"Our Names Written In Heaven"

Because of changes in the way we use different words over a period of time in the English language, the word name does not mean as much to modern man as it did to generations past. Today, a name is little more than a tag used to tell one person from another. But that was not always the case. Years ago, a name involved one’s honor, reputation, integrity, personality, ancestry and even descendants. Years ago, a name was something one staked his life on, took oaths on, or fought duels over.

All of us experience ups and downs, hills and valleys, joys and frustrations in our day-to-day discipleship for Christ. In our text for today, Jesus not only recognizes this fact, but also encourages us with the good news that ‘joy’ will have the last word in our lives as Christ’s disciples. Jesus assures us that the hardships and joys of discipleship culminate in the ultimate joy. The point is, that name in our text is another word for our self, our person. And we can rejoice that our names are written in heaven.

Jesus describes some of the hardships we might experience in our discipleship. Last week in our Gospel lesson, Jesus said; we may have "nowhere to lay our head." We may have to "leave the dead to bury their own dead." We may be severed from family ties. Jesus describes more of these hardships in our text for today. There is more work to be done than there are laborers to do it. We may be like lambs in the midst of wolves. We may not have an abundance of material provisions. Many people will reject our Gospel witness.

There was a ragged old farmer sitting on the steps of his ragged little shack. One day a stranger came by, in search of a cool drink of water. To start the conversation, and to get acquainted with the farmer, the stranger asked, "How is your cotton holding up in this weather?" "Ain’t got none," the farmer replied. "Didn’t you plant any?" asked the stranger. "Nope," said the farmer. "Fraid of weevils."

"Well, then, how is your corn?" asked the stranger. "Didn’t plant none," replied the farmer. "Fraid there warn’t gonna be no rain." "Well, what did you plant?" asked the puzzled stranger. "Nuthin," said the farmer. "I just played it safe."

When a lifelong church member approached the pearly gates, St. Pete asked him how many seeds of the Gospel he has planted while he was on earth. He replied, "None. I just played it safe. I was afraid that some would think that I was trying to show them I was better than they were. Some knew I wasn’t, so I didn’t want to be called a hypocrite. Besides, I really never learned all I should have known about faith, and Jesus, and salvation and all that sort of stuff, at least not enough to be telling others about it. And come to think of it, isn’t that what we paid the pastor for? Wasn’t it his job to go out and win souls for Christ?

As the man looked beyond the gates and into heaven itself, anticipating his admittance, he noticed there weren’t very many people moving around. And he asked St. Peter why it seemed that there were not that many people there. "St. Peter replied, "Well there were so few laborers, that not many seeds were sown. The harvest never reached its full potential."

Unfortunately, many of us are like those people when it comes to telling others about Christ. Some of us just like to play it safe. We want to assume no risk. We don’t want to take a chance. We are afraid what others might think. We don’t think witnessing is our responsibility. We use a lack of faith or a lack of knowledge as an excuse.

Jesus sent out the (70) 72 into every town and every place that he would eventually go during his earthly ministry. Jesus knew that there was more work to be done than there were workers. Jesus encouraged them to pray earnestly for the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. They were to heal the sick and tell them that the kingdom of God had come near to them.

Jesus gave them other instructions, but the point he made before they left was that some places would receive them and others would not. Jesus tells them how bad it will be for those who reject them, because in rejecting them, they reject him. And in rejecting him, they reject the One who sent him.

Our text tells us that the (70) 72 returned with joy. Overall, their task had been productive and positive. We too, will certainly experience joys in our discipleship for Christ.

Jesus describes some of those joys in our text. We can exercise the privilege and power of prayer. We can experience the acceptance of our Gospel witness. There will be places and people who welcome us. We may or may not be able to physically heal a sick person, but we can minister to them. We can help heal their souls. We can preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God. We can stand in the place of Christ and be regarded as his representatives. We can conquer the power of satan.

Jesus talks about the joys of discipleship in other places. In the 23^rd and 24^th verses of this same chapter of Luke, Jesus tells his disciples "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

In 1 Corinthians 2:9, Paul quotes Isaiah 64:4; "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him." The ultimate joy of our discipleship is hat our names are written in heaven.

Ultimately, the number of seeds we sow has nothing to do with our salvation. We are saved by his name. Acts 4:12 says "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." Romans 10:13 says "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

It says in Isaiah 43 "But now, this is what the Lord says – he who created you O Jacob, he who formed you O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine’." In Baptism, we received Christ’s name, baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

By the grace of God through faith in the crucified and risen name of Jesus, our names are written in the book of life. In John’s Revelation, he saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and the books were opened. Another book was opened which was the book of life. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

We are all sinners and need the help and salvation that are ours through Christ. At the same time, Jesus is counting on us, in response to the promises that are ours through faith, to tell others about his saving grace in our lives. He wants us to pass along the Good News of the Gospel. It is a task that we are empowered to carry out with joy.

Verse 6 of our text contains sort of a curious phrase. It talks about a "son of peace." This expression simply describes a person inclined to be peaceful or receptive towards peace. Most of us would probably say "a peaceful person." Although the phrase doesn’t have some kind of deeper meaning, it does remind us of the truth that no one can really be peaceful unless he has received the peace of God that passes all understanding. No one can be a peaceful person without the Prince of Peace. No one can be a son of peace without being a son of God.

Uplifted by the Lord’s assurance that our names are written in heaven, we abound "in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord, [our] labor is not in vain." (1 Cor 15:58) We continue to worship that name of the Lord, by which we must be saved. And we continue to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. And we continue to share with them the reason why we are at peace, so that they too may have and enjoy the peace that passes all understanding. Amen.