Broadcast
Lifting Up the Serpent - Part 5
Numbers 21:8-9
05/11/2024
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. (ESV)
The children of Israel had sinned against God and Moses by
faithless grumbling about God's rich gifts of food and
protection. When confronted with their sin, they repented.
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 if a serpent bit anyone, he
would look at the bronze serpent and live.
Jesus told Nicodemus:
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,
so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever
believes in him may have eternal life.[2]
Like the children of Israel, we have sinned against God and
neighbor. We deserve God's eternal wrath and punishment. Yet,
in the same way the children of Israel looked in faith at the
bronze serpent, we look in faith to Jesus Christ, who was lifted
on the cross for our salvation from sin and death.
Faith is knowledge of God's love and grace, even though we
do not deserve His mercy. Faith is agreement that the Word of
God is true, that Jesus was crucified to pay the price of our
sin. Faith is trust that Jesus truly bore our sins and
reconciled us to the Father.
Please join us on Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. at Trinity
Lutheran Church to learn more of God's rich grace and mercy. May
our Lord bless you with faith that looks to Jesus Christ alone.
Amen.
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2. John 3:14-15 (ESV)