Men Jesus Called: James and John

James and John (Men Jesus Called – Part 3) by Mike Campagna on Vimeo.

This is supplement #3 to the Bible study: “Men Jesus Called.”

Our Lord names the brothers, James and John, “Boanerges” which means “Sons of Thunder.” (Mark 3:17)

Thunder is the effect of lightning.

I used to live in Minneapolis. Midwest and upper Midwest thunder gets your attention. It’s loud and in your face. (And we even sometimes get a taste of it here in the Sierra foothills.)

And of the chosen Twelve by Jesus, we understand Simon Peter was impetuous, yes. But James and John were, too. And theirs was combined with an “in your face” passion ~ just like thunder.

In one instance they’re ready to use God’s power to destroy a city. When certain people won’t welcome Jesus into their town (Luke 9:52-53), James and John’s hands are on the trigger to call down fire (just like Elijah of old) to consume them. (Luke 9:54) I hate to think what would have happened if Christ wasn’t there to stop it.

“You do not know what kind of spirit you are of,” He would say. (Luke 9:55)

And it’s a contrary spirit that seeks the destruction of others if they don’t accept your religion. Did you hear that?

It’s a contrary spirit (one that’s opposite God’s) that’s behind the whole “convert or die” type of approach that the Sons of Thunder were ready to implement.

And there are those in our day that this is their means to further their belief system: Convert or die.

Take Jesus out of religion and this is what you end up with, my friends.

The good thing about this whole story is that James and John consult with Christ before applying their doomsday option.

(And they must have known they could have called fire down from heaven. Jesus doesn’t say they couldn’t.)

God’s power in the wrong hands – it’s why our character needs to be transformed into the likeness of Jesus’s before we can be used. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

But back to the Sons of Thunder.

They consult Christ. They ask Jesus first before applying their doomsday option.

And we need to do the same thing when it comes to our own decision-making.

Consulting Christ includes searching the Scriptures for insight and direction, praying and waiting on the Lord along with pursuing seasoned Christians for advice.

“Without good advice,” Proverbs 15:22 in the Contemporary English Version reads, “everything goes wrong — it takes careful planning for things to go right.”

And when it comes to our approach to sharing the Gospel, and especially when others reject it, let us not forget, beloved…

“[T]he Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” (Luke 9:56)