The Brazen Serpent
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Introduction
Introduction
If there is anything people are guilty of in this life, and I mean all of us, we could say this...
We are guilty of complaining at times.
That strikes close to home doesn’t it? Yes it does, Why do I know that? I know I have done it, I have heard others do it as well.
Now I don’t want to trivialize it and say, well its just part of life, no big deal. No!
Because we have done it so often doesn’t make it right, does it? No indeed!
I think there is a danger in complaining, I think the danger lies in the fact that to often the things or situations of life that we complain about, are uniquely and directly related to God.
We have all done it at one place in life or another, whether it was food, clothing or perhaps a vehicle, there have been times when we have said, I don't want that I don't like that or its not good enough.
So why is it bad? what’s the problem? At times our complaint may not be against the item or situation, it might just be against God… And there is where it gets ugly and sinful real fast…
We come home for work, there is food in the fridge, items in the cabinets but its not what we want… so we complain and say… I don’t have anything to eat. We have all done this, haven’t we?
In fact..... we are going to address a situation very similar in the Scriptures this morning
Oh, I know I have, especially growing up. We were not satisfied… so we grumbled and complained.
So if you have your Bibles, I hope you brought your bibles, coming to church without your Bible is like going hunting without any shells, its not gonna do you any good.
Living life without the Bible and coming to church without it isn’t gonna do you any good.. Amen!
So lets find today and lets look at verses 4-9.
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.
Numbers 21:5-9
Wow, the people complained.
Listen we are good at it, if it were an Olympic sport , I think there are some people who could win it, amen.....
Now lets look at this passage, its seems simple but it is rich in theology and love.
So lets begin with the problem
1. The Israelites Complained....
1. The Israelites Complained....
When we look back at the Scriptures and search the lives of the children of Isreal, it seems as if the people were at times complaining…
As soon as the road became longer, more difficult and challenging, The people seldom turned to the Lord their God in faith and prayer, instead they complained, grumbled and murmured against God, and his servants Moses and Aaron
Friends, grumbling, complaining and murmuring is never the answer nor the response God is pleased with.....
Now if you look back at chapter 21, those first three verses give us some information, as they were making their journey, remember they are in the 40 years of wandering now… for their sin of rebellion, failing to trust God and not entering the promised land.
So as they are traveling, we see a Canaanite King the King of Arad, fought against Isreal and captured some of their people. In response to this the children of Israel sought the Lord and asked for His help, and God’s favor rested on them and they won the battle over the face of their enemies.
Let me remind you that Isreal as seen victory so many times and in many ways because the Lord was with them. He was for, them..
1 The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 2 “Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel, by clans, by fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, every male, head by head. 3 From twenty years old and upward, all in Israel who are able to go to war, you and Aaron shall list them, company by company. 4 And there shall be with you a man from each tribe, each man being the head of the house of his fathers. 5 And these are the names of the men who shall assist you. From Reuben, Elizur the son of Shedeur; 6 from Simeon, Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai; 7 from Judah, Nahshon the son of Amminadab; 8 from Issachar, Nethanel the son of Zuar; 9 from Zebulun, Eliab the son of Helon; 10 from the sons of Joseph, from Ephraim, Elishama the son of Ammihud, and from Manasseh, Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur; 11 from Benjamin, Abidan the son of Gideoni; 12 from Dan, Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai; 13 from Asher, Pagiel the son of Ochran; 14 from Gad, Eliasaph the son of Deuel; 15 from Naphtali, Ahira the son of Enan.” 16 These were the ones chosen from the congregation, the chiefs of their ancestral tribes, the heads of the clans of Israel.
17 Moses and Aaron took these men who had been named, 18 and on the first day of the second month, they assembled the whole congregation together, who registered themselves by clans, by fathers’ houses, according to the number of names from twenty years old and upward, head by head, 19 as the Lord commanded Moses. So he listed them in the wilderness of Sinai.
20 The people of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go to war: 21 those listed of the tribe of Reuben were 46,500.
22 Of the people of Simeon, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers’ houses, those of them who were listed, according to the number of names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go to war: 23 those listed of the tribe of Simeon were 59,300.
24 Of the people of Gad, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go to war: 25 those listed of the tribe of Gad were 45,650.
