WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.400 Welcome to the sermon podcast of Exodus Church, located in Belmont, North Carolina. 00:00:05.400 --> 00:00:13.800 For more information about our church and the many ways you can be involved, you can go to our website at exoduschurch.com. 00:00:13.800 --> 00:00:18.359 I am up here this morning in God's providence. 00:00:18.359 --> 00:00:29.100 I think between sickness and vacations and mission trip, I found out yesterday that I was going to be up here in the pulpit. 00:00:29.100 --> 00:00:38.520 So I am possibly the fourth string, but I'm still pretty confident we could handle the panther's first string this year. 00:00:38.520 --> 00:00:43.679 So just take that for what you will. 00:00:43.679 --> 00:00:47.219 It's painful for all of us. 00:00:47.219 --> 00:00:58.679 And as I thought about what we're going to jump into from God's word this morning, we're going to step out of the By Design series, primarily because I found out yesterday we're going to be up here. 00:00:58.679 --> 00:01:08.480 But I think we have a passage that's going to show that God's plan, that God's design, that's the way we have to do life. 00:01:08.480 --> 00:01:19.000 So we're just going to look at a verse, at some verses that are really familiar to most Americans who have been exposed to Christianity at all. 00:01:19.000 --> 00:01:26.159 We opened up by reading Psalm 23, and we're going to, in our sermon, include John 3.16. 00:01:26.159 --> 00:01:32.480 For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 00:01:32.480 --> 00:01:45.620 But what we're going to do for our big picture, what we want to aim at as we look at the verses before that well-known verse, is that Jesus must be lifted up so that we can look to Him and live. 00:01:45.620 --> 00:01:51.840 Our big idea is that Jesus must be lifted up so that we can look to Him and live. 00:01:51.840 --> 00:01:58.859 Now most people in this room have heard the words of John 3.16, but a lot of times we'll look at it by itself. 00:01:58.859 --> 00:02:14.000 We're not going to look at the whole chapter of John 3, but if we back up a couple of verses, I am always fascinated when there's verses in the Bible that when we slow down and take our Sunday school glasses off and we read them, we have to go, that's weird. 00:02:14.000 --> 00:02:16.080 And I think this is one of them. 00:02:16.080 --> 00:02:22.439 So we're going to look through these verses together and then apply it to our lives. 00:02:22.439 --> 00:02:28.280 So this is what we're going to begin reading in John 3.14. 00:02:28.280 --> 00:02:39.319 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. 00:02:39.319 --> 00:02:47.400 For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 00:02:47.400 --> 00:02:48.400 Let's pray. 00:02:48.400 --> 00:02:57.759 Father, we are thankful that nothing derails your plans, your purposes. 00:02:57.759 --> 00:03:01.780 You've never been called off guard or surprised by anything. 00:03:01.780 --> 00:03:06.199 So we give you this time that you have planned for your people this morning. 00:03:06.199 --> 00:03:17.319 Pray that as we open up your word, as we focus our eyes on Jesus this morning, that it would be more than Bible connections and Bible facts. 00:03:17.319 --> 00:03:22.419 But Father, soften our hearts and let us love Jesus more because of the time we're spending with Him today. 00:03:22.419 --> 00:03:28.319 Let us look more like Jesus so that others can see Jesus more clearly in us. 00:03:28.319 --> 00:03:30.960 So we ask that you would use this time together. 00:03:30.960 --> 00:03:33.199 We ask it in Jesus' name. 00:03:33.199 --> 00:03:34.199 Amen. 00:03:34.199 --> 00:03:48.000 So as we look here with John 3.14 in particular, we see the phrase, as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up. 00:03:48.000 --> 00:03:54.120 Now the Son of Man is the way that Jesus refers to Himself in the Gospel of John. 00:03:54.120 --> 00:03:57.439 So what we're seeing here is that Jesus is like a snake. 00:03:57.439 --> 00:03:58.439 Not exactly. 00:03:58.439 --> 00:04:05.159 Jesus must be lifted up as Moses lifted up a snake in the wilderness. 00:04:05.159 --> 00:04:11.240 I can't really think of any songs that really captures the way that Jesus is lifted up in the church. 00:04:11.240 --> 00:04:14.879 But I know, Jesus, you must be lifted up like a snake in the desert. 00:04:14.879 --> 00:04:16.279 If you know that one, please send it to me. 00:04:16.279 --> 00:04:18.480 I'd love to listen to it. 00:04:18.480 --> 00:04:29.660 But right before we get to these words of hope of John 3.16, for God so loved the world, we see that Jesus must be lifted up in this strange way. 00:04:29.660 --> 00:04:40.079 And this had to be incredibly infusing to His audience who heard it for the first time to the disciples and the crowd because they knew a reference that He was making. 