The Gift of Spiritual Insight ~ Luke 10:21-24

July 27, 2014 ~ New City Church of Calgary ~ Pastor John Ferguson

Intro: Madonna, Are you a happy person? Im a very torment person [she sighs]. I have a lot of demons Im
wrestling with. But I want to be happy. I have moments of happiness. I cant say Im never happy. Im working
towards knowing myself and Im assuming that will bring me happiness.

Madonna makes the fatal mistake that so many people make, namely, assuming the secret to happi-
ness is found within. According to Jesus, happiness, true joy comes from knowing God and experienc-
ing all the blessings that ow from relationship.

In the Gospel of Luke, Luke records an episode in the life of Jesus when he told his disciples that true, lasting
joy is found not in what they do, but in what has been done for them (see our study A Real Cause for Joy -
Luke 10:17-20). We can rejoice in a lot of things, but everything pales in comparison to the realization that by
grace our names are written in heaven.

Today, we going to see what happens immediately after Jesus told his disciples this about this cause for joy.
Were going to see Jesus absolutely thrilled with joy about (1) Gods sovereignty in giving the gift of salvation to
whomever he chooses; and (2) Jesus himself being the revelation of God.

Exploring: Take Jesus of Nazareth seriously as the revelation of God. Unlike religious leaders and philosophers
who say, Let me tell you what I think about God, Jesus says to us, I am the revelation of God. You need look
no further than me to learn about God the Father. And youll be challengedas everyone is challengedto
humble yourself and receive the Good News that Jesus proclaimed.

Christians: Youll be delighted once again at the sovereignty of God in your salvation knowing that God has
been gracious to you in opening your eyes to the glory of Jesus.

21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and
earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little
children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.

1. Literally: Jesus jumped with joy / he was exceedingly joyful. Luke uses an intense word for rejoicing
("#$%%&'() that is different from the other words he used in the context to describe rejoicing ()$*+().
IOW, he was jubilant, elated. Jesus was so joyful that he was about to burst. Why?

2. Jesus is rejoicing in the Fathers absolute sovereignty in granting the gift of salvation to whom He
pleases. IOW, Jesus is elated that God the Fathers gracious will is to reveal salvation to some but not
to others.

(1) you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding.

a. In Jesus day, the so-called wise & learned were the religious leaders of his day who refused to
heed Jesus message of Good News re: the Kingdom of God. They were pro kingdom of God,
but they rejected that it was coming in the person and work of Jesus of Nazareth.

Luke 19:14, We do not want this man to reign over us.

b. In any day, the so-called wise and understanding are those who refuse to humble themselves.

Thomas Nagel, NYU, I want atheism to be true and am made uneasy by the fact that some of
the most intelligent and well-informed people I know are religious believers. It isnt just that I
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dont believe in God and, naturally, hope that Im right in my belief.- Its that I hope there is no
God! I dont want there to be a God; I dont want the universe to be like that.

(2) you haverevealed them to little children.

a. In Jesus day, it was his disciples.

b. In any day, little children refer to those who humble themselves & respond to Jesus.

Eta Linneman, esteemed NT Scholar & Theologian, At that point God led me to vibrant
Christians who knew Jesus personally as their Lord and Saviour. I heard their testimonies as
they reported what God had done in their lives. Finally God himself spoke to my heart by
means of a Christian brothers words. By Gods grace and love I entrusted my life to Jesus.He
immediately took my life into his saving grasp and began to transform it radically. My
destructive addictions were replaced by a hunger and thirst for his Word and for fellowship
with Christians. I was able to recognize sin clearly as sin rather than merely make excuses for
it as was my previous habit. I can still remember the delicious joy I felt when for the rst time
black was once more black and white was once more white. Suddenly I was convinced that
Gods promises are a reality, that God is a living God, and that he reigns. By Gods grace I
experienced Jesus as the one whose name is above all names. I was permitted to realize that
Jesus is Gods Son, born of a virgin. He is the Messiah and the Son of Man.

1 Peter 5:5, God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

Q: Which of these attitudes describes you? Are you wise in your own eyes thinking that you are just
ne without Jesus? Or, have you by grace been humbled to see you need of him?

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.

1. Jesus special inheritance from the Father: All things have been handed over to me by my Father (cf.
Ps. 2:8; Mt. 28:18).

2. Jesus special relationship with the Father: No one knows who the Son is except the Father

3. Jesus special prerogative to reveal the Father: anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him

There is a spiritual seeing that is the gift of grace.

John 14:6, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If
you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have
seen him. Philip said to him, Lord show us the Father, and it is enough for us. Jesus said to him,
Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen
the Father. How can you say, Show us the Father? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and
the Father is in me?

Jesus is the unique and authoritative revelation of who God is. Hes as close as we get b/c who he is.

23Then turning to the disciples he said privately, Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! 24 For I
tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what
you hear, and did not hear it.

1. Moses, David, Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah all desired to see what the disciples saw and heard.
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2. John the Apostle knew that blessing, and the great joy of knowing Jesus. But there was one thing that
could add to his joyone thing that would make his joy complete.

1 John 1:3-4, that which we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may
have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.
And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

So why did Luke record this rejoicing of Jesus and his prayer?

Because Jesus is the revelation of God, and he reveals God to whomever he pleases. And hes pleased to
reveal this to those who are humble of heart, like children.

Main Idea: Spiritual insight is a gift of Gods sovereign grace
to those who humbly welcome Jesus into their lives.

Application:

1. Become like children.

(1) humble yourself / repentance

Mt. 18:3-4, Truly I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the
kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of
heaven.
Jesus was not endorsing ignorance, but humility.

(2) Blaise Pascal was a French mathematician and philosopher. Wanting nothing to do with God, he ran
from him until he was 31 years old. On Nov 23, 1654, Pascal was humbled and converted to Jesus
Christ. The experience was so moving, he wrote it down on a piece of parchment and sewed it into his
coat where it was found after his death eight years later.

Year of Grace 1654, Monday November 23from about half past ten at night to about half an hour
after midnight, FIRE. God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, not of the philosophers and
scholars. Certainty. Heartfelt joy. God of Jesus Christ. My God and Your God. Joy, joy, joy, tears of
joy. Jesus Christ. May I never be separated from him.

2. Cherish your Saviours choice.

(1) The doctrine of election is controversial, but if you are a Christian, you believe it because it is
mentioned over and over again in Scripture (e.g., Acts 13:48; Romans 8:33; Eph. 1:3-12; 1 Pet. 1:1).

WCF 3.1, The doctrine of this high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence
and care, so that men, taking heed to the will of God revealed in his Word and yielding their
obedience to it, may, from the certainty of their effectual calling, be assured of eternal election.

(2) CH Spurgeon, I know nothing, nothing again, that is more humbling for us than this doctrine of
election.-I have sometimes fallen prostrate before it, when endeavoring to understand it.- I have
stretched my wings, and eagle-like, I have soared towards the sun.- Steady has been my eye, and true
my wing, for a season; but, when I came near it, and the one thought possessed me,--"God hath
chosen you from the beginning unto salvation," I was lost in its luster, I was staggered with the mighty
thought; and from the dizzy elevation down came my soul, prostrate and broken, saying, "Lord, I am
nothing, I am less than nothing.- Why me? Why me?"
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