26 Of the people of Judah, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go to war: 27 those listed of the tribe of Judah were 74,600.
28 Of the people of Issachar, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go to war: 29 those listed of the tribe of Issachar were 54,400.
30 Of the people of Zebulun, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go to war: 31 those listed of the tribe of Zebulun were 57,400.
32 Of the people of Joseph, namely, of the people of Ephraim, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go to war: 33 those listed of the tribe of Ephraim were 40,500.
34 Of the people of Manasseh, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go to war: 35 those listed of the tribe of Manasseh were 32,200.
36 Of the people of Benjamin, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go to war: 37 those listed of the tribe of Benjamin were 35,400.
38 Of the people of Dan, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go to war: 39 those listed of the tribe of Dan were 62,700.
40 Of the people of Asher, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go to war: 41 those listed of the tribe of Asher were 41,500.
42 Of the people of Naphtali, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go to war: 43 those listed of the tribe of Naphtali were 53,400.
44 These are those who were listed, whom Moses and Aaron listed with the help of the chiefs of Israel, twelve men, each representing his fathers’ house. 45 So all those listed of the people of Israel, by their fathers’ houses, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go to war in Israel— 46 all those listed were 603,550.
47 But the Levites were not listed along with them by their ancestral tribe. 48 For the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 49 “Only the tribe of Levi you shall not list, and you shall not take a census of them among the people of Israel. 50 But appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, and over all its furnishings, and over all that belongs to it. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall take care of it and shall camp around the tabernacle. 51 When the tabernacle is to set out, the Levites shall take it down, and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up. And if any outsider comes near, he shall be put to death. 52 The people of Israel shall pitch their tents by their companies, each man in his own camp and each man by his own standard. 53 But the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the testimony, so that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the people of Israel. And the Levites shall keep guard over the tabernacle of the testimony.” 54 Thus did the people of Israel; they did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses.
1 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 2 “The people of Israel shall camp each by his own standard, with the banners of their fathers’ houses. They shall camp facing the tent of meeting on every side. 3 Those to camp on the east side toward the sunrise shall be of the standard of the camp of Judah by their companies, the chief of the people of Judah being Nahshon the son of Amminadab, 4 his company as listed being 74,600. 5 Those to camp next to him shall be the tribe of Issachar, the chief of the people of Issachar being Nethanel the son of Zuar, 6 his company as listed being 54,400. 7 Then the tribe of Zebulun, the chief of the people of Zebulun being Eliab the son of Helon, 8 his company as listed being 57,400. 9 All those listed of the camp of Judah, by their companies, were 186,400. They shall set out first on the march.
10 “On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben by their companies, the chief of the people of Reuben being Elizur the son of Shedeur, 11 his company as listed being 46,500. 12 And those to camp next to him shall be the tribe of Simeon, the chief of the people of Simeon being Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai, 13 his company as listed being 59,300. 14 Then the tribe of Gad, the chief of the people of Gad being Eliasaph the son of Reuel, 15 his company as listed being 45,650. 16 All those listed of the camp of Reuben, by their companies, were 151,450. They shall set out second.
17 “Then the tent of meeting shall set out, with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camps; as they camp, so shall they set out, each in position, standard by standard.
18 “On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim by their companies, the chief of the people of Ephraim being Elishama the son of Ammihud, 19 his company as listed being 40,500. 20 And next to him shall be the tribe of Manasseh, the chief of the people of Manasseh being Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur, 21 his company as listed being 32,200. 22 Then the tribe of Benjamin, the chief of the people of Benjamin being Abidan the son of Gideoni, 23 his company as listed being 35,400. 24 All those listed of the camp of Ephraim, by their companies, were 108,100. They shall set out third on the march.
25 “On the north side shall be the standard of the camp of Dan by their companies, the chief of the people of Dan being Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai, 26 his company as listed being 62,700. 27 And those to camp next to him shall be the tribe of Asher, the chief of the people of Asher being Pagiel the son of Ochran, 28 his company as listed being 41,500. 29 Then the tribe of Naphtali, the chief of the people of Naphtali being Ahira the son of Enan, 30 his company as listed being 53,400. 31 All those listed of the camp of Dan were 157,600. They shall set out last, standard by standard.”
