4月14日
標 題： 吩咐火從天降
經 節： 祂的門徒雅各、約翰看見了，就說：「主啊，你要我們吩咐火從天上降下來燒滅他們，像以利亞所做的嗎？」（路加福音九章54節）
雅各和約翰被稱為「雷子」。當他們發現撒馬利亞的一個村莊不願接待耶穌，他們準備要吩咐火從天上降下來滅盡他們！也許他們認為藉著這大能的展現，福音能夠被廣傳。他們兄弟倆願意犧牲整個村民的性命，來換取福音的傳播。結果，耶穌斥責他們。
後來，使徒們聽說撒馬利亞人領受了神的道（使徒行傳八：14）。誰被差遣去幫助他們領受聖靈？不就是彼得和約翰！神的目的不是要摧毀那些人，而是要拯救他們。神選擇不從天上降火，而由天上降下聖靈的甘霖給那些村民。當約翰看到這些他原想滅命的村民時，腦海中在想甚麼？當初他想燒滅這些村民，現在卻為他們的得救而歡欣。他一定很感激耶穌當初禁止運行他的計劃。
人類的思想與神的思想，有何等大的分野啊！人類的想法會毀滅整個村莊，神的計劃卻是帶來救恩。人類由神那裡得來的好處，遠比你的最佳計劃要豐盛多了。人們求助時，你是否只是單單提供自己的對策，以暫時滿足他們，卻沒有提供他們神的計劃？
Calling Down Fire
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?” (Luke 9:54)
James and John were called the “Sons of Thunder.” When they discovered a
Samaritan village that would not receive Jesus, they were fully prepared to
call down fire to consume the entire community! Perhaps they felt that through
such a show of power, their gospel message might be enhanced. The two brothers
were willing to sacrifice the lives of the villagers in order to further the
cause of the gospel. Jesus rebuked them.
Later, the apostles heard that Samaria had responded to the gospel (Acts
8:14). Who was commissioned to go and help them receive the Holy Spirit but
Peter and John! God’s purpose had not been to destroy those people but to save
them. God chose not to rain down fire on the village, but to shower it with His
Holy Spirit. What must have gone through John’s mind as he saw those same
people, whom he had been ready to destroy, now rejoicing in their salvation?
How grateful he must have been that Jesus had prevented him from carrying out
his plans!
What an enormous contrast between man’s thinking and God’s! Man’s
thinking would have resulted in the destruction of an entire village. God’s
plan brought salvation to it. People will benefit far more from what God wants
to give them than from your best plans. Have you been shortchanging the people around
you by merely giving them your plans instead of God’s?
