Are You Dancing To Their Tune?

This morning, I’d like us to consider a passage of Scripture in which Jesus makes an astute observation about the social and religious culture of his day. It’s a fairly brief remark, but one that is full of significance for us today, because it gives us a perspective on how to react to criticism and personal attacks. Even more than that, it gives us an opportunity to embrace the freedom that we have in Christ, so that we aren’t in bondage to the opinions, and expectations, and demands that others might try to impose on us.

To put this passage in context, Jesus had just sent the twelve disciples to preach in the towns and cities of Israel, to announce that the kingdom of heaven was near, and to heal the sick. While they were doing that, he went out to teach and preach in the cities of Galilee. When the followers of John the Baptist heard what Jesus was doing, they came to ask him whether he was the Messiah. Jesus gave them this answer. We are in Matthew’s gospel, chapter eleven:

4 Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 6 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” (Matthew 11:4-6, NIV)

In other words, rather than answer their question with a direct “yes” or “no”, Jesus invites them to judge him by his works. He goes on to make some remarks about John and his role. And then he renders the following assessment. Starting with verse sixteen, Jesus says:

16 “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: 17 “‘We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’” (Matthew 11:16-19, NIV)

OK. There are several things I would like to note about this passage. First, Jesus is not criticizing the scribes and the pharisees. He’s not specifically calling out the religious leaders for their hypocrisy and corruption, as he often does elsewhere in the gospels. No, he’s making an observation about people in general, whom he refers to as “this generation”. And so the behavior he’s focusing on isn’t something that relates to one’s privileged position in social or religious hierarchies; he isn’t commenting on the conduct of those with wealth, or power. Jesus is making an observation about all people. And that includes religious people, those with an interest in spiritual things, because those are the kind of people he’s talking to: the kind of people who would take the time to go and hear John the Baptist preach, or to hear Jesus preach. Those are the people Jesus is criticizing.

And so the first application I would like to make, the first principle we can observe, is that often those who criticize, and attack, and judge the followers of Christ are not the people of the world — secularists, irreligious people, religious skeptics. They aren’t necessarily those who can be identified as antagonistic to the gospel. On the contrary, the attacks often come from those who consider themselves to be on the same side as the ones they are criticizing. Fellow Christians. Just more enlightened and possessing greater discernment, in their view.

Does this resonate with you? If I suggested that often, the most destructive and hurtful attacks on Christians come from other professing Christians, would anyone contradict that assertion? I won’t ask for personal testimonies: if I did, I fear that we would not be done by eleven o’clock. In fact, it would likely by growing dark outside by the time we finished. But I’ll suggest that if you have experienced this, it is nothing new or unusual. Jesus spoke about it in his day. And it’s rather discouraging isn’t it? I mean, you can understand being attacked or criticized by those who don’t share your convictions. Jesus even told us to expect it. But to receive this from those who claim to be followers of Christ, just as you are, that often comes as a surprise. And it hurts.

The second thing I would like to note is how Jesus referred to such people, what he compared them to. “They are like children,” he said, “sitting in the marketplaces”. What does that tell us? That they are idle. They are playing, amusing themselves, making mischief. They are not the grownups in that scenario, the ones who are working, who are buying and selling in the marketplace. They aren’t the ones laboring in the fields, or at home caring for their families, or out serving in government, or in the military. No, the ones complaining about John and Jesus are like idle children, who have been left to find something to do while their parents are conducting business.