00:04:40.079 --> 00:04:44.639 It's also for us really weird because snakes in the Bible are usually evil. 00:04:44.639 --> 00:04:45.639 That's the bad guy. 00:04:45.639 --> 00:04:53.439 From Genesis, the snake in the garden, to Revelation, the dragon at the end, whenever we see the snakes, it's evil. 00:04:53.439 --> 00:04:56.480 So why is Jesus lifted up like a snake? 00:04:56.480 --> 00:04:58.600 What's up with that? 00:04:58.600 --> 00:05:06.399 And we're going to look this morning, before we come back to John chapter 3, we're going to shift to Numbers chapter 21. 00:05:06.399 --> 00:05:27.060 If you want to turn there or scroll there on your phone, whatever it is, however you read along in God's Word, go to Numbers chapter 21 verse 4 because this is what Jesus is referring to when He says that He must be lifted up like Moses lifted up a serpent in the wilderness. 00:05:27.060 --> 00:05:34.399 So we're going to look through why did Moses lift up a serpent in the wilderness and what did that look like? 00:05:34.399 --> 00:05:41.240 And I just think this is really interesting that Jesus would take this passage to describe Himself. 00:05:41.240 --> 00:05:44.560 So let me read Numbers 21 verse 4. 00:05:44.560 --> 00:05:48.879 We're just going to walk through this group of verses, verse by verse together. 00:05:48.879 --> 00:05:59.860 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, He's talking about the Israelites, to go around the land of Edom and the people became impatient on the way. 00:05:59.860 --> 00:06:01.000 So what's happening? 00:06:01.000 --> 00:06:05.699 We've jumped into a story, an account midstream. 00:06:05.699 --> 00:06:08.360 Israel has been freed from slavery in Egypt. 00:06:08.360 --> 00:06:10.980 Had the 10 plagues, the crossing the Red Sea. 00:06:10.980 --> 00:06:14.060 God led them up to the promised land to lead them into it. 00:06:14.060 --> 00:06:15.259 They sent in spies. 00:06:15.259 --> 00:06:17.699 The spies said, no, we can't do this. 00:06:17.699 --> 00:06:20.000 So then the people said, okay, we can't do this. 00:06:20.000 --> 00:06:22.600 And God said, well, I promised you this land. 00:06:22.600 --> 00:06:24.160 You chose not to go into it. 00:06:24.160 --> 00:06:26.920 So you're going to wander around in the desert for 40 years. 00:06:26.920 --> 00:06:28.360 I freed you from slavery. 00:06:28.360 --> 00:06:31.540 I gave you a promise, but you said, no, we're not going to do it your way. 00:06:31.540 --> 00:06:40.319 So God's allowing this generation of adults to slowly die out over 40 years so that their descendants can receive the promise. 00:06:40.319 --> 00:06:44.399 So they're in the middle of nowhere and Aaron has just died. 00:06:44.399 --> 00:06:46.399 Aaron is Moses' brother. 00:06:46.399 --> 00:06:48.379 He's the first high priest of Israel. 00:06:48.379 --> 00:06:53.060 When all of the Exodus stuff happened, he's Moses' mouthpiece. 00:06:53.060 --> 00:06:54.120 He's the one that's speaking. 00:06:54.120 --> 00:06:56.100 He's very much in the middle of everything. 00:06:56.100 --> 00:07:00.279 So this major figure alongside Moses has died. 00:07:00.279 --> 00:07:05.100 Israel's also just won a huge victory in battle over a Canaanite king. 00:07:05.100 --> 00:07:13.199 And then we come to these verses as the people are in the reality of wandering in the wilderness for life. 00:07:13.199 --> 00:07:16.040 They're moving from nowhere to nowhere. 00:07:16.040 --> 00:07:20.259 And as they're on that journey, they decide to avoid the land of Edom. 00:07:20.259 --> 00:07:21.519 They do that. 00:07:21.519 --> 00:07:25.379 These are the descendants of Esau and then Israel, the descendants of Jacob. 00:07:25.379 --> 00:07:27.639 So that's from earlier in Genesis. 00:07:27.639 --> 00:07:32.519 But we see that they're going through this area and they go around it to avoid a fight. 00:07:32.519 --> 00:07:40.379 They're impatient though, even though they're avoiding a battle, they're impatient to get to nowhere from nowhere. 00:07:40.379 --> 00:07:41.379 It's wearing thin. 00:07:41.379 --> 00:07:46.160 The people have become impatient with this inconvenience of going around. 00:07:46.160 --> 00:07:52.439 It's like when my wife and I first got married, we got married here in Gastonia and moved up to Louisville. 00:07:52.439 --> 00:08:02.680 And then we would, as newlyweds, have times where we would spend all night driving to get back down here to spend a holiday or a visit with my in-laws. 00:08:02.680 --> 00:08:08.399 So it's the last three hours of these all night drives around three in the morning, they're torture. 