Luke 10:1…

If I was following Jesus along with His disciples as one of His disciples, I think one of the things I would be most interested in seeing is this: What makes Jesus rejoice? What puts a smile on His face? What makes Him resound with joy?

The reason I think I would think that way is because of the clue it may give us all about heaven, and what we can expect from eternal life. What is heaven really like? What do they rejoice about in heaven?

We read in Hebrews 1:9, (quoting from Psalm 45:7,) that Jesus has been anointed by God with the “oil of gladness” more than any man. This means more than anyone who ever lived - however joyful they may have been - Jesus was more.

When I first got saved I used to think about Jesus smiling all the time. There is something about joyful people that makes you want to be with them. The Bible teaches us in Isaiah 53 there was nothing ‘comely’ about Messiah. People would not be drawn to Him by His looks. No, it would be the force of His joy-filled and joy-full personality.

To me this has always put Jesus in a different light than any description of Jesus I had heard in my early days in the church, and also any artwork I had ever seen attempting to portray Jesus. Movies, the same. Jesus was always shown as a very solemn individual. (In one movie, ‘Jesus of Nazareth,’ the actor Robert Powell playing the part of Jesus never blinks while on-screen in an effort to depict Jesus’ Divinity.)

But what makes Jesus joyful? When do we really see Him smile?

The answer is found right here in Luke 10. The disciples have been sent out two-by-two, (seventy of them in all,) to go before Jesus into all the towns and villages Jesus was about to visit on His way up to Jerusalem. Jesus has appointed and empowered them to heal the sick there and to tell them the kingdom of God is near to them.

When the seventy returned they reported to Jesus all the things they had done, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” (Surely THIS was worth rejoicing about!)

Jesus, on the other hand, informs them NOT to rejoice about their ministry “success” but in the simple fact their names are written in the kingdom of heaven. And then - Jesus REJOICED!

-Pastor Bill