Luke 10:17-20

What should we rejoice in? Maybe more appropriately, where do we find our worth? As I am on deputation to go to Argentina, it is very hard not to wrap myself up into what God has called us to do in Argentina. My success or failure is totally based on what happens when we get there. My worth will be seen through the lens of that ministry.

Jesus has something to say about this sort of thing. The disciples were so thrilled at the results of there ministry. Things were happening! Demons were even subject to them (10:17). So what was Jesus response to this? Jesus made very clear that they should not rejoice in the fact that the demons were subject to them, but they should rejoice that their names are written in Heaven (10:20). There ministry was not what Jesus told them to rejoice in, or identify themselves by for that matter. Their source of joy should not be in the fruit of ministry. There joy should be found that their names are written in Heaven, that they belong to Jesus!