00:08:08.399 --> 00:08:12.360 They're like, you know, short temper, you get the munchies, nothing sounds good. 00:08:12.360 --> 00:08:13.360 Why are we doing this? 00:08:13.360 --> 00:08:14.839 I'm just going to spend time with my in-laws. 00:08:14.839 --> 00:08:16.699 No, I really do love my in-laws. 00:08:16.699 --> 00:08:17.699 They're like parents to me. 00:08:17.699 --> 00:08:18.879 They treat me like a son. 00:08:18.879 --> 00:08:24.720 I'm just trying to get a point that we're going from this hard trip for what? 00:08:24.720 --> 00:08:26.839 That's what the Israelites are doing. 00:08:26.839 --> 00:08:29.519 They're taking the long way around. 00:08:29.519 --> 00:08:37.519 Even though it saves lives, even though they're not in a hurry, they've become impatient with this inconvenience. 00:08:37.519 --> 00:08:39.720 And from that, we flow into verse five. 00:08:39.720 --> 00:08:44.000 And the people spoke against God and against Moses. 00:08:44.000 --> 00:08:47.759 Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? 00:08:47.759 --> 00:08:54.279 For there is no food and no water and we loathe this worthless food. 00:08:54.279 --> 00:09:00.039 So from their impatience, they're now speaking against God's gifts. 00:09:00.039 --> 00:09:01.440 They're repeating old complaints. 00:09:01.440 --> 00:09:03.259 God, why did you do this to us? 00:09:03.259 --> 00:09:05.080 We were in Egypt, we had houses. 00:09:05.080 --> 00:09:06.639 Yes, we were slaves. 00:09:06.639 --> 00:09:10.919 Yes, they were taking advantage of us, but at least we had comfort. 00:09:10.919 --> 00:09:14.019 And now you've delivered us and we're out in the desert. 00:09:14.019 --> 00:09:15.299 We're going to die. 00:09:15.299 --> 00:09:16.460 They're mad at God. 00:09:16.460 --> 00:09:19.240 They're mad at Moses and they're right that they're going to die. 00:09:19.240 --> 00:09:22.360 But it's because they did it their way instead of God's way. 00:09:22.360 --> 00:09:27.440 They chose not to look to God's path and they know that they're going to face the consequences. 00:09:27.440 --> 00:09:32.879 Their kids won't, their descendants won't, but here the groaning is happening. 00:09:32.879 --> 00:09:43.240 It's exactly like the it's not fair conversation that my kids never have and I'm sure your kids never have, but I've heard in theory that a lot of kids do have these moments where they just go, it's not fair. 00:09:43.240 --> 00:09:45.399 Why did they get dessert and I don't? 00:09:45.399 --> 00:09:47.679 Well, because you didn't eat your dinner, but that's just still not fair. 00:09:47.679 --> 00:09:48.919 I don't like this. 00:09:48.919 --> 00:10:03.879 And they're in this, this spiral of complaining even to, even to the sense that their complaints are actually contradicting themselves and their nonsense because you see that first they say for there is no food and no water, which I can't hear without hearing the lion king hyenas voices. 00:10:03.879 --> 00:10:05.879 That's whenever I read this verse, I hear them. 00:10:05.879 --> 00:10:07.720 No food, no water. 00:10:07.720 --> 00:10:09.659 So on one side we have nothing. 00:10:09.659 --> 00:10:14.519 And then on the other side we have, we loathe this worthless food. 00:10:14.519 --> 00:10:15.519 I have no food. 00:10:15.519 --> 00:10:17.159 I hate this food. 00:10:17.159 --> 00:10:18.720 Never heard that in your kids either. 00:10:18.720 --> 00:10:19.720 Right? 00:10:19.720 --> 00:10:24.759 We just, we don't, we don't like this and they're just thrown off. 00:10:24.759 --> 00:10:28.480 God is what's happening as they're wandering around. 00:10:28.480 --> 00:10:32.279 There is, there is, they're in the middle of desert for 40 years and they're wandering. 00:10:32.279 --> 00:10:34.519 So they can't plant and harvest wheat. 00:10:34.519 --> 00:10:36.080 They can't make their own bread. 00:10:36.080 --> 00:10:37.440 So there's no publics. 00:10:37.440 --> 00:10:41.200 There's no, there's no even food lion to drop by and, and get their food. 00:10:41.200 --> 00:10:47.159 So God every morning is providing food for them out of thin air, out of the dew of the ground. 00:10:47.159 --> 00:10:51.440 He turns it into bread and he's having, he's having birds fall out of the sky so that they can eat it. 00:10:51.440 --> 00:10:54.360 And the people are going, we're sick of it. 00:10:54.360 --> 00:11:00.519 They don't just lack all over God, like all in, in being impressed by what God's doing. 00:11:00.519 --> 00:11:04.440 They've actually gotten to the point where they despise God's provision. 