Sermon – “Should We Call Down Fire?”

Now John answered and said, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us.” 50 But Jesus said to him, “Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us[a] is on our side.”[b] 51 Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, 52 and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. 53 But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. 54 And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?”[c] 55 But He turned and rebuked them,[d] and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. 56 For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.”[e] And they went to another village. 57 Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.” 58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” 59 Then He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.” 61 And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.” 62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Today’s passage you might look at that title in the bold and think wow. That’s just that’s kind of a strange. Title. But I believe is we saying in a one song. I believe today’s passage from Luke will reveal the mysteries of God’s grace. You know. Sometimes I think we may be like the disciples we’re going to read about in this passage today we may become so self-righteous that we think that we need to call fire down from heaven. To destroy that wicked person down the street or destroy that wicked nation. That’s where the disciples. Were they ask the Lord should we call fire down from heaven. If we ever thought that. Well I’d just like to call fire down from heaven and destroy them I mean they don’t deserve to the brave. But we’re not called to do that. We’re not called to do that because we will learn today in our passage. So it will be on the screen Luke Chapter nine. And I added a couple verses this Qana. I had to decide after I decided what was going to preach on so I had forty nine fifty so. Discuss them a little bit I can do that. New Chapter nine. Versus forty nine to sixty two. Now John answered and said. Master. We saw someone casting out demons in your name. And we forbade him because he does not follow. With us if we forbade him. You know they thought well he’s not like us he’s not with us are we stopping. We gonna get our own ideas don’t we. They’re not like us we should stop them. But Jesus said to him. Do not forbid him for he who is not against us. Is on our side. I’m going to pause again. He who is not against us. Is only on our side. Church there’s only two sides. There’s only two sides that we can anybody can be on. You either for Jesus. Or you’re against him. Some might say well. I’m a good person. I may not go to church but I’m a good person well. I may not believe in Jesus but I’m a good person well that means you’re against him. You’re either for him. Or you’re against him there’s no middle ground. We can’t there’s no fence riders really are for Jesus or against them. One side or the other. Now it came to pass. When the time had come for him to be received up. That he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem and sent messengers before his face. And as they went they entered a village of the Samaritans to prepare for him. But they did not receive him because he said. Because his face was set for the journey to Jerusalem and were disciples. James and John saw all this they said lord. Do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and so consume them. Just as the logic did you know we might have expected Peter to respond that way. Not necessarily James and John but they did. But he turned and rebuked them and said You do not know what name. What man respect your of for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives. But to save them. Let that sink in a moment. The Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives. But to save them. And they went to another village. Now it happened as a journey down the road that someone said to Him Lord. I will follow you wherever you go. And Jesus said to him. Foxes have holes and. Birds of the air. Have nest. But the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head. Then he said to another follow me. But he said lord. Let me first go and bury my father. Jesus said Let the dead bury their own dead. But you go and preach the kingdom of God. Another also said Lord I will follow you. But first. But let me first go and bid them farewell who are in my house. But Jesus said to him. No one having put his hand to the plough. And looking back. Is fit for the Kingdom of God Amen May God at His blessing so they hear it in the reading of His Holy Word. Let us pray. Grace to seventy Father we thank you for your word we thank you that your word reveals the mysteries of your grace. While that we just. Many times are in all. When we see how gracious you are that you did come to say. Not to destroy We thank you for that. While our pray that your words would print penetrate into our hearts that we might receive. What you have forced today. And what I just prayed to help us to be faithful. Faithful to what you have called us to do that we might serve you in Jesus’ name amen. Jesus said He was not against us. Is on our side. You know there are people who out there or we might even say denominations out there will say you know what we are the only way we are the only ones if they’re not following and not doing exactly what we are doing or not like us. They’re not going to make it. They’re not saved. They’re heathens you know. We might say a whole slew of things. But it seems to be contrary to what Jesus’ teaching. Says here isn’t it. He says if they are not against us there on our side. Yes there are some who may claim to be followers or may claim to have the power that they may be faking it. But you know they they might do it for a while but they’re not going to get away with it for long. In Acts Chapter nineteen there’s a good example of this. It says Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul. So that even handkerchief her aprons were brought from his body to the sick. And as did the diseases left them. And evil spirits went out of them. Then some of the. I ten or it. Jewish. Exorcist. Took it upon themselves to call the name of Jesus over those who had evil spirits saying. We exercise you. By the Jesus whom Paul preaches. Also there were seven sons of Civa a Jew St. A Jewish. Chief Priest who did so and evil spirits answered and said. Jesus I know. And Paul I know. But who are you. Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them. Over power of them. And prevailed against them so that they fled out of the house naked and wounded. You know Jesus and the disciples encountered many man. Children whatever that was possessed by evil spirits. They didn’t have any problem with them and Luke Chapter eight will read the account were. This is in the country the Gadarene is where a man came to Jesus whatever soon as Jesus got out of the boat this man came running an evil spirit in him begged and said Lord please do not destroy us please do not send us to the abyss. And what is the abyss. That’s a place of bondage that’s a prison. Please do not send us their so he gave them permission to go out into the swine. And the swine went down the river you’ve already been drowned. But the demons. Still do not have to go to the abyss. There’s a passage in Luke Chapter nine. We’re father has a young child. That would be the demon would come over and he would cause him to foam at the mouth and. Throw him into the fire tried to drown him. But jeez just cast it out. Cast a demon out he didn’t destroy it. He was gracious. He was gracious for them. Let them let them go. Why would Jesus. The disciples and all these be able to have such power over the evil spirits to it to be able to cast them out to deliver. And these men. That I read about in Acts Chapter one thousand NOT BE ABLE TO THE ANSWER THIS IS found in Romans chapter eight. Verses not through eleven. But you are not in the flesh. But you are not in the flesh but in a spirit. If indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ. He is not his. If we do not have the Spirit of Christ we do not belong to him. That’s what that saying. And if Christ is in you. The body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But as a spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead wells in you. That same spear. The same Holy Spirit raises from the dead. Is in you he who raised Christ from the dead. Wasow give life to your mortal bodies. Through His Spirit who dwells in you. It’s more than just knowing the name of Jesus. It’s more than just saying well I cast you out in the name of the Jesus that. Gary follows. Or the name of the G.’s appall follows. It’s more than just knowing the name. It’s knowing him intimately. It is being filled with his speared. Him dwelling in you. So back up to the man at the disciple saw. Healing people. And the disciples rebuked him. Said Lord he’s not one of us he’s not with us. Well apparently he was a true believer wasn’t me. Because he would have been able to do those things if the spear. Was not in him. If what didn’t have into well in your the Holy Spirit. My next point that I drew out of this passage. We’ve all dealt with her feelings at one time or another when we’ve all had those occasions where we feel that we have been treated unfairly. Or that we didn’t receive the attention that we thought we should have received. We didn’t receive the attention someone else got the attention we thought we should have had or we may have heard somebody say something that hurt us. Or they may have not have said anything to us and that’s a point we’ll sort of talk to me. There’s all kinds of ways that people get their feelings hurt today. Jealousy is using this scripture in three different senses. As intolerance of rivalry. Or on faithfulness. Or as a disposition suspicious of rivalry. Rivalry. Or on faithfulness and hostility towards rivalry. Or one believed. To enjoy the advantage. In our passage in Luke is very evident that jealousy. Is a reason the Samaritans would not receive Jesus. Because a passage said that Jesus steadfastly said his face to go to Jerusalem. So let me let. Ronnie paraphrase it for you that Samaritan village said. He’s going to be with the Jews. He don’t have time for us. He’s not going to come and minister to us. He’s not going to come and lay hands on the sick for us because we’ve heard so much about him. He’s not going to come and teach us. No. He’s going to the Jews. He’s going to Druce them. They were jealous. They were hurt. But they didn’t realize it was the appointed time for him to go to Jerusalem he had to go. So they were hurt and did not receive him. Their hurt feelings. Led to more jealousy and rivalry. The disciples felt that it was an insult. They were insulted. Well they didn’t insult them. Jesus is the one that should have been insulted if anybody was. But they were insulted that led to more jealousy. You note. They were hurt to the point where there when the call far down. Call flow or let us go far down from heaven must just destroy that whole village. Now you’ve already because I know you’ve been reading Mark in look whenever Jesus would send them out he would say enter into a village. If they receive you let your peace rest upon them. But if they do not what did you tell him to do. Go out and shake the dust off your feet. Well apparently they just they didn’t. That was enough. They rejected Jesus we want to destroy them. You know there is another example that. That reveals God’s grace even in the Old Testament Jonah. I mean. Jonah would have just loved for God to send far down out of heaven and destroyed Nineveh. But God revealed the mystery of His grace to June. When he led. And then of a survivor and that Nineveh lived in the Lodge a call down fire. I won’t read the whole passage to you but. In First Kings Chapter one if you want to read about it. KING A has no. Yeah. Probably didn’t say that right. He fell through the lattice. In the upper room of his palace in the parody was injured certain very severely. So King A has called the captain of his group fifty men. Kept of the guard and fifty men. And he sent them to go to. Bells above the God of ECK Ron. Now this. Bals above the God of ECK Ron was to believe it was believed to be a god of prophecy. Small God. So he falls through. And he sent his man he tells him to go to Bells. Is a bob. Find out if I will see if I will live. Or if I will die from my injuries. So God of course knows what’s going on always does. He sells a lodger you get up. You go meet them. He made some on their way. And he said. Is there not a God of Israel. That he has to send. You guys to bells above to find out. He says you go back and tell the hogs that he will surely die. So he questions. Well what this man looked like that you met. Well he’s kind of a hairy man and wore leather belt. Oh it says that was a logic. So he says I Well we’re going to send for a lodger. So he sends