Our Eternal Joy(Luke 10:17-20)

Title: Our Eternal Joy
Text: Luke 10:17-20

누가복음(Luke)10:17-20; 마태복음(Matthew) 7:21 – 24

누가복음(Luke)10:17-20

17 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” \ 칠십인이 기뻐 돌아와 가로되 주여 주의 이름으로 귀신들도 우리에게 항복하더이다

18 And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.\ 예수께서 이르시되 사단이 하늘로서 번개 같이 떨어지는 것을 내가 보았노라

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. \ 내가 너희에게 뱀과 전갈을 밟으며 원수의 모든 능력을 제어할 권세를 주었으니 너희를 해할 자가 결단코 없으리라

20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”\ 그러나 귀신들이 너희에게 항복하는 것으로 기뻐하지 말고 너희 이름이 하늘에 기록된 것으로 기뻐하라 하시니라

마태복음(Matthew) 7:21 – 24

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. \ 나더러 주여 주여 하는 자마다 천국에 다 들어갈 것이 아니요 다만 하늘에 계신 내 아버지의 뜻대로 행하는 자라야 들어가리라

22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ \ 그 날에 많은 사람이 나더러 이르되 주여 주여 우리가 주의 이름으로 선지자 노릇하며 주의 이름으로 귀신을 쫓아 내며 주의 이름으로 많은 권능을 행치 아니하였나이까 하리니

23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ \ 그때에 내가 저희에게 밝히 말하되 내가 너희를 도무지 알지 못하니 불법을 행하는 자들아 내게서 떠나가라 하리라

24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. \ 그러므로 누구든지 나의 이 말을 듣고 행하는 자는 그 집을 반석 위에 지은 지혜로운 사람 같으리니

People are emotional beings. We know how to be happy, and we know how to be sad. That is why we laugh, and also why we cry. But many times, we don’t really think about why we are happy or why we are sad. We may just follow our feelings without asking. But it is important to stop and ask:
“What makes me happy?” or “Why am I glad?”
“Where does my joy come from?”

When we ask this, we can see who we really are. And if we know the reason for our joy, we can also understand the reason for our sadness. When we understand the reason, we won’t be too excited or too depressed, because we know what is behind it.

In today’s text, Jesus tells His disciples to rejoice. But He gives a special command:
“Do not rejoice because the demons submit to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

What does this mean? What is the difference between the two?
It may be the difference between joy that is only for now, and joy that is forever. Between joy that is temporary, and joy that is eternal.

The fact that demons obeyed the disciples gave them a strong feeling of victory and power. Of course they were happy! But Jesus points them to a greater truth: the fact that their names are written in heaven.

This means that God Himself decided to remember them. Eternal life means not only living forever, but also living inside God’s eternal memory. God is all-knowing. He does not forget. But when He says He writes our names in the Book of Life, it is His choice. It shows His will to remember us forever.

Why would God do this? Because we are precious to Him.

There is a disease called “anterograde amnesia,” when a person cannot make new memories. They may write notes or use alarms to remember. Now, think: the eternal God, who never forgets, chose to write down our names. That shows how important we are to Him.

Even in human life, the heart remembers more deeply than the mind. In the movie Maundy Thursday (“Postman to Heaven” / “Always”), the grandmother remembers her granddaughter even when she forgets many other things. The heart can hold memory that the brain cannot.

Jesus also remembers with His heart. He said in the parable of the Sheep and the Goats that He knows those who serve others with love. In the story of the houses on sand and on rock, He shows what kind of life He remembers. It is not just logical or scientific—this is God’s loving and emotional choice.

So who are the people Jesus chooses to remember? And who are the people He chooses not to remember?

Jesus rejoiced when souls were saved. He told His disciples He was full even without eating, after talking with the Samaritan woman. When Zacchaeus repented, Jesus rejoiced. In the story of the rich man and Lazarus, we see how God remembers. The rich man’s name is not mentioned—God chose not to remember it. But the poor man’s name was given: Lazarus. God remembered him.

This shows us why the matter of the soul cannot be ignored.

Jesus also spoke about trees and their fruit. A good tree naturally bears good fruit, and a bad tree bears bad fruit. But sometimes people make mistakes:
A good tree may have good fruit but still be sad about it—that makes no sense.
A bad tree may have bad fruit and yet be happy—that also makes no sense.

In today’s text, Jesus tells His disciples not to rejoice only in short victories, but to rejoice in the fact that their names are written in heaven. He knew that hard times and persecution were coming, and He wanted them to hold on to eternal joy.

Think about this: “God will remember me forever? My small, unimportant life?” This is such good news that it can make us overflow with joy. It can lift our broken self-worth and give us a hope no one can take away. Even if we live like Lazarus in this world, poor and suffering, we have hope because God remembers us.

This is salvation. Jesus is our eternal joy. We can always rejoice because our names are written in God’s book. May your name and mine be remembered forever by our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.