00:11:04.440 --> 00:11:10.120 God, I'm mad at you for providing for me because it's not done my way. 00:11:10.120 --> 00:11:15.919 How dare you give me broccoli, God, or how dare you give me a Chick-fil-A sandwich, but you didn't order it with no pickles. 00:11:15.919 --> 00:11:17.519 I'm just very frustrated. 00:11:17.519 --> 00:11:20.639 It's not, it's not done the right way. 00:11:20.639 --> 00:11:22.059 So I don't want to receive it. 00:11:22.059 --> 00:11:32.440 So impatience over inconvenience leading to this grumbling against God and this, and this heart that doesn't trust in him and this, this spiral of bitterness. 00:11:32.440 --> 00:11:35.840 And then the weird really starts. 00:11:35.840 --> 00:11:45.679 Verse six, then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people and they bit the people so that many people of Israel died. 00:11:45.679 --> 00:11:55.399 So there's a conflict happening in Israel right now where, where people are dying and suffering and we want to pray for that, but let's not read that on, onto, under this situation. 00:11:55.399 --> 00:11:56.399 It's different. 00:11:56.399 --> 00:12:01.600 These are people that are very different reasons, very different situation happening. 00:12:01.600 --> 00:12:04.279 God sends fiery serpents. 00:12:04.279 --> 00:12:10.440 And my first middle image with that is five fire breathing snakes, which I don't like that at all. 00:12:10.440 --> 00:12:13.159 My hatred for snakes is total and complete. 00:12:13.159 --> 00:12:17.440 I don't even like to see dead snakes, much less fire breathing snakes. 00:12:17.440 --> 00:12:19.600 So flaming snakes way too much for me to handle. 00:12:19.600 --> 00:12:21.519 I would just run towards them, go ahead and kill me. 00:12:21.519 --> 00:12:31.000 I don't want it to be over with, but we're not talking about fire breathing snakes, like a bad Hollywood movie with, with the weird CGI. 00:12:31.000 --> 00:12:38.600 What we're talking about here, most scholars think that fiery actually would have referred to the burning sensation when they're, when they're bitten. 00:12:38.600 --> 00:12:44.200 It's somewhat debated, but that's, that's what seems like a reasonable answer when their venom goes in, it hurts. 00:12:44.200 --> 00:12:47.279 So these people are suffering and they're dying. 00:12:47.279 --> 00:12:56.639 God sends them, God sends these snakes, whether they're, whether their path goes across a snake pit in the wilderness, whether God created them like manna, who knows? 00:12:56.639 --> 00:12:58.919 We just know that they're there. 00:12:58.919 --> 00:13:01.519 People start dying. 00:13:01.519 --> 00:13:08.799 They were complaining and grumbling and discontent and rebellious and not trusting towards God. 00:13:08.799 --> 00:13:11.120 And then this happens. 00:13:11.120 --> 00:13:22.679 And that's hard for our minds to wrap around like, okay, they were acting this way, but then death in the book of Romans does remind us that the wages of sin is death. 00:13:22.679 --> 00:13:25.120 We don't see that naturally. 00:13:25.120 --> 00:13:32.440 So I think when we look at a passage like this that talks about the sufferings of this group of people, we see my sin played out on the large scale. 00:13:32.440 --> 00:13:37.679 So it's easier for me to see that the wages of sin is death. 00:13:37.679 --> 00:13:43.120 Snakes in the camp, biting people, people dying. 00:13:43.120 --> 00:13:44.120 What's going to happen? 00:13:44.120 --> 00:13:48.159 Verse seven, they asked for Moses to step between them and God. 00:13:48.159 --> 00:13:50.639 They asked for Moses to be a mediator. 00:13:50.639 --> 00:13:58.000 The people came to Moses and said, we've sinned for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. 00:13:58.000 --> 00:13:59.000 We're sorry. 00:13:59.000 --> 00:14:02.720 Pray to the Lord that he take away the serpents from us. 00:14:02.720 --> 00:14:06.559 So Moses prayed for the people. 00:14:06.559 --> 00:14:08.200 They immediately know what's happened. 00:14:08.200 --> 00:14:16.360 They know their grumbling has, they know that their hearts of rebellion towards God have caused, have brought down destruction on them. 00:14:16.360 --> 00:14:17.960 We spoke against God. 00:14:17.960 --> 00:14:21.240 We're being destroyed by our own actions, by our own words. 00:14:21.240 --> 00:14:26.919 So Moses, please put yourself between God and us. 00:14:26.919 --> 00:14:28.320 We've messed up big time. 00:14:28.320 --> 00:14:31.279 So we want you to stand between us and God. 00:14:31.279 --> 00:14:32.279 You go talk to him. 00:14:32.279 --> 00:14:34.159 You were his messenger. 