Living On Mission with James, John, and Jesus

I sometimes see the earthly ministry of Jesus through rose colored glasses, as if everything was perfect. The crowds loved Him.  The disciples adored Him.  He healed people.  He fed people.  He brought goodness everywhere He went.  What’s not to love, right?  Well, the truth is that Jesus really was loved, but He faced opposition. Sinners loved Him. Religious people, not so much. He messed with their beliefs and traditions and that was very upsetting.  He rocked the boat.  He upset the apple cart—right along with the tables of the money changers.

Earlier this week, Pastor Amy pointed out that one of the reasons that the Samaritans didn’t welcome Jesus was because He was going to Jerusalem instead of worshipping at their beloved Mount Gerizim. Were they offended?  Could they have been hoping that Jesus would endorse their religious traditions?  Perhaps they decided that their way was the only right way and that everyone else must therefore be wrong.

Whatever their reason was for opposing/rejecting Jesus, James and John decided that it was judgment time.  They wanted to call down fire from heaven to burn up those rotten Samaritans.  But, Jesus rebuked them and made it very clear that judgment was NOT their job.  It’s not our job either.  In fact, Jesus is so very patient that He is not in a hurry to bring judgment to anyone. In 2 Peter 3 we learn that His judgment is coming and it is inevitable, but verse 9 says, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”  He is delaying judgment.

Living missionally means we are joining with Jesus, acting as agents of redemption; wanting everyone to come to repentance instead of judgment. Just like Jesus, we may also encounter opposition and/or rejection, and it might come from religious people. They might not agree with the way we raise our hands, love our neighbors, feed the poor, welcome strangers, or with our stance on certain social justice issues.  We may not like or agree with their dress code, politics, the way they sing their hearts out in raucous praise, or the way they cut their grass on Sunday. But, we must remember that it is not our job to seek or pronounce judgment on people or to call for their destruction. We love, we pray, we ask for salvation, we always seek redemption.

So, the next time we face opposition, go ahead and call down fire from heaven!  Let’s just make sure we’re asking for the fire of the Holy Spirit out of love and for the purpose of redemption.  I often pray, “Pour out your Spirit, Lord, on your people. With your Holy fire, burn away everything that isn’t of you. Draw us to saving faith and fill us with Your presence.”

Let’s practice living on mission and get caught RedHanded – LovingOurCity.

Pastor Angela