Monday, July 14, 2008
Luke 9:51-56
Luke 9:54b"Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?"
To see other's living out their passions brings great joy to me! Too often, myself included, we get caught up in the daily, mundane tasks that always surround us, and forget to indulge in what really makes us happy! People get scared to see others living this way. We learn very well how to be polite, and do what others expect. To never say what we're really thinking, so as not to offend someone. So enter onto the scene "The Sons of Thunder"!As Jesus and his disciples were walking towards Jerusalem, knowing that the crucifixion lie ahead, Jesus sent messengers ahead to a Samaritan village to prepare things. They refused him! The Messiah!James' and Johns' response? "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?"?????I can imagine these guys must have been about 20 years old, and figured they had nothing else to learn in their walk! They knew it all! Don't you love that passion?What they seemed to have forgotten was that in just the past few days they were not able to do the work of God. They were getting pretty cocky! They certainly were enjoying this new found "power", but forgot it's purpose and it's source. It didn't come from them, or because of them. And it wasn't meant to be used for them, and their own desires.Jesus' response was much different. He rebuked them! The Samaritans! Just a word. No fire from heaven! His passion was revealed in a different way. His power was revealed in a different way.Were James and John disappointed? They wanted a show! They wanted immediate results! They wanted "Jesus the Super Hero"! But a word was enough. His word is enough. I guess it will take until eternity to hear the rest of the story. Maybe their telling it now! "Remember the time we were walking with Jesus and....." I hope they never lost their passion!