00:14:34.159 --> 00:14:35.639 You have led us through all this. 00:14:35.639 --> 00:14:36.639 You go talk to him. 00:14:36.639 --> 00:14:42.639 It's like the teacher's pet in class that the class gets together and says, please go ask the teacher to make it an open notes quiz. 00:14:42.639 --> 00:14:48.639 Or that sibling that you know is a little bit bolder and knows how to angle a little bit better. 00:14:48.639 --> 00:14:50.879 And they say, can we just go here for dessert? 00:14:50.879 --> 00:14:57.720 And they send them in on your behalf because the other ones are looking at it going, if I go in there, it's not going to go well for me. 00:14:57.720 --> 00:14:58.720 You do it. 00:14:58.720 --> 00:15:02.159 So they send Moses and say, you go talk to God. 00:15:02.159 --> 00:15:04.559 We've messed up big. 00:15:04.559 --> 00:15:09.559 So Moses prayed for the people. 00:15:09.559 --> 00:15:13.519 Moses active response as a leader, get this. 00:15:13.519 --> 00:15:17.919 He's not passively waiting by and praying and waiting for something else to happen. 00:15:17.919 --> 00:15:24.600 His active response as a leader, tragedy is happening and he stops to pray. 00:15:24.600 --> 00:15:26.500 There is something to thoughts and prayers. 00:15:26.500 --> 00:15:31.279 It's not just this, this, this ethereal thing that floats around and is meaningless. 00:15:31.279 --> 00:15:44.799 Moses prays as the leader in the moment in the crisis, not because that's a lack of action, but because if he doesn't pray, he wouldn't have, he would have meant well and then still done the wrong thing. 00:15:44.799 --> 00:15:48.639 He needs God to act. 00:15:48.639 --> 00:15:54.000 So he prays, he stands between the people of Israel and their destruction and God who they've offended. 00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:58.320 And he stands between and says, God have mercy on them. 00:15:58.320 --> 00:16:01.440 And then we see what God does. 00:16:01.440 --> 00:16:07.279 Verses eight and nine, God shows up as the deliverer. 00:16:07.279 --> 00:16:13.799 The Lord said to Moses and whenever in the old Testament, when you see Lord in all caps, it's God's name. 00:16:13.799 --> 00:16:15.440 So it's personal. 00:16:15.440 --> 00:16:27.159 Yahweh, Yahweh said to Moses, make a fiery serpent, set it on a pole and everyone who is bitten when he sees it shall live. 00:16:27.159 --> 00:16:31.240 So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. 00:16:31.240 --> 00:16:37.039 And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live. 00:16:37.039 --> 00:16:42.639 And of course the implication there is if he didn't, he would still die. 00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:46.159 So the Lord provides a path of delivery. 00:16:46.159 --> 00:16:48.519 It's not a quick thing. 00:16:48.519 --> 00:16:53.440 Go make a bronze snake, which means there's people dying, there's snakes throughout the camp. 00:16:53.440 --> 00:16:57.960 I've already run off into the desert or hoped I'm gone. 00:16:57.960 --> 00:17:06.720 And as this is happening, gather the materials, heat it, melt it down, shape it, let it cool, mount it on a pole. 00:17:06.720 --> 00:17:10.839 This is not like a 15 minute solution. 00:17:10.839 --> 00:17:22.200 And then once you have the snake made of bronze on a pole that everyone's been watching you make as they're fleeing from the snakes, as they're suffering and death happening all around. 00:17:22.200 --> 00:17:24.279 And the last thing they want to see is another snake. 00:17:24.279 --> 00:17:35.440 You're going to hold up the snake on a pole and you have to look at this image of death and pain and fear as your only hope of delivery. 00:17:35.440 --> 00:17:38.200 If you're not a snake person, you don't recoil from that. 00:17:38.200 --> 00:17:40.880 Have a friend who's deathly afraid of clowns. 00:17:40.880 --> 00:17:45.839 And I'm not making fun of them, but some people are. 00:17:45.839 --> 00:17:55.160 So imagine her in a house that's burning down and the only way to get out is to follow the clown out of the house. 00:17:55.160 --> 00:17:59.000 So it's this revulsion that's like, oh, I don't want to do this. 00:17:59.000 --> 00:18:00.359 That's your only hope. 00:18:00.359 --> 00:18:03.480 That's your only path of delivery. 00:18:03.480 --> 00:18:10.880 You can choose not to look, you can choose to try another way, but you only get God's provision. 00:18:10.880 --> 00:18:12.200 You only get his deliverance. 00:18:12.200 --> 00:18:19.599 If you do it God's way, you look on this symbol of death and you and you are delivered. 00:18:19.599 --> 00:18:22.160 So it's not the answer that I would have come up with. 00:18:22.160 --> 00:18:29.359 It's not the answer that probably a lot of the people that are in Israel would have wanted, but there's something deeper being shown. 