32 These are the people of Israel as listed by their fathers’ houses. All those listed in the camps by their companies were 603,550. 33 But the Levites were not listed among the people of Israel, as the Lord commanded Moses.
34 Thus did the people of Israel. According to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so they camped by their standards, and so they set out, each one in his clan, according to his fathers’ house.
1 These are the generations of Aaron and Moses at the time when the Lord spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai. 2 These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed priests, whom he ordained to serve as priests. 4 But Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord when they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the lifetime of Aaron their father.
5 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 6 “Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him. 7 They shall keep guard over him and over the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, as they minister at the tabernacle. 8 They shall guard all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, and keep guard over the people of Israel as they minister at the tabernacle. 9 And you shall give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are wholly given to him from among the people of Israel. 10 And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall guard their priesthood. But if any outsider comes near, he shall be put to death.”
11 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 12 “Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the people of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the people of Israel. The Levites shall be mine, 13 for all the firstborn are mine. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for my own all the firstborn in Israel, both of man and of beast. They shall be mine: I am the Lord.”
14 And the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying, 15 “List the sons of Levi, by fathers’ houses and by clans; every male from a month old and upward you shall list.” 16 So Moses listed them according to the word of the Lord, as he was commanded. 17 And these were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon and Kohath and Merari. 18 And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their clans: Libni and Shimei. 19 And the sons of Kohath by their clans: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 20 And the sons of Merari by their clans: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites, by their fathers’ houses.
21 To Gershon belonged the clan of the Libnites and the clan of the Shimeites; these were the clans of the Gershonites. 22 Their listing according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward was 7,500. 23 The clans of the Gershonites were to camp behind the tabernacle on the west, 24 with Eliasaph, the son of Lael as chief of the fathers’ house of the Gershonites. 25 And the guard duty of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting involved the tabernacle, the tent with its covering, the screen for the entrance of the tent of meeting, 26 the hangings of the court, the screen for the door of the court that is around the tabernacle and the altar, and its cords—all the service connected with these.
27 To Kohath belonged the clan of the Amramites and the clan of the Izharites and the clan of the Hebronites and the clan of the Uzzielites; these are the clans of the Kohathites. 28 According to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, there were 8,600, keeping guard over the sanctuary. 29 The clans of the sons of Kohath were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle, 30 with Elizaphan the son of Uzziel as chief of the fathers’ house of the clans of the Kohathites. 31 And their guard duty involved the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the vessels of the sanctuary with which the priests minister, and the screen; all the service connected with these. 32 And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest was to be chief over the chiefs of the Levites, and to have oversight of those who kept guard over the sanctuary.
33 To Merari belonged the clan of the Mahlites and the clan of the Mushites: these are the clans of Merari. 34 Their listing according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward was 6,200. 35 And the chief of the fathers’ house of the clans of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. They were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. 36 And the appointed guard duty of the sons of Merari involved the frames of the tabernacle, the bars, the pillars, the bases, and all their accessories; all the service connected with these; 37 also the pillars around the court, with their bases and pegs and cords.
38 Those who were to camp before the tabernacle on the east, before the tent of meeting toward the sunrise, were Moses and Aaron and his sons, guarding the sanctuary itself, to protect the people of Israel. And any outsider who came near was to be put to death. 39 All those listed among the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron listed at the commandment of the Lord, by clans, all the males from a month old and upward, were 22,000.
40 And the Lord said to Moses, “List all the firstborn males of the people of Israel, from a month old and upward, taking the number of their names. 41 And you shall take the Levites for me—I am the Lord—instead of all the firstborn among the people of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the cattle of the people of Israel.” 42 So Moses listed all the firstborn among the people of Israel, as the Lord commanded him. 43 And all the firstborn males, according to the number of names, from a month old and upward as listed were 22,273.
44 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 45 “Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the people of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle. The Levites shall be mine: I am the Lord. 46 And as the redemption price for the 273 of the firstborn of the people of Israel, over and above the number of the male Levites, 47 you shall take five shekels per head; you shall take them according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel of twenty gerahs), 48 and give the money to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for those who are over.” 49 So Moses took the redemption money from those who were over and above those redeemed by the Levites. 50 From the firstborn of the people of Israel he took the money, 1,365 shekels, by the shekel of the sanctuary. 51 And Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, according to the word of the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses.
