SERMON, PROPER 21B, NUMBERS 11 & MARK 9

This week's sermon was delivered by my Senior Warden in VC while I was away at convention. Consequently it is longer than other sermons posted here because it was read, rather than delivered extemporaneously by myself. For those who actually read the sermons, I hope you don't get bored with it. -- RR

It's not about fundamentalist biblical literalism. It's not about silencing those who are not in your camp. It's about doing the will, and proclaiming the word, of God.

Moses was the leader of a congregation of thousands. For us that would mean our pews were full every Sunday, and a second service might even be needed in order to accommodate everyone. It would mean not struggling financially. It would mean that we would be the self-supporting parish the Bishop's long-range goal hopes we become.

But where one set of problems is alleviated, another set takes its place. Gone would be the family-like atmosphere. Gone would be intimate conversations over a soup dinner. In their place would be the need for multiple programs to appeal to a diversity of interests. People would be free to pick and choose what group, or groups, to be a part of. And, of course, we would have to be vigilant for the rise of cliques and special interest groups. We might even need to hire an assistant priest; or, at the very least, a secretary.

This is what Moses is dealing with. Large numbers, special interests and people complaining about what they don't have.

"We're going to die. We don't have enough water. We don't have food. We don't have food we like."

So God gives Moses a lesson in delegation and tells him to pick out 70 elders to help him with the burden of leadership. What God actually said -- and this is important -- was, "Gather for me 70 of the elders of Israel . . . [and] bring them to the tent of meeting."

The chosen elders go out of the camp to the tent of meeting where God places some of his spirit on them and they all prophesy. Well . . . almost. In reality, 68 elders went to the tent of meeting as directed by God. Two of them, Eldad and Medad, remained behind.

It is here that we see the outcome of special interest groups. It is here where we see both jealousy and fear of something new and different. Eldad and Medad disobeyed a direct command from God. For God specifically stated that the 70 elders were to go outside the camp to the tent of meeting to take their place with Moses. Instead, Eldad and Medad remained in the camp and prophesied there.

It was new that someone other than Moses was prophesying. It was different that God's spirit was being given to people other than Moses. That, however, could be accounted for since it was a direct command from God. The jealousy and fear came into play when it was discovered that Eldad and Medad were doing something contrary to what God intended by prophesying in camp and not out at the tent of meeting.

It's right there in black and white, people: "Gather for me 70 of the elders of Israel . . . [and] bring them to the tent of meeting." You can't get any clearer than that. Yet these two men refused to follow God's requirement. They turned their backs on God's explicit instructions. To the revulsion of the guardians of God's word, to the keepers of sacred tradition, Eldad and Medad became apostate.

Their perceived apostasy was reported to a higher authority, Joshua, who in turn relayed it to the leader of the entire congregation. This act might irrevocably divide and impair relations within the communion of the congregation, and it had to be stopped. Afer all, we can't have people interpreting God's clearly stated and unambiguous words themselves, now can we?

John knew that Jesus was someone special. By this point in Mark, he had seen Jesus heal the sick, drive out unclean spirits, cleanse lepers, successfully debate Pharisees and scribes, calm a storm, raise a dead girl to life, feed at least 9,000 people and walk on water. Jesus indeed was someone special -- maybe even the Messiah.

John was also part of that inner circle, the group of three that were closest to Jesus. Couple this with his desire to sit at Jesus' right hand and it's easy to see how he might have a sense of privilege; a sense that he understands what is going on. And since he obviously has this all figured out, it's clear that anyone who wants to follow Jesus must do so as part of the existing group.

If you are part of the "in" group, one of the most threatening things you can experience is that of another group in direct competition with you. If you are 7-11, you're threatened by AM-PM. If you are the original photography studio in town, you are threatened by the new studio. If you are a traditional church, you are threatened by the new church down the road with the loud music that seemingly attracts every kid in town. If you are a follower of John the Baptist, you might be threatened by the rise of Jesus. And if you are John, you are threatened by someone outside your group casting out demons.

The problem for John, you see, is that this other person represented not so much competition as he represented a different interpretation. He was outside the bounds of Jesus' group. He wasn't part of those who spoke with Jesus directly. He might do something different. He was, in essence, unorthodox.

Orthodoxy, remember, is defined as 'right belief.' If you are John, you are part of a group that is learning at the feet of God incarnate. This man Jesus is one with the Father, and he has insight into God, God's kingdom and how we can incorporate that into our daily lives, as well as spread it throughout the world. You are being taught right belief. You are being taught orthodoxy; and anyone who develops ideas about God outside your group is unorthodox. It doesn't matter that you haven't spoken with them. It doesn't matter that you haven't attempted to discern their core beliefs. All that matters is that they are different. They are outsiders. They are "other."

In Numbers we see people prophesying in direct opposition to what God intended. In Mark we see a person who was not part of the approved group casting out demons. And in both passages, we see people in positions of perceived power trying to silence those who are apostate and unorthodox. Because when you are in power, your first duty is to maintain your position. Your second duty is to ensure that everybody under you maintains the status quo. Your third duty is to silence or marginalize the outsider.

All of this is accomplished through a legalism and a literalism that says, "We know what is right and we'll tell you what to believe;" or it is accomplished by saying, "If you aren't with us, you're against us."

It's not about fundamentalist biblical literalism. It's not about silencing those outside your camp. It's about doing the will, and proclaiming the word, of God.

Would that all the Lord's people were prophets and that they would all give drinks of water to those bearing the name of Christ.

Amen.