Focus

Luke 9:54 "And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we bid fire to come down from heaven, and consume them? 55) But he turned, and rebuked them. 56) And they went to another village."

It would be easy to empathize with James and John. These Samaritans have just insulted Jesus. These two disciples felt the sting of the insult. There is such a distinct difference between this incident and their previous encounter with the Samaritan village.

In the scriptures we are told of an incident near a Samaritan town called Sychar:

John 4:5 "so he cometh to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph: 6) and Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7) There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink."

After their conversation the Samaritan woman rushes back into the town, and:

John 4:28 "So the woman left her waterpot, and went away into the city, and saith to the people, 29) Come, see a man, who told me all things that ever I did: can this be the Christ? 40) So when the Samaritans came unto him, they besought him to abide with them: and he abode there two days. 42) and they said to the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy speaking: for we have heard for ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Saviour of the world."

However, later, closer to the time of his crucifixion when Jesus and his apostles are on their way to Jerusalem, Jesus sends messengers:

Luke 9:52 "and sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. 53) And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he were going to Jerusalem.

How soon these Samaritans had lost their focus. Perhaps it wasn't really there in the first place. How many times do people have their mind made up as to how life should flow? When it doesn't go their way, they become disgruntled and faithless. Jesus was going to Jerusalem, and they weren't happy about that at all.

The Samaritans instead of finishing well, rejected Jesus the Messiah. This brings to mind four points.

People wish all the teachers of religion to agree with their own views. We see this often when someone will say, "Well, my pastor, (or my church, etc.), we believe, or we teach..." or the phrase I've heard a lot in the last forty years, "We're all going to heaven, just by different routes.

However, a doctrine must be in accord with their own selfish desires, or they are apt to reject it. They make excuses, and often throw out the 'you can't judge me', card. (For instance, 'I know this applies to everyone else, but my case is unique.')

The two things people should not discuss, it is often and loudly asserted, are religion and politics. This is a bad idea. If a religious teacher teaches any doctrine it should be examined. At one time religious debates were a source of entertainment and enlightenment. Not everyone was swayed to the right truth, perhaps, but at least all sides were examined. Some debates even changed a debater's opinion.

People, from a regard to their own views and selfishness, often reject the true religion. We saw this with the Samaritans. They rejected Jesus the true Son of God. Their swift destruction didn't come as quickly as James and John would have had it come, but if they never repented, it would have come sure and eternal.

Matthew 7:21 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven."

John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and he truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me."