snake on a pole

sin

andredemption

Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and

the soul of the people became very discouraged 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 our soul loathes this worthless bread.”

…

So the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit

the people; and many of the people of Israel died.

…

Therefore 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.

…

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it

on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he

looks at it, shall live.”

…

So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was,

if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze

serpent, he lived.

NUMBERS 21:4-8

Snake on a Pole•Did you see it?–This passage represented the cycle of sin.•Adversity and distraction.•Grumbling and rebellion against God.•Act on desire to have substitutes for God.•God lovingly sends consequence for correction.•Repentence.•God makes a way for deliverance.

Snake on a Pole•This passage is also quite troubling to a Christian on the first read:–We are clearly told not to make graven images.–The snake is a detestible image, harkening directly to sin itself.

•Why?

Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have

eternal life.

JOHN 3:14-15

2 Major Avenues for Sin•Adversity

•Idolatry–Jim translation: "IDLE-OLA-TRY"

•Read NUMBERS 25:1-4

For the LORD loves justice and will not abandon His faithful ones.

They are kept safe forever.

PSALM 37:28

Constructive Mindset•Sin happens.•The effect of sin can vary in our lives.–The same sin may have a completely different impact on two different people. Why?–In many ways, what happens to us is not as important as what we do with it.

3 Men, 1 Circumstance•Three men were cruicified together on the first Good Friday.–One complained and blamed Jesus.–One recognized his need for Jesus, repented of his sin, and inherited paradise.–One turned the event into the climax and fulfillment of His mission on Earth.

Silencing Doubt•Satan eagerly seeks to disable Christians with sin and guilt.–Our correct response is to run to our Father's arms and be reconciled to him.–We do not owe Satan any time in the penalty box every time he scores.

The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD, their refuge in a

time of distress.

PSALM 37:39

But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a

helmet.

1 THESSALONIANS 5:8

And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come

for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first

believed.

ROMANS 13:11

The 3 Tenses of Salvation•Our salvation is past, present, and future:–We were saved from the PENALTY of sin.–We are being saved from the POWER of sin.–We will be saved from the PRESENCE of sin.

If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands

to go into hell, where the fire never goes out.

…

And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have

two feet and be thrown into hell.

…

And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes

and be thrown into hell…

MARK 9:43-47

3 Stages for Sin Avoidance•The Mark passage encourages us to be on the offensive against sin, not just on the defensive.•This involves making definite decisions.–Yes to Christ–No to sin

3 Stages for Sin Avoidance•Note the order of Jesus' commands in the Mark passage:–The hand represents the actual commission of sin.–The foot represents the approach to sin.–The eye represents the spying of a sin from afar.

The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.

MATTHEW 6:22

Plucking Your Eyes•An old Indian proverb says that the easiest way to kill a cobra is in the egg.–Be willing to make an immediate change the moment a sin appears on the horizon.–Be prepared, like Peter on the raging sea, to simply cry out "Lord! Save me!"

Application•What are some defensive tactics we offten use against sin?•What are some offensive tactics we can and should use against sin?•How can we confound Satan's plans by constructively responding to sin?