"Freed by the Spirit" Numbers 11: 24-30; Acts 2: 1-12

Maybe the sermon title should be "Freed from Complaining!"  I have been struck in the Numbers passage about all the complaining.  The people have been complaining about everything, and now they complain about the two men who have the power of the Holy Spirit, even though they did not go to the meeting with everyone else.

I see something of a connection between the complainers in Numbers and the "sneerers" in the Pentecost story -- you know, the people who sneered, "They are filled with new wine,"

I've been reflecting on how complaining hinders the work of the Spirit.  the complaints grow out of looking at the present and not being able to see beyond what is right there. The Spirit is about expanding opportunities and the power of God to do a new thing.    And equipping us to do a new thing, as evidenced by the speaking of many languages in the Acts story.

I love Moses' response the complaints about the two men who did not go to the meeting:  "Would that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would be his spirit on them."  Maybe that's a veiled way of Moses saying, "Would that all the complainers quit complaining and let God's Spirit be at work through them."

Series of complaining in Numbers -- how does complaining keep us outside the spirit. Complaining causes energy to be spent solving the complaints not freeing ourselves up for what God is doing.

We should remember that the prophets were representative of the
task assigned to all Israelites, who, as God’s people, were to be a kingdom
of priests mediating between God and the rest of the world. The Book of
Numbers contains an interesting account of seventy elders who were chosen
to help Moses bear his burden of leadership over the Israelites. The
people were complaining about their situation in the wilderness, particularly
their boring and steady diet of manna. After the newly appointed
elders received the divine spirit, they prophesied in the wilderness; two
other men who were named as elders but remained in the camp also prophesied.
Joshua urged Moses to rebuke them and retain a unique position
as prophet or spokesperson for God, but Moses replied, “Are you jealous
for my sake? Would that all the LORD’s people were prophets, and that the
LORD would put his spirit on them” (Numbers 11:29). Joshua was worried
about Moses’ leadership in the face of these others prophesying; Moses
was concerned for the community’s obedience to the Lord. Moses desired
that all God’s people be able to speak to one another regarding their obligations
as people of the covenant. "Would That All
Were Prophets" By Tracey Mark Stout  Copyright © 2003 The Center for Christian Ethics at Baylor University, 9-12