loves justice. He heals. He feeds. He offers hope. He forgives. He stays in close touch with his Father through prayer. He afflicts the comfortable and he comforts the afflicted. And he challenges us, all of us, to love God with all our heart, soul and might, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. He loves justice, and his power derives from that justice, that love.

What is this scripture saying to me? – I could get all caught up in believing that Jesus will empower me to do god-like things. But, as Jesus, warns his followers, Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written
in heaven." In other words, “Don’t let it go to your head! Just be glad God knows and loves you. That’s the real reason to be happy.”