His Grace Blog

When the disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?”—Luke 9:54 James and John were called the “Sons of Thunder.” When they discovered a Samaritan village that would not receive Jesus, they were fully prepared to call down fire to consume the entire community! Perhaps they felt that through such a show of power, their gospel message might be enhanced. The two brothers were willing to sacrifice the lives of the villagers in order to further the cause of the gospel. Jesus rebuked them. Later, the apostles heard that Samaria had responded to the gospel.  Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: (Acts 8:14).  Who was commissioned to go and help them receive the Holy Spirit but Peter and John! God's purpose had not been to destroy those people but to save them. God chose not to rain down fire on the village, but to shower i...