In Luke 9, Jesus set His face to go to Jerusalem. The time had come for Him to make the final journey that would lead to His torture and crucifixion. Because He was traveling with a large group of people, He sent word to a Samaritan village to make preparations for their arrival.
“And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” ... But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem.” (Luke 9:35, 53 ESV).
James and John became indignant when the Samaritans rejected them.
“Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” (Luke 9:54b ESV).
We can sympathize with the brothers' reaction. This was the Messiah, the Son of God they were rejecting.
“But he turned and rebuked them. And they went on to another village.” (Luke 9:55-56 ESV).
Jesus' response was not a gentle nudge for them to be more compassionate- it was a rebuke. Jesus was telling the brothers to stop talking this way right now.
You see, from the beginning, Jesus knew He was coming into a world that would not have a place for Him. Yet the Creator of everything would still do the work needed for those who would reject Him. In six months, the Romans would say, “There is no place for Your kingdom here” and they would scourge Him. The Jews would say, “You don't belong here” and they would crucify Him. The Samaritans' rejection was something Jesus would experience again and again.
Sometimes, we feel righteous indignation over things we know are injustices. But Jesus, who Himself was righteously indignant on occasions, is the Creator who knows the hearts of men. His righteous indignation is always accurate and perfectly measured.
Before we feel too comfortable with our righteous outrage toward others, consider that the Lord offers many more instructions for us to temper indignation with grace than He gives instructions for us to call down fire from heaven.
Consider,
“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ESV).
And in Matthew 7, Jesus teaches
“For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:2 ESV).
It was not only out of love for the Samaritans that Jesus rebuked James and John, but it was also out of love for the brothers themselves. In their zeal to condemn the Samaritans, they did not know that in six short months, they'd be guilty of the same thing themselves, and deserving the same judgment they were wanting to call upon the Samaritans. But Jesus knew. When He needed them most, the Scriptures says,
“Then all the disciples left him and fled.” (Matthew 26:56b ESV).
That included James and John.
Jesus wasn't going to Jerusalem to call down God's judgment upon man; He was going to Jerusalem to call down God's judgment upon Himself for man. And He asks us to give people the benefit of the doubt more than to lash out in righteous indignation. He asks us to love more than to accuse. He asks us to forgive more than to condemn. He asks us to give grace more than to exact revenge.
After all, isn't it our hope that Jesus will do the same for us?
Jesus was a man.
Jesus was a good man who taught good things.
Jesus was a man who did many good deeds.
Jesus was a man who stood firm for his values even when it wasn’t popular.
Jesus was a man who could heal the sick, cause the blind to see and the deaf to hear.
Jesus was a man who could feed the 5000 with a few loaves and fishes.
Jesus was a man who could walk on the water.
Jesus was a man who could raise the dead.
Jesus was a man who could speak and the demons would obey.
Jesus was a man who could speak and the winds and waves would obey.
Jesus was a man who could speak and the angels would obey.
Jesus is a man who could speak and there would be light.
Jesus is a man who could speak and everything would be brought into existence.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.” (John 1:1-3 ESV).
“but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” (Hebrews 1:2 ESV).
“For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him.” (Colossians 1:16 ESV).
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1 ESV).