The Sons of Thunder

[Dr. Shane]

James and John were the disciples known as the sons of thunder.  These men were outspoken, opinionated and hot headed - at least when they were first chosen to follow Christ.  The story is recorded of a time they discovered someone casting out demons in the name of Christ but since he was not one of the "chosen" twelve, they told Jesus to cast fire down from heaven and destroy the man.

There is all kinds of commentary that can be made on this portion of Scripture.  One of the first things that jumps out at me is that these disciples had been so influenced by the Jewish legalistic teaching of their time that they did not know the God of love written about in the Old Testament.  One of Jesus' missions was to reveal the love of God.  That is not to say God wasn't loving until Jesus came.  There are several passages in the Old Testament that show God's love.  God is not schizophrenic - He doesn't change.  God has always been a God of love.  He has, at times, had to punish the wicked but the Old Testament itself refers to such an act as being "strange" for God.  Jesus taught that God loves us more than any earthly parent is capable of loving his or her child.  The sons of thunder didn't grasp that right away.

Anther thing I pick up on in this story is that James and John are telling Jesus what to do.  Jesus, part of the Godhead - equal to the Father.  James and John tell Him to call down fire and destroy the outsider.  Wow!, I thought.  I have been guilty of the same thing myself.  How many times have I prayed to God and told Him what to do in my life?  That is kind of vain isn't it?  Who am I to tell God what His will should be?  I am invited to present my desires to Him but always with the condition - not my will but Thine.  I need to submit to His better judgement and not tell Him what He should do for me.  When I do that, I am taking His place which is just what James and John were doing.  I need to let God be God and submit myself to His will. 

I note that James and John had their own concept of how things should be.  This outsider casting out demons in the name of Jesus went against how they thought things should be.  However when they brought it before Christ, they discovered their ideas were wrong.  Again, how often I have thought just like James and John!  In my mind I have thought I should have a certain job, or my wife should act a certain way, or my boss should do this or that, etc.  All of my concerns and worries I need to bring before God and give them to Him.  Through the prophet Isaiah God said, "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways."  Rather than trying to get God on board with my plans, I need to become willing to get on board with His plan.

For me these two concepts are tied together.  When I grasp that God is a God of love than it will follow that I can trust His will for me.  When I can trust His will for me, I can quit telling Him what He should do for me and instead submit to what He wants for me.

(First posted on FaceBook September 8, 2013)