And then… not much longer their countenance changes, their mood and satisfaction it all goes down the tubes if you will..
Look back at verses 4-5
1 When the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the Negeb, heard that Israel was coming by the way of Atharim, he fought against Israel, and took some of them captive. 2 And Israel vowed a vow to the Lord and said, “If you will indeed give this people into my hand, then I will devote their cities to destruction.” 3 And the Lord heeded the voice of Israel and gave over the Canaanites, and they devoted them and their cities to destruction. So the name of the place was called Hormah.
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.”
Now in , we know that Moses appealed to the King of Edom to allow Isreal to pass through his land, but he refused and made them navigate their journey around that kingdom.
So the children of Israel are back tracking a bit and will take a longer journey to make this trip.... around Edom. and the people are impatient along the way.. Its like they gave road rage and all they have are well broken in sandals… The word “impatient” here implies the journey was taking longer than expected....
So all Moses can hear is … “are we there yet.....” they are complaining....
Listen to their charges..... They spoke against God and Moses, meaning they openly shared their dissatisfaction and contempt. Oh, why did you bring us out here to die.... and their is no food or water… And what you have feed us is worthless, miserable.... yuck.
And what you have feed us is worthless, merisable....
Wow....
My friends, God has walked with them every step of the way, but sin has cast them… They complained about the journey… yet they are the ones who refused to enter the promised land.
They could have enjoyed the benefits of a land flowing with milk and honey, yet in sin they refused to enter the land.
And God has given them water and poured down manna from heaven… but they have grown tired of it. It wasn’t good enough...
Friends, when the heart is not right, the best gifts of God are of no value to you. Nothing will satisfy until he heart is made right.
They complained when God has cared for them every step of the way, yes even when they were in rebellion.
Friends, when the heart is not right, the best gifts of God are of no value to you. Nothing will satisfy until he heart is made right.
They complained when God has cared for them every step of the way, yes even when they were in rebellion.
Are we guilty of the same?
God has given us so much, yet we still complain and say what will we do… I am reminded my friends that God has not given us manna, but he has sustained and provided for our every need and above that we have the word of God for instruction, it is more valuable than food.
Listen to Jesus response to the devil in the wilderness when the devil asked Him to turn the stones into bread to sustain himself.
4 But he answered, “It is written,
“ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”
So many days, what we desperately need is the word of God to sustain us…But we cannot because the heart is not right.
What God has given is not appreciated or valued when our hearts are distant from Him.
Application.........................
Where is your heart today my friends, are you walking in a right relationship with God today? Or does sin linger in your heart?
And if unforgiven sins is present in your heart, come to this altar and repent. Ask for forgiveness from they attitudes of rebellion and dissatisfaction and go away changed...
What God gives is good and it is enough my friends!!
Now lets move on, we have seen their sin and grumbling, their dissatisfaction with the Lord and now see what happens...
2. God dealt with their Sin....
2. God dealt with their Sin....
Without a doubt my friends, God hates sin. And the Word of God is clear, God will punish sin. The only hope man has is forgiveness through Jesus Christ.
says...
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Sin brings death, punishment ..... this is what we see talking place because of the sin of the people, their grumbling and murmuring against God and his servants. Lets go back to our text....
verse 6
6 Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died.
Fiery serpents, or burning snakes… Don’t think of this a s a snake or serpent which looks like its a blaze.... No, it is the wound and the venom they inject, it causes intense pain that manifests its pain as if it were being burned up… it was a horrific scene.
Can you imagine with me if you will… poisonous venomous snakes are going about and their soul purpose right now is to bite the people. It wasn’t that God brought the snakes to them, to punish them. They were in a portion of the land that was full of these snakes and scorpions.
How can we know this as truth? we get a look backward of Moses speaking of the Lord’s care for them in their wanderings
15 who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water, who brought you water out of the flinty rock,
But now in punishment, God has removed His hand of restraint and allowed the snakes, to come and find the people.
What can I tell you my friends here, sins is always wrong, it is always against God first and then mankind second.
Think of it like this… Lets say you yell and scream at a person, you might things the offense is against them, but rightly it is against God first. Man is made in the image of God and man belongs to God. To treat humanity wrongly is to treat God wrong, and then the person as well.
