This sermon explores the cross as our connection to God's grace, an antidote to sin, mirroring the bronze snake's role in the wilderness for the Israelites.
Hey there, everyone! It's so good to see all your faces. I'm excited to share with you today a message that I believe God has put on my heart. It's a message that I think is incredibly relevant to all of us, no matter where we are in our faith journey.
You know, I was reading recently a book by the esteemed Christian author, A.W. Tozer. He wrote something that really struck me. He said, "The cross is the lightning rod of grace that short-circuits God's wrath to Christ so that only the light of His love remains for believers." Isn't that an amazing thought? The cross, that symbol of sacrifice and love, is our connection to the grace of God. It's the conduit through which His love flows to us.
The story from Numbers is a fascinating one. The Israelites, in their journey, had begun to grumble and complain. They had lost sight of the blessings and provision of God and instead focused on their discomfort and dissatisfaction. In response, God sent venomous snakes among them, a deadly problem indeed. But God, in His mercy, also provided a solution. He instructed Moses to create a bronze snake and lift it high on a pole. Anyone who looked upon this bronze snake, after being bitten, would live.
This is a vivid picture of a profound truth. The venomous snakes can be seen as a symbol of sin. Sin, like the venom of these snakes, is deadly. It's not just a mistake or a minor issue. It's a serious, life-threatening problem. And just as the Israelites couldn't save themselves from the snake bites, we can't save ourselves from sin. We can't just try harder, do better, or clean up our act. The venom of sin is already in us, doing its deadly work.
But God, in His mercy, provided an antidote. The bronze snake that Moses lifted high is a picture of this antidote. It's a foreshadowing of the cross. Just as the Israelites had to look to the bronze snake to be saved, we have to look to Jesus, lifted high on the cross, to be saved from our sins.
This is a powerful truth. It's not about what we can do, but about what God has done. It's not about our efforts, but about God's grace. We are saved not by our works, but by faith in what Jesus has done for us on the cross.
Now, let's look at the New Testament passage ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO
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