REFLECTION

Our reading from Numbers today is not one we immediately think of in the context of our normal Pentecost cycle of readings. In fact I am not sure how often I have chosen it out of those set for today. If you are one of the people who reads all the passages set for the week, you may have expected something along the lines of 'we are still all the body of Christ whilst separated in this period of time' picking up on the reading from I Corinthians 12, where Paul uses the metaphor of the body to describe the Church. That is true! However, there were several things that struck me about the reading from Numbers.

Firstly the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost was not the first such experience! This may surprise us - but then the Spirit of God always does!

The second thing I noted was that those gathered around the tent prophesied. 'But they did not do so again'. Mmm...

The next thing is that although 70 were invited two men stayed behind but the spirit still came to them and they too prophesied.

Finally, despite Joshua's protestations, Moses accepts that this is of God's doing - not his and that Eldad and Medad are included in this outpouring of the spirit.

Let us now unpack those a bit more:-

There have been various times when there has been some sort of manifestation that has been 'out of the ordinary'. We make of them what we will but the passage in Numbers goes onto very practical things with the arrival of quails to feed the people. The Pentecost experience settled down into the establishment of the early church with its practical questions of how to look after the widows in their midst and what the newly converted Gentiles should be asked to accept of Jewish convention (not a great deal). The various 'charismatic revivals' over the centuries between, have settled into the practical and organisational needs of those attracted to the churches. Yet the spirit goes on working inside and outside of these structures and indeed within and without the historic church structures - the Holy Spirit cannot be contained or pinned down. It is tempting to look for the 'out of the ordinary' or the excitement generated by some of these experiences but that is not the full experience of the gospel.

The gospel is about the vulnerable baby and the agony of the cross. The gospel is about the hope for the hopeless, the bringing of peace and justice to a world of hatred and injustice. The gospel is about real deep transformation not just ecstatic, fleeting outpourings. The gospel is about living out faith within in the world rather than seeking the 'next fix' of an emotional 'high'. The Pentecostal ministers and pastors I have worked with over the years from various denominations have all spoken of the need to 'do' the work of the gospel and not just enjoy the vibrant worship that some are attracted to. Much of this work has been of that very practical nature, responding to the practical need of various communities. Perhaps that is the real work that the spirit enables - the living of the life of faith not just talking about it.

That echoes with the third observation rom the Numbers passage. Two elders were not present yet also received the outpouring on this occasion. It is yet another indication that the spirit cannot be contained within our boundaries or our imagination. Joshua was very quick to want to stifle what was going on. Yet Moses recognised that this was out of his control. We cannot control what God does and doesn't do.

As I was reflecting on this it struck me that this passage is very pertinent for the situation we may find ourselves in in the next month or two. When churches are given the 'go ahead' to reopen for worship. There will be some who, once all the necessary safeguards are in place, will want to be in the familiar surroundings, but there will be others that will not be able to join in worship in that way for a longer period. What this passage seems to suggest was that both those around the tent and those invited but for whatever reason were not there, shared the same experience. Those remaining in the community were not excluded. Indeed, the disciples were not contained in the room but burst out onto the street to share with those gathered for the festival from which we get our name Pentecost. It was an exclusive event it was for the whole community.

One of the phenomena that has occurred over lockdown is the increase in 'online services' in whatever format, written, streamed or 'zoomed'. These services have been seen/experienced/read by many not in the church as we know it. People have been able to access all sorts of resources - I am sure many of you have too! We are going to have to beware the 'Joshua mentality' of only thinking church is what we were used to before lockdown. Perhaps the Holy Spirit has prompted us to have to think in different ways in response to the situation we have found ourselves in.

Perhaps that has always been the message of Pentecost - the need to 'break out' of our 'normal' and understand that God is bigger and greater than 'our poor reach of mind'. The Lord has more light and truth not just to come form 'His Holy Word' but also from the structures in which we seek to contain God. This is not to advocate throwing the structures aside - but to recognise that we will need to look again at what we do and how we do it just as the elders returned to the gift of quails and how to gather them and the early church had to come up with the practicalities of accepting the people in the wider networks of the church.
O Lord, how manifold are your works. May we have the wisdom to allow your spirit to guide us into our future.
Amen.