Thursday 26th June
Read Luke 9:51-56
“As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, ‘Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?’ 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 Then he and his disciples went to another village.” (NIVUK)
How angry is too angry? The disciples are clearly quite upset with the Samaritan refusal to be hospitable. Their response is rather extreme but perhaps no more extreme than Elisha’s response to the bullying boys…(cf 2 Kings 2:23-25).
Jesus’ response is instructive for us though. Jesus neither rebukes the Samaritans nor tolerates the disciple’s violent request. He puts them in their place immediately. They have gone too far. He then simply journeys to another village.
What lesson should we learn from Jesus’ response? Great power must be coupled with extreme humility. At the heart of discipleship is the demand to turn the other cheek. Jesus shows us what that looks like with both with His rebuke and with His rearranged rest plans.