00:18:29.359 --> 00:18:37.039 And this is what Jesus is referring to about the way that he has to be lifted up. 00:18:37.039 --> 00:18:47.079 So let's go back to John chapter three and let's look at these verses one more time. 00:18:47.079 --> 00:19:08.160 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 for God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 00:19:08.160 --> 00:19:20.119 So just like in this moment of crisis, Moses raised up a picture of their death and destruction and said, look on this and live. 00:19:20.119 --> 00:19:25.240 It's your only path forward, there is no other way. 00:19:25.240 --> 00:19:43.400 People in the Roman empire would have known that the cross was a similar kind of picture, an image of death, humiliation, intimidation, oppression, the occupier making sure that other people know their place and are scared to get out of line. 00:19:43.400 --> 00:19:47.420 When Jesus says this in John three, his disciples don't know what's coming. 00:19:47.420 --> 00:19:54.200 But as John writes this and as his readers read it, they do see the cross, a path there. 00:19:54.200 --> 00:20:00.859 They see this image that Jesus must be lifted up on a cross, an instrument of death. 00:20:00.859 --> 00:20:04.440 And our only hope is to look on him and live. 00:20:04.440 --> 00:20:09.480 And if we don't choose to do so, it won't work for us. 00:20:09.480 --> 00:20:15.359 We are not doing it God's way. 00:20:15.359 --> 00:20:28.680 In a world of people who were dying, look to Jesus lifted up on the cross, facing God's wrath and judgment, his body broken, his blood pouring out on our behalf. 00:20:28.680 --> 00:20:43.599 When John 3, 16 says that God gave his only son, his unique set apart one of a kind son, this is how he gave him on the cross. 00:20:43.599 --> 00:20:47.079 And it says that we should not perish but have eternal life. 00:20:47.079 --> 00:20:51.099 It's because Jesus perished in our place. 00:20:51.099 --> 00:21:03.960 This is the way that he's lifted up so that then when this is how God loved the world by providing Christ on the cross in our place. 00:21:03.960 --> 00:21:06.920 So how do we then apply this? 00:21:06.920 --> 00:21:07.920 It's very simple. 00:21:07.920 --> 00:21:11.039 How do we, what's our takeaway? 00:21:11.039 --> 00:21:15.900 Why are we being reminded of this in a mill in Belmont this morning? 00:21:15.900 --> 00:21:18.319 Because my heart is prone to wander. 00:21:18.319 --> 00:21:20.680 I must look to Jesus and lift him up. 00:21:20.680 --> 00:21:27.359 Because my heart is prone to do things my own way and not trust in God, but in my own ways. 00:21:27.359 --> 00:21:31.480 I have to look to Jesus and lift him up. 00:21:31.480 --> 00:21:34.319 I want to do it my way. 00:21:34.319 --> 00:21:43.519 Just like Frank Sinatra saying, just like Anakin Skywalker tried to do and went down a path to being Darth Vader and corruption and twistedness. 00:21:43.519 --> 00:21:47.079 I want to do it that way. 00:21:47.079 --> 00:21:50.200 And that is a path to destruction. 00:21:50.200 --> 00:21:54.579 So what do I look at specifically as we've walked through numbers? 00:21:54.579 --> 00:21:57.279 What are the things that we can see in this passage? 00:21:57.279 --> 00:22:01.039 I can see that I need to ask God for patience. 00:22:01.039 --> 00:22:05.420 Spent a lot of years as a youth pastor and watched it play out over and over. 00:22:05.420 --> 00:22:06.839 Seen it as a parent. 00:22:06.839 --> 00:22:08.960 Seen it just as a human living with other humans. 00:22:08.960 --> 00:22:11.359 I've seen the truth here. 00:22:11.359 --> 00:22:19.240 Impatience leads to complaints and dissatisfaction and angst like no other thing. 00:22:19.240 --> 00:22:25.839 And I can so easily turn back into a seven-year-old on December 22nd waiting for Christmas Day and everything is just, I need it now. 00:22:25.839 --> 00:22:26.839 I want it now. 00:22:26.839 --> 00:22:28.720 I can't wait. 00:22:28.720 --> 00:22:32.160 The phrase patience is a virtue isn't a biblical phrase. 00:22:32.160 --> 00:22:39.559 It appeared in Latin and appeared in English poetry in the 1300s with the Canterbury Tales and some other areas. 00:22:39.559 --> 00:22:45.039 So patience is a virtue, but patience is the fruit of the Spirit. 00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:49.720 We have patience as a gift from God working in our lives. 00:22:49.720 --> 00:22:55.599 But for God, I live out of the state of constant impatience. 00:22:55.599 --> 00:23:04.240 And in my impatience and me trying to force things through in my way and my timing, I twist God's good gifts just as much as the Israelites did. 00:23:04.240 --> 00:23:07.720 My family, my kids, security, sex, health, money. 