When Jesus Celebrated

          So, I have a confession to make. I got so excited while writing the last post that…I…forgot…to write the last post (or at least what I had intended to write). What I actually meant to write about was Jesus’s reaction when the 72 disciples returned from their first missions. So I’ll try again 😉

          Let’s begin by setting the stage. Jesus sends out 72 disciples, two by two. He gives them instructions which, when followed, requires quite a bit of faith. You know, instructions like, travel lightly. So lightly, in fact, that I want you to go as you are—no money, no bag, no food—absolutely nothing extra. I want you to go with just the clothes on your back and a heart full of faith. Oh, and not only do I want you to travel believing that all of your needs will be provided, but I also want you to heal people as you go along. Wow! So easy and yet so tough!! Faith sounds so easy until your toes are over hanging the edge, and it’s time to jump. But if we refuse to jump, then by definition, we haven’t acted in faith. We’ve simply gone as far as we could on our own and in our own abilities, strength, and power. Here I am, getting distracted again. Let’s get back to the story.

          The disciples go out, all 36 pairs of them, and do exactly what Jesus told them to do. And guess what?! They did it! Each one went out, jumped off the precipice of faith, and God did AMAZING things! Miraculous things! Not only were all their needs met (we can only assume this because no complaints were recorded), but report after report from each pair were filled with testimonies of miraculous healings and deliverances. I can only imagine how shocked and excited they were. In my head, they’re all clambering around Jesus, each trying to be louder than the other, too excited to wait to tell Jesus the incredible things they experienced. Maybe not, but somehow I seriously doubt this was a solemn and quiet reunion.

          And how does Jesus react? He isn’t surprised, I mean, He already knew this is exactly what was going to happen. It is, after all, what He told them to do. He had already described the whole experience for them. So, His reaction isn’t one of surprise. But it is every bit as loud…maybe even rowdy?

          Luke 10:21 says that “Jesus rejoiced in spirit” (KJV). This word for rejoice isn’t calm. It isn’t that courteous smile and bit of applause, and by definition, one can’t even be sitting down. So, forget that polite “rejoicing” at the end of a great performance when we congratulate those who practiced and rehearsed for months so we could enjoy the fruit of their labor for what, a couple of hours at the most? No, by definition, Jesus was loud, and I mean loud. And not only was His volume turned up, He was jumping up and maybe even leaping up. This was a very visual and vocal display of exuberant excitement. And it wasn’t from surprise over the miracles, although He was delighted to see people set free and healed.

          As I read this line, I thought about how people could have looked at Jesus and thought He looked ridiculous over His “emotional outburst.” But He didn’t care. Then I thought about how Jesus knew these miracles would happen, yet had this response anyway. Then I thought, Jesus could have worked these miracles Himself. I mean, He WAS still here in the flesh. But He didn’t work these miracles. Not because He couldn’t or wouldn’t, but because He wanted to teach His disciples that they too could operate in the same power and authority that He did. He wanted to release them into new levels of spiritual authority. He wanted to teach them they could operate in the power of God too when they obey Him. And guess what? He wants to do this for us too! So if you ever want to know how God feels about us stepping out and operating in His authority and how He feels when we obey Him in faith, just imagine Him jumping and leaping and shouting in exuberant excitement—every single time.

“Agallió.” HELPS Word-studies. 2011. Retrieved from BibleHub https://biblehub.com/greek/21.htm