a captain in fifty men. You go to a lodger. In telling to come down. This is me paraphrasing this. So the first fifty men go. And he says. The king says Come. He says if there if I’m a man of God that God sent fire down out of heaven. And destroy you. The fire came down out of heaven and all. Fifty one of them died the captain in the fifty men. Soaking. Sent another. Captain of the guard fifty men. And they go and tell I’m come quickly. That tells me his injuries are getting worse he’s feeling worse. Come quickly. He says again if I am a man of God that incense fire down out of heaven and destroy you. Second time. One hundred into. Perished. He sends a third party. But that third party when he rides a captain the guard felonies knees before a lodge. And he says after mercy will me spare my life let my life be precious in your sight. In the war said Get up and go with him he goes and reveals to the king. You’re going to die and he did. But what was the difference between the first and second. And the third. They fell on her knees. They humble themselves. Before the man of God before God God showed His mercy. He revealed his mercy. Our God is a jealous god. Our God is a just God. You know sometimes we become so zealous. People become zealous for their way. People. Because of jealousy. Will be driven to rage at times. I believe the disciples said a little bit of rage against the Samaritan nation or. Samaritan village. Rage is a common thing that comes out of jealousy. I got a little. Statistic to share with you. The number of American troops killed in Afghanistan and Iraq. Between two thousand and one and two thousand and twelve. Was six thousand four hundred eighty eight. I’m not saying that’s likely that’s that’s a great number of people. To lose their lives. But the number of American women who were murdered by their current or their acts male partner. During that same time period. Was eleven thousand seven hundred sixty six. Nearly double. Why. Because of jealousy. Because of jealous rage. Then numbers we don’t know. Most of us probably knew about how many were killed in the war. But all because of jealousy. There is one thing that the gospel makes very clear that from the time period in which Jesus ministered upon the earth and. Before hand. God is always being gracious. But up to and including this present time. Is the dispensation of grace. The time period of grace. It is not the time for vengeance. It’s not the time for a change. You know as we studied through Mark and Luke. We’ve seen the fullness of His grace. Haven’t we. We’ve seen the fullness the mystery of God’s grace. All those encounters a Jesus had. He cast the demons out. He cast them out but he didn’t send them into the abyss. He didn’t destroy them. He could have just spoken the word and they would be gone. Totally destroyed but he didn’t. Because it’s to dismiss ation of grace. Even for that evil. God allows the evil in the righteous to go. Well together to the same time. Yes he might silence them. But he did not destroy them. But you know what we know their day is coming. Not that we should even glory in that. Joining we should glory in his his grace. First John three Verse eight says. He who sins. Is of the devil. For the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested. That he might destroy the works. Of the devil. Did you get at the works of the devil. Yes that’s what will be destroyed and can be destroyed and we should be destroying. Is the works of the devil. That should be one of our focus points. Destroying the work that the devil is trying to do. In our lives and into community and those around us. In Luke nine fifty five fifty six it says but he turned and reviewed them and said. You do not know what man or spirit you are of for the Son of Man did not come to destroy. Men’s lives but to save them. He has come as the Lamb of God to save the unrighteous. Not to destroy. You know what if we called fire down that we could nation. And somebody was Actos to believe in Jesus. We destroyed one it would have came to the Lord. In Hebrews ten thirty it says. For we know him who said Vengeance is mine. I will repay. Says the Lord. And again. The Lord will judge his people. Vengeance belongs to him it does not belong to us. It belongs to the Lord. And first Peter chapter five. Here’s how we’re to would approach the enemy. Be sober be village and. Because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Resist him. Steadfast in the faith. Knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood. In the world. But may the God of all grace. Who called us to his eternal glory. By Jesus Christ after you have suffered a while perfect establish strengthen and settle you. Resist him yes. But vengeance belongs to God. It does not belong to us. Here is our hope. Here’s our hope. We should probably look in the back of this book. Frequently. Now when a thousand years have expired. Satan will be released from his prison. And will go out to deceive the nations. Worker in the four corners of the earth Gog and Magog. To gather together. To battle the whose number is of the sand of the sea. They went up on the breath of the earth. Surrounded the camp of the saints in the beloved city. And fire came down from God. Out of heaven and devoured them. The devil who deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. Where the beast and a prophet. The false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night. Forever. Why should we look at that often. So that we have it here and here know we’re resisted devil. And we know we can tell him. We know where you’re going. You’re going to be defeated. You’re going to be destroyed. It may not be the day. Today but God knows today. He knows the day that it is Satan we know what your future holds. And it’s not a pretty sight. You’re going. We can tell Satan he will be balland he will be cast into that abyss. In torment forever and ever. But we need to resist him now destroy the works of the devil now. That’s what we can do and what we should do. And how do we destroy the works of the devil. By revealing the mysteries of God’s grace. That’s what we need to call down. Is God’s grace. We call down by God’s grace by revealing his love and His grace to others. That will destroy the works of the devil. That will make him flee. And when he flees. God must enter in. Whenever house was swept clean. You can’t just leave it empty. But it must be filled with the Word of God. Fill with the knowledge of the mysteries of God. Amen. Amen.