Luke 9:51-56 (ESV)
A Samaritan Village Rejects Jesus
51 When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. 53 But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. 54 And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” 55 But he turned and rebuked them. 56 And they went on to another village.

James 5:19-20 (MSG)
19-20 My dear friends, if you know people who have wandered off from God’s truth, don’t write them off. Go after them. Get them back and you will have rescued precious lives from destruction and prevented an epidemic of wandering away from God.

Revelation 3:19 (MSG)
19 “The people I love, I call to account—prod and correct and guide so that they’ll live at their best. Up on your feet, then! About face! Run after God!

He knew. Imagine, girding yourself for a trip that know know will end with the best and the worst possible outcome. You’re perfect and you’re going to taste the worst of the worst – all the sins of the world. From the definition of purity to diving into a cesspool. Then there’s the physical beating to come. And the crucifixion. Walking through hostile territory to get to Jerusalem, the last thing you want is to keep walking, but the locals kick you down the street. Your buddies as if it’s OK to do a little destruction and you say no. He knew what was coming. He knew the salvation that was going to be available for all when He was finished.

How like the Samaritans are we? We kick Christ down the street until He sends someone back to us with the Good News. Have you wandered off from God’s truth? A little? A lot? A whole lot of wandered off? Maybe you know someone like that if it’s not you?

Christ calls us back. Christ calls us to bring people back. Christ wants us all back. He will correct us all. It’s a rough road sometimes when we’re being corrected, shaped, moulded, guided, turned around, etc. Very rough. Are you listening? Aren’t you glad you’re hearing something and not being annihilated just because you’ve wandered?

I wonder how many of the villagers knew how close they were to being wiped out, or how far they were from God while He was so close to them? Yes He knew that their salvation was coming soon because of His love, His grace.

Stay close to the Savior and bring others with you.