The Senior Sermon of Mark Eddy, Class of 2007 from the Diocese of Olympia, given on October 25, 2006, in Christ Chapel

Luke 10:17-24

Jesus had sent out seventy disciples to heal the sick and proclaim the Good News, “The Kingdom of God is come near to you!” In the Gospel reading today, these disciples return, rejoicing: “Lord in your name, even the Demons submit to us.”

That’s a powerful statement, especially here in Luke. Prior to this point, the disciples have failed once at casting out demons, and have also tried to stop someone else, who was successful, but been reprimanded by Jesus. Having power of demons, then – demons being understood in ancient times as beings of spiritual power that are effective even in the physical realm – having power over them is an awesome thing, more exciting than simple healings or preaching the kingdom.

Jesus’ response, though, is intriguing. “I watched Satan fall from Heaven like a flash of lightning.” Let’s pause there for a moment, as in Lectio Divina.

I watched Satan fall from Heaven in a flash of lightning.

What does it mean?

It could mean that Jesus is appealing to or proclaiming his divinity. Because he was there in Eternity he saw Satan’s defeat and this a witness, much as his witness in John, “Before Abraham was, I AM,” proclaims Jesus’ divinity. And it is this eternal nature, this Godhood, that allows Jesus to proclaim, “I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, but it will not harm you.” This is surely a metaphysical moment where the disciples get to see Jesus transcendence.

Or is it?

There’s another option here, one that I think we’re all aware of. In fact, I checked, and even the Juniors among us have been reading enough apocalyptic literature that we can see how this might fit into an apocalyptic worldview.

Follow along as I make this case. Jesus may not be speaking of a time long ago when he speaks of Satan falling out of heaven like a flash of lightning. ha’Shaitan is the Accuser, heaven’s prosecuting attorney, the one who tries to pick holes in the righteous ones’ righteousness – we see this in Job, primarily – He alone of the Forces of Darkness is allowed into Heaven. But now, because of the acts of these seventy disciples who have gone out into the battlefield of this world under the commands of their leader, the messiah (see 9:20 for Peter’s confession), the terms and tides of the battle are shifting, and Shaitan’s accusations are no longer acceptable in Heaven, because it is the disciples who are judging the earth. In fact, Jesus says that it will be easier on Sodom and Gemmorah at the last day than with any town that one of the Seventy judges inadequate.

Indeed, the very image of a flash of lightning is a powerful one for the apocalyptic world. Lightning bolts are seen as the judgment or wrath of God (or, in the pagan version, the gods) falling from heaven to smite the forces of darkness. As an interesting side note (because I always have to give you some piece of trivia to make your day more interesting), I read recently that at least one Temple of Zeus in what is now Turkey has a preserved “lightning bolt of Zeus” that turns out to be a softball-sized meteorite. That brings a powerful image to mind of Satan’s fall from Heaven: a fiery ball plummeting out of a clear blue sky, pounding into the earth, and leaving a smoking impact crater. There’s for you Satan!

But I’m not fully convinced. I think that it’s the final verse in this paragraph, verse 20, that brings this text back into focus; “Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in Heaven.” This implies something more.

In the end Jesus isn’t proclaiming his divinity as important, though we do hold him as divine, fully Human and fully God, and it isn’t the victory over the spiritual forces of darkness that is most important. No, what is most important is that the disciples, in their obedience, have attained the Kingdom.

All of us here are called to similar discipleship, for the fields are many, and white to harvest, but the laborers are few. We, too, must proclaim that the Kingdom of God is at hand, and we, too, must take part in healing the broken of this world, and we, too, may overcome the spiritual powers that darken the hearts of humanity. We, too, must rely on Jesus and his grace towards us, and we, too, can find our names written in heaven. For we are part of the Body of Christ, and part of an apostolic communion – one that is sent forth to bear the message of the Good News in Jesus.

Let us pray the scripture together -- Luke 10:21-24