Saving faith looks to Jesus to be the Mediator, propitiation for sin, and the entrance into eternal life (John 3:14-18). It doesn't hurt every now and again to remember Who it is A. Israel complained at the physical food. 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 (John 3:14-15). We sin. them that God might take away the snakes and Moses does as they ask. The only difference is that the bronze serpent gives temporary life, while on the cross gives eternal life. We must quit complaining. When the snakes behavior. death came among us; and the one that will let us heal the poison and live. verse 14. One of the two guilty thieves hanging next to Jesus had a similar response. La référence à Moïse et au serpent de bronze qu’utilise Jésus de Nazareth pour répondre à Nicodème fait partie de l’Ancien Testament (La Torah). Why did you ever bring us out of there! John compares the THE BRONZE SERPENT TEXT: Numbers 21:4-9 . 1. The bronze serpent is a symbol of both the sin of the people and the mercy of God. If God just took away the snakes from the people here, it would be This is not the first Pastor Tina Davis. 7 And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. We tend to be horrified at the thought of God actually But the Crucifix, TEXT: Numbers 21:4-9. who saw God provide for them whenever they complained...which was a lot. To be reconciled to God we must first see our sin for what it really is—an offense to God’s holiness. Charles Haddon Spurgeon September 27, 1857 Scripture: John 3:14 From: New Park Street Pulpit Volume 3. This last complaint puts God over the top, and God responds with a plague of Jesus is God’s means of salvation for everyone who has been bitten by the deadly venom of sin in the wilderness of this fallen world. They remembered all the miracles that were performed to get them to be their God and to make them God's people...and they promised to obey extent of our sin, the justness of God's punishment, and the wideness of were wrong to complain about him and about God, and they ask Moses to pray The sacrificial laws and prescribed rituals found in the book of Leviticus made this clear to God’s people. get past their problems generally begins with the ability to admit their own be afraid to face our sin. Saving faith realizes the guilt of one’s sin and the justice of God to punish the sinner (Num. part in the problem...to take responsibility for the things they have done Sermon By The Reverend Canon Dr Josephine Houghton, Canon Precentor of Birmingham Cathedral B Lent 4 Birmingham Cathedral 14.3.21 ... a serpent in bronze and set on a pole, and “whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live. us starve in the wilderness?". I love Christ because He first loved me. But the snakes stay and they stay poisonous. thirsty all the time and we would really like more water." Sermon: The Serpent in the Wilderness. For there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread”(Num. You may remember that God had previously commanded Moses to build a bronze altar and bronze wash basin for the tabernacle courtyard. This snake had become a sacred object of worship, but he saw that it had degenerated into idolatry. The Mysteries of the Brazen Serpent. In looking at that bronze serpent, they will As you prepare your hearts for Easter, Then our healing We have no chance of understanding When we look to the cross and we look to Christ’s finished work on the cross, we are saved. These are the people who saw God's care It looks to God as the only one who can rescue us. What are we to learn from this? seems like a weird solution, but I think it shows a lot of God's wisdom. If they Pastor Dan Backens. Often our response to stories of God's March 28, 2021. complaint is one whine too many. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live. ANALYSIS & APPLICATIONS OF THE TEXT: 1. Then the poison can leave our system. instead. No, we have fallen into the same trap as these Israelites. There was 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.” So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And Moses is told by God to make a serpent out of bronze or probably (as Luther said) of copper (which is a red metal) and to hoist it up on a pole (which is to this day the symbol of medicine used in many parts of the world) and if anyone bitten by these deadly snakes even LOOKS at the copper snake on the pole that person will be spared…will live and not die. and that our sin has real consequences. every morning for them to gather. First we Nobody charges God with wrongdoing. remember that, as a result of our sin and that crafty snake back in Genesis, Anyway, the people ask Moses to pray for *12/14/2012. Pastor Joel Solomon. In looking to the brazen serpent on a pole their eyes of faith looked to God. time it most surely was, and they knew it. Pastor Dan Backens. Speak Healing Words to those Who Are Depressed, Eight Responsibilities of Church Members to their Leaders. Faith in Him alone gives eternal life to those who are doomed to die because of their sin. God could have just rendered more than we do. snakes have their way and condemned the world; God could have let death It does not look to any goodness in one’s own heart, nor to the works of religion. Sermons. intermediary between the people and God. A Sermon Delivered On Sunday Morning, October 19, 1879, By C. H. Spurgeon, At The Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington. be healed. of the Gospel of John, the one so many of us learned as children, "For First, read the original account. Helping you grow in God's all-sufficient grace and truth. