Opening Hymns:
465 Holy Spirit Truth Divine http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh465.sht
Scripture Reading:
John 3:14-21
3:14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
3:15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
3:17 "Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
3:18 Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
3:19 And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.
3:20 For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed.
3:21 But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God."
Numbers
21:4-9
21:4 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way.
21:5 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 detest this miserable food."
21:6 Then the LORD sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died.
21:7 The people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD to take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people.
21:8 And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live."
21:9 So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.
Message:
It’s hard to talk about one of these scriptures without thinking of the other. The symbolism is so perfect. We look to Jesus for forgiveness of our sins, and for eternal life just as the Israelites looked towards the snake that God commanded Moses make so that they would be healed.
21:4 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way.
21:5 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 detest this miserable food."
21:6 Then the LORD sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died.
21:7 The people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD to take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people.
21:8 And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live."
21:9 So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.
Message:
It’s hard to talk about one of these scriptures without thinking of the other. The symbolism is so perfect. We look to Jesus for forgiveness of our sins, and for eternal life just as the Israelites looked towards the snake that God commanded Moses make so that they would be healed.
It is striking to me that the Israelite’s plea for forgiveness
did not help them escape the snakes that slithered underfoot. God did not take
away the consequence for their actions, but instead created a way that they
could be healed. While the Israelites were still plagued by snakes, they were
free from the fear of death.
It is the same for us. We are not free from the struggles of
the world. We are not free from the temptations to sin. Nor would we be free of
the consequences. You can bet that if you steal, lie, cheat, or dishonor your
father and mother there will be consequences that you will face in this world.
We are not freed from the sorrows that can come with life and death. Instead
God offers us hope. He has given us His Son whom we can look to for salvation. We
are saved from the death that would have come through our sins. We are instead
brought to an eternal life with our heavenly father. Though the bites from our
sins can sting, we can be assured that Christ our Lord has saved us.
Time of Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for hearing us when we cry to You for forgiveness. Thank You for listening to our prayers for healing. Grant that we may always place our hope in You, for You're love endures forever. Amen
The Lord’s Prayer
Closing Hymn
185 When Morning Guilds the Skies http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh185.sht
Time of Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for hearing us when we cry to You for forgiveness. Thank You for listening to our prayers for healing. Grant that we may always place our hope in You, for You're love endures forever. Amen
The Lord’s Prayer
Closing Hymn
185 When Morning Guilds the Skies http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh185.sht
May the Lord bless you and keep you: May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you: May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." Amen.
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