Which one are we to believe?

We have John’s version of the imparting of the Holy Spirit as well as that from Acts, two quite different stories. Which one are we to believe? John’s version has been largely overlooked in favour of the more spectacular story from Acts. It is possible that it happened both ways.  A number of times when there are two or more versions of something in our Scripture, we have chosen to stress one and ignore the other and by doing so, we often miss what the second telling has for us. We may fail to hear God’s voice in the neglected story and that is a loss for us.

Poor old Moses was having a hard time of it. The people he was leading to a new and better life were hungry, thirsty, tired, and grieving for their old way of life, uncertain of what the future held. Their life in Egypt had not been a bed of roses. There had been times when they had longed to be free but they hadn't thought that this was what freedom would be. They had become disillusioned.

It was not what Moses had signed up for either. The journey had been longer and harder than he had imagined and he was disheartened. Moses said to God, “I am not able to carry these people alone, for they are too heavy for me. If this is the way you are going to treat me, put me to death at once.” Numbers 11:14,15a. An amazing thing in this story is that when Moses told God how he was feeling, God immediately responded with help for him.

God instructed Moses to gather together seventy elders that God would empower through the Spirit to assist Moses in bearing the burden of the people. Moses must have been feeling a huge weight for God to enable seventy to help him. Many of our clergy are feeling like Moses, that the load is too heavy to carry.

In our Presbytery, we have many specially blessed by the Spirit to assist the flagging leaders. We have a pool of lay leaders God has equipped with the gifts of the Spirit listed in 1 Corinthians 12. There are many wise ones and those who speak with justice, mercy and healing. Some of the most valuable are those who care and encourage in local areas. They are gifted to speak a language their neighbours understand. May God continue to bless them as we continue on our Pilgrim Journey.

Rev Julianne Parker
(full sermon on sermons page)