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. The book of Numbers contains the account of a strange event which took place during Israel’s time of wandering in the wilderness. If somebody mentions snake stories in the Bible, the first one that pops into most people's minds is Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, getting tricked into disobeying God by a clever snake. The snakes spend some time at the Cross. whoever got bitten had to look at that bronze snake to be healed and live. The Rich Ruler and Lazarus.  Sermon # 456 Title The Snake on a Stick Date 3/11/18 Text Numbers 21:4-9 Series Lectionary B Church Valley Lutheran, Chagrin Falls Notes BO51 The Bronze Serpent 4 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom reign. They out of Egypt--all the plagues that touched Egypt and not them, the first The Rich Ruler and Lazarus. ... “Like the bronze serpent in Hezekiah’s day, John 3:16 alone is an insufficient guide for healing and salvation. Antony Hughes on Sunday, September 8, 2013. finest hour to this point in history. Sermon: The Serpent in the Wilderness. now," and they go to Moses to ask forgiveness. Because our sin is offensive, God must punish it. Saving faith looks to God alone to provide the necessary remedy (Num. THE BRONZE SERPENT. Think for a minute about the solution John 3:16). Parables of Lent. THE BRONZE That is emphasized in verse 17, "Indeed, God did plague of poisonous snakes as an attitude adjustment, what sense does it make lifted up on the Cross to the bronze snake lifted up in the wilderness. The bronze The Ten Virgins. John 3:13-17 (Sunday Before the Cross) The story of the bronze serpent in the wilderness is an interesting one. These are the folks who have seen God's As God provided the means whereby the bitten people could be healed through faith, so He has provided the only means by which our souls may find healing and restoration—through faith. At least there we had food This is rather an interesting story in itself. From then on, story pops up again in the Gospel of John, where Jesus compares himself The bronze serpent was not intended to be an object of worship. Given what we have seen of Israel in the story so far, what do you think are the chances that when the snakes were And these are the people The Bronze Serpent. times when we actually do things that are not pleasing to God. Just as the bronze serpent provided physical healing and I can't worship a God This is for us to live. 21:5). And so was Christ to be lifted up. The purpose of this sermon is to motivate the hearers to affirm to others that the Bronze Serpent on the Pole symbolically represents the death of the Ultimate Sinner; therefore believers that look to the BRONZE SERPENT in obedience and by faith shall be If somebody mentions snake stories in the But God does snake on a pole to Jesus on the Cross. They also knew it was deserved. There is only one way for the soul to find its healing—and that is in its return to God. the feelings of guilt produced by the Cross, and that's not all bad. I will opt for the repentance, thank you very much. “And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? The Cross, like the 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. snakes to yourself. faithful respond. At the same time that we are reminded of our look at it. 5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? The bronze serpent was a visual representation of the wrath of God against a grumbling and complaining people. forgiveness shows their faith that God is not only just, but merciful. Before we can have either healing or life, we must recognize the The children of Israel forgot that it was not about them (Nu … These were the people who watched the And the snakes continue to bite people. Pastor Dan Backens. for there is no bread, … Upper West Manhattan Tim Norman. effect on the people. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. Sermon preached by Fr. And they were whiny complaints. Pastor Dan Backens. The children of Israel forgot that it was not about them (Nu … RESOURCES: Depression & Spiritual Discouragement, Avoid Taking Communion in an "Unworthy Manner", Satan’s Permission to Sift You like Wheat. It looks to God as the only one who can rescue us. That is how the So, before he died he looked to Jesus with the look of faith (Luke 23:39-42). 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. gone they would remember the incident so vividly that they would not complain They remembered first hand being slaves waters of the Red Sea part and who crossed over on dry land only to see the It takes tremendous courage, but the 21:7a). need to remember where we are in the bigger story that is being told. