The Thursday after the Fifth Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on July 9, 2026 by under
Scripture: St. Luke 9:51-56 (NKJV)
9:51 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?”
55 But He turned and rebuked them, 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.” And they went to another village.
Devotion
Today’s lesson teaches a distinction between the right-hand kingdom (the Church) and left-hand kingdom (the State). God is indeed Lord over both kingdoms, but His called servants are not necessarily executors in both. Civil rulers and authorities are sent to administer justice in the left-hand kingdom. The Apostles (and even the Son of Man in His first coming) are sent to administer the things of the right-hand kingdom. As Jesus told Pontius Pilate: “My kingdom is not of this world,” (John 18:36).
The Apostles were not called to administer fire down from heaven, but they were called to preach the fiery wrath of God. They warned people, like the Samaritans, that, if they continued in their unrepentance, fire would come down on them at the Final Judgment Day. Thus, the Sword of the Spirit (the Word of God) has an edge to it. Pastors preach the Law to warn people about God’s wrath and the punishments of hell. But, as Jesus said, their purpose in preaching the Law is not to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. The Law is preparatory—to show men their sins. If sinners repent, pastors preach the sweet comfort of the Gospel to rescue men from God’s wrath and give them eternal life.
Collect: O God, Who hast prepared for them that love Thee such good things as pass man’s understanding: Pour into our hearts such love toward Thee, that we, loving Thee above all things, may obtain Thy promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
