I don't have any brothers ... but in all honesty I feel an uncomfortable kinship with the siblings, James and John. I feel kinship with their temperament ... meaning their tempers. Sometimes I get angry over the silliest of things; and most times regret it just as quickly. Will Rogers once said that a person who flies off the handle seldom makes a smooth landing, and between the time I lose my temper and then find it again - damage and hurt can occur.

A few weeks ago, two teenagers got into the church somehow and threw eggs against the hallway walls, broke a bottle in the lounge, and helped themselves to some of our Fair Trade candy bars. What added insult to injury was the fact that the eggs came from our own refrigerator. I called the police and they responded quickly. One of the detectives asked what I did when I first saw the vandalism. I'm not proud of it, but I told the detective I was so angry I hit the ceiling! He looked up to the still dripping yoke, "So you're the one!"

Actually, that's a joke about the yoke. But I'm very serious when I say I am so thankful that - like James and John - I have no power to call down fire from heaven making crispy critters of two teens. James and John would have understood my anger; I take no comfort from that fact James and John. Jesus would be so disappointed. Here's the issue - I could have witnessed to the power of God's love and forgiveness. Instead, the detective was dealing with just another angry person, no different, no doubt, than so many others. Jonathan Swift once observed that many Christians "have just enough religion to hate, but not enough to love one another."

Jesus is heading toward Jerusalem. His destiny, the cross. For almost thirty months (two-and-a-half years, for God's sake), Jesus teaches the closest of his followers what it means to live the Christian life. Were they good students, these twelve?

In the harsh reality of life on the edge of the desert, it is normal for those traveling to seek shelter in some village along the by-way, especially as night draws near. The weary traveler is always offered food, drink and lodging. Always. It is the obligation of the villagers. Not this time. Not this village. Not this Gospel story. Jesus and the disciples, seeking food, drink and lodging are offered none of the above. Why? Luke says it's because the villagers know Jesus is heading to Jerusalem.

There is speculation among Biblical scholars that the Samaritans are very disappointed that Jesus is looking for merely a night's rest before moving on. His reputation preceded him, the villagers are disappointed he won't and stay put for awhile ... and perhaps be their resident miracle man. Maybe that is the reason the villagers pull in the welcome mat, and much like long ago Bethlehem, they post their No Vacancy sign. Neither food, drink nor lodging are offered. Just the cold shoulder; the brush off. And those brash brothers James and John are incensed with the brush off. They get all hot under the collar at the cold shoulder.

Jesus had given a nickname to the brothers James and John: Boanerges - Sons of Thunder. When the villagers display a gross lack of hospitality, James and John hit the ceiling. They want fire from heaven. These Sons of Thunder advocate lightning from the sky. These are good men, James and John. But do you recall this bedtime prayer of a little boy, "Dear God, please make all the bad people good, and make all the good people nice"? We all know good people who find it difficult to be nice. James and John are nice good people ... but "niceness" got lost that day in Samaria!

Holy cow. Thirty months into their journey with Jesus, and what have they learned from him? Did they pick up anything about what it meant to be a Christian from Jesus ... the one who invented the brand? Anything at all? And here's me with no brothers, feeling kinship with James and John. Maybe you also at times share DNA with these two.

James and John turn the unwelcome mat of the villagers into a we-against-them situation. And Jesus scolds them. The villagers disappoint Jesus, but not as much as his own disciples, James and John, who were acting more like village idiots at this point. I want to go easy on the disciples though - because they are we. They are me. Sometimes, we are far less than loving and forgiving even to one another - even in the midst of our own little community.

As Jesus and the disciples leave the village, there is an intriguing encounter with three would be followers. All three evidently want to become disciples of Jesus; all three come up with excuses why they won't. I wonder. Were these three would-be followers witnesses to the tantrum of James and John? Did they say to themselves, "We thought being in a community with Jesus was going to be different. We've heard stories about loving one another and turning the other cheek to those who are unkind ... but as we move closer to this community of Jesus, we encounter people not so different than anybody else. Angry; mean-spirited. Who needs it?"

I officiate at a lot of weddings. I officiate at a lot of funerals. I get to meet with folks in all walks of life and I hear a common theme, and a variation of the theme, over and again. "Hi Pastor. Nice to meet you. By the way, I'm a Christian. I don't go to church, but I'm a Christian. I follow Jesus." And when I push a little as to why they don't go to church, sometimes people tell me they just got out of the habit and I say, "Oh, so you were a nun." They stare at me blankly.

But more often, it's not a habit they lost, but a hurt they hold onto - a hurt that has not quite healed. Somebody in their church community offended them in such a way that they've given up on the church, on organized religion. Sometimes it was a trusted friend who caused the hurt. Sometimes even the preacher. Whatever the reason, I'm saddened that so many people, and they are legion, have left the Church of Jesus Christ because they felt offended in one way or another. What a sad commentary of the Christian community.

The Christian life is no easy way to live. Human nature is inclined toward anger and revenge. The nature of Jesus is not. As Christians, when we fail to curb our enthusiasm for anger and revenge, we are less in fellowship with Jesus and more in brotherhood with James and John. They are good men, James and John - good men having a bad day. Good men, forgetting how to be nice. In their quest for revenge, they ended up with egg on their face - something which seldom happens to those who turn the other cheek.