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There are always complainers right in the midst of the activity of God. It is amazing, but not surprising, for it is nothing more than a revealing of people’s true hearts.

CHRIST MOVING

Can you imagine what it was like during the three years of Jesus’ public ministry? People were flocking to the hillsides to hear Him. Lives were being instantly transformed, the blind were seeing, the lame walking, the crowds fed not only with loaves and fishes but with life-changing truth straight from heaven. You would think that the whole world would rejoice at such glorious and miraculous events.

But read the contrasting reactions of two groups: one group who was publicly classified as “sinners” and the other as “religious.”

All the tax collectors and sinners were approaching to listen to him. And the Pharisees and scribes were complaining, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” (Lk 15:1–2)

The Bible is very precise. When it says “all” that is an exact representation of what was happening. As the movement of God was happening everywhere that Jesus went, “ALL the tax collectors and sinners were approaching Him.” And why was this so? “To listen to Him.”

There was no advertising campaign, social media blitz, or mass marketing. God was manifesting Himself, and all of the hungry and marginalized and downtrodden were flocking just to hear what He was saying. God was visibly present and on the move. What a moment!

But immediately, we are dumbfounded by the response of the religious (the very ones who should have been most elated by God’s activity and the people’s response.)

“And the Pharisees and scribes were complaining” because of Jesus’ acceptance of everyone. The reality was, the supposed religious leaders were losing their following to a humble carpenter. If the crowds had followed them, they would have boasted to everyone about their great spiritual leadership.

Sinners were coming; hypocrites were complaining.

ARMCHAIR CRITICS

I recently listened to a video of a newscaster who was on a rant about the glorious movement of God that began at Asbury University three years ago and is now sweeping college campuses. His conclusion was that it was all emotionalism and should be discounted and ignored. He found a few disgruntled people (you can always find these) to lend some supposed credence to his report.

What’s fascinating is this critic was probably reporting in the last years how terrible it was what was happening among the next generation. The lostness and “mental health” challenges that they were experiencing. But now, as God is giving the glorious, spontaneous cure for the real root of these ills, he is searching for ways to discount it. One wonders at his heart and motivation.

THREE PARABLES

Upon seeing the religious snobbery in Luke 15:2, Jesus launches into three masterful parables, all aimed to disclose both the heart of God for the recovery of lost people and the utter, selfish foolishness of the religious complainers. The lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son stories all tell of the spontaneous rejoicing that always erupts in heaven when lost ones are found.

The angry elder brother, recounted in the last parable, went to the father to protest when he’d called a feast to celebrate the prodigal’s return. His reaction during a time of revival revealed the pouty selfishness of his heart.

This profound teaching of Jesus in Luke 15 is not just a travelogue. It is there to reveal what’s good and true and beautiful and what’s sad and self-absorbed and petty. And it’s a warning to us all.

How are you responding in a time of revival? When you hear the stories of people coming to Christ in all their messiness and sin and finding redemption and rejoicing in heaven? Your criticism doesn’t reveal a faultline in God’s work, but in you.

Copyright © 2025 by Bill Elliff @ billelliff.org. No part of this article may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from Lifeword.org