WEEKLY REFLECTION by Pastor Lap Dinh on ‭‭ ‭‭‭‭Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭51‬-‭56‬

What happened here? Why did Jesus rebuke His disciples so sharply? The passage suggests that James and John, perhaps feeling rejected by the people they came to serve alongside Jesus, reacted with offense. What’s striking is their assumption—that they could invoke God’s power to call down fire from heaven in judgment. How quickly they had forgotten Jesus’ words in Luke 9:48! Instead of reminding them gently, Jesus rebuked them. Why? Because their mindset and attitude were not aligned with the heart of God. They sought to use divine power to harm, not to heal. But Jesus did not come to destroy lives—He came to save them. He bore God’s judgment for human sin on Himself, offering the world a second chance to repent and return to the Father. His final judgment will come—but not yet. In this in-between time, from His first coming to His return, our calling is not to be agents of wrath, but vessels of grace. We are not called to “call down fire” to punish those who reject the gospel—but to be on fire ourselves, burning with love, compassion, and urgency to bring others to Jesus for salvation. May the Holy Spirit empower all who have received power from on high to bear witness to Christ—boldly, faithfully, and humbly. And when rejection comes—as it surely will, may we move on in peace, without bitterness, knowing that we are not rejected by God. Keep your heart soft, your witness strong, and your eyes on Jesus. Amen.