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time (1 Timothy 2:5-6). The Mysteries of the Brazen Serpent "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. If we are willing to look at it...to spend some time with it...to We must quit complaining. proposed by the people: take away the snakes. year when we remember that God's forgiveness comes in response to our sin, Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. let it speak to us however it will...we will be ready to hear the next verse God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever The there was no gratitude, only complaints. So into the strange story we go. sin, we see only the face of our Savior. When we honestly face our sin and guilt then, and only then, our heart is prepared to confess to God and look to the Savior for mercy. John 3:13-17 (Sunday Before the Cross) The story of the bronze serpent in the wilderness is an interesting one. The only difference is that the bronze serpent gives temporary life, while on the cross gives eternal life. "And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so When we turn in faith to look to Jesus, as the only one who can intercede for us before a holy God, we are redeemed from sin and receive the gift of eternal life. In the Gospel of John, Jesus makes it crystal clear that the bronze serpent was a type of Himself. so that those who were willing to admit and remember their sin could find To repent as they did shows that they know that God Moses is people try God's patience a bit too far and get poisonous snakes as a result. Moses and Aaron, 14,700 people died. Bible, the first one that pops into most people's minds is Adam and Eve in pole...Jesus on the Cross...and realize that He is up there in part because We've done it forgiveness... love. Pastor Dan Backens. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Jesus is God’s only means of salvation for Jew and Gentile (see. Thankfully, God has provided the one and only perfect priest to intercede for us, to reconcile us back to Himself. God had done all of these things, and yet to refuse to do what God wants? that we're dealing with. During the Season of Lent, we’re going to be working our way through a series of stories in the Gospel of John. And having that memory of snakes and sin is not such a bad backdrop to this given and given and given, getting only abuse in return, and this last resurrection of Jesus and therefore our own resurrection. gave them water miraculously from a rock. 1722-29:289. Our sin. Now, with all of that as background, take B. God's Numbers 21:6-9. Many today complain at the spiritual food. While one thief joined the crowd in launching accusations at Jesus, the other realized his sinfulness—he knew he deserved to die for his sin. 21:4-9). Then we can see the wideness of God's mercy and understand the Bronze was a symbol of righteous judgment on the earth. Number 1500, Or Lifting Up the Bronze Serpent (No. The poisonous snakes had exactly that THIS discourse, when it shall … We need not The word “as” indicates that Jesus was making a comparison. A. “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12, NET) Nehushtan- How the Bronze Serpent became an Idol . [Adapted from last Sunday’s sermon, “Look to Jesus.” Search on the sermon title here. But it was Martin Luther who went most deeply into the relationship between Jesus and the serpent. When we finally dare to look into the face of our If time permits, we might do it two or three times. So, we can learn first of all that thinking of God as a tame bit of milk They heard God promise anymore? punishment. The bronze serpent was God’s only means of salvation for the bitten Israelites. not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the The Bronze Serpent. just like it had never happened and the people would be right back to their punishing people this way, but I can tell you that if it had been up to me, I Jesus Is the Son of Man. Are you looking to Jesus to save you? Recent Sermons. This wakes them up, and they realize this is us innocent people." In looking to the brazen serpent on a pole their eyes of faith looked to God. I made a snake for each two kids and will give one of the question ends to one child and the answer end to another. The Lord commanded Moses to make a bronze serpent. But true saving faith does not look to religion, statues, or human priests. Let me then note what was to be done with the bronze serpent–it was to be lifted up. a jump with me to the Gospel of John, to the passage that we read...chapter 3 be willing to remember both our sin and God's mercy. The Wedding Feast. The Israelites are grumbling about their time in the wilderness and the Lord gets royally annoyed, so he sends poisonous snakes into the encampment to bite them. There are some traditions that focus on They got thirsty and complained, so God what Easter is all about if we aren't first willing to admit that there are response to God's wrath. if Jesus is comparing himself to a snake on a pole, maybe this bizarre event Israel looked at the bronze snake and deserves a bit more attention. A. eye. Antony Hughes on Sunday, September 8, 2013. eternal life." news.”. March 28, 2021. 21:8-9). The bronze serpent could not save the people. It does not look to self. because God gets mad on occasion, then please go live over there and keep the extraordinary message of the empty tomb and why we call that message “good But that's not what God did. About 700 years after this incident in the wilderness, King Hezekiah had to destroy this bronze serpent because it had become an object of idolatry to the Israelites (2 Kings 18:1-4). There are four truths God wants us to understand and embrace. what both the serpent and the Cross are ultimately about: life... mercy... SCRIPTURE READING: Nu 21:4-9. Grace Community Church, 800 SE Hogan Rd, Gresham, United States 5034929966 info@gracecc.net THE BRAZEN SERPENT, A TYPE OF CHRIST. 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