00:23:07.720 --> 00:23:14.799 Everything that God can give to us as a good gift, we twisted around in our own impatience. 00:23:14.799 --> 00:23:21.000 And I can't just try harder to be more patient because patience is a gift of the Spirit. 00:23:21.000 --> 00:23:23.680 I have to walk in Christ. 00:23:23.680 --> 00:23:29.440 My patience, even wanting to be patient and change is a gift from God. 00:23:29.440 --> 00:23:33.079 My heart is prone to wander. 00:23:33.079 --> 00:23:35.519 I must look to Jesus and lift him up. 00:23:35.519 --> 00:23:44.640 I also can see and am reminded as we walk through this account this morning that I need a mediator between myself and God. 00:23:44.640 --> 00:23:52.079 The people of Israel saw their need for a mediator because death by burning snakes. 00:23:52.079 --> 00:23:56.079 But I default to seeing myself as a pretty decent guy. 00:23:56.079 --> 00:23:59.440 I'm pretty good terms with God, even apart from Christ. 00:23:59.440 --> 00:24:08.559 My sins like complaining or grumbling or discontent or rebellion or not trusting seem sanitary and not so awful. 00:24:08.559 --> 00:24:10.680 Not like murder or pillaging. 00:24:10.680 --> 00:24:14.119 We don't use that word in the post-piracy English language enough. 00:24:14.119 --> 00:24:17.460 Promiscuity, stealing, whatever it is, I don't do those things. 00:24:17.460 --> 00:24:25.000 So therefore my sins don't look like God's punishment and his wrath are coming down on me. 00:24:25.000 --> 00:24:28.240 I underestimate the size of my sin problem. 00:24:28.240 --> 00:24:35.039 So therefore I underestimate what a big deal it was for Christ to be lifted up on the cross in my place. 00:24:35.039 --> 00:24:42.400 First Timothy 2, 5 reminds us, for there's one God and there's one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. 00:24:42.400 --> 00:24:51.759 So I don't have Moses standing between my mistakes, my rebellion, my heart that wants it my own way and God's judgment through fiery snakes. 00:24:51.759 --> 00:25:13.759 I have God himself, Jesus, who lived the life I couldn't live, who died the death that I deserve, who God raised him to sit at the right hand of the heavenly throne and he is advocating on my behalf between my rebellion and separation from God for all eternity in hell. 00:25:13.759 --> 00:25:15.119 That's what Jesus does for us. 00:25:15.119 --> 00:25:22.839 We're not looking to Moses in between, but we're looking to someone so much greater than Moses. 00:25:22.839 --> 00:25:34.200 And my attempt to approach God will be just as much a fiery disaster as the Israelites who tried to not look at the serpent lifted up on the pole. 00:25:34.200 --> 00:25:40.440 You see, my heart is prone to wander, so I must look to Jesus and lift him up. 00:25:40.440 --> 00:25:49.319 And if I do that, I'll also need to realize that God's plans rarely involve doing things my way. 00:25:49.319 --> 00:25:56.000 When people are dying all around me, it seems absurd to build a bronze serpent and look at it. 00:25:56.000 --> 00:26:10.400 When I want to get right with God or I want to tell a friend or coworker or a loved one about having a relationship with God, it seems absurd that step one is admitting that we can't do it and we're not good enough. 00:26:10.400 --> 00:26:30.519 As we go through this by design series, which we'll go back into next week, when people around us question God's design, his plan and his standards, it seems easier just to soften, to take a softer path to accommodate and to take that less resistance. 00:26:30.519 --> 00:26:36.279 Maybe it makes sense to me, maybe it's reasonable, but it's death. 00:26:36.279 --> 00:26:40.720 We try to put ourselves up and make our plans drive us ahead. 00:26:40.720 --> 00:26:46.400 I'm just going to read a passage from first Corinthians that I think brings a lot of these thoughts together. 00:26:46.400 --> 00:26:53.960 You're welcome to turn there, first Corinthians chapter one, you're welcome to just listen, whatever's easier for you. 00:26:53.960 --> 00:26:59.920 First Corinthians chapter one brings this together that I try to make my way the way that makes sense. 00:26:59.920 --> 00:27:02.640 This is how I want God to act. 00:27:02.640 --> 00:27:15.079 But first Corinthians one, starting in verse 18, for the word of the cross is folly foolishness to those who are perishing. 00:27:15.079 --> 00:27:17.839 But to us who are being saved, it is the power of God. 00:27:17.839 --> 00:27:23.960 For it's written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart. 00:27:23.960 --> 00:27:25.240 Where's the one who's wise? 00:27:25.240 --> 00:27:26.240 Where's the scribe? 