God is and will punish sin...
Now I would ask you this today… Is there anything in your life, a un-confessed sin, something hidden away and un-dealt with that you know God is un-happy about..
Instead of holding onto that sin and allowing it to fester and grow in your life, why not confess it to the Lord and ask forgiveness.
The Bibles says this
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Don’t live with sin standing between you and God, hindering your growth, your walk and everything that is near and dear to you..
Confess it and get it out of the way....
Now lets move to my last thought for today… repentance is always necessary to experience the forgiveness of sin and to walk again in the blessings of the Lord.
3. Repentance Turns Away Wrath...
3. Repentance Turns Away Wrath...
As we look at the text we see the people understood the penalty of their sin, they had confessed their sin and implored Moses to intercede on their behalf.
God dealt with their Sin
And Moses did pray for the people. Moses loves this people and he is a good shepherd to them…
So lets look back at the text and see what happens… Verses 7-9
Repentance turns away Wrath
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.
Look at what they said verse 7, they confessed and said we have sinned against God and you.... they had not only treated God poorly, but Moses as well.
Understand my friends that our sin is always against God first and then someone else. Moses hears their confession and is faithful to intercede on their behalf.
And verse 8 gives us the Lord’s response to the peoples confession of sin and Moses intercession on their behalf...
Verses 8-9 - 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.
The snakes have invaded the encampment of Israel, people are bit and are dying around them… My friends understand the picture here, sin always leads to death. It never brings about life and fulfillment, no it leads to death.
Remember what James says in
14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
Sin always leads to death, spiritually, physically… it robs of so much.
But remember in whom you put your trust my friends… God has the answer to our needs…
Wow...
God responds to Moses plea, there is an antidote to the poisonous snakes. and listen to what God says to Moses..
Moses make a fiery serpent, a snake like one of these of you will.. make one of metal and attach it to a pole, a standard that will stand in the air for all to see this serpent…
And Moses, tell them if they are bitten, if they will look to the serpent and believe, they will be saved… wow.
God in a sense is providing them with salvation,.
This is a beautiful picture that God is painting here, one that the nations cannot forget… one of salvation, but a picture of one who is coming… it is a picture of Jesus. The serpent on the pole is type of Christ...
Just as the serpent was lifted up for the people’s salvation from death, So Jesus was lifted up upon cross for all to see and believe that He was the Christ, the Son of God.
And whoever looks to Jesus and believes, the same shall be saved.
Listen to Jesus in John 3:14-16
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.
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Those in the wilderness, those who grumbled and complained and sinned against God,they stood condemned waiting for death to come....Yet God in His mercy provided with them with salvation. By faith God told Moses whoever would look upon the image and believe, the same were saved.... they were kept from perishing in the wilderness.
And for us today the ole serpent the Devil helped birth sin into the heart of mankind, he has indeed poisoned us with his lies and deceit. But Jesus was nailed to a cross and lifted up, bearing our sins upon his own body and He died taking our place, our shame our sin...
, verses 8-9 says
9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—
22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
Listen to Jesus in , vrerses 32-33
32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die.
And when we looked to Jesus and believed, we were saved and released from the vile poison of this world. We were healed and given life, life eternal.
Praise be to the name of Jesus, He has set us free....
8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,
Praise be to the name of Jesus, He has set us free....
Let me ask you a question… why remain in sin today if God has provided you with a way of escape.
If you are here today, and you have some un-confessed sin in your life, understand you do not have to bear it alone, No john the beloved told us this in
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
God brings the remembrance of our sin to us not to shame us, no the Holy Spirit works in us to remind us that it brings death and not life. And God stand ready to forgive if we would just confess by faith...
And if you are here and you say in your heart, I am not sure I know Jesus as my Savior, The Holy Spirit is calling you today to stop and believe that Jesus came and died that you might have life...
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Will you look up to him by faith, the Jesus who was nailed to a cross, lifted up if all to see, and to believe and be saved. Will you trust Him today for your salvation?
Finally, you might have another need, you might need prayer, you might need a church home, someone to stand with you… Come..
Let us walk along side of you.....
Whatever your need is today, do not continue in it alone, do not let sin persist, trust Jesus with your whole life.
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion:
Greetings.
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.