July
26, 2003
JESUS
CAME TO SAVE
"The
Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save
them" (Luke 9:56, NKJV).
"When
the time had come for Him (Jesus) to be received up, - 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 His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem.
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?' But He turned and rebuked
them, and said, 'You do not know what
manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come
to destroy men's lives but to save them.' And they
went to another village" (Luke 9:51-56).
The time
had come for Christ's last journey to Jerusalem. He sent His
messengers ahead to prepare for His arrival. They entered
the village of the Samaritans, "but the people refused
to receive Him, because He was on His way to Jerusalem. This
they interpreted as meaning that Christ showed a preference
for the Jews, whom they hated with intense bitterness... James
and John were greatly annoyed at the insult shown to their
Lord. They were filled with indignation because He had been
so rudely treated by the Samaritans whom He was honoring by
His presence... This manifest dishonor on the part of the
Samaritans, should not, they thought, be passed over without
marked punishment.
"Coming
to Christ, they reported to Him the words of the people, telling
Him that they had even refused to give Him a night's lodging.
They thought that a grievous wrong had been done Him, and---
they said, 'do You want us to command fire to come down from
heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?' They were surprised
to see that Jesus was pained by their words, and still more
surprised as His rebuke fell upon their ears... And He went
to another village.
"It
is no part of Christ's mission to compel men to receive Him.
It is Satan, and men actuated by his spirit, that seek to
compel the conscience. Under a pretense of zeal for righteousness,
men who are confederate with evil angels bring suffering upon
their fellow men, in order to convert them to their ideas
of religion; but Christ is ever showing mercy, ever seeking
to win by the revealing of His love... He desires only voluntary
service, the willing surrender of the heart under the constrain
of love."--Desire of Ages, pp., 486, 487.
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