Calling down fire

“When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, ‘Lord, do You want us to call down fire from heaven to destroy them?’” Luke 9:54
This incident is only recorded in Luke’s gospel. Jesus and His disciples were travelling through the region of Samaria, but the Samaritans refused to welcome Him because He was going to Jerusalem (Luke 10:52-53). (The Samaritans did not believe that Jerusalem was the true place of worship, see John 4:20.)
James and John were quick to pass a final judgement, offering to call down fire from heaven as a punishment for the people not receiving Jesus. But Jesus rebuked them, saying “You do not know what kind of spirit you are of, for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” (Luke 9:55, NIV footnote). Then He and the disciples went to another village instead (Luke 9:56).
Jesus had compassion – the Samaritans were under no compulsion to help Him. Maybe later they would believe, but they could not if they were destroyed now. We can learn an important lesson here: if someone doesn’t want to receive Jesus, we shouldn’t pass them off as a lost cause. Go to another ‘village’, maybe later they will receive Him. While they are alive, never stop praying for them.