John 3 - snake on a stick

Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 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. (John 3:11-15 ESV)

What is Jesus saying about himself in this passage?

It's kind of a big deal when Jesus talks about stuff like heaven and salvation, because he's the only one who understands it. He came from heaven. . .he created heaven and earth. So he has pretty good grounds to speak about it!

How do we know there is a heaven?

Because Jesus says there is and he says he came from heaven and is going back there!!

Of course guys like CS Lewis and Paul add that there is a longing in our hearts for heaven, for God. The unsatisfied longings of our life are a signal that we are built for and created for more than life here in earth. There is a reality greater than what we can see. There is a happiness greater than any we have known, a reality more real than anything we can taste, touch, or see.

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 ESV)

I have come home at last! This is my real country! I belong here. This is the land I have been looking for all my life, though I never knew it till now. . .Come further up, come further in! C.S. Lewis in the Last Battle

What do you think heaven will be like?

Where does your picture of heaven come from?

The Beautiful Letdown by Switchfoot

Back to our story, what is the deal with Moses and the Snake?

Flip to Numbers 21

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. 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.” Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. 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. 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. (Numbers 21:4-9 ESV)

Why does God send the snakes?

Do you ever whine/complain/grumble? Why?

What makes the Israelites repent?

What should make us repent?

When we see the effects of our sin, when we see the death, sadness, brokenness around us. . .we should recognize that we are the cause.

What is the solution?

The snake on a stick, right? You look at it and live, you don't, you die.

What are the snakes in your life and the lives of people around you?

Why doesn't God send the snakes away?

Sin has consequences, and God knows what is in a man. The second the snakes are gone, the people will start whining and forget again. One day we'll be in heaven and there will be no more pain or sin or temptation. But we are here on earth to sink beneath the waves, to trample on Christ, and to experience his forgiveness. As Luther said, "Be a sinner and sin boldly, but believe and rejoice in Christ even more boldly".

What does the snake on a stick have to do with Jesus?

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.

How is Jesus going to be lifted up?

The cross right? He's going to get nailed to the cross and hung up in front of the world. Just like the Israelites we have sin and death all around us, biting us and killing us. The solution for us is the same as for the Israelites: look up.

We have a huge cross that hangs at the front of our church - it is pretty easy to look up at it, because it is right there. Look and believe, that's all that God requires of us, because even that is more than our sinful selves can manage without the grace of God.