00:27:26.240 --> 00:27:28.359 Where's the debater of this age? 00:27:28.359 --> 00:27:31.480 Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 00:27:31.480 --> 00:27:36.940 For since in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom. 00:27:36.940 --> 00:27:42.559 It pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 00:27:42.559 --> 00:27:48.759 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom. 00:27:48.759 --> 00:27:54.160 But we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles. 00:27:54.160 --> 00:28:00.119 That's us, the Gentiles, those who aren't Jews. 00:28:00.119 --> 00:28:05.559 But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 00:28:05.559 --> 00:28:10.720 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 00:28:10.720 --> 00:28:12.599 Therefore consider your calling, brothers. 00:28:12.599 --> 00:28:15.240 Not many of you were wise according to worldly standards. 00:28:15.240 --> 00:28:16.500 Not many were powerful. 00:28:16.500 --> 00:28:18.119 Not many were of noble birth. 00:28:18.119 --> 00:28:22.400 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. 00:28:22.400 --> 00:28:25.839 God chose what's weak in the world to shame the strong. 00:28:25.839 --> 00:28:32.400 God chose what's low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are. 00:28:32.400 --> 00:28:36.880 So that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 00:28:36.880 --> 00:28:52.319 Because of him, you are in Christ Jesus who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption so that as it is written, let the one who boasts boast in the Lord. 00:28:52.319 --> 00:28:55.559 Y'all, it's quicksand. 00:28:55.559 --> 00:28:59.559 I've never experienced quicksand in real life, thankfully. 00:28:59.559 --> 00:29:00.839 I've only seen it in movies. 00:29:00.839 --> 00:29:03.359 So I don't know how it really works. 00:29:03.359 --> 00:29:08.640 But from what I can tell, whether it's in real life or in the movies, the more you fight it, the faster you go down. 00:29:08.640 --> 00:29:13.279 If you get caught in quicksand, you're going to keep getting pulled down. 00:29:13.279 --> 00:29:16.480 It cuts against your instincts. 00:29:16.480 --> 00:29:31.240 So when we try to make things happen our way, when we try to impose my path on God and say this feels good to me or I just think this makes sense to me, when he said look and live and do it this way, then we get stuck in this sinking mess. 00:29:31.240 --> 00:29:39.599 It's not just that every knee will bow, but my knee must bow. 00:29:39.599 --> 00:29:45.940 So I asked two questions as we leave, as we realize that my heart is prone to wander. 00:29:45.940 --> 00:29:49.119 So I must look to Jesus and lift him up. 00:29:49.119 --> 00:29:56.359 How am I lifting up Jesus who's both mediator and deliverer so that others will look on him and live? 00:29:56.359 --> 00:29:58.799 If you're in here and you know Jesus, I'm asking that question. 00:29:58.799 --> 00:30:10.799 If you're in here and you don't, like we saw in John 3, 16, God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 00:30:10.799 --> 00:30:15.519 If you feel pulled towards him, he's reaching out to you. 00:30:15.519 --> 00:30:21.359 If you are seeking him, that means he's already seeking you. 00:30:21.359 --> 00:30:25.059 That means he's at work in your life. 00:30:25.059 --> 00:30:26.400 So don't leave this place. 00:30:26.400 --> 00:30:29.480 Don't just skip over going to the beginning of the lunch line. 00:30:29.480 --> 00:30:32.400 Don't just skip over whatever your plans are this afternoon. 00:30:32.400 --> 00:30:37.160 Before you leave this place, find someone and talk to them about who this Jesus is. 00:30:37.160 --> 00:30:47.480 We would love to help you start that relationship so that you can see God's perfect plan work out in ways that are beyond what you can possibly imagine now. 00:30:47.480 --> 00:30:50.880 Let me pray for us. 00:30:50.880 --> 00:30:54.440 Heavenly Father, we are just grateful for your goodness. 00:30:54.440 --> 00:31:03.279 We are grateful that for the gift of your son Jesus, that while we were sinners, you sent them to die in our place. 00:31:03.279 --> 00:31:11.480 That while we were lost and wandering, Father, you gave us your son. 00:31:11.480 --> 00:31:28.079 So pray that as we see our own desire to do it our way, our own how easy it is to get twisted with impatience, how easy it is to get twisted with our own wisdom, with discontent. 00:31:28.079 --> 00:31:33.160 That we would look to you and rest in you and your plans that you have for us. 00:31:33.160 --> 00:31:36.480 We would see your goodness above all. 00:31:36.480 --> 00:31:37.480 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:31:37.480 --> 00:31:37.480 Amen. 00:31:37.480 --> 00:31:39.480 Amen. 00:31:39.480 --> 00:31:44.480 .