HS Day 3 Morning

Good morning.

Anyone want to recap something they learned from last night?

It wasn’t a narrative story as such, but anything you learned or feel comfortable sharing.

Great.

Who likes snakes?

I do.

It’s a new thing. I was at a kids birthday party a few years ago and the dads got wrangled into handling the snakes and I went from NOPE to, can I take her home, we’re in love.

So before your quiet time this morning I want to share a story about snakes and then challenge you to find Jesus in the Book of Numbers.

But before we get to Numbers.

What is the name of the symbol that is very closely associated with Christianity?

A cross that’s right.

And when people today see a cross. What emotion or feelings do they get?

Comfort, hope, love. Sure all those.

But ask a Jew or Roman in the 1st century how looking at a cross made them feel, would they have a different response?

It was a tool of death. But has not become a symbol of hope.

So what does crucifixion and a bunch of scary snakes have in common?

I’m glad you asked.

Numbers 21:4–9 ESV

4 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. 5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.” 6 Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. 7 And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8 And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.

Now last night we talked about antivenom and snakes a little.

They didn’t have antivenom back then. If you got bit by a snake, you died. And the type of snake is still in Israel today. It’s called the Painted Saw-scaled Viper. It’s venom makes your veins and nerves feel like they are on fire.

But God granted them mercy. If they looked on the image of the thing that could kill them they would be saved.

Most here probably know the most popular Bible verse in the world.

Shout out the reference someone.

John 3:16 great. What are the 2 verses before it?

John 3:14–15 ESV

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

God loved the world so much that he offers salvation to everyone. In the wilderness it was a bronze snake that pointed people to their savior.

Now that savior has always been Jesus. But of course prior to the actual event of the crucifixion, it had to be illustrated, so we would recognize it later.

But let us close with this verse.

Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

God, do in me all that you need to do, so you can do through me all that you want to do.

That is our pray this week for those of us who really want God to change our lives. For those of use who want to look to him and only him to save us.

Before we pray. IF you have never looked to Jesus for your salvation, and it comes in a lot of phrases. Taken Jesus as your savior, been saved, accepted his gift of salvation. If you’ve never looked to Jesus as the one and only savior to give you eternal life, I invite you to do that today. He loves you and wants to be in relationship with you.

If you are a follower of Jesus and have been turning away from him with your lifestyle choices. This means if you’ve looked to and believed in him for salvation before, but are now pointed away from him for whatever reason, I invite you to turn back and get a fresh look at the one who gives life, hope and salvation.

Pray with me.