“Why are you so angry?” I asked. “I’m not angry!” he bellowed.

“And all in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things….” (Luke 4:28).

“These things they will do because they do not know the One who sent Me” (John 15:21).

My notes from that church business meeting a quarter-century ago are fascinating to read from this distance, but nothing about that event was enjoyable at the time.

Our church was trying to clarify its vision for the late 1990s and into the 21st century.  What did the Lord want us to be doing, where should we put the focus? Our consultant from the state denominational office, experienced in such things, was making regular visits to confer with our leadership.  For reasons never clear to me, the seniors in the church became defensive and then combative.  No assurance from any of us would convince them we were not trying to shove them out the door and turn over the church to the immature, untrained, illiterate, and badly dressed.  To their credit, the church’s leadership, both lay and ministerial, kept their cool and worked to answer each complaint and every question.

My journal records a late Sunday night gathering in my home with 30 young marrieds from a Sunday School class.  They were a delightful group.  They wanted my testimony and had questions about the operation of the church.  Then someone asked the question of the day.

A young woman said, “I can understand someone not liking a pastor’s style.  But why are these people so angry?”

No one had an answer.  I certainly didn’t, being the pastor caught in the cross-hairs of their wrath.

To this day, I don’t know why they were so upset.

This incident from our Lord’s earthly ministry came to mind…..

Jesus had returned to His hometown and had gone to worship at the local synagogue where He read the text from Isaiah 61. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are downtrodden, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” He closed the scroll, handed it to the attendant, and sat down.  He paused, then said, “Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

That was provocative enough for some of them.  Then Jesus added something that drove that bunch over the edge.

In time, some of you are going to be saying to me, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Do for us what we’ve heard you were doing elsewhere.’  But I remind you no prophet is ever treated with respect in his own neighborhood.  In fact, take this lesson from our history.  In the days of  Elijah there were lepers throughout Israel, yet he cleansed only the Syrian general named Naaman.  In the days of Elisha, there were widows everywhere in Israel, but he was sent only to the widow from Sidon. (My paraphrase of Luke 4:20-30)

That did it! The very idea, that we are not God’s favorite and first in line for all His blessings!  We must deal with Jesus now, and nip this blasphemous way of thinking in the bud!

All in the synagogue were filled with rage.  They cast Jesus out of the city and brought Him to the brow of the hill, intending to throw Him from the cliff…. 

Rage? Indeed.  A murderous rage, even.

What would do that to the best people in town?

Remembering the night of the church business meeting when we would vote on the proposed mission statement, my journal tells of a certain gentleman in the congregation, dependably negative, approaching as I entered the worship center.  He accused me of something harsh and blatantly false, but my notes do not say what.  I assured the man his information was incorrect, nowhere near the truth.  Then I said to him, “What I don’t understand is why you are so angry.”  He bellowed, “I’M NOT ANGRY!!”

Ask any pastor.

Many a great church will have a small cluster of angry members.  They oppose every proposal that is made, criticize every sermon, nothing pleases them.  And yet, that church–as was ours–is doing some wonderful things and reaching a lot of people for the Lord.

So, what’s going on?  What makes them so hostile to their leadership?

I think I know their problem.

You may not like it.

For those who are chronically upset and hostile toward their spiritual leaders, I think I know what’s going on.

They’re lost.  Unsaved.  The Lord has not forgiven them of their sins, washed them clean, and moved in to make them childlike, humble, sweet-natured, and loving.

They’re outsiders. They do not know the overwhelming love of God.  They have never felt the crushing load of their sins and never had a sleepless night pondering the frightening prospect of standing before a holy God at judgement. They have never heard the Savior say, “Son, your sins are forgiven you” (Mark 2:5).

Surely if they were saved, they would be filled with wonder at such a mighty God, amazement at His grace and love, and gratitude that He included such an unworthy one as themselves.

That’s my analysis.

Too simplistic?

Years ago, I probably would have said it was.  But no longer. I truly think this is the reason why some people log a full career in the church angry at the ministers and opposing everything being offered for their spiritual welfare.

Consider this little insight, from Exodus….

Now the sons of Israel journeyed from Ramses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, aside from children.  And a mixed multitude also went up with them…. (Exodus 12:38).

Not everyone who followed Moses out of Egypt was a descendant of Abraham or a believer in the Lord God. Some were along for the ride, glad for an opportunity to escape the slavery of the Pharaoh.  These people–pagan to the core–were a constant source of trouble to the Jews, as well as a thorn in the flesh to Moses.

Numbers 11:4 gives us this: And the rabble who were among them had greedy desires….

They were not spiritual, not believers, and perennial discontents.  As such, they were the instigators of the belly-aching which plagued Moses throughout the wilderness wanderings.

They’re still among us.  They are the tares of which Jesus spoke in HIs well-known parable (see Matthew 13:24-30.). And we remind ourselves, our Lord said of such people, “Let them alone. We will deal with them at the time of the harvest.”

Harvest-time is coming, people of God.  Until then, be faithful, keep your eyes on Him.

And whatever you do, try not to elect a Tare–a member of the Rabble–to anything around your church.  But if and when they do get elected–as some will, to our shame–do not expect anything from them except carnal perceptions, naturalistic philosophies, and ignorance of the Word.  They will criticize the ministers, oppose faith ventures, and persecute the saved.

Pray for their salvation, which will begin with a humbling from the Father and end with a childlikeness on their part.

When they become childlike and teachable, you know “today, salvation has come to this house” (see Luke 19:9).

“Heavenly Father, save your church. Amen.”

7 thoughts on ““Why are you so angry?” I asked. “I’m not angry!” he bellowed.

  1. There are many who will not receive this. Even pastors. They want to believe the best in every one. No way would a church member not be saved. They are just misguided, afraid of change.

  2. I am in the middle of packing up to go who-knows-where because the deacons are angry at our leadership team because we didn’t include them in our Covid-crisis decisions. They orchestrated my forced termination without telling anyone from the congregation and do not plan to have a business meeting until I am out of the parsonage.
    I grieve that they are acting like they are unsaved and have assumed so much poweer. I will never be surprised when it happens again.

  3. Joe, this is why revival or change sometimes won’t come about until some strategic deaths have happened. It is so sad to even say that, for one knows that for them, judgement awaits for what they perpetuated against the bride of Christ & His undershepherds. That should also remind each of us that, “there, but for the grace of God, go I.”

  4. Joe, Thanks again for an insightful article. I remember visiting with a counselor years ago and I said, “I just can’t believe Christians could act that way!” His response, “what makes you think their Christians?” His insight changed my outlook completely and has helped me through many difficult issues in a church. Blessings!

  5. Actually it seems it’s like that in every denomination and to the best of my knowledge, there’s nothing anyone can do to sap such unrepentant parishioners. Therefore as a pastor you continue with the good work, resist the devil and count their bad demeanours as but a defecate for Christ’ sake… God is with us therefore nothing, once again I said ” nothing shall separate us from the love of Christ ” , not even their nefarious activities.

  6. Actually they are the tares, and there must be tares in midst of the corns: our sole responsibility as pastor(s) is to skilfully skip them while wedding, until the time of harvest. It’s certain that certain individuals under our grace are not there to grow nor to facilitate the growths of the other simple minded parishioners rather to make sure that the man of God would cry and or to push him or her of the parish. Not that he wants to assume the position rather he is an instrument of negative change in the hands of demon… But heaven shall laugh at them. Though they will try but shall never